The Al Revolution is in full-flow, and its impact is certainly being felt in the recruitment space with application management, candidate matching and even initial screenings being conducting by computers. Some job ads even state that all CV reviews will be conducted by Al, not people.
While this may cut costs for employers, it seems to create more problems and frustrations for candidates, ultimately damaging brands in the long run.
Searching for a new role is (usually) a deeply personal thing; your looking to make decisions and seek outcomes that are going to affect your life in (potentially) quite significant ways. Not only your life, but also the life of your dependants as well. This is something that many applicants deserves some real human involvement.
Take, for example, a Senior CPM we've spoken with who has over seven years of global experience in oncology research who applied for a Senior CPM role within an oncology-orientated CRO. Despite their extensive background, they received an automated rejection stating they did not meet the requirements. This is not an isolated incident; many candidates are receiving automated rejections even when they meet the role requirements.
These issues are far from isolated. There is of course the ongoing WorkDay lawsuit which is moving forward as a class action. The allegation is that WorkDay's Al-powered hiring tools may have had a discriminatory impact on applicants over age 40. Whether WorkDay are found to be at fault remains to be seen but whatever happens, it clearly demonstrates that people are untrusting of Al within processes affecting them.
We've heard of numerous candidates who no longer apply to job adverts because of the heavy automation. They now only use recruitment agencies they trust. This highlights a huge lack of trust in the employers' market, with brands being damaged when they are Al-first and not Al-led.
While Al can bring efficiencies, it is crucial to maintain the human touch in recruitment. By doing so, we can ensure a fair and engaging process for all candidates, ultimately strengthening our brands and building trust in the market. At RBW, we use Al for efficiencies but not to replace people with technology. We review all CVs ourselves. Additionally, we are increasingly implementing video introductions alongside CVs for candidates we submit for roles. This approach shows real character and experience, bringing back a human element.
