AI and the Future of Talent

Article by Alex Graham , Senior Consultant, Fashion Product at dSb Recruitment Consultancy Ltd.

AI and the Future of Talent

Across the globe, it seems AI really is the topic of conversation, giving us a whole new outlook on what our future may or may not look like. But what does our future look like in terms of our jobs, the way we work, and the way we interact, particularly in the world of Recruitment?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m so far from an expert (I can barely use my phone at times, slightly embarrassing for a Millenial I know!) But I like to think I have a bit more knowledge in the Recruitment space, so how could AI affect the future of Talent?

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Streamline Sourcing Candidates

We’ve seen it on LinkedIn already, using AI to compose messages to candidates, even AI-powered searches are now a thing. And the list doesn’t end there, automated CV screening tools can sift through thousands of applications super quickly, identifying the “most suitable” candidates based on specific criteria like skills, experience, and cultural fit. Yes, it could speed up the initial screening process not having to sift through hundreds of applications, and it could be argued that it also reduces potential human biases, but is there not more to a candidate than just their CV? Can cultural fit really be determined through a couple of pages of work experience and education history?

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Enhancing Candidate/Company Matching

There are now advanced AI algorithms that analyse data to match candidates with the most suitable roles. By looking at factors like past job performance, career progression, and even social media activity (another thing I cannot use!), these systems can predict a candidate's suitability and potential success within a specific company or role. Again, this could be a great time-saving tool, but if your social media accounts aren’t up to date, or you’ve got a more complex job history, is this really a true representation of a candidate's suitability for a business?

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Personalising the Candidate Experience

AI chatbots and virtual assistants are being used to provide a personalised and efficient experience for candidates. They can answer any queries, schedule interviews, and provide updates throughout the recruitment process. With these virtual assistants being live 24 hours a day, it could keep constant engagement and give every candidate the same onboarding experience building a strong employer brand, but on the flip side, isn’t it easier to just pick up the phone and talk things through sometimes?

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Predictive Analytics

For all the BD lovers (or even those not so keen) this could be a great way of mapping out your market quickly and getting one step ahead of your competitors. AI’s predictive analytics offer insights into future hiring trends and talent needs by analysing market data and internal company metrics. AI can then forecast which skills will be in demand for specific businesses and also suggest recruitment strategies. Despite its accuracy (which I guess would only be determined by putting it to use, like all of them), I think this is one that I’d definitely be interested to try, even if it’s just for additional market information and insights to broaden my knowledge in the space.

Training and Development?

Post-recruitment, when your candidate has started their new role, businesses can use AI to create personalised training programs for new hires. It works by assessing their strengths and weaknesses and then recommends goals and learning paths that are supposed to accelerate their growth within the company. This could be a real selling point for businesses, and a real stand out on a job spec, but would this see the demise of 1 to 1 development conversations and interaction between employees and their line managers?

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Recruiters have different styles, different ways of working and I think there will always be a difference in opinion over AI tools, but if something can help me work smarter, not harder, that can’t be a bad thing, right? Especially with the never-ending to-do list! I think it will be finding the right balance between using these tools and becoming “robotic” instead of keeping that personal touch that makes you stand out from the recruitment crowd. I myself am super personable and I love chatting (maybe too much) with candidates helping them find their dream roles! I would never want to lose that, it’s one of the things I love about Recruitment. I also get so much satisfaction out of personally headhunting candidates and fitting them to the right company, even if they didn’t know they were looking - a corporate matchmaker some may say? But times are changing (which I need to get more onboard with!) and to be the best recruiters we can be, we need to be adaptable and aware of this.

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To what extent? I guess the only thing to do is wait and see, no one can predict the future….or is that something AI can do?!

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