January 30, 2025
We hear a great deal about how AI is changing how we do things or that it will revolutionise industries and sectors. A recent study revealed that 41% of businesses across the UK reported that they were already using AI for recruitment, and another 26% expressed their intentions to adopt these technologies within the next year. So what does it mean for recruitment? Is AI capable of making it easier to attract top talent?
A common reason to opt for using a recruiter is to free up time and reduce the admin associated with the process, in order to spend more time vetting and assessing candidates. AI claims to help you achieve this by:
- Screening and ranking candidates according to bespoke criteria – AI technology is able to screen for relevant qualifications, skills, and experience helping you filter candidates quickly. However, the REC warns that human oversight is still necessary to ensure compliance with The Equality Act (2010) for example, and ensure your practices are not unintentionally discriminatory. Whilst AI can help to reduce bias, it can also augment it and businesses must be mindful of this possibility.
- Performing automated background checks – AI technology can automatically scan and verify identity documents, such as passports or biometric residence permits. Equally it is able to continually monitor for visa expiration dates or changes to immigration status, offering peace of mind for businesses.
- Carrying out talent assessments and ranking results – through the gamification of assessments AI is able to check candidates skills, the way they think and even identify personality traits to see if they would be a potential fit for your business.
- Using chatbot technology to schedule interviews – we have long been used to dealing with chatbots and AI offers businesses the opportunity to automate much of the recruitment process. However, only 7% of businesses are harnessing the technology in this way. Compared to the 41% of businesses who say that they are using AI this stark difference could indicate that businesses are reluctant to use AI for processes that are more personal.
So, is AI the way forward?
There is no doubt that AI can significantly reduce the admin time associated with recruitment and can also make enhanced screening processes for employers more accessible. But 61% of businesses reported ‘a lack of trust in AI’s decision making’. What AI cannot do is replace the human touch. Whilst it may be able to assess if a candidate has the correct qualifications on paper, it cannot yet get to know them. It also lacks the ability to put a value on lived experience. Whilst it can screen CV’s for key qualifications and buzzwords or phrases, relying solely on AI could mean that outstanding candidates can slip through the net.
It is also vital to beware of deep fakes. In the same way that businesses might be using AI to sift through candidates, candidates could be using the technology to make it appear that they are something that they are not. Face to face screening, with robust processes is much less susceptible to this kind of problem.
With this in mind we believe that the current status of AI makes the skillset of a seasoned recruiter all the more essential. They already work in ways that are aligned with legislation. If they are helping you to find the right candidate and not just fill a seat they will be carefully vetting candidates and sending you only a few top choices, sometimes only one because they will find a match for the organisation. Whilst we need to embrace AI in recruitment, currently this should come with the caveat of check and balances from experienced professionals.
