There’s no doubt that AI is making waves in nearly every industry. From a recruiting perspective, many hoped that technology would make locating skilled candidates easier, or at least ease some of the burdens associated with screening job candidates.
While AI is a powerful tool, it isn’t capable of solving all of recruiting’s problems today, particularly the biggest one.
Recruiting’s Biggest Problem
Many companies believe that hiring decisions fall largely into the hands of hiring managers. While this may be true to a degree, the person with the most control in the process is actually the job seeker.
Ultimately, great job seekers may be saying no to your position well before you learn anything about them. It happens when they decide they don’t want to apply to your job, when they tell a recruiter they aren’t interested, when they exit the hiring process before or after an interview, or when they accept an offer elsewhere.
These challenges can’t be solved by AI. It just isn’t what the technology is designed to do.
Where AI Falls Short
When AI is used to find or attempt to match candidates, the process is purely data-driven. It examines your requirements and compares those to potential job seekers. However, it is incapable of managing the human aspect of recruiting: building a relationship.
While a job seeker that is dissatisfied with their current role may happily reply to a recruitment email, highly skilled professionals who are satisfied in their jobs aren’t going to be swayed. Instead, they require more than just confirmation their skills may be a match; they need to be nurtured and enticed.
Plus, AI can’t account for issues of cultural fit, so those invited to apply or interview may have the right skills and experiences, but the wrong preferences about their environment, or even an ill-fitting attitude. However, a recruiter can focus on these nuances while communicating with job seekers, allowing them to fill in the gaps that technology simply can’t do today.
By working with a skilled recruiter, you gain access to top-tier talent who may not give a traditional vacancy announcement a second look. Recruitment professionals can forge the relationship required to find solid matches, ensuring that both the candidate and company will be better off when a job offer is presented.
Ultimately, AI is a good resource, as it can augment recruiters, allowing them to determine which candidates are best to pursue. One day, it may have the capacity to look at these other dimensions. However, right now, building a solid relationship with job seekers is the only path designed to help you locate more top talent. Otherwise, they may be saying “no” before you even see their name on an application.
If you are interested in learning more or are seeking out exceptional job seekers for your vacant positions, the professionals at The Squires Group have the connections you need to succeed. Contact us to discuss your goals today and see how our expertise can benefit you.
