22 Jan AI is the Future of Recruiting But Human Touch is Still Very Much Required

Could a robot do the recruiting for you? If you’re a global mobility manager, should you be afraid of artificial intelligence? In Linkedin’s Global Recruiting Trends 2018 study, only 4 percent showed concern that AI will take away their jobs–rightfully so.

Instead of eliminating talent acquisition management, AI is reportedly going to support it by analyzing more information faster and smarter than one could ever do alone. It will automate low-level tasks so recruiters can focus more time on recruiting strategy and candidate relationships.

The likely scenario? AI will replace some parts of a job that require personal and emotional engagement, which makes sense, as a machine with human-like empathy is more challenging. It wouldn’t be a question of a machine replacing a recruiter, the study posits, but a question of how much the machine could amplify anyone’s tasks.

The study interviewed industry experts about the state of hiring and the following trends emerged– diversity, new interviewing tools, data, and artificial intelligence. Nearly 9,000 recruiters and hiring managers from 39 countries discussed those trends.

Recruiters, it reported, need to embrace artificial intelligence, so they can focus on building relationships. Using new tools in the interview process can help them find top talent faster while keeping their eye on the data. Armed with the right information, one can stay ahead and provide a competitive talent advantage.

But there’s no mistaking it. AI’s impact on recruiting is strong, because computers can be programmed to learn how to gather data more efficiently.  AI is the powerful force behind new technologies from self-driving cars to search engines, and it’s on its way to revolutionizing the talent industry.

Using AI will help recruiters work faster with automated and administrative tasks. According to Linkedin’s esearch, AI’s impact on recruiting at 76 percent will be somewhat significant.

For example, UK-based Vodafone takes video interviewing to the next level by using AI-powered software to screen its videos. Just like regular video interviews, candidates record themselves when answering standardized questions. But instead of recruiters reviewing them, the robots (i.e., computers programmed with advanced algorithms) analyze the interviews. Based on role requirements, other candidates, and top performers at Vodafone, the machines assess candidate suitability across 15,000 different dimensions, from body language and facial cues to voice intonation and speech cadence. If candidates pass the video interview, they are then invited to in-person interviews.

Video will not be limited by geographical constraints and is highly convenient, both of which broaden Vodafone’s talent pool. It also attracts passive candidates who are willing to record a short interview but not yet take a day off to meet in-person. Unlike phone screens, video interviews allow Vodafone to actually see candidates.

Without an AI mechanism in place, it’s hard to move fast. It’s easy for anyone to send consumers and companies and get overwhelmed by the hundreds, if not thousands of applicants for one position. Today, AI can read those resumes simultaneously and dramatically accelerate workflow. Now chatbots can respond to candidate question, so one don’t have to. Multiply the effects of these examples and the time-savings is huge.

The HR team at hub:raum, the startup incubator of Deutsche Telekom AG, makes use of chatbots well by answering er questions that potential applicants have about posted job offers. The bot can filter out candidates who are not relevant (based on chosen criteria) and tell those poor-fit candidates that their chances of getting hired are low so applying wouldn’t be recommended.

AI is a huge step forward for recruiters but companies still need people— recruiters for the human dimension of recruiting— the negotiation and persuasion needed to entice people from everywhere to work in Silicon Valley. It’s hard for a computer to bond with a hiring manager or convince a candidate to relocate, especially when an assignee is weighing in many options other than work choices, such as the housing and neighborhood that fits them. Fortunately, California Corporate Housing offers a highly personalized approach for employers looking for housing for their recruited talents.

In the end, decisions are made but what AI may have not figured out is that hiring is seldom just about the job but about other choices that affect his life, which includes his living conditions. Yes, AI is the future but there’s nothing like the human touch.