The Future Of Hiring And AI Recruiting Technologies

Streamlining screening and assessment process with AI

There was a time when using machine learning and artificial intelligence made you an outlier in HR technology, but that’s no longer the case in a world of broad acceptance of AI and the proliferation of ChatGPT and other Generative AI. According to Aptitude Research Partners, 69% of companies are investing or planning to invest in AI solutions compared to 42% in 2020.
 

Now companies are standing apart through platforms built on AI ethics, cutting-edge research, and rigorous engagement with regulators. As more vendors embrace AI, companies need to wade through the clutter created by an abundance of hiring technology – clear answers to questions about fairness and regulation will be the deciding factor.

Traditional Hiring Is Broken

The increased adoption of AI technology stems from frustrations with broken hiring processes. Traditional hiring methods aren’t working for both candidates and companies – everyone is tired of relying on outdated hiring decisions that are made almost exclusively from resumes to weed out candidates who have not previously performed the same, or a very similar role.

Focusing on what a person has done - not what they have the potential to do - creates blind spots and prevents businesses from hiring untapped talent. This type of “rearview recruiting” also frustrates candidates with a cold, manual, and opaque process that takes way too long, with little communication and no feedback.

In the recent HireVue Hiring Experience Report 2023, respondents overwhelmingly expressed discontent with the current state. Points of frustration include a lack of feedback (40%), the constraint of resumes rather than assessments based on potential and skills (30%), the need for more streamlined processes (37%), and the prevalence of inaccurate job descriptions (31%).

Companies need to move beyond traditional practices and prioritize fairness and objectivity. By leveraging AI to evaluate candidates based on potential, skills, and interests, companies can replace guesswork with a nuanced understanding of each candidate.

How AI Can Improve Hiring Efficiencies

When it comes to hiring, speeding up the process is paramount, but speed and efficacy must go hand-in-hand. An efficient screening and assessment process can help identify the most qualified candidates quickly. Here are a few tactics that hiring managers can employ to optimize this process:

• Utilize Automation: To achieve fast yet effective hiring, leverage applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other automation tools to streamline the screening and assessment process. These tools can help in sorting and filtering applications based on predefined criteria, such as skills and qualifications, saving valuable time for hiring managers.


• Utilize Skills Assessments: Consider using online skill assessments and pre-employment evaluations. Assessments provide valuable insights into a candidate’s abilities, knowledge, and cultural add, enabling hiring managers to make informed decisions more quickly.


• Conduct Structured Interviews: Implement structured interview processes to assess candidates consistently and fairly. Start with realistic job previews so candidates understand what the role entails. Next, develop a set of standardized interview questions that focus on specific competencies or skills relevant to the role. This helps compare candidates for the particular role and ensures that everyone is evaluated based on the same criteria.


• Develop Clear Evaluation Criteria: Define clear evaluation criteria based on the job requirements and desired skills — this ensures consistency in the screening and assessment process and enables hiring managers to make fair and objective comparisons amongst candidates. By establishing a scoring rubric, hiring managers can quickly identify the top candidates who meet the predefined criteria.


• Utilize Video Interviews: Consider using video or panel interviews with the help of a video interview platform to save time and accommodate a larger number of candidates.

Author Bio

Dr. Lindsey Zuloaga is Chief Data Scientist at HireVue.