How AI can improve the recruitment process

Everyone loves a good catastrophe - the "Chicken Licken" phenomenon is well documented. And AI (artificial intelligence) slots nicely into that category. It’s the unknown, the apocalyptic - no one is safe... 

And certainly, no job is safe - especially not that of a recruiter!

But I take a different slant. Years ago, the Stockton to Darlington Railways caused a furore... the human body couldn’t go at speeds of 30mph - and yet now, The Shinkansen is a regular feature in Japan and the world of Elon Musk's Hyperloop is not beyond the realms of possibility.

The point is - progress always feels uncomfortable.

The fear in the job market is that robotics / AI will take over the employment. However, the facts do not bear this out. In the automotive industry in 2015/16, 50 000 more robots were added to the workforce. Rather than taking away jobs - during this same period of robotic expansion - an additional 260 000 humans were also added to the workforce. (Source: ERE Recruiting Intelligence)

AI and Recruitment actually go hand in hand.

AI works best at pattern recognition and in fields where there are large amounts of data to interpret human inconsistencies may lead to poorer decisions, as yet, a human is unable to process as much data as a robot.

AI can reduce tedious and repetitive tasks - and this helps to drive down the amount of ambiguity and error.

A prime example of a use for this in recruitment is around scheduling and interview scoring. Traditional recruitment hasn't progressed much over the years. The ability to gather metrics has increased exponentially - yet the ability to actively and appropriately manipulate them isn't much further on. There has been evidence since the 1940s that using regression models for hiring would in fact produce a more consistent result.

But still so many companies fail to hire by the data.

How can AI invigorate the recruitment process?

Well the application of algorithmic hiring isn't completely new - Unilever has been employing a more automated approach to get down to that short shortlist of candidates for face to face interviews. 

So, let’s look at the use of AI to improve the hiring experience:

Use an algorithm to predict availability of the right applicants, to use a machine learning process that can analyse data from multiple sources (CVs, social media, performance ratings, manager preferences).

AI can improve quality of hire by utilising data to standardise the pairing of candidates’ skills, experience and knowledge with the job requirements - the first line of defence in sifting and matching CVs. This will enable the recruiters to spend more time on identifying candidates who have the right cultural fit and soft skills and ensure that clients are receiving better suited candidates.

And where is the human in all this? Well if you can improve the metric analysis - there is now more time to get on with the "human" stuff. The Total Talent Management if you will - getting the candidate on-boarded, working with teams and ultimately performance. 

Let the AI take the strain of the mind numbing recruiter trawling - and the let the humans get on with the stuff that can make real change.

Sounds like AI can increase our hiring potential in more ways than just a hyper efficient process!!

If you would like to discuss any of the topics mentioned in this blog, please contact Mike Smith on mike.smith@bps-world.com

Mike is the EMEA Business Development Director at BPS World, he specialises in Total Talent Management strategy and gives expert advice to organisations seeking to improve their talent agenda.