The Future of Recruitment When AI Rises

"Will AI Replace HR?"

This is perhaps the most frequently discussed question in HR communities these days. As AI tools become increasingly "intelligent" – from writing job descriptions, filtering CVs, to preliminary interviews – many traditional HR professionals feel anxious.

In reality, AI does not directly replace HR, but if HR professionals only focus on administrative roles, handling paperwork or repetitive tasks, then the risk of being eliminated is real.

Imagine an HR professional still manually reading CVs one by one, while AI can filter hundreds of resumes in seconds and categorize them by fit level. When speed and accuracy become new standards, HR professionals who don't learn new skills are essentially taking themselves out of the game.

AI in recruitment is opening a new chapter for the recruitment profession: where HR is no longer just a "recruiter" but becomes a "strategic HR consultant" to leadership.

How is AI Changing HR Work?

According to data from ITViec, the number of AI-related jobs in the IT industry increased by 41% in Q1/2025 compared to the same period last year, while job searches containing the keyword "AI" increased by 89%. This shows that both businesses and job seekers are shifting strongly toward AI-related skills and positions.

Moreover, a report from TopCV indicates that traditional administrative skills are being rapidly replaced by digital tools, and HR needs to reposition its role in the organization.

Applying AI in recruitment brings three distinct changes:

1. Reducing Repetitive Work

Reducing repetitive work is the most obvious benefit AI brings to the recruitment field.

Time-consuming tasks such as CV screening, sending response emails, and scheduling interviews can now be automated by AI. AI chatbots answer frequently asked questions 24/7, while AI-integrated ATS (Applicant Tracking System) quickly and accurately filters resumes.

Instead of spending hours on administrative tasks, HR can focus on more strategic work.

2. Mindset Shift: From Admin to Advisor

If HR previously played primarily an administrative role, they must now become advisors to leadership. AI helps HR have complete and objective data, from which they can make recommendations on recruitment strategy, organizational structure, and team development direction.

3. Data Analytics & Skill-Based Hiring

AI provides the ability to analyze recruitment data in depth: the percentage of candidates passing each round, sources of quality candidates, average cost per hire... From this, HR can apply skill-based hiring – that is, recruiting based on actual skills rather than just based on degrees or experience listed on CVs.

New Skills HR Should Practice

In the AI era, HR can't just be good at communication or labor law knowledge. To keep up with trends, HR needs to develop 3 groups of skills:

Data Analysis & Metrics: Understand and read recruitment data, know how to use dashboards, master important metrics like cost-per-hire, time-to-fill, quality-of-hire. This is the foundation for HR to make data-driven decisions instead of relying on intuition.
Candidate Experience Design: Candidate experience is increasingly being prioritized. AI supports process automation, but HR is the one designing a smooth, humane and personalized application journey. Good experience not only helps close candidates faster but also enhances the company's recruitment brand.
Change Management: Whenever implementing AI recruitment tools, there will be changes in processes and resistance from employees. HR must manage this change: explaining, training and building consensus within the organization. This is an important skill to make AI truly effective in practice, rather than just on paper.

Opportunities & Risks in Vietnam

AI presents both opportunities and challenges for the HR profession in Vietnam.

Opportunity: Vietnamese companies started late, but this is actually an advantage. We can learn from successful AI models worldwide and apply them faster, avoiding mistakes that predecessors encountered.
Risk: If HR doesn't upgrade their skills, the risk of job loss is clear. HR professionals who know how to use AI will become the "upgraded version" – working faster, more accurately, more efficiently.
Mindset from HR Leadership: The biggest challenge may not lie in technology, but in mindset. HR leadership needs to view AI as a "colleague" that helps, not a "competitor" to compete with.

Expert Advice

Here are 3 recommendations for HR professionals working in Vietnam:

1. Invest in data skills: You don't need to learn programming, but HR needs to know how to read and analyze recruitment data.

2. Start small: Don't try to implement AI across your entire system immediately. Start with a small project, for example: use AI to filter CVs for a specific position.

3. Measure & Continuous Feedback: After each AI project, measure results, collect feedback from candidates and internally, then adjust. AI is truly effective only when there's a combination of technology and human feedback.

With platforms like Hire Central, candidate data is visualized into reports and charts, helping recruiters easily extract practical insights. The platform automatically filters CVs for a group of sales or technical positions, then evaluates effectiveness before scaling, helping HR easily optimize processes and achieve sustainable results.

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Conclusion

Applications of AI in the Recruitment Process

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Applying AI to the recruitment process does not take away HR jobs, but is forcing HR to evolve. Those who know how to leverage AI will elevate their role – from administrative handler to strategic HR consultant. Conversely, HR professionals who are slow to change will easily be left behind.

The future of the recruitment profession is not a battle of "AI or HR", but a symphony: AI works fast, HR works deep.

Contact Hire Central today to get consulting and implement the most suitable AI-integrated recruitment solutions!