What is AI in talent acquisition?
AI in talent acquisition refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to improve various stages of the recruitment process. This may include automating repetitive tasks, analysing large datasets to identify the most suitable candidates, and even using predictive analytics to forecast hiring needs.
Modern AI tools can screen resumes, schedule interviews and engage with candidates through chatbots. These tools use algorithms and machine learning to make data-driven decisions. For employers, this means more efficient hiring processes.
Related: What AI can do for your recruitment – and what it can’t
What are the benefits of AI in talent acquisition?
Adding a human touch to recruitment can turn interactions from just transactions into meaningful relationships. Nevertheless, AI has a lot to offer and cannot be underestimated.
Become more efficient
AI can be used to automate repetitive tasks such as resume screening allowing recruiters to focus on more strategic aspects of the hiring process. This, in turn, typically leads to faster decision-making and a more streamlined recruitment process overall.
Improve the candidate experience
AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can interact with candidates in real time, answer their questions and keep them engaged throughout the hiring process. To win over even the most sceptical candidates, employers need to clearly communicate how exactly AI will be used in the hiring process. Being transparent helps build trust and can lead to a better overall experience for candidates compared to traditional recruitment methods.
Make data-driven decisions
AI tools analyse large amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, and then offer insights that can help recruiters make more informed decisions. These insights benefit several areas of the recruitment process. For instance, AI can predict candidate success by evaluating historical data and identifying key attributes that correlate with high performance in certain roles. What’s more, AI can identify potential future hiring needs by analysing market trends, company growth projections and staff turnover rates.
Related: How to Find Good Employees
How can employers implement AI in their talent acquisition process?
Indeed Hiring Lab surveys found that around 21% of Australian job postings on Indeed face a ‘high exposure’ to generative AI – with such tools able to perform at least 80% of the skills required in those jobs at a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ level. Talent acquisition is likely among those jobs, so it is worth knowing how to go about implementing it in organisations.
Identify key areas for AI integration
Start by identifying which aspects of the recruitment process could benefit most from using AI. This might include tasks like resume screening, interview scheduling, candidate engagement and data analysis. For instance, a company dealing with a high volume of applications might implement an AI resume screening tool to quickly filter out unsuitable candidates, saving time that would otherwise be spent manually reviewing each resume.
Choose the right AI tools
Once a company has decided that AI is worth trying, the next step is to research and select tools that fit the organisation’s specific recruitment needs. There are many AI solutions available, from chatbots to advanced predictive analytics platforms. For example, setting up a chatbot to handle initial candidate interactions and answer common questions, can save recruiters time and improve candidate engagement with the company.
Train staff
Before going live, the HR team needs to be well-versed in using AI tools. They might need to attend training sessions to help them understand how to make the most of AI and address any concerns they might have about the technology. An employer could organise in-house workshops to demonstrate how AI can enhance the recruitment process and provide hands-on training on their chosen tools.
Review outcomes and make necessary adjustments
It is important to periodically gather feedback from recruiters and candidates to identify possible areas for improvement. The same goes for ongoing monitoring of the performance of the AI tools and making adjustments as needed. Reviewing metrics on a regular basis, such as time-to-hire, candidate satisfaction and diversity rates, is important when assessing the impact of AI on your recruitment process.
Related: Guide to HR software providers in Australia
What do employers need to keep in mind when using AI in talent acquisition?
Before implementing AI in an organisation, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind.
Use AI ethically
Employers need to ensure that their use of AI complies with ethical standards and applicable regulations. This includes ensuring that AI tools do not reinforce biases and being transparent with candidates about how AI is used in the hiring process. In practice, this can be done by clearly communicating in job postings and during interviews that AI tools are being used and explaining their role in the recruitment process.
Keep data private
Recruiters need to take care to protect their applicants’ personal data at all times through robust security measures. For example, care needs to be taken that the chosen AI tools comply with data protection regulations. This is where the employer’s IT and legal teams come in to ensure that all recruitment-related AI tools have strong data encryption and privacy policies in place.
Stay up to date
Like most technologies, artificial intelligence is constantly evolving. It is important to stay on top of the latest developments and be prepared to adapt any AI strategies accordingly. To stay up to date it’s important to attend industry conferences, participate in webinars, and consult AI experts to keep informed about new legal requirements and trends in AI for talent acquisition.
Avoid bias
It may be surprising to hear that AI machine learning can be prone to bias. Programmers feed ML algorithms large data sets, such as a decade’s worth of recruitment data, to identify patterns among successful candidates. And this is precisely what can lead to biased outcomes. For example, if historical data shows that more men were hired, or more candidates with university degrees, the AI tool may favour male candidates and graduates unless the data is corrected.
Related: Lessons from the world’s first AI hiring law
AI presents a promising opportunity to transform talent acquisition by increasing recruitment efficiency and improving the candidate experience. However, it is important that AI is implemented ethically and with consideration for transparency, data privacy and potential bias. Ultimately, using AI in talent acquisition means finding the right balance between embracing new technology and keeping a human touch.
