Want to be both fair and efficient as a recruiter? The good news is that recent and developing advancements in AI technology can help you do this.
But how do you leverage AI in terms of optimising traditional HR practices? The key is to embrace this technology, as well as the more streamlined processes it can help facilitate: processes such as remote communication, candidate social media screening, and the use of AI-assisted data analytics to avoid unconscious bias and discrimination.
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Recruitment process – illustrative photo. Image credit: Jason Goodman via Unsplash, free license
AI-Assisted Digital Communication: Here to Stay, Post-pandemic
We’ve come a long way since the days of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the best things to come out of these lengthy periods of quarantine, though? The rapid uptake of AI and digital technology to facilitate remote communication.
In recruitment, many workplaces are still utilising digital communication technology to conduct preliminary interviews today. Video calling and conferencing programs such as Zoom and Skype have opened the door to digitalised meetings with candidates before bringing them into the office to meet face-to-face. This is especially convenient for roles where multiple rounds of interviews are required. A common process in these scenarios has become:
- Round 1: Telephone interview.
- Round 2: Video conferencing interview.
- Round 3: In-person interview.
Not only is this a much more convenient – and timely – way to run the interview process, but employing video conference interviews also results in less foot traffic of outsiders to the office, which is safer overall. Our digital-age-inspired “nice to e-meet you!” catchcry has, as such, become commonplace – and is likely here to stay, well past the pandemic era.
Sourcing Through Socials: AI-Assisted Searches of Online Platforms For New Recruits
It can’t be denied – we live in the age of social media. At a time when virtually all of us have cultivated and curated an online presence of our own, it makes sense that recruiters are taking a look. And AI is helping them do this.
Of course, when it comes to recruitment, what’s happening in cyberspace can determine what happens IRL (in real life). If you’re smart, you’ll pay attention to the digital image you’re putting out there as a candidate. The truth is that recruiters will take the time to sift through your socials. So, you must make sure that your social media presence reflects the person you want to portray professionally – especially if you want to be successful in being offered an interview.
One of the best ways to curate a professional online presence is by using the popular social media platform, LinkedIn. And, recruiters today can use AI to sift through LinkedIn profiles for potential candidates. So as a candidate, take care to use this resource to your advantage: update your LinkedIn profile with a professional bio, and add your employment history. You can even ask a colleague to submit a professional recommendation to your profile – almost like a review. Putting your best foot forward online as a candidate will also allow recruiters to be fair in their recruitment processes, as it will enable them to get an idea of who you are before they offer you an interview.
AI & Questions of Inclusivity: Fostering Diversity in Talent Recruitment
By using AI to screen candidates, recruiters can avoid bias and discrimination early on in the recruitment process.
Concerningly, a recent study shone a bright light on the harsh reality of recruitment bias in French workplaces, where candidate applications with “foreign-sounding” names were discarded in favour of less ethnically identifiable ones. Each of the applications detailed almost identical work experience, and each was found to have comparable merit in terms of its suitability for the advertised role.
To combat this, the use of AI technology to screen candidates’ resumes based on keywords relevant to specific selection criteria can help avoid this factor altogether. Using AI-assisted screening to match candidates to suitable roles – based on the experience detailed in their resumes – is altogether a much fairer and more effective method of recruitment. As well as this, it removes any potential for human bias or discrimination.
Adopting AI in the recruitment process brings a new level of fairness and efficiency, transforming traditional HR practices. With the aid of digital communication tools, AI enables recruiters to perform remote interviews, fairly evaluate candidates’ social media profiles, and use data analytics to remove bias. This approach not only modernises hiring but also ensures a more inclusive and streamlined candidate selection, making it a crucial strategy for any progressive organisation.