How artificial intelligence and machine learning are used in hiring and recruiting Posted on : Apr 01 - 2020

Job seekers interact more with advancing tech than they realize as more companies turn to automated tools in talent acquisition.

The hiring process has come a long way from the days of paper resumés and cold calls via landline. Online job sites are now staples in talent acquisition, but artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are elevating the recruiting and hiring landscape.

When asked about the current status of AI and machine learning in hiring, Mark Brandau, principal analyst on Forrester's CIO team said, "All vendors are moving in that direction without question. It's the way of the future."

The power of AI lies in its ability to process high volumes of data at fast speeds, improving efficiency and productivity for organizations. Those same features and benefits can also be applied to the hiring process.

"As organizations look to AI and machine learning to enhance their practices, there are two goals in mind," said Lauren Smith, vice president of Gartner's HR practice. "The first is how do we drive more efficiency in the process? And second is just recognizing that we can get better outcomes -- the effectiveness of our process can be better in a couple places."

Major companies across industries including Hilton, Humana, AT&T, Procter & Gamble, and CapitalOne use AI and machine learning to navigate through thousands of applications, organize interviews, conduct initial screenings, and more.

Not all organizations are implementing automation to accomplish those tasks, but many are integrating the technology at some capacity, Brandau said.

Below are some examples of current use cases.

Top 3 AI and machine learning applications in hiring

1. TALENT SOURCING

Talent sourcing is one of the most prominent ways companies use the technology in recruitment, Smith said.

"[It identifies] where the talent is that we are looking for. That technology is really good at scraping social professional sites, academic information, and a variety of different sources to help pinpoint the talent segment that you are looking for," Smith said.

"That's been obviously the gold mine for recruiters as they're looking for talent in an increasingly hyper-competitive labor market," she added. View More