The Recruiter’s Guide to Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence
The future of recruiting is here– and it’s a chatbot
Posted on 06-26-2019, Read Time: Min
Share:
Once the domain of sci-fi movies, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a matter of speculation. In fact, IT research company Gartner predicts that by 2020, the average person will have more conversations with artificially intelligent bots than with their spouse every day. [1] AI is real, it’s here, and it’s poised to transform the world as we know it – including the world of recruiting.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Before delving into how AI will change recruiting for the better, we need to take a step back to discuss what, exactly, AI is.
At the most basic level, “artificial intelligence” refers to any technology that simulates the intelligent behaviors of human beings. Voice recognition and speech processing software, like the kind used by Siri and other popular digital assistants, is a form of AI that many of us are familiar with. You ask your phone a question, it answers, and voila – you’ve just witnessed artificial intelligence in action.
But Siri is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI. Technologies like handwriting recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, and image recognition, as well as many other advances, all fall under the AI umbrella.
Another type of AI that many of us have likely experienced before is the chatbot. Chatbots are AIs that interact with people via text-based messaging. One common example would be the chatbots that handle customer service requests on many websites. However, chatbots’ usefulness is not limited to customer service. In fact, chatbots are set to radically improve recruiting as well.
At the most basic level, “artificial intelligence” refers to any technology that simulates the intelligent behaviors of human beings. Voice recognition and speech processing software, like the kind used by Siri and other popular digital assistants, is a form of AI that many of us are familiar with. You ask your phone a question, it answers, and voila – you’ve just witnessed artificial intelligence in action.
But Siri is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI. Technologies like handwriting recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, and image recognition, as well as many other advances, all fall under the AI umbrella.
Another type of AI that many of us have likely experienced before is the chatbot. Chatbots are AIs that interact with people via text-based messaging. One common example would be the chatbots that handle customer service requests on many websites. However, chatbots’ usefulness is not limited to customer service. In fact, chatbots are set to radically improve recruiting as well.
Why Recruiters Should Care About AI
Recruiters these days are expected to do more with less. According to a 2016 LinkedIn survey [2], 56 percent of respondents said they expected their hiring volume to increase in the next year. However, 61 percent of respondents said their recruiting teams weren’t going to grow in size to handle this increased volume. Furthermore, 63 percent of respondents said their budgets would either shrink or stay the same. If recruiters are expected to hire more quality candidates without additional money or manpower, their only choice is to get smarter about how they recruit. This is where AI comes in – especially chatbots. Chatbots can automate a significant amount of the recruiting process. They can advertise job openings, collect candidate information, answer candidates’ questions, and update candidates on where they stand in the process.
This is all time-consuming work, but it doesn’t require too much high-level thinking. That’s why outsourcing these tasks to chatbots can be a game-changer for recruiting departments. By letting chatbots do much of the repetitive communication work, recruiters can focus on more high-touch and strategic aspects of the recruiting process.
Recruiters can spend their time and energy making big-picture strategy decisions and wooing top-tier talent. Chatbots can handle the rest. In this way, recruiters can not only do more with less – they can do better than they’ve ever done before.
This is all time-consuming work, but it doesn’t require too much high-level thinking. That’s why outsourcing these tasks to chatbots can be a game-changer for recruiting departments. By letting chatbots do much of the repetitive communication work, recruiters can focus on more high-touch and strategic aspects of the recruiting process.
Recruiters can spend their time and energy making big-picture strategy decisions and wooing top-tier talent. Chatbots can handle the rest. In this way, recruiters can not only do more with less – they can do better than they’ve ever done before.
AI Recruiting in Action: How AI is Changing Recruiting Today
AI is the future of recruiting in the sense that it will soon be a standard piece of the puzzle, like resumes, LinkedIn, and ATSs are today. However, that doesn’t mean we have to wait around to see the impact of AI in the recruiting space. Artificial intelligence is already changing the way we recruit.
Consider resume-screening technologies that can rank candidates according to their level of qualification. These are relatively commonly instances of AI at work. Job-matching platforms that can predict candidate success in a given role are another example.
