Latest news with #talentAcquisition
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How recruiters can move past taking hiring managers' orders — and become trusted advisors
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. SAN DIEGO — Despite all the hype, artificial intelligence likely won't take recruiters' jobs, Jeremy Eskenazi, managing principal at Riviera Advisors, Inc., told a SHRM 2025 audience Tuesday. Why's that? 'Nothing will ever replace the power of relationships,' he said. 'And at some point somebody has got to pick up the damn phone.' But to keep themselves crucial to an organization's strategic function, recruiters need to move beyond thinking of themselves as administrators and servers, Eskenazi said, and evolve into consultants that partner with hiring managers. Traditional recruiters work reactively, he noted, waiting for requisitions to come in, scheduling interviews and focusing on filling positions. Too often, they feel they work for hiring managers instead of alongside them. On the other hand, recruiters that prove themselves invaluable are trusted advisors, focusing more of their time on high-value, strategic work like developing proactive sourcing methods, building diverse talent pipelines, becoming industry experts and partnering with leadership on long-term talent needs. To develop their potential and shift away from low-value, administrative work, recruiters should automate whenever possible tasks like writing job descriptions, scheduling interviews and responding to generic emails, Eskenazi said. They should learn to say 'no' when necessary and establish boundaries with hiring managers who demand 24/7 access; 'If you say 'yes' to everything you're asked for, you're just like the Chili's server,' he said. The strategic role also involves learning to manage expectations. If a hiring manager wants to secure a Harvard-educated professional with 10 years of experience for a position in California and only pay them $60,000, for example, that person may need a reality check, Eskenazi said — and a strategic recruiter should not be afraid to provide that. Partnering with a hiring manager includes knowing when to say 'no,' although the approach can be more diplomatic. 'We never say 'no' directly, we say 'Hm, that's interesting … let me get back to you,'' he said; further research can help provide convincing evidence that a request is unreasonable. Approaching requests with curiosity and thoughtful questions can help hiring managers reframe their expectations as well. For example, Eskenazi said, if a hiring manager asks for someone exactly like the last hire, a recruiter might say, 'What made that person successful? Could another skill set work just as well?' If they ask for 15 years of experience and 10 credentials, a recruiter might counter by asking them to prioritize just three must-have skills. An intake meeting sets the right foundation, he said. Recruiters should use them to ask: 'What is the real business problem this hire needs to solve? What has worked (or failed) in previous hiring efforts for this role? If we can't find a perfect match, what are the 2-3 core skills that matter most?' Then they should follow up with an email or a checklist both parties agree on. But while strategic recruiters can and should take on a more active role, they need to know when to step back. 'Hiring is very emotional,' Eskenazi said, which is why recruiters should try to steer hiring managers toward the right candidate, but never insist on a final selection or say 'I told you so.' If they don't pick the right person, 'you have to be OK with it.' Recommended Reading Fewer job candidates said they received multiple offers, marking softening labor market, report finds Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
01-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Simera, the AI Platform for Remote Hiring?
BOSTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / June 30, 2025 / Simera has recently launched their new platform, with technologies that power and speed up remote hiring. Panos Bethanis, Chairman, Said Hassan, CEO, and Sofia Castillo, Chief Innovation Officer, are some of the leaders of the company. Simera has become a one-stop platform for remote hiring, from sourcing to hiring. The Place to Hire Global Remote Talent Simera has established a reputation for itself by utilizing innovative AI to generate automated scoring and candidate shortlists. They are already serving hundreds of clients with their platform, which has vetted over 500,000 professionals from Latin America, MENA Region, Philippines, U.S, and others. Chief Innovation Officer Castillo has been named to Forbes' top 100 Powerful Women in Central America. One of Simera's clients noted, 'Simera has been invaluable in our hiring process. They specialize in hiring across Latin America and other parts of the world. Their expertise has helped us recruit and hire in Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, and Argentina, all for a low monthly fee and in a compliant manner.' It Shouldn't Be Hard to Find and Hire the Best Global Talent The founders recognize that there are exceptional humans globally, and companies still struggle to hire them due to the lack of streamlined international talent acquisition systems. Sofia says, 'Coming from Guatemala, it's the norm to see amazing talent going unnoticed by global companies. Companies in the US should be able to find the best talent from all around the world. " The founders solved this issue by developing Simera, a one-stop solution for global sourcing and hiring. The vision