Using AI for Employee Recruitment

Artificial intelligence is taking the world by storm as technology improves at a breakneck speed. metamorworks/Shutterstock

When a job opens and is advertised, employers are inundated with hundreds of resumes. And 52 percent of talent acquisition leaders claim that screening all these candidates is the hardest part.

To ease the recruitment load and speed up the hiring process, HR departments are using artificial intelligence (AI) to screen applicants. But how does this work, and is it fair and effective?

HR Department Challenges

The biggest challenge for HR recruiters is time. Most recruiters don’t give full attention to candidates’ resumes. Some say that they spend about six seconds evaluating a resume. Many good candidates likely fall through the cracks of the volume of resumes being submitted.

With increased applicant volume, there is the risk of poor hires and staff turnover. The productivity of an HR department is stifled in recruiting high-quality talent. That’s why 66 percent of recruiters want to implement AI to identify qualified candidates.

Attracting Qualified Candidates

Hiring starts with an effective job description. It is the chief component in marketing to qualified candidates. An effective job description will connect with potential employees that meet the qualifications.

First impressions count, and a text analyzer tool eliminates the risk of losing qualified candidates. The AI optimizes the job description. It also calculates the job description’s effectiveness and has an appropriate balance of inclusive language.

Recruitment Using Resumes

Once a candidate applies, their resume is evaluated by AI before it ever reaches a recruiter’s desk. The algorithm looks for keywords in the resume that are applicable for the job.

For example, if the job is for a television sales account executive, AI will look for keywords like sales, television, revenue, etc. Then, it will send on resumes with these keywords and reject resumes without.

But AI goes beyond just looking for keywords. It can scour the web for information about the candidate. The candidate’s social media is scanned, including LinkedIn and Facebook. The goal is to ensure consistency with what has been stated on the resume.

Using Recruiter Chatbots

You’ve probably seen chatbots. They are often used on websites for both sales and customer service. But they’re also used in recruiting.

Chatbots can be used to enhance the prospective employee’s experience. Chatbots are currently being tested. The goal is to provide candidates with engagement. This will allow them to ask questions based on job requirements. It can also deliver feedback, updates, and next-step recommendations. This is all in real-time.

Using Digitized Interviews

Screening interviews have also gone tech. In digital interviews, the candidate is given a list of questions, and their responses are recorded on camera.

Although this method has been around for a while, it’s becoming more popular. This technology makes it simpler and quicker to screen numerous people. Not only does it save time for the recruiter but also it speeds up the process for the candidate.

This technique creates a level playing field since questions are standardized. As a result, biased questions are eliminated and it’s fair for all involved.

Once the interview is complete, AI comes into play. The algorithm evaluates a candidate’s speech patterns, word selection, and facial expressions.

The goal is to determine if the candidate is suitable for the position and the organization’s culture.

Does AI Guard Against Bias?

The algorithm for AI is supposed to reduce unconscious bias. It ignores information such as race, gender, and age. That’s easy enough. After all, computers don’t have biases.

But some people may have biases they aren’t even aware of, and they are programming the AI. The result has drawn a lot of legislation and regulatory actions. They fear the fairness and ethical issues tied to using AI in HR. The goal is to have greater oversight of using AI in human resources.

For example, New York City enacted a law that prohibits using AI to screen a candidate or employee within the city unless a certain bias audit and notice requirements are met. This law was set to go into effect this year.

Benefits of AI in Recruitment

The most significant benefit is saving the recruiter’s time. The AI helps weed out the resumes of people who are not qualified for the position. For example, hiring for one position can potentially take hours screening resumes and deciding who to interview.

It also eliminates repetitive and time-consuming tasks. This is because it automatically screens resumes, makes assessments, and schedules interviews.

With AI, you also have recruitment standardization. So all candidates are on a level playing field. It uses data to standardize the process of matching a candidates experience and education to a company’s position.

Disadvantages of AI in Recruitment

One big disadvantage is the amount of data AI needs to do its job. For example, it must be programmed to filter resumes with the same eye a recruiter has.

Although AI aims to eliminate bias, it can be taught to recognize patterns in past behavior. It could learn human prejudice.

AI Impact on Recruitment

Eventually, AI may be the standard in the recruitment process. With 35 percent of recruiters saying that AI is the top trend impacting the hiring process, it will be even more prevalent. Speeding up the recruitment process is just one advantage.

The bottom line is that recruiters and their companies want AI in their hiring arsenal.

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