I recently had the pleasure of attending the Recruitment & Employment Confederation's RECLIVE24 conference in London, where Priya Lakhani OBE delivered an excellent keynote speech on embracing AI. I am often described as an "early adopter" of technology, so you will not be surprised to read I already use AI to save time, conduct research, and help formulate ideas.
The benefits of AI
AI in the recruitment process is offering benefits such as automated matching and search tools. However, as companies scramble to adopt early AI-driven apps and tools, many recruitment teams have yet to start their journey. It can be a bit of a minefield, and for firms not already integrating AI within their CRM systems, figuring out how to incorporate these technologies is a challenge.
The need for Human Intelligence
I am extremely positive about AI; however, I believe it is crucial that in recruitment, AI works hand in glove with human intelligence (HI). At a time when there is a skills shortage in the UK, and hiring managers are making concessions to fill positions and train people, it is essential to hire the right character fit. This can only truly be assessed through thorough registration processes and candidate interviews.
Good hiring also relies on effective two-way communication between the hiring manager and the recruiter. Throughout my time in the recruitment industry, I have observed that much of this has been lost to transactional recruitment processes or portals, which remove the crucial human interaction often needed to hire the best candidates. For instance, The Times ran a story in May this year highlighting a case where HMRC filled a position without ever meeting the candidate, who in turn, did not meet a human being until their first day at the government’s tax collection agency.
As we embrace the age of AI (and it is not going back in the bottle!), I believe it is important that we maintain excellent communication and person-to-person interviewing as integral parts of the recruitment process. If people truly are the most important part of your business, it is essential to keep human intelligence in recruitment.
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