Are Artificial Intelligence Recruitment Solutions Really as Fair as We’re Led to Believe?
From screening CVs in seconds to carrying out one-way video interviews, artificial intelligence (AI) has fast become a norm in the world of recruitment.
A whopping 70% of recruiters say that AI is improving their hiring decisions – a statistic that shows just how quickly the industry has adapted to the use of AI and transformed the daily duties of recruiters across the country.
Although the benefits of AI recruitment solutions are undeniable, it is definitely not a foolproof solution. There has been a range of concerns over the fairness of decisions that have been made by AI software.
How is AI Being Used in Recruitment?
The use of AI in HR is transforming traditional practices and saving recruiters hours of time every day. It is automating everyday processes to help businesses find the best possible candidates for the job, without bias.
As soon as a job listing closes, AI software is able to screen the resumes and applications almost instantly. By scanning each CV against a set of predetermined criteria, it selects those who have the skills and experience that best fit the job description.
Once the candidates have been shortlisted, AI is able to facilitate automated communication to provide details of the next stage. From the perspective of a recruiter, this saves them a significant amount of time since they don’t have to manually schedule interviews or send out email updates to the unsuccessful candidates.
Some businesses even choose to carry out the first round of interviews through AI. This would send candidates a link that leads to a one-way video interview that can be completed at a time that suits them. They will be presented with a series of questions, and their response will be filmed and transcribed. Natural language processing tools will then analyse their answers to establish the top candidates.
The Downfalls of AI Recruitment Solutions
Although AI offers recruiters the chance to manage multiple job vacancies at one time by saving them large amounts of time, there are still flaws in the system. Here are some of the key downfalls of using AI in recruitment:
No Control Over Who Is Rejected
Since there is no human control in the initial stages of the process, a lot of responsibility lies with the AI software. Typically, the process would see a recruiter get the tool to compare applications against the job description to see how many keywords and skills match up. Although this is a good way to filter a large quantity of applications, there is a risk that a leading candidate would be rejected because their CV isn’t as keyword-rich as others.
Lack of Human Interaction for Candidates
Although the use of AI speeds up the recruitment process for all parties, the ‘robotic’ feel can leave candidates feeling disconnected from the business. If they have sent off an application, got through to the next round, and carried out a video interview – all without speaking with a real person – the process can fail to generate excitement for the role and show off the company culture.
Reliance on Data-driven Decisions
Since AI uses past data to draw conclusions, there is a risk of unconscious bias. If a company has been struggling to diversify its team due to biased preconceptions during the recruitment process, this can impact the AI results due to the trends it has picked up on. Although AI systems have been shown to reduce bias in recruitment, there is still a way to go.
Not Able to Establish a Personality Fit
However good a candidate may seem on paper, the way they fit into the company culture can turn a seemingly great hire into a lost employee very quickly. If a new recruit doesn’t slot into the team dynamic, is used to a different way of working, or lacks the soft skills needed for the role, they are likely to feel unsatisfied in their job and could soon leave. Without having human judgment involved in the hiring process, it can be hard to pick out the best candidate for the job.
Keeping the Human Side of Recruitment
As much as AI has transformed the recruitment process and saved recruiters hours of time each day, there is only so much it can do. Without maintaining some level of human interaction, both the business and the candidates are unlikely to be satisfied with the outcome.
Here are some of the traditional recruitment processes that still require a human touch to remain effective:
In-person interviews: Although a first-stage video interview can be carried out with AI software to narrow down the options, in-person interviews should still take place afterwards. This not only gives recruiters the chance to get to know the candidates and assess how they would fit into the company culture, but it also gives the candidates an opportunity to ask any questions they have and find out more about the role.
Skills tests: In the same way that recruiters can use AI to filter applicants, applicants can use AI to tailor their CV to a job posting. To ensure that a candidate is proficient in the skills they claim to have, a test should be carried out to see how they respond to the type of task they may face in the role. Depending on the job role, this could be a written test, a presentation, or a problem-solving task.
Phone calls: Being updated on the progress of an application can make a big difference for an applicant. Instead of communicating solely through automated AI-generated messages, a recruiter should be making phone calls to invite successful candidates to the next stage of the process. This human touch helps build relationships and provides the candidate with another opportunity to ask any questions.
Team introductions: When the hiring process for a role is in the final stages, it is a good practice to bring the top candidate(s) in to meet the team before a job offer is made. This allows the wider team to meet their potential colleague and provide any feedback. It also gives the candidate an opportunity to see their potential workplace and establish whether it feels like a good fit for them.
Can AI and Recruiters Work in Unison?
When there was initially talk of AI being able to automate the recruitment process, it received mixed reviews. The uncertainty paired with the prospect of robots taking over human jobs initially felt unwelcome for many, but has since become commonplace.
Many businesses have quickly realised that AI alone is not enough when it comes to hiring new employees, and that the human touch is still important. By removing any lighthearted chit chat and human conversation from the process, both recruiters and candidates are likely to feel disconnected from the process.
Although AI tools are great for screening large quantities of applications and conducting initial interviews, recruiters still need to meet the candidates for themselves to see whether the fit would be a good one.
