AI in recruitment: separating reality from hype

"AI-powered" has become the most overused phrase in recruitment technology. Every vendor claims it, but what does it actually mean for your day-to-day operations? Let's cut through the noise.

The AI promise vs reality

True AI in recruitment should save time, improve outcomes, and get better with use. Unfortunately, many "AI features" are little more than basic automation dressed up in buzzwords. Knowing the difference is crucial before you invest.

Where AI actually delivers value

CV parsing and data extraction

Modern AI can extract structured data from CVs with remarkable accuracy - names, contact details, work history, skills, qualifications. This eliminates hours of manual data entry and ensures your database is consistently formatted and searchable.

Candidate-vacancy matching

Beyond keyword matching, AI can understand the context of roles and candidates. It learns from successful placements to identify patterns humans might miss. The best systems can surface candidates you wouldn't have found through traditional search.

Vacancy parsing

AI can read job descriptions and extract requirements, salary ranges, location details, and more - structuring messy text into actionable data. This speeds up job posting and improves matching accuracy.

Where to be sceptical

Be wary of AI claims around "predicting" candidate success or "assessing" cultural fit. These areas are complex, subjective, and prone to bias. Good AI augments human judgment - it doesn't replace it.

Questions to ask vendors

• • What specific tasks does your AI automate?
• • How is the AI trained, and on what data?
• • Can I see measurable outcomes from existing customers?
• • What happens when the AI gets it wrong?