‘Til Tech Do Us Part
When I think about the future of recruitment it is hard to imagine it without some sort of tech/AI involvement. Not only have advances in technology given us a great tool to utilise and take advantage of, but the way that social trends are reshaping the recruitment landscape, means that the way we attract, hire and retain the top talent could be changing.
Recently, I shared an article from HR Grapevine on LinkedIn, that reported that recruiters at the ‘Big Four’ firms were strictly monitoring the use of AI during their hiring processes, to limit bias, take away advantages, avoid discrepancies in a candidate’s experience and minimise any potential risk concerning data.
This article examined a 2023 report by Arctic Shores, who found that Companies that limit or ban the use of AI tools may find themselves missing out on the top talent as a third of students would not want to work for an employer that does not encourage the use of AI.
So, with the news that that likes of KPMG, Deloitte, EY and PwC are asking candidates to “now confirm they have finished online tests without external tools such as AI” will others follow suit?
Does AI have a place in recruitment?
Are advances in technology reshaping the way that we do recruitment, making us turn our backs on centuries old, proven methods to hire the right people?
Over the past 12 months or so ChatGPT has become a common tool among the public, specifically in recruitment it has been used to write CVs and covering letters, offer answers to interview questions and offer general help when it comes to job applications. Although, it can be a helpful tool, to help ‘jog’ your memory for the right answer, some would argue it is essentially plagiarism and in no way does it offer a true reflection of your capability. However, if it is used to ‘tidy up’ a CV or covering letter, is that OK?
If you look at it from the candidates point of view, it is a time saving tool that automates the repetitive tasks that are part and parcel of job hunting, saving time and energy and allowing them to concentrate on the things that will really matter; how they perform in interview and the research into the company, to name a couple.
From the hirer’s point of view though, using AI tools at this stage can promote bias. Is the technology really that advanced that it can screen candidates effectively, after all, it relies on algorithms and patterns to identify key bits of information, that doesn’t really scream diversity, nor does it allow for unprecedented events or occurrences.
Another tool that is trying to carve it’s place in recruitment is predictive analytics. Using statistical modelling and data mining methods, predictive analytics makes predictions about the future based on past performance. Predictive analytics may be applied to recruitment to find hiring patterns, identify top prospects for a position, and improve recruiting tactics. Organisations may make better recruiting decisions and reduce turnover by examining variables including prior hiring trends, candidate behaviour, and worker performance.
But like most things, there are draw backs of using predictive analytics, some we have already touched upon, i.e. bias that can lead to discriminatory outcomes, but there are others that will make you stop and think. The results are only as good as the data that you have available. If you have unverified, inaccurate data then the insights that you get will be unreliable and full of errors. There are also huge privacy concerns as predictive analytics uses key personal data, so this cannot be mishandled. Finally, the results although arguably insightful can be both limited and complex. This sort of model is designed to give a specific outcome based on predefine variables, and may not take into account extenuating factors and their limitations. They can also require specialist knowledge to interpret or extract complex relevant information from.
Finally, technology can allow recruiters to tailor a recruitment process / journey for each individual candidate, allowing it to still feel personable but to also ensure that key bits are never missed. This journey can be automated, and would save time all-round. You are able to build ‘work flows’ and content through your CRM system to engage with candidates at each and every stage, which ironically, could be more personable than ever before! The potential reach it has is huge, and allows you to offer advice, give relevant information and support to more people.
I think it is fair to say that we are not quite at the stage of being taken over by Bots, but there are certainly some tools that a recruiter can utilise to allow them to maximise their reach and improve engagement. AI tools such as predictive analytics and Chat GPT can be useful and have a significant impact on certain areas, but like anything should be used carefully, thoughtfully and most importantly ethically.
These emerging trends have the potential to impact how we recruit, and I do believe that some have the potential to improve the candidate experience, help with brand identity and ensure we are delivering the best talent to our clients, but I don’t think there is going to be an immediate, complete substitute or AI tool that will truly allow a recruiter to take on board company values and make sure that all future hirers fit that criteria too.
