Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing numerous industries, helping people save money, streamline processes, and more. Many Human Resources and recruitment professionals are using AI in talent acquisition. Try these applications and relevant tips if you’re considering doing the same.
1. Candidate Screening
Finding the most appropriate candidates in a massive applicant pool is time- and labor-intensive. That’s why many given this task use AI in talent acquisition by using algorithms to find people who fit specific criteria. They could include:
- Education level
- Languages spoken
- Previous experience
- Credentials held
A study from a company that offers an AI-powered resume-screening tool showed 76 percent of employers use skills-based hiring strategies to find candidates. Relatedly, almost 55 percent of respondents rely on role-based skills tests. Some AI tools have skill-filtering capabilities, making it easier and faster for recruiters to find the applicants that best fit their needs.
Before using AI tools, be proactive so they will find as many relevant candidates as possible. Looking for someone who speaks more than one language? Set up the AI tool to catch words and phrases such as “English/Spanish speaker,” “fluent in,” “multilingual,” and “languages.” Ensure it also filters out false positives, such as information related to programming languages rather than spoken ones.
2. Social Media Advertising and Job Descriptions
The ways people find job openings have changed. Rather than looking through a newspaper’s classified ads, a job seeker is much more likely to browse social media. That’s why many recruiters recognize the need to meet candidates where they are, reducing the barriers that make it more difficult for people to learn about companies and their available positions.
One study revealed 30 percent of people use AI to write job descriptions. Relatedly, 28 percent rely on the technology to create social posts. These tasks require human supervision but can give people more time to focus on other parts of the talent acquisition process.
The main reason is that AI can allow people to create content faster. Although users still must proofread the text for accuracy, they can more efficiently write and prepare the content for distribution.
Before committing to using AI in talent acquisition this way, set aside time in your schedule to carefully check the content before publishing it. Many AI tools contribute to the spread of misinformation by providing incorrect information as fact.
3. Candidate Clarification
Many potential candidates want quick answers to questions before deciding whether to complete their application. However, a challenge is that these queries may arise outside a recruiter’s working hours, especially when the positions relate to particular industries where people often work around the clock.
In one example, people from a trucking company realized many questions from candidates came when recruiters were not immediately available to respond. They dealt with the matter by creating a chatbot that personalized its answers based on drivers’ demographic and geolocation data. This approach showed that 35 percent of candidate interactions take place at night or on weekends—however, 38 percent of people who interacted with the chatbot applied for positions.
Track metrics, as the people in this case study did, to make AI in talent acquisition work best for your company. This makes it easy to verify whether the technology works as well as expected or needs a few tweaks. It’s also wise to use your AI chatbot to answer repetitive questions specific to candidates, such as whether a company has reviewed someone’s application.
4. Interview Scheduling
Although interview scheduling is an important part of making progress in the recruitment process, it still takes longer than candidates and recruiters might realize at the outset. People can reduce that challenge by applying AI in talent acquisition.
One 2024 study showed talent acquisition teams still spend 35 percent of their overall time scheduling interviews. However, it also indicated 99 percent of respondents now use AI and automation in their work. One positive thing about interview scheduling is it’s easily automated.
Some currently available solutions work like chatbots, asking candidates to pick from several possible interview times. Once someone does that, the chatbot replies with all the details the person should know before the interview date. Since such solutions automatically provide message histories, they make it easy for applicants or recruiters to look back at the conversation to verify details.
Before choosing one of these options, consider your budget, average candidate volume, and must-have features. This information will help you narrow the possibilities and find those that align with current or future business needs.
How Will You Use AI in Talent Acquisition?
These are some primary ways recruitment agencies use AI in talent acquisition. Although you may initially consider focusing on those, pursuing options not on this list that might be even more appropriate for your company and candidates is essential.
Stay abreast of emerging developments in how people use artificial intelligence within and outside recruitment tasks. Those applications could inspire you to find different ways to apply the technology soon.