As mentioned earlier, though, chatbots are shaping up to be the most disruptive application of AI to recruiting – in a good way. Chatbots can be used to manage top-of-funnel conversations with candidates, gather data, answer applicants’ questions, and keep them engaged in the process.
A good example of one such chatbot would be Ari, TextRecruit’s new recruiting AI. Powered by IBM Watson, Ari is designed to hold two-way text messaging conversations with candidates. Text messaging is a particularly good medium in which to deploy AI, because most – if not all – candidates have access to it. A text-message-based AI like Ari doesn’t require candidates to download any software or create any accounts – they can interact with it right from their phones.
Ari engages in true dialogues with candidates. It doesn’t simply dump information on them – it actually answers their questions as well. A typical interaction might start with Ari texting a candidate about an employer’s new opening. The candidate responds they are interested, and then Ari asks a few questions to make sure the candidate is qualified. If the candidate is qualified, Ari can then help them schedule an interview, fill out an application, or take whatever next steps are required.
Candidates can also ask Ari questions about the role and company, and the chatbot will respond. In the event that Ari cannot answer a candidate’s question, it will pull a human recruiter who can into the conversation.
Through chatbots like Ari, recruiters can automate a significant portion of the recruiting process. Think of it this way: The recruiting process comprises five main activities:
Consider resume-screening technologies that can rank candidates according to their level of qualification. These are relatively commonly instances of AI at work. Job-matching platforms that can predict candidate success in a given role are another example.
As mentioned earlier, though, chatbots are shaping up to be the most disruptive application of AI to recruiting – in a good way. Chatbots can be used to manage top-of-funnel conversations with candidates, gather data, answer applicants’ questions, and keep them engaged in the process.
A good example of one such chatbot would be Ari, TextRecruit’s new recruiting AI. Powered by IBM Watson, Ari is designed to hold two-way text messaging conversations with candidates. Text messaging is a particularly good medium in which to deploy AI, because most – if not all – candidates have access to it. A text-message-based AI like Ari doesn’t require candidates to download any software or create any accounts – they can interact with it right from their phones.
Ari engages in true dialogues with candidates. It doesn’t simply dump information on them – it actually answers their questions as well. A typical interaction might start with Ari texting a candidate about an employer’s new opening. The candidate responds they are interested, and then Ari asks a few questions to make sure the candidate is qualified. If the candidate is qualified, Ari can then help them schedule an interview, fill out an application, or take whatever next steps are required.
Candidates can also ask Ari questions about the role and company, and the chatbot will respond. In the event that Ari cannot answer a candidate’s question, it will pull a human recruiter who can into the conversation.
Through chatbots like Ari, recruiters can automate a significant portion of the recruiting process. Think of it this way: The recruiting process comprises five main activities:
- Posting jobs and advertising openings
- Screening candidates
- Scheduling interviews
- Nurturing relationships with candidates/keeping candidates informed
- Interviewing candidates and making a final decision
Ari can handle job advertising and candidate screening on its own. It can also schedule interviews and handle the bulk of candidate communication and relationship-building. The only things it can’t do are interview candidates and make the final decision. In effect, Ari handles 4/5 of the hiring process, or 80 percent of a recruiter’s tasks.
Ari and other chatbots don’t simply automate tasks – they also cut down on the amount of time it takes to complete these tasks. For example, it takes the average person 90 minutes to respond to an email, but only 90 seconds to respond to a text message. [3] That means that candidate communication via Ari is about 98 percent faster than candidate communication via email. As a result, the overall hiring process will move more quickly as well. While competitors need 23 days on average to make a hire [4], recruiters using text-message-based chatbots will be able to shave days off of their hiring processes, allowing them to hire top talent before other employers can.
To get an even more robust picture of how AI can be used in recruiting today, let’s look at four ways that Ari and other chatbots are being deployed already:
Ari and other chatbots don’t simply automate tasks – they also cut down on the amount of time it takes to complete these tasks. For example, it takes the average person 90 minutes to respond to an email, but only 90 seconds to respond to a text message. [3] That means that candidate communication via Ari is about 98 percent faster than candidate communication via email. As a result, the overall hiring process will move more quickly as well. While competitors need 23 days on average to make a hire [4], recruiters using text-message-based chatbots will be able to shave days off of their hiring processes, allowing them to hire top talent before other employers can.
