Of course, it’s highly unlikely that AI and robots will take over the world. On the contrary, we think AI is a very powerful business tool that is supporting companies and their strategies to put customers first and enhance the customer experience.
Putting our recruiter hat on to address the many debates on how AI will impact our industry, we can see AI is a tool that will help us tremendously. The role of a recruitment consultant has definitely changed considerably over the years and will continue doing so in the future. As the admin part of the recruitment process becomes more streamlined by technology, the role of a recruiter will shift even more towards that of a mentor, coach and advisor.
For instance, we will no longer need to screen hundreds of applications; AI will do this on our behalf, faster and more efficiently, based on specific keywords. Many recruiters are already using at least some AI techniques in the hiring process; for example, automated resume screening and interactive interviews. AI-driven tools such as chatbots and RPA bots are streamlining a range of repetitive tasks within the process as well. And what does that all mean? That we will be able to focus on spending more time understanding our candidates and the organisations we work with.
We all know that just one bad hire can cost your organisation a lot, and despite the fact that technology has evolved considerably, finding, connecting and retaining people is still a very complicated process. According to a CareerBuilder survey released in 2017, close to three in four employers surveyed said they had made a bad hire in the last year, costing them around $15,000 USD apiece. With limited time and the fact that organisations are being thrown resumes, recommendations and cover letters left, right and centre, it’s not easy to determine which candidates are really worth your time and investment. The good news is that recruiters in today's age have the ability to leverage off AI in the recruitment process to ensure they find the right technical and team fit candidate for your organisation.Despite AI being so helpful in the hiring process, realistically speaking, it can never fully take over the role of recruiters. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach in recruitment – companies are all unique and all have their own specific needs. For all its benefits, AI will never be as flexible and intuitive as a human being.
In the coming years, we will undoubtedly see the rise of more powerful AI-driven tools. We will, however, be using these tools not to replace humans, but to help streamline the recruitment process and enable us recruiters out there to focus on the more meaningful aspects of our role. Ultimately, building strong human relationships is at the essence of everything that we do in recruitment, and in all other industries as well for that matter.
How has technology such as AI shaped your own role? Do you expect to see further changes in the future?