17 Steps To Efficient Digital Hiring Without Losing The Human Touch

Forbes

3 days ago

Digital tools and automation can make recruitment faster, but they can also strip away the personal interactions that candidates value most. Striking the right balance between technology and human connection can build both the trust and efficiency needed to attract and retain top talent.
Below, 17 members of Forbes Human Resources Council share how to make digital recruitment both streamlined and human-centered. From leveraging AI for repetitive tasks to adding thoughtful personal touches along the way, these strategies can help your HR team simplify its processes without losing authenticity.
1. Let AI Clear The Way For Human Connection
Use AI to free up space for the human moments. As AI plays a bigger role in recruitment, it's an opportunity to give recruiters more time to be human. Agentic AI can speed up early steps like resume parsing or prescreens, but it's the one-on-one conversations, follow-ups and insights that make the difference. Tech should create room for more of that, not less. - Curtis Grajeda, LevelUP Human Capital Solutions
2. Streamline Tasks And Save Conversations For People
Automate the transactional, and humanize the personal. Use technology to streamline scheduling, screening and follow-ups, but never outsource the conversations that matter. A quick, authentic call from a recruiter can turn a qualified candidate into an enthusiastic hire. - Dina DeMarco, Hueman People Solutions
3. Free Recruiters' Time To Build Authentic Trust
Use AI and automation to handle repetitive tasks—template communications, workflow automation and timely applicant dispositioning. This frees recruiters' time to build trust, foster authentic connections and match talent intentionally to opportunities. Streamline applications with pre-filled forms, especially to support internal mobility where workloads are high or digital access is limited. - Jennifer Rozon, McLean & Company
4. Add A Personal Touch To A Digital Process
Automate repetitive tasks like screening, but keep personal connections through timely, personalized communication. A quick, thoughtful email or call can humanize even the most streamlined digital process. - William Stonehouse, Crawford Thomas Recruiting
5. Automate Logistics To Focus On Real Dialogue
Automate administrative tasks so both parties can focus on a meaningful exchange. Use technology to handle scheduling and logistics, then create genuine dialogue where interviewers share authentic insights about company culture, team dynamics and growth opportunities while candidates discuss their aspirations and potential contributions. This mutual transparency builds trust on both sides. - Sherry Martin
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6. Know Your Company Before You Recruit
One tip to simplify the digital process without sacrificing the human touch is to 'know thyself." Great companies hire successfully because they have insight into their culture, brand, weaknesses and strengths as it applies to talent. Having self-awareness as a company allows you to best deploy digital resources while eliminating time-consuming and less-valued tasks. - John Allen, G&A Partners
7. Give Candidates Value, Even Without An Offer
Offer resources that give something back to the job seeker. Typically, candidates want feedback, which isn't always possible. Instead, consider incorporating assessments that provide insights into skills and career development pathways. This way, even those who don't get hired still feel valued as part of the process. - Caitlin MacGregor, Plum
8. Lead With People, Not Platforms
Start human, stay human. The first touchpoint—especially the initial interview—should always be with a real person, not a video prompt or AI bot. Candidates exit fast when they feel like a number. Use tech to reduce friction behind the scenes, but never outsource the respect and connection people crave and deserve upfront. - Nicole Brown, Ask Nikki HR
9. Show Personality Early With Video Intros
Use video intros. Let candidates record a short clip sharing who they are beyond the resume. It speeds up screening while keeping the process personal, so you spot a genuine fit and personality early on. - JacLyn Pagnotta, Rose Associates Inc.
10. Step Beyond The Interview To See The Person
Let's focus on balancing automation with real connections. While tools can handle the logistics, sometimes it's valuable to step back from the typical interviewer-candidate dynamic. It helps to see the person beyond the process, making it easier to judge a fit more naturally. - Smiti Bhatt Deorah, AdvantageClub.ai
11. Map The Process To Maximize Human Moments
Digitize the parts of the process that the candidate may not need or expect human interaction. Focusing the heavier resources for human interaction on the parts of the process that are most meaningful for the candidate's experience to interact with a recruitment/talent acquisition colleague. - Angela O'Donovan, UCC
12. Use Employee Videos To Add A Human Face
One tip is to provide quick video clips (between one and three minutes) from various employees and hiring managers at the company that candidates can access throughout the entire hiring process. These videos would highlight information about the company, benefits, culture, typical interview process and so on. This provides a glimpse of humanity to applicants as they navigate the recruitment process. - Janet Vardeman, Avanade
13. Personalize Every Candidate Interaction
I believe that one of the simplest ways to humanize the digital recruitment process is by embedding personalized communication throughout. Using the candidate's name, referencing their experience and tailoring messages to the role they applied for creates a more engaging, respectful experience, showing candidates they're valued, not just another application. - Eiman Alhammadi, ADNOC
14. Bring Humanity Into Virtual Recruiting
A great way to humanize the digital recruitment process is to incorporate more personal interactions, even in virtual settings. For example, you can offer virtual coffee chats with potential team members or have a real-time Q&A session with the hiring manager. Adding personalized messages or feedback during the application process can also make candidates feel valued and connected. - Sheena Minhas, ST Microelectronics
15. Pair Automated Screenings With Personal Follow-Ups
Automate initial screenings but personalize follow-ups with video messages or live chats from recruiters. This maintains efficiency while showing candidates they're more than a resume. A simple 'We see you' moment keeps the process human, building trust and improving candidate engagement. - CJ Eason, JobFairGiant.com
16. Let AI Agents Handle The Busywork
In this day and age, most recruitment processes are already automated, so take it one step further and leverage agentic AI to autonomously manage the process. This allows recruiters to focus on what matters most: people. From screening to scheduling, AI agents can handle the operational load with speed and consistency to free HR teams to spend more time on the candidate experience, not busywork. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, myWorkforceAgents.AI
17. Use Digital For Logistics And Humans For Personalized Outreach
Automate the process, not the connection. Use digital tools to streamline logistics—but personalize the outreach. A timely note, a real name and a thoughtful message—those small moments remind candidates they're more than data points. - Bala Sathyanarayanan, Greif Inc.