The recruiting space has sure come a long way since I began my career 20 years ago. Back then, the internet age was just taking off, and platforms like Monster and CareerBuilder were in their infancy. Believe it or not, people were still mailing and faxing (yes, I said faxing) paper resumes. My Applicant Tracking System (ATS) was DOS-based, and we had to manually scan resumes into the system. When resume databases came along, they were life-changing for the recruitment industry. In a matter of seconds, you could have dozens of qualified candidates’ resumes in front of you.
Fast forward to today, and we have an array of amazing tools at our fingertips, one of the most transformative being Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is playing an increasingly significant role in recruitment, reshaping how we find and engage with talent. AI can scour online profiles, job boards, and social media to find potential candidates who may not have applied but fit the job description. It can quickly and efficiently screen large volumes of resumes, identifying candidates who match specific job criteria based on keywords, experience and qualifications.
But fear not, fellow recruiters; we are not going to be replaced anytime soon. While AI is extremely helpful in sourcing candidates, it cannot replicate the relationships we build with them. Understanding candidates’ needs, aspirations and the nuances that go beyond a resume is something that requires a personal touch — something AI struggles to replicate. AI might overlook candidates who don’t use the exact keywords but have the skills needed for the role. It can only pull data that someone has put on their resume. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called a candidate based solely on the company they used to work for, uncovering the skills needed for the job that were missing from their resume.
AI can certainly assist recruiters by automating repetitive tasks and refining search strings, but the human touch remains indispensable! After all, finding the ideal candidate often involves more than just ticking boxes — it’s about understanding people.
The evolution of recruiting tools has undoubtedly helped companies, candidates and staffing firms like TekCom!
If you’re open to new job opportunities, check out our job board HERE.
