Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your recruitment strategy may feel like a leap of faith. But as smarter and faster algorithms come onto the market, and it becomes harder to find the right candidates on your doorstep, the benefits of an easy to access global workforce are hard to deny.

As with all new technology and innovation it can be a minefield knowing where to start. There are many products out there, and not all AI is created equal! Knowing what to look out for and the right questions to ask is the only way to leverage Machine Learning and Automation to eliminate repetitive tasks and improve your HR recruitment strategy.

1. Does AI recruitment save time?

Early AI wasn’t as helpful as it is now. The original algorithms churned out a ‘short list’ of 1,000++ potential candidates for one role! Now it has come a long way and a smart algorithm with a highly intelligent filtration system can provide a short list of 10-20 candidates in a matter of minutes. One of the biggest advantages is the sheer amount of time it can save freeing up hours previously spent sifting through hundreds of CV’s.

The important thing to remember is that the search is only as good as the data. Not all AI-recruitment partners will add efficiency, some may require a huge amount of time for data entry and maintenance and others may not ask enough about your business or the scope of the role. Either way, you are at the mercy of your job spec. The more information you give the machine and the more intelligent the algorithm, the better the outcome will be. 

In terms of saving time, human intervention is required but will be reduced over time as machines become smarter and learn more about businesses. At 360WORK, learning more about companies is important to us but doesn't mean that we take a huge amount of our clients’ valuable time to collect this data. They give us the right direction, and our algorithms with human relationship managers take care of the rest.

2. Can AI replace human intelligence?

The short answer is no, at the moment it can’t replace human judgment, no matter how smart the algorithm. The ability to read between the lines of a CV, understand the nuance of a phrase or seek out the winning personality that will get the most out of a new role, still needs the human touch.  

With remote and hybrid working a permanent feature in the future of work, soft skills have never been more important. AI can struggle to pick up these soft skills especially if searching passive candidates. Over time this will improve as we all become better at optimising our CV’s and put greater emphasis on promoting our soft skills in the professional workplace.

 In the meantime, make sure the soft skill requirements put into the algorithm are as detailed as they can be and that you have a recruiter with a good validation system in place, interviewing and screening face to face before you see the final 2 – 3 candidates.

3. Does AI remove recruitment bias?

In theory, AI removes human bias and can help businesses build a diverse workplace. But the truth is, bias is only removed by improving and validating the human driven process behind the AI. The AI is only as good as the skill of the recruiter and the design and intelligence of the algorithm itself. Make sure you consider this carefully and ask the right questions before choosing an AI recruitment partner.

Firstly, ensure your recruiter is deep diving the job spec to get the best out of the algorithm and think carefully about any unconscious bias you or they may have at this stage. Secondly, when the algorithm has done its job, the data needs to be analysed and interpreted carefully to spot any potential bias within it. Preferences for a particular business school or style of language preferred by a particular gender or bias towards European sounding names are not uncommon.

4. Does AI save money?

There’s no debate here. The touch of a button can instantly search millions of passive and active candidates worldwide. The cost effectiveness in a reduction in man hours spent trawling CVs frees up an enormous amount of time for HR Professionals and means reduced recruitment costs.

What is clear is that AI recruitment has come a long way. The time and cost saving implications are significant for any business and as we move towards hybrid and remote working, access to a larger talent pool opens a world of opportunity for the forward-thinking HR Manager.

We are not yet ready to completely do away with human input, and maybe we never will be!

A healthy mix of machine and human intelligence seems to be the perfect combination for a winning recruitment strategy.

If you have been intrigued by this post, why not contact us at 360WORK to discuss how our smart algorithms and human relationship managers can help your recruitment process.

Have you tried using AI for your recruitment strategy? What pros and cons did you see?