Don't lose the human connection in AI-supported recruitment

Recruitment can be an onerous process for recruiters and candidates. But sitting at the foundation of successful hiring is trust. And it's this foundation that is being challenged by the rise of automation and AI. Candidates that have sat through AI interviews and recruiters that have had to filter dozens, or hundreds, of AI-generated resumes and application letters understand the pain.  

"We've moved into a time where trust, reliability and fairness are what people are looking for at a workplace," said Sarah Bills, the Country Director at Randstad NZ.

"Candidates are happy to use AI as a tool, but they don't want to be judged by an algorithm. The uncertain economic climate that we've been in has created a highly cautious cohort of workers. Technology is great at streamlining processes and recording and transcribing, but it can't establish trust. It can't show empathy. It can't build a relationship."

Bills says that if a hiring process becomes highly automated, candidates feel like a piece of data. They don't feel real and they worry about the impact that that might have on their ability to be unique or be an individual. More than two-thirds of candidates value human interaction when exploring potential roles. And that climbs to 73% when they're in that application process.

The risk with highly automated processes is that matching candidates with roles becomes an exercise in matching experiences with job requirements. But this misses an important nuance. People who have acquired many skills show an aptitude for learning that AI models may not see.

"AI might be a good predictor based on past performance, = past roles or, past skill sets. If you're a developer that's worked across 10 different languages over the last 10 years, your ability to pick up something new is a strength. But AI might say you've only worked in this language therefore you're not suitable," said Bills. "Candidates could be instantly ruled out of an opportunity that could be perfect for them because they've got those transferable skills."

Ambition freeze

Randstad recently released a report looking at the state of recruitment in New Zealand and identified an ambition freeze.

"It's about a shift in the way people are feeling and what they're looking for when they're considering roles and opportunities. Candidates are looking for stability in their workplace rather than a flashy brand or benefits. It's no longer about job titles and high salaries. Work-life balance comes out quite strongly in the research," Bills said.

The use of AI in recruitment is still in its early stages. Bills said she was unaware of anyone using AI for the full end to end process. But there are opportunities to use it in the hiring process. Time consuming activities such as triaging high volumes of applicants and narrowing the field to a much smaller number are opportunities for AI to support hiring.

"But once you've done that you should introduce the human element to do the next layer of screening and interviews. AI can be a great tool for scheduling. AI can help with the start of the process and can create some efficiency so you can spend more time on the human piece," Bills said.

Retaining the human in the loop remains critical in recruitment. While AI can check a CV for correct spelling and grammar, or match hard skills to selection criteria, it can't pick up those softer skills or identify a candidate's potential.

"AI is good at the check box. But it struggles with cultural alignment and problem solving. Successful recruitment identifies the unique life experience that somebody brings to the table. It's their authenticity. But, as recruiters, that's quite hard because most people won't have an original CV that they've written word for word themselves," explained Bills.

AI does introduce risks into the recruitment process. By using AI to match responses to specific criteria, you could end up with a workforce of all the same types of people. This stifles diversity and results in a bland workforce where everyone's the same.

Looking ahead, Bills believes the future of hiring can be seen as a paradox. As technology becomes more sophisticated and integrated into the process, the value of human interaction is going to increase. AI is still in a test and learn phase for organisations. It will drive efficiencies so that more effort can be put into the human side.

The rise of automation within recruitment presents a challenge. Candidates are increasingly seeking genuine connection over algorithmic assessments. Trust that is rooted in empathy and relationship-building is increasingly important. While AI can streamline initial screening, it risks reducing individuals to data points, failing to recognise unique skills or potential. Successful recruitment hinges on the human element to discern authenticity and ensuring diversity isn't stifled by a purely data-driven approach.