To get an even more robust picture of how AI can be used in recruiting today, let’s look at four ways that Ari and other chatbots are being deployed already:
1. Advertising Jobs
- Chatbots can be used to announce openings to potential candidates. When a new role comes up, recruiters can search their talent databases for candidates who might be a good fit. Then, the chatbot can message these candidates directly to tell them about the role and gauge their interest. If the candidate is interested, the chatbot can walk them through the next steps to apply.
- This method of job advertising is more targeted than posting openings to job boards, which means it’s more likely to catch the attention of qualified candidates. Chatbots like Ari can also make sure candidates meet certain minimum qualifications before proceeding to the application or interview process, thereby cutting down on the amount of time recruiters waste screening out unqualified applicants.
2. Screening and Scheduling Interviews
- As mentioned above, chatbots can gather information about candidates by asking them questions regarding their qualifications and experience, ensuring that only qualified candidates make it to the next round. Chatbots can also handle interview scheduling, saving recruiters and candidates from the headache of back-and-forth emails. Candidates can simply select a time that works for them via the chatbot, and the chatbot will slot the candidate into the recruiter’s schedule.
3. Career Fair Promotions
- In addition to job advertisements, chatbots can also advertise upcoming career fairs and similar events where candidates can meet representatives of a company in person. Again, this offers a more targeted method of advertising than the alternative of mass email blasts or social media promotion. The chatbot can be set to only message candidates who are relevant to the company’s current openings and who live within range of the career fair or event.
4. New Employee Onboarding
- A chatbot’s effectiveness doesn’t end once a hire is made. Chatbots can also play vital roles in onboarding new hires. Rather than the information overload that comes with handing a new hire a stack of documents all at once, a chatbot can direct the new hire through documents one by one in a more streamlined and digestible manner.
- The chatbot can also be used to onboard new employees before they even walk through the door on their first day. It’s all digital, so the chatbot can simply message the new hire in the days leading up to their start date to share information or direct the candidate to complete certain tasks from the comfort of home.
It Takes Two: AI Is Most Powerful When Paired with Human Recruiters
Chatbots like Ari are incredibly valuable because they automate simple tasks that would otherwise occupy much of a recruiter’s time. However, these chatbots cannot replace recruiters entirely – and they aren’t meant to do so. AI is most valuable when used as a tool to make recruiters even more efficient and effective. Only solutions that allow human recruiters and AI to work together in the same platform will prove successful in the age of AI.
On a basic, practical level, the fact is that AI is smart, but it’s not omniscient. It can answer many of a candidate’s questions, but it cannot answer everything. For instances like that human recruiters are necessary. They can intervene to answer the candidate’s questions and ensure a positive candidate experience at all times. Otherwise, candidates would grow frustrated with the AI and drop out of the hiring process.
But human recruiters aren’t simply the clean-up crew that steps in when AI fails, nor are they just a quality control team that oversees the process and ensures a positive candidate experience. Human recruiters are the strategic masterminds behind the whole recruiting process. They are the ones who analyze data, weigh options, read up on best practices, and make informed decisions about overall recruiting strategies. Chatbots can automate tasks – but first, human recruiters need to determine which tasks are worth doing in order to source and hire the talent they need.
Furthermore, human recruiters will also need to have a say in hiring decisions. AI can make recommendations, but again, it is not all-knowing. It can measure a candidate’s years of experience and skill set, but it is less apt in assessing those intangible qualities like cultural fit. These intangible qualities, as all good recruiters know, are in many instances even more important than a candidate’s work history or education level. Human recruiters need to step in to evaluate the factors AI cannot evaluate.
To sum it all up: AI chatbots can contact candidates, keep them engaged, and gather valuable data, but human recruiters have to weigh that data in order to make informed hiring decisions and craft appropriate recruiting strategies. It’s a team effort.