of this company is to end the scrolling through pools of candidates that are not a match, to have no more repetitive, superficial assessments and interview processes, and no more separate tools for sourcing, vetting, hiring, and managing talent. Using AI to Solve Global Hiring The founders understand that sourcing is a data-matching problem, and they resolve this issue with the help of AI. Their sourcing engine allows them to automatically source, vet, and match talent with companies. AI excels at repetitive tasks, which is a key factor in hiring. For that reason, Simera is integrating proprietary and emerging technologies to deliver one seamless, data-first experience. Simera's AI evaluates the company's over 500,000 candidates based on variables that consider a candidate holistically. For a person to match a company, it is not only about the things on their resume; it is also about their vision, personality, behavior, and many other variables. Simera's Advantage Companies using Simera receive a shortlist of pre-qualified candidates. Simera enhances recruitment for both job seekers and companies, saving valuable time for both applicants and employers. The platform integrates the entire hiring process, from automatically sourcing candidates to matching them with employers, conducting interviews, and managing payroll. The platform leads in business-critical remote roles that complement technology, customer success, operations, sales, marketing, back-office roles, and many other critical areas. While other platforms rely only on resumes, Simera stands out by combining various assessments, including personalized smart interviews, skill and behavioral analysis, and other types of automated evaluations. The platform is not just simplifying the hiring process; it is also looking to change how employers connect with potential candidates. About Simera Simera takes care of the sourcing, hiring, payroll and compliance, all in one platform. They make global talent accessible for anyone to grow and scale their teams at 70% less the cost. Once you share the job position you need, the company generates a curated candidate list of people that already include their AI scores, One-way interviews, making the evaluation a seamless process. The company creates curated candidate lists, helps prepare information for interviews, and effortlessly transitions from selection to onboarding. Media/Contact details - Simera [email protected] 508-456-7927 Boston, USA SOURCE: Simera press release
Forbes
27-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How McDonald's is inspiring workers
In today's competitive job market, finding, engaging, and retaining top talent is one of the main challenges keeping CEOs and business leaders awake at night. Ten years ago, recognizing that employees now look for jobs offering flexibility and personal growth along with competitive compensation, McDonald's and its independent franchisees (which own around 95% of McDonald's restaurants in the United States) introduced the Archways to Opportunity program. Restaurant employees can earn a high school diploma, work toward a college degree, enroll in degree, training, and certificate programs at accredited schools, or improve their English skills — all while earning a paycheck. And they get academic and career guidance whenever they need it. The program has been an unqualified success — both for McDonald's franchisees, which have used it to cultivate a skilled, loyal workforce, and for their employees, who appreciate the ability to earn and learn simultaneously. Among the longtime McDonald's franchise employees profiled below, a common word used to explain their passion and loyalty to their local franchisee is 'family.' In the case of Scarlett Morris, all four of her family members work for McDonald's restaurants. For Michael Shackleford, McDonald's restaurants were a port in the storm during some of his darkest days. And for Jennifer Carter — who grew up in foster care — her McDonald's coworkers became her surrogate family. In the second installment of a three-part series, here are the stories of how Archways to Opportunity helped these individuals unleash their full potential and inspired them to encourage their McDonald's teammates to do the same. Turning Golden Arches into golden opportunities For Scarlett Morris and her family, earning and learning with McDonald's has become a way of life. Scarlett hopes she and her husband Chris, shown here with their Colorado Technical University diplomas, will be role models for their kids. Living on her own since 17, Scarlett Morris started with her local McDonald's in 2003 as a crew member to support herself and her daughter, Emma. 'McDonald's is a good first job, because we tune into your strengths,' Scarlett said. In her case, those include strong people skills and an interest in empowering her fellow employees. She rapidly progressed into management roles, eventually becoming the people and development lead for 10 restaurants. Along the way, Scarlett met an ambitious coworker, Chris, and they've now been married for over 20 years. Together, they had busy full-time jobs — Chris is director of operations for 10 franchises — while raising Emma, now 20, and their son, Jackson, 15, in College Station, Texas. Their goal is to own their own McDonald's franchise one day. But because of their work and family demands, they had neither the time nor money to return to school and pursue their passions. For Scarlett, that was human resources. For Chris, it was technology. When Emma was a high school junior in 2022, Scarlett decided to take