In an era when there is much debate about how artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies could dehumanise recruiting, it’s even more important to make the candidate feel valued by personalising and enhancing the hiring journey. In theory, technology, especially AI tools, can be a powerful way to help achieving this but it seems some recruiters are still struggling to realise its potential in this area.

Indeed, Joe Brown, founder and CEO of Hireable, which uses AI to make career transition support more accessible, argues that the opposite is true and AI and automation is de-personalising the candidate experience. He fears it will continue to do so if current trends continue with many job descriptions now written by AI. “And in two to three years, first-stage qualification interviews will be handled by an AI video avatar or phone calling bot,” he says.

He says recruiters who are trying to personalise the candidate experience using AI should be using it to “ideate more than automate”. While using AI to automate is unavoidable, he says: “The real question is, what do candidates want? Most of the time it’s as simple as someone understanding you, your career, your goals, representing you for jobs and then giving timely and helpful feedback.”

He explains that AI can do all of this if you build it in that way but building this way “takes time and effort”. “Ironically similar to the time and effort involved in giving candidates a proper recruitment experience even when they’re not paying you,” says Brown.

If recruiters don’t seize the opportunity in this area, they could find candidates turn to AI to help themselves. For instance, Hireable is building technology specifically for candidates and equips them to represent themselves to employers without needing the additional support from recruiters.

Neil Armstrong, chief commercial officer of recruitment platform Tribepad, believes recruiters have a great opportunity to use technology to create a more personalised and engaging candidate experience, but says “many aren’t quite there yet”. He adds that while tech tools can streamline things like CV screening, scheduling and communication, they often miss the mark when it comes to making the process feel human and tailored to the individual: “Too often, the focus is on speed and efficiency, which can leave candidates feeling like just another number in the system.”

He explains one of the biggest challenges is that automated systems tend to focus on keywords and metrics rather than getting to know the person behind the application. “This can result in some great candidates slipping through the cracks because they don’t fit into the rigid criteria the tech is looking for,” says Armstrong. “On top of that, generic emails or a lack of feedback can make candidates feel undervalued and disconnected from the company.”

Recruiters should see such technology as a support, not a replacement for building real connections with candidates. “Use tech to do the heavy lifting with things like initial screening, but make sure human interaction kicks in after that. A personal conversation or thoughtful follow-up can make all the difference in how a candidate feels about your company,” he says. “And instead of sending the same email to everyone, recruiters should use tech to help craft more personalised messages. It’s about using tech to help you be more personal, not less.”

Crucially, he advises recruiters to use data to deepen engagement with candidates as it can give recruiters insights into what candidates value most, whether it’s flexibility, growth opportunities, or a strong company culture. “Use that information to create a candidate experience that speaks to what they care about, making them feel like the process is designed just for them.”

Recruitment agency Talent Locker is among those to succeed in using a range of tools to accompany candidates on their journey. Director Martyn Hurricks explains that the agency is using AI chatbots, data analytics and other systems to tailor communication for clients and candidates. For candidates, it includes recommending relevant job openings through to sequencing touch points along their placement journey. He believes AI is best used “strategically”, when streamlining or optimising processes but warns: “Recruiters will still need to have meaningful interactions with their clients and candidates, as AI will not be able to show empathetic communication or relationship building. The personal touch of picking up the phone, attending meetings online and in person have always been the recipe for continued success.”

Indeed, Tribepad concurs that recruiters sometimes fail by over-relying on automation and forgetting the human side of things. “The key is to blend the best of both worlds: use technology to streamline the process but keep the personal touch that makes candidates feel genuinely seen and valued. When recruiters get that balance right, they create an experience that’s not only efficient but also memorable for all the right reasons.

In brief

Simplifying payroll across geographies

Employment software specialist Multiplier is launching the Global Payroll solution, which simplifies and automates payroll across countries and currencies. The solution enables teams to manage their payroll from end-to-end in one place on a centralised platform, taking local adjustments into account. It claims to eliminate the need to switch between multiple payroll vendors, and ensures compliance and transparency at each stage. Going forward, Multiplier says it will add new integrations and offer real-time insights into payroll operations.

https://www.usemultiplier.com/

Centralising candidate documentation

Hiring software provider SmartRecruiters has announced an independent software vendor (ISV) reseller partnership with DocuSign to streamline recruitment processes. By integrating Docusign Intelligent Management capabilities into the SmartRecruiters platform, organisations can centralise candidate documentation, minimise administrative burdens and accelerate time-to-hire. It aims to give recruitment and HR teams a single source of truth and enables more accurate hiring decisions.

https://www.smartrecruiters.com/

Integrating AI interview notes

BrightHire, which describes itself as the ‘AI co-pilot’ for hiring, is deepening its integration with hiring software developer Greenhouse. Greenhouse will automatically synchronise BrightHire’s AI interview notes directly with its scorecards. Meanwhile, Greenhouse Expert tier customers gain free access to BrightHire’s core interview intelligence for up to five users and unlimited interviews for a year.

https://brighthire.com/

https://grow.greenhouse.com/

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