In recruitment, artificial intelligence (AI) is being used to aid the candidate-vetting process – but there have been concerns about implicit bias and discrimination against women and minorities.
So, is it a force for good, or not?
Why AI?
Many large companies will use assessments as part of their recruitment process – particularly for roles that tend to attract a high level of applications. Commonly used assessments include numerical tests, verbal reasoning tests, logical reasoning tests and situational judgement tests, explains Cathy Balfe, career coach at Career Coach Me. “Candidates may also be screened out at this stage of the recruitment process if they do not score highly enough on these assessments.
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“Some organisations have introduced game-type elements to their recruitment process – which is referred to as ‘gamification’ of recruitment. For example, a candidate might be invited to complete a computer game which aims to measure a particular skill, such as problem-solving skills.”
The benefits of AI in recruitment
AI is used by recruiters and internal HR professionals at different stages along the hiring journey, from searching for candidates, to screening, assessing and even interviewing them, says Balfe. “Recruiters can pro-actively search for candidates – for example, using LinkedIn’s recruiter software. When using LinkedIn recruiter, they can enter various search terms like job title, location, experience and qualifications. LinkedIn then uses machine learning algorithms to rank candidates it deems the best match and has published several internal white papers outlining their approach.”
Once a candidate has applied to a company, often their application is uploaded onto a candidate database called an application tracking system (ATS), Balfe says. “Their CV might be scanned using AI software and key information extracted from their CV into this database. Alternatively, candidates might be asked to fill out an online application form as part of the application process, where the answers from the application form feed directly into the database. There are lots of ATS software providers out there, and many have in-built algorithms that sort candidates when a recruiter searches their internal database for potential hires.
“Candidates might be screened out at application stage – for instance, if they do not meet the education/experience requirements.”
Overall, Balfe believes AI is a valuable recruitment tool. “From a recruiter’s perspective, AI recruitment software has made their job easier. They can find well-matched candidates more easily and they can quickly, and at low-cost, screen high volumes of applicants.
“From a candidate’s perspective, I think AI tools have made it easier to find roles that might be a good fit for them. However, I also think AI recruitment tools have dehumanised the recruitment process for candidates, particularly in its initial stages.”
The bad – and the bias
As helpful a tool as AI is in the recruitment process, there are downsides to it. For candidates, it has increased the time it takes on average to successfully receive a job offer, says Balfe. “More people are applying for each vacancy, so your chances of success have decreased, all else being equal.”
Another concerning issue with AI software being used in recruitment is that it has been flagged as being biased against women and minorities. Amazon had to stop using its AI hiring tool in 2018, following allegations that it was sexist, according to a report from Reuters. In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is investigating whether AI systems are showing racial bias in job applications, and are conducting an investigation. With at least three-quarters of CVs in the US read by algorithms, the impact of sexist or racist AI software is vast – and growing.
Beating the bot
However, Balfe says there are ways to optimise a CV to work with AI technologies. “Make sure your CV clearly shows your relevant education and experience. Look at the job description to understand the skills the recruiter is looking for, and tailor your application for the role. This means providing clear evidence of where you have demonstrated these key skills in the past.
“Reflect the language used in the job description – as it will be the keyword the software is scanning for. Similarly, include commonly used acronyms as well as the long form of the term in case the recruiter searches for one rather than the other, for example, SEO and search engine optimisation.”