Today, artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into nearly every HR process, especially recruitment. From crafting job descriptions and screening CVs to conducting initial interviews, AI saves recruiters significant time and effort. But the question arises: do candidates truly feel comfortable participating in an AI-driven recruitment process? More importantly, how can businesses leverage AI while maintaining a positive candidate experience?
A recent Capterra survey of 250 job seekers in the UK brought many interesting findings that both affirm the potential of AI in recruitment while warning of the risks if companies overuse technology.
Notable Numbers About AI in Recruitment
The survey showed that most candidates are not "allergic" to AI as many feared:
- 57% have a positive attitude when they know a recruiter is using AI.
- 55% believe their chances of getting hired will be higher if the process involves AI.
- 64% believe AI is less biased than humans when evaluating candidates.
Recruiters’ perspectives on using artificial intelligence (AI) to source, assess, and rank candidates.
In fact, the AI boom has changed recruitment practices:
- Generative AI helps write job descriptions and summarize CVs quickly.
- AI chatbots help answer questions and conduct initial interviews.
- AI tools automatically score and rank candidates based on data.
In Vietnam, many ATS platforms like Hire Central have integrated AI into job writing, CV filtering and candidate scoring, helping companies save significant time.
According to Vietnamese Science & Technology Magazine, AI implementation will expand significantly, with an expected 327% growth by 2027. Recruitment software will integrate AI.
Notably, certain candidate groups support AI-driven recruitment more strongly than others:
- Younger candidates (under 43): 66% positive towards AI (compared to 39% in older groups).
- 59% of men feel more positive about AI-driven recruitment compared to 55% of women.
- Those with at least a master's degree or equivalent have a more positive attitude toward AI recruitment than those with lower education levels.
Whether due to growing familiarity with consumer AI tools like ChatGPT, there remains a surprisingly positive sentiment toward AI-driven recruitment among many job seekers.
Learn more:
- Top Best ATS Tools for Vietnamese Businesses
- The trend in Using AI in Human Resource Recruitment for Businesses
- 03 Methods to standardize an effective recruitment framework
Risks: Losing Good Candidates if AI is Overused in Recruitment
The rapid development of AI has changed how many business processes are handled, from project management to customer service. In HR, no process has been more affected by AI than recruitment.
Although candidates generally accept AI, overuse can have serious consequences.
Percentage of candidates planning to decline job offers due to an overly AI-driven interview and recruitment process.
Surprisingly, the job seekers with the most positive attitude toward AI are the ones most likely to withdraw their applications if recruiters use AI excessively:
- 44% of young workers are more likely to reject a job offer compared to 27% of older workers.
- 42% of men are more likely to reject a job offer than 35% of women.
- Those with at least a master's degree or equivalent are more likely to reject a job offer than those with lower education or no degree.
This shows: even people open to AI won't accept it if implemented incorrectly.
Since companies tend to recruit younger or more educated employees, they must be very careful when implementing AI recruitment. Every recruiter needs to consider how AI will affect candidate experience. If taken too far, companies risk losing a large number of potential candidates.
Hire Central's solution allows companies to customize the level of automation, ensuring AI only plays a supporting role and does not completely replace the human element in recruitment.
Learn more:
- How Does Recruitment ATS Help Improve Candidate Experience?
- Comparing ATS recruitment tools: Which is the best choice?
How to Maintain a Positive Candidate Experience While Using AI?
AI is certainly a powerful tool for recruitment, but to avoid losing candidate goodwill, companies should pay attention to three things:
1. Roll Out Gradually, Prioritizing Areas Where Candidates Feel Most Comfortable
Using all AI applications at once with any new recruitment software is tempting. But it's better to implement AI gradually. Candidates can understand if they encounter an AI glitch when applying or interviewing, but if they continuously encounter faulty AI interactions lacking personalization, they'll quickly lose patience.
The survey showed candidates feel most comfortable when AI is used to:
- Ensure Fair Recruitment Opportunities
- Skills Assessment
Candidate comfort level with recruiters using automated recruitment software or artificial intelligence (AI) at each stage of the hiring process.
2. Be Clear About Where and How AI is Used in Recruitment
In the UK, companies have been required to be transparent when using AI in recruitment. This is both a legal obligation and an opportunity to build trust.
- 50% of job seekers said they're more likely to apply if the job posting clearly states when AI is used and what data is collected.
- Over 62% of job seekers are more willing to apply if they know all final decisions are made by humans.
Therefore, turn transparency into an advantage: explain to candidates that AI helps reduce bias and allows HR to spend more time thoroughly evaluating each candidate.
3. Always Provide the Option to Talk to a Human/Recruiter for Candidates
The more personalized the recruitment process is for each candidate, the better their experience. So while some candidates may interact well with an AI chatbot, it's important to have the option to talk to a recruiter for those who don't like interacting with AI.
Candidates always want a personalized recruitment process. While chatbots can handle things quickly, if given the option to chat with a real person/HR at any stage of the application process, 62% of job seekers said they're more likely to apply.
In most chatbot platforms, this won't be an issue because the option to contact users is usually built into the conversation flow.
Some modern ATS platforms in Vietnam, such as Hire Central's intelligent recruitment platform, have built-in mechanisms for data transparency and the option to contact HR directly, helping candidates feel more secure and engaged.
Learn more:
- Identify Human Resources Needs & Comprehensive Strategic Guide
- Recruitment Process in Technology Companies
- AI-Powered ATS Optimization: Transforming Recruitment in Vietnam
Conclusion
AI is a powerful tool that helps companies recruit faster, more accurately, and more fairly. But if implemented without nuance, AI can cause companies to lose good candidates and damage their recruitment brand. Apply AI selectively, transparently, and always keep the human element in every important decision. That's how to leverage the power of technology while maintaining a positive candidate experience.
Schedule a demo with Hire Central to discover how AI can streamline your recruitment process while maintaining a positive candidate experience.
References:
- Gartner. (n.d.). Market guide for talent acquisition (recruiting) technologies. Gartner. (Full research available to Gartner clients). https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/5308963
- Stone, J. (2023, August 13). The job applicants shut out by AI: ‘The interviewer sounded like Siri’. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/13/the-job-applicants-shut-out-by-ai-the-interviewer-sounded-like-siri
- Gartner. (n.d.). Use-case prism: Artificial intelligence for HR. Gartner. (Full research available to Gartner clients). https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/4742731
- Department for Science, Innovation & Technology. (2023). Responsible AI in recruitment. U.K. Government. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsible-ai-in-recruitment
