As more companies are adopting artificial intelligence in the workplace, the technology is playing an increasing role in hiring processes, with many employers still trying to figure out how best to use it.
“AI is reshaping hiring,” said Pamela Thornton, director of strategic human resource services for the Employers Association of the NorthEast, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit that provides human resources, compliance and workforce support.
Indeed, about 68% of companies are expected to use artificial intelligence in their hiring process by the end of 2025, particularly larger companies that are doing more hiring and receive more applications, according to an October survey from Resume Builder. And 25% of companies using AI for interviews rely on the technology throughout the entire hiring process.
While AI is becoming popular for both hiring managers and job seekers, many employers are still in the beginning stages of deploying the technology in their searches.
Machine learning has been around for about 15 years and is part of what’s known as applicant tracking systems, says Nina Pande, executive director of Skills for Rhode Island’s Future. Many employers use these systems to parse information and keywords from resumes to help whittle down applicant pools.
AI can help make these applicant tracking systems more dynamic, allowing hiring managers to adjust more quickly during the hiring process, according to human resources executives.
“It becomes an interactive tool versus one where you punch in your codes and it spits stuff [out],” Pande said.
Also, ChatGPT – the popular conversational, online AI chatbot – can be used in a similar way to help craft personalized messages to candidates, Thornton says. All it takes is some specific information about a candidate and the technology will write a draft, which feels more personal for candidates who often receive automated replies.
But employers are still only taking small steps to incorporate AI into their hiring process, Pande says. Often, they use it to help with research or to replace simple administrative tasks.
“Employers are taking a cautious approach to integrating AI strategies,” Pande said.
Many employers are worried about risks to both applicants’ and the company’s privacy. Also, some just aren’t convinced they can rely on AI or are unsure just how much responsibility to give the technology, particularly with reports that AI has displayed biases in some hiring processes.
“One big fear that everybody has is that there’s an overdependency, or an overreliance on AI being the right answer,” Pande said.
Among the companies Resume Builder identified as planning to use AI by the end of the year, 56% of companies are worried that AI could screen out qualified candidates, and 48% are concerned about the lack of human oversight, according to the survey. Just 9% of them had no concerns about using AI in hiring.
Even though AI can help streamline hiring processes, Thornton says it’s important for employers to maintain a human connection as much as possible. This means conducting in-person interviews with candidates when possible, or having them on a video call with the cameras on.
And applicants can get discouraged when their resumes and applications don’t get responses, especially because they don’t know how they’re being screened or if those tools favor certain backgrounds and have biases.
But in some ways, AI can help level the playing field for job seekers.
“I’m excited about AI potentially being an equalizer for people who may not have the exact matching skills for a job,” Pande said.
Many candidates the nonprofit works with have academic, language, intellectual or developmental disabilities that can make it difficult to find a job.
But AI can help those candidates develop basic technology skills they can use in a wide range of jobs.
Earlier this year, Pande says, SkillsforRI adjusted its Ready, Set Work program, meant for younger candidates looking for their first job, to include more technological literacy. For example, a recent training in Central Falls focused on what call center environments will look like in the future – not just multiple screens but employees must also be able to work with live chat features.
SkillsforRI also helps candidates write resumes and cover letters to include keywords and format them in a way that existing applicant tracking systems favor.
“We spent quite a bit of time working with candidates on having them understand these things and make it through the proverbial front door,” Pande said.
Still, candidates can feel like their resume disappears if they don’t hear back on an application. But that’s been the case for a long time.
That’s why it’s important for candidates to personalize their applications because while they may get past an initial screening, an overreliance on AI can backfire in an interview, says Katelyn Aziz, a hiring and consulting expert for Robert Half Inc.
Robert Half research shows 82% of hiring managers say they can tell when AI was used to generate application materials.
“Authenticity goes a long way in standing out,” Aziz said.
