5 Advantages of AI in Recruitment (Early Stages & Beyond)

Laurenzo Overee
Latest posts by Laurenzo Overee (see all)

AI in recruitment has become synonymous with quality talent acquisition processes. Thanks to the technology’s unmatched efficiency in sourcing the most talented employees. Reliable AI algorithms enable companies to scale their recruitment campaigns under any job market condition. And the best part? AI does it at a fraction of the time it takes for human recruiters to identify, qualify, and connect with the most promising talent. 

A glance at the traditional resume parsing process reveals just how AI’s data-supported systems could prove extremely valuable in saving your organization valuable time and money in securing top hires (while avoiding inherent biases and decision paralysis). 

The tedium in recruitment is most keenly felt by talent acquisition teams in the earliest stages of hiring. That’s when almost anyone could apply as a potential hire for any vacancy. This is especially taxing for enterprises that need to fill multiple roles often in a short period. And to make matters worse, this mad rush for hiring en masse repeats annually. 

Effective talent acquisition strategies are a priority at Ongig, especially when it involves leveraging the power of AI. On that note, we dive into the biggest struggles of initial stage TA and how it affects enterprise teams. We also explore how AI can swoop in to boost your hiring efficiencies without the usual stress and hassle.

Hiring - AI in recruitment

Automation as a Hiring Standard

A recent Resume Builder survey involving more than 1,000 business leaders revealed that almost 70% of employers intend to incorporate AI into recruitment processes without human oversight into 2025. According to the survey, TA decision-makers plan to apply AI solutions in screening, interviewing, and even rejecting job candidates. 

Automated recruitment through AI enables hiring teams to overcome some of the traditional barriers of hiring a valuable employee. That includes getting someone with the academics and competencies needed to achieve a long-term career in your organization. Particularly, AI eliminates the bureaucratic requirements that often arise in the first stage of talent sourcing. So, your team of experts can focus on more impactful outreach strategies for engaging qualified targets. 

AI in Recruitment Advantage #1 – Streamline Interviews 

Live interviews remain integral in the talent acquisition process where employers can interact with each candidate and assess their job suitability based on responses. These responses often involve non-verbal cues that reveal a great deal about a person’s character and professionalism (i.e., sentiment analysis). The major issue with live interviews in the early stage of recruitment lies in the time it takes to accommodate a large volume of differing candidate schedules. And coupled with the limited time of your hiring team’s working hours, it gets tedious.  

Through AI in recruitment, candidates have the flexibility of recording their answers at their preferred time based on preset interview questions. The AI algorithm for these asynchronous interviews would then proceed to interpret the nuances in the candidate’s recorded messages. 

Advanced AI technologies leverage natural language processing (NLP). NLP can analyze critical details like tone of voice and facial expressions for a deeper evaluation of each candidate. These solutions are arguably better than the assessment methods of traditional interviews since AI’s objective data-based approach eliminates interview biases. 

According to recruitment solutions company Morgan McKinley, AI can refine interviews in innovative ways. These include applying transcription services in interpreting interview semantics and chatbot-led interactions that use digital avatars. 

By automating first-stage interviews with AI, your recruiting team can essentially:

  • Manage time more efficiently, by empowering team members with the built-in tools needed to form analytical assessments of each potential hire. 
  • Provide a more uniform interview pipeline that eliminates biases that could undermine the quality of hire. These could include a focus on in-demand skills, work experience, and soft skills most needed to thrive in a role.

AI in Recruitment Advantage #2 – Compile and Interpret Various Candidate Data Sources

There are many candidate data points involved in large-scale enterprise recruitment initiatives. These include social media platforms, job boards, and the proprietary applicant tracking system (ATS). Gathering and reviewing the sheer amount of information from these sources during the early stage of hiring is staggering and critical hiring details could get lost in motion. 

AI algorithm prevents missed TA opportunities by comprehensively analyzing information from multiple sources. AI-powered tools can help your recruiters reduce the cost and time needed to compose a roadmap for multichannel recruitment. 

Centralized AI candidate sourcing solutions like Kula.ai even compiles in-depth reports that inform recruiting managers about the most effective hiring approach. Aside from enhanced TA, a good grasp of AI-driven data shapes talent strategies in pivotal areas like employee retention. This has become a priority among employers in recent years. 

Essentially, AI-based candidate sourcing solutions like Kula.ai conduct comprehensive assessments of a candidate’s profile to determine the most impactful engagement method in securing their interest. The information pooled from candidates by AI can prove extremely advantageous in times of skills shortage. In such scenarios, employers can quickly shortlist hires that fit the bill, significantly improving TA opportunities. 

AI in Recruitment Advantage #3 – Optimize Multichannel Communications

The accessibility to candidate information enables AI solutions to optimize communication and engagement for applicants across their preferred touchpoints. These provide recruiters and hiring managers with the flexibility to tailor their engagement tactics and tone of voice for optimal results. 

For instance, Harri’s Carri chatbot implements conversational AI algorithms to optimize communication with potential hires in the hospitality industry. Carri empowers recruiters by sending customized text messages, interacting via social media messengers, and more, in connecting with interested parties. According to Harri, their AI chatbot’s functions include:

  • Scheduling application reminders to job seekers.
  • Maintaining TA and management compliances by seeking and updating relevant documentation. 
  • Scan and text several candidate interaction channels simultaneously, freeing the precious time of hiring managers from repetitive tasks.   

Essentially, conversational AI chatbots like Carri tell the most talented hires what they wish to hear. Thus, giving them the assurance needed to follow through with an application. 

Addressing Candidate “Ghosting” with AI

Perhaps one of the biggest issues that AI can fix or mitigate is the touchy topic of “ghosting”. Statistics show that 63% of candidates are unsatisfied with the communication style of their employers after applying for a role. 

Yet, it is understandable that it is nearly impossible (and counterproductive) to send tailored well-meaning messages to thousands of candidates who failed to make the cut. However, it is still essential to leave a positive impression on each candidate regardless of their application results. Failing to do so could result in talented hires “feeling snubbed” by the organization. And this can leave a negative impression that could travel fast, far, and wide in the age of social media. 

On the other hand, taking delicate care in every applicant’s communication can help your company secure a stellar reputation in employer review and rating sites like Indeed, Kununu, and The Muse. 

That’s where AI could prove instrumental in building strong ties with each job seeker. An AI-driven ATS or human resource management system (HRMS) could provide automated rejection messages personalized according to an individual’s profile to promptly inform them of the organizational decision courteously and professionally. These timely AI follow-ups could also request candidates’ permission to join talent programs/pipelines. Thus, swiftly updating them on new opportunities within the company. 

AI in Recruitment Advantage #4 – Simulate Realistic Workplace Challenges

Finding the right hires (or reducing the dizzying number of potential hires) relates largely to finding people with the relevant skill sets and attitudes needed at the workplace. 

Ultimately, TA is not simply about seeking individuals with the necessary academic qualifications (i.e., does an operationally intensive role truly require a degree?). One study showed that already 75% to 88% of the resumes submitted for a position are unqualified. So, there are many hidden talents overlooked in the mix, who have the capabilities to succeed in a role.   

Competency tests are effective way to guide skills-based hiring in assessing a candidate’s workplace readiness. AI can achieve this by simulating realistic challenges and interpreting candidate responses to these tasks and contextual questions. Examples of AI-driven pre-employment tests include:

  • Personality assessments that identify hidden behavioral traits in a person’s mannerisms and how they project themselves during an interview. 
  • Situational judgements, in providing objective scoring on how a candidate reacts to a real-world situation or conflict. 
  • Communication skill tests by analyzing the written and speaking style of individuals and matching them with organizational expectations. 

These hiring criteria can offer the insights needed for hiring managers to select between evenly qualified individuals in a competitive selection process. Through AI analytics, your hiring team can identify top talent with a penchant for problem-solving, team collaborations, and innovation. Or even find those possessing the winning work ethic needed to advance your organizational objectives. 

AI in Recruitment Advantage #5 – Create Impactful Job Ads at Scale

An impactful job description (JD) provides candidates with a snapshot of what your company stands for and why they should invest their time in a role. With that said, it is extremely challenging for enterprises to come up with effective JDs at scale if there is a constant need to fulfill hundreds and thousands of openings each year.

As work surveys have shown, one-third of job seekers would pass on a role if the corporate culture was a poor fit.

Using an advanced JD vetting and optimization platform like Ongig’s Text Analyzer ensures that each of your descriptions remains highly engaging based on the latest job seeker trends. The Text Analyzer highlights and generates compelling job titles and employee perks. It also helps with growth opportunities that make each of your JD stand out from the crowd. 

Aside from enhancing your JD’s overall aesthetics and readability, the Text Analyzer also checks against the latest inclusivity/ DEIB standards to engage talent across every background. Doing so can boost application rates for hiring campaigns of all scales. Essentially, via generative AI, you can better promote the inclusivity of your company’s culture. You can also create unique value propositions without missing a beat. 

Text Analyzer also enables you to save and repurpose optimized JDs for various roles according to your preferred tone and employer branding style. With JDs serving as the gateway to your company’s environment, you could turn to Text Analyzer to steer a winning impression every time based on your hiring needs. 

Measuring ROI of AI in Recruitment: Why Measure ROI in Recruitment?