When searching for a chatbot to implement, recruiters should look specifically for chatbots that actively foster such partnerships. They should choose solutions in which the chatbot and the human recruiter can work side by side in the same platform in order to interact with and assess candidates. TextRecruit’s Ari is one such solution: Inside the TextRecruit platform, candidate communications are tracked centrally. Recruiters can see the messages sent between Ari and candidates, and they can step in when necessary. This collaborative platform allows for the fullest partnership between human recruiter and AI.
The future of recruiting is here– and it’s a chatbot. Are you ready to integrate AI into your recruiting process?
Additional Resource:
eBook: The Recruiter’s Guide to Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence
Sources:
1 https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/gartner-predicts-a-virtual-world-%20of-exponential-change/
2 https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/recruiting-strategy/2016/7-trends-that-will-define-recruiting-in-2017-infographic
3 https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/24082/9-Amazing-Mobile-Marketing- Statistics-Every-Marketer-Should-Know.aspx
4 https://www.fastcompany.com/3048421/why-the-hiring-process-takes-longer-than-ever
TextRecruit is a candidate and employee engagement platform that uses text message, live chat, and artificial intelligence to help you hire better people, faster. It's the first and only platform to centralize all talent communication, allowing recruiters and HR to manage relationships with their talent throughout the entire employee lifecycle. UPS, Kindred Healthcare, Chipotle, and hundreds of other companies trust TextRecruit to reach and connect with the talent they need. Learn more at www.textrecruit.com.
On a basic, practical level, the fact is that AI is smart, but it’s not omniscient. It can answer many of a candidate’s questions, but it cannot answer everything. For instances like that human recruiters are necessary. They can intervene to answer the candidate’s questions and ensure a positive candidate experience at all times. Otherwise, candidates would grow frustrated with the AI and drop out of the hiring process.
But human recruiters aren’t simply the clean-up crew that steps in when AI fails, nor are they just a quality control team that oversees the process and ensures a positive candidate experience. Human recruiters are the strategic masterminds behind the whole recruiting process. They are the ones who analyze data, weigh options, read up on best practices, and make informed decisions about overall recruiting strategies. Chatbots can automate tasks – but first, human recruiters need to determine which tasks are worth doing in order to source and hire the talent they need.
Furthermore, human recruiters will also need to have a say in hiring decisions. AI can make recommendations, but again, it is not all-knowing. It can measure a candidate’s years of experience and skill set, but it is less apt in assessing those intangible qualities like cultural fit. These intangible qualities, as all good recruiters know, are in many instances even more important than a candidate’s work history or education level. Human recruiters need to step in to evaluate the factors AI cannot evaluate.
To sum it all up: AI chatbots can contact candidates, keep them engaged, and gather valuable data, but human recruiters have to weigh that data in order to make informed hiring decisions and craft appropriate recruiting strategies. It’s a team effort.
When searching for a chatbot to implement, recruiters should look specifically for chatbots that actively foster such partnerships. They should choose solutions in which the chatbot and the human recruiter can work side by side in the same platform in order to interact with and assess candidates. TextRecruit’s Ari is one such solution: Inside the TextRecruit platform, candidate communications are tracked centrally. Recruiters can see the messages sent between Ari and candidates, and they can step in when necessary. This collaborative platform allows for the fullest partnership between human recruiter and AI.
The future of recruiting is here– and it’s a chatbot. Are you ready to integrate AI into your recruiting process?
Additional Resource:
eBook: The Recruiter’s Guide to Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence
Sources:
1 https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/gartner-predicts-a-virtual-world-%20of-exponential-change/
2 https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/recruiting-strategy/2016/7-trends-that-will-define-recruiting-in-2017-infographic
3 https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/24082/9-Amazing-Mobile-Marketing- Statistics-Every-Marketer-Should-Know.aspx
4 https://www.fastcompany.com/3048421/why-the-hiring-process-takes-longer-than-ever
TextRecruit is a candidate and employee engagement platform that uses text message, live chat, and artificial intelligence to help you hire better people, faster. It's the first and only platform to centralize all talent communication, allowing recruiters and HR to manage relationships with their talent throughout the entire employee lifecycle. UPS, Kindred Healthcare, Chipotle, and hundreds of other companies trust TextRecruit to reach and connect with the talent they need. Learn more at www.textrecruit.com.
Error: No such template "/CustomCode/topleader/category"!
