Who remembers old-fashioned job searching? You would wait for the Sunday paper to arrive, head to the jobs section, and scour the ads for employment opportunities. Don’t forget about the stack of paper resumes – all printed on superb and expensive paper. You would meticulously insert the resume into the matching envelope and snail mail it to the company.
Then things got fancy with the invention of the internet, websites, and social media recruiting. Hiring has undergone significant revolutions in the past twenty years and there is no letting up. Technology has impacted every aspect of our lives and the hiring process has not been protected from that change.
Why are companies using Artificial Intelligence in Recruiting?
One of the most crucial decisions a company can make is who to hire because if you get it wrong, it is costly. That is why emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly revolutionizing industries at an almost alarming rate. Nearly all Fortune 500 companies use some sort of automation in hiring and it is common for even the smallest organizations to have a form of automation as well.
With unemployment under 4%, that means people are working, so the competition for talent is fierce. Candidates are being snatched up and you will lose them if you cannot speed up your process. “Top of form” companies are searching for ways to bring in candidates in an expedient manner. Any hesitation will result in a lost candidate. Companies find themselves turning to AI for solutions to their hiring deficiencies.
The use of AI can significantly cut down on a process that can traditionally take weeks to complete – but it is not met without skepticism, especially on the part of the job seeker.
Artificial Intelligence used in recruiting
Types of Artificial Intelligence (AI) currently being used in the hiring process include:
Video Interviewing: There are platforms that use video interviews to scrutinize candidates’ word choice, their voice inflection, and to review microgestures for understated clues that recruiters may not catch. This form of AI can detect whether facial expressions contradict the words they use. Algorithms can even compare candidates’ tone of voice, their word clusters and facial expressions to people who have previously been identified as high performers on the job.
Emotional Recognition Software: Emotional recognition software helps gauge candidates’ emotional intelligence and truthfulness during video interviews by analyzing facial expressions, word choice, speech rate and vocal tones. Voice analysis can show how often people hesitate and as well as the tone of voice they use.
Social Media Analysis: AI can review social media profiles to predict which applicants are likely to switch jobs. Your social media can also be reviewed to analyze your emotional traits and your underlying personality traits simply by the tone of your social media posts.
Machine Learning Algorithms: This software is used to review resumes and to hide applicants’ names, gender, and personal identifiers in hopes of overcoming the unconscious biases of hiring managers.
Chatbots: Chatbots can directly engage with candidates via text, instant messaging, and can ask basic questions such as start date and salary requirements. When a candidate asks a chatbot a question they cannot answer, they will forward to the recruiter to respond.
So, Is it Time to Ditch All Recruiters?
Absolutely not. Who knows what technology will look like within the next 20 years, but I hope I never see a time where humans have been completely removed from the hiring process.
AI is phenomenal at processing data points and empirically evaluating data. Still, there is one thing it cannot do: build a solid relationship with candidates. Call me old school, but I don’t think that AI can replace active listening, empathy, and having a heart. Yes, you can have a heart and be a recruiter at the same time.
A traditional critique of the hiring process is that candidates “feel like a number.” Today, more than ever, a candidate’s experience is crucial. In our socially connected world, if you cannot provide an exceptional experience for your candidate, they will share their opinions on one of the many social mediums available to them.
The goal is to work in conjunction with artificial intelligence. This is new for job seekers as well and they don’t want to feel that their fate is at the hands of a robot. The thought that a certain look, voice inflection, or an inappropriate pause could knock them out of a process is daunting.
Job seekers want an individualized and personalized experience. Still, AI can be an influential tool for recruiters. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits for the job seeker besides a streamlined process, is the elimination of hiring bias. This process and surface candidates who might otherwise get overlooked.
Savvy recruiters can embrace and leverage new technologies, build upon your digital employment brand, but still create a compelling candidate experience.
Here’s the bottom line: A deliberate use of artificial intelligence in conjunction with a human’s personal touch, can streamline and improve the hiring process for everyone. Never forgot what is important: your candidate.