Measuring ROI - AI in recruitment

Recruitment teams are always looking for ways to make their processes more efficient. The use of AI is a powerful tool that can transform hiring processes, but how do you know if it’s worth the investment? Measuring the ROI of AI recruitment tools helps HR professionals understand their effectiveness and impact. So, by focusing on specific key performance indicators (KPIs), you can uncover valuable insights about how these tools contribute to finding the right candidates and improving the overall recruiting process.

Key KPIs to Track

  1. Time Saved on Time-Consuming Tasks

AI systems excel at automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as resume screening, interview scheduling, and analyzing vast amounts of data. To measure ROI, track the time your HR teams or talent acquisition team spends on administrative tasks before and after the integration of AI technology. The reduction in time spent on these tasks allows recruitment teams to focus more on building connections with potential candidates and passive candidates.

  1. Cost Reductions

Using AI in recruitment can help streamline the screening process. Thus, reducing the cost per hire. Therefore, by using predictive analytics and machine learning to evaluate training data and historical data, you can identify the most suitable candidates more efficiently. Additionally, AI-driven chatbots can handle candidate questions during the application process, reducing the workload on HR leaders and saving resources.

  1. Quality of Hires

The quality of hires is a critical metric for measuring the benefits of AI in recruitment. With AI, recruitment teams can analyze job requirements and job descriptions against a candidate’s skills and experience to find a good fit. Focusing on objective criteria rather than relying solely on human decision-making, AI recruitment tools help uncover great candidates who align with your company culture and job ads. Also, tracking retention rates, employee performance, and feedback from hiring managers are excellent ways to measure this KPI.

How to Measure the Impact

  1. Track Improvements in Candidate Selection

AI technology helps HR professionals identify the best candidates by leveraging data-driven decisions and reducing human biases in the recruiting process. So, measure how quickly your recruitment practices lead to hiring the right fit for an open position compared to before the use of AI in recruitment.

  1. Analyze the Candidates’ Experience

AI tools like AI-driven chatbots enhance the application process by answering candidate questions and making the process smoother. So, this leads to a better candidate experience, which ultimately boosts your employer brand. You can also measure this by surveying candidates or monitoring satisfaction scores throughout the hiring process.

  1. Evaluate Ethical Considerations and Transparency

While AI offers a competitive edge, it’s important to address ethical concerns like unconscious bias or a lack of transparency in AI systems. Therefore, you must regularly review how AI tools process specific criteria and ensure they align with ethical hiring practices. This not only helps in finding the best talent but also fosters trust in your talent management processes.

Closing Thoughts – The Rough Divide 

Human interaction remains pivotal when seeking the right people for the right job in the management of applications in the initial hiring stages. This is particularly so for final stage interviews where companies have to sort through evenly qualified candidates in determining their next big hire. 

Based on survey findings from the Pew Research Center, 71% of Americans opposed using AI in the final hiring decision. It is also inevitable that there remain ethical and accuracy concerns in the use of AI in recruitment. This would probably stay the status quo as long as sensitive and complex data is involved in decision-making. 

AI as a Solution For Early Hiring Stages 

However, using AI in recruitment can significantly eliminate a bulk of the leg work in the earliest stages. That’s where it’s open season and recruiting teams tend to get inundated with resumes of all sorts. And this includes profiles far displaced from what an enterprise seeks. 

The US’s current economy hints at an increase in job search activities into 2025 and beyond. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an estimated 40% of the 7 million people who were out of work in October, or roughly 2.84 million people, have been looking for work for more than 15 weeks. This is an increase of 20% since a year earlier. 

These trends could lead to an influx of applications, increasing the challenge in first-stage recruitment strategies. The slowing job market has also led companies toward more innovative TA solutions involving AI tools. PWC reported that 51% of companies are either in the process of integrating VR into their recruitment strategy or have already built VR into at least one dedicated line of business. 

24% of companies are already using AI for the entire interviewing process. And experts predict that these numbers could grow to 29% by 2025. The rapid advancement of AI solutions and innovations signals a good time to integrate AI technologies with existing TA strategies. Through AI support, your enterprise hiring teams can seamlessly fill open positions while navigating the choppy sea of candidates in the earliest and (possibly the most tedious) stages of your talent search.

Why I Wrote This?

Ongig believes in the advantages of AI in recruitment by removing biases and readability issues from JDs and enhancing the appeal of every candidate touch point. Our Text Analyzer Platform uses AI algorithms to detect the subtlest biases. These include the slightest hints of exclusion that escape the notice of seasoned recruiters) that repel your most talented hires. 

Ongig also offers smart templates that enable you to adopt our platform fast without tedious onboarding. Reach out to Ongig for a demo to learn how AI can improve your TA campaigns with consistent results!

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