AI in Hiring: How to Keep the Human Touch in Your Recruitment Process

Although AI in hiring has proven to be a revolutionary tool, having a human touch in your recruitment process is still imperative to your success. With so much buzz surrounding AI in hiring, it can sometimes be too easy to get lost in the never-ending world of AI, automation, and chatbots.  

This post will take a look at why it’s so important to keep the human touch in your recruitment process as well as outline some steps you can take to ensure that you achieve a balance between the human and machine elements.

One significant barrier that still exists between humans and machines is emotional intelligence. AI in hiring has enabled recruiters to automate time-consuming tasks such as candidate screening and interview scheduling through chatbots. While technologies like conversational AI have done an excellent job of making these interactions more human-like, they still struggle to channel natural human qualities like empathy and compassion. These human qualities go a long way in making every candidate feel like they’re getting a custom, one to one experience, so it’s crucial to find ways to add these human touches to your recruitment process where possible.

The simplest way to keep a human touch with AI in hiring is to be upfront with potential candidates, letting them know what to expect and when. Openly communicate the recruitment flow and the design of each stage. Provide details on time frames, tools used in the process, roles, and names of people they may contact throughout the process. If you decide not to move forward with a particular candidate,  be truthful and openly discuss your decision.

Throughout your recruitment process, a single point of contact lets candidates know that you consider them a viable candidate, worth your time and consideration. A simple gesture such as sharing your email address, or sending a quick message on a platform like LinkedIn not only shows that an actual person is reviewing the information shared with your chatbot, but also ensures that they feel valued.

96% of employees say that empathy makes them want to stay at a job. In light of our current circumstances, having the ability to understand and empathize with others is a critical quality to possess. Recruiters need to be aware and understand that candidates may not get back instantly, or that circumstances may change. Reacting to these situations with kindness and compassion is essential to making every candidate feel like they’re getting that custom, one to one experience mentioned earlier.

Technology has enabled new capabilities to revolutionize the recruitment industry. However, taking a one size fits all approach to AI in hiring can be harmful. As AI in hiring and other technologies develop, finding a sufficient balance between humans and machines will be critical to long term success.