When it comes to human resources work, the human part of the job title is critical. Human resources professionals are in the people business, and personal relationships are crucial to our success.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t rely on tools to help us do our jobs better. The AI (artificial intelligence) revolution is here, and it’s in our interest as leaders to familiarize ourselves with the technology and understand how we can benefit. The bottom line is that we must chase the cutting edge if we want to be competitive. AI has tons to offer HR pros, especially regarding hiring. The ultimate goal is to free you up for the critical work of interpersonal experiences — the aspect of your organization that massively sets you apart.
Here are five ways to maximize this new technology and level up your organization’s hiring procedures.
1. AI tools expedite resume screening.
All HR professionals know how difficult and stressful it can be to screen candidate resumes. It’s a significant stressor for our industry — and a massive time suck. Resumes often use language that’s hard to parse, and we don’t have the time to sift through pages and pages of bullet points.
AI tools can reduce this task’s time and lift level by screening resumes in seconds and automatically identifying the top fits for your open role.
What’s more, these tools can help remove existing biases in early screening, like racial name bias. AI hiring algorithms use only qualifications and experience when selecting the best resumes from a group. Keep in mind that the algorithms are built by people with biases, so they can be susceptible to algorithmic bias—be sure to use an ATS (applicant tracking system) that’s committed to Responsible AI.
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2. You can save time on background checks.
Traditional background checks can be a nightmare. They’re time-consuming and tedious, sapping hours from our days and energy.
AI and ML (machine learning) allow organizations to automate background checks without spending hours checking off tiny boxes. This would be especially helpful for smaller teams dealing with a high volume of applicants — or when your organization wants a new applicant to start immediately, and you can’t wait.
3. Send early applicants to chatbots for basic questions.
Applicants will likely have questions about your organization, including the basics, like: Are you hiring? What’s your starting salary? What’s your remote work policy?
These questions can take up tons of room in your already-bursting inbox, and you can outsource those to chatbots. They can direct job searchers to job listings, give background on the company, explain benefits, and more.
One note: We don’t recommend outsourcing actual interviews to AI. This is a great example: The basics can go to AI, and the personal needs can go to you.
4. Use AI to take a temperature check on employee sentiment.
One of the best ways to improve your hiring process is to make it so you don’t need to hire as often.
Do you conduct quarterly or annual surveys with your employees? Use AI to asses your past surveys and identify trends, so you can determine employee sentiment. From there, you can also use AI to set goals, action-oriented to-dos, and reminders to follow up with certain employees in the coming weeks and months after executing an employee engagement project.
If your company doesn’t currently conduct surveys, AI can help there, too. Use it to execute your first company-wide or department-specific survey. AI tools can help you personalize the survey experience depending on an employee’s role or department, analyze collective and individual results, and then execute new professional development and mentorship programs.
5. AI can predict hiring patterns so you can get proactive instead of reactive.
AI can analyze vast amounts of historical data related to hiring patterns within an organization. This includes factors such as seasonal fluctuations in staffing needs, turnover rates, skill requirements for different roles, and past recruitment successes and failures. By identifying patterns and correlations within this data, AI can provide valuable insights into when and where future hiring needs will likely arise.
AI can also analyze external factors such as industry trends, economic indicators, and labor market conditions to predict future hiring demands. By staying ahead of market shifts and understanding emerging skill requirements, organizations can proactively adjust their recruitment strategies to attract the right talent before competitors do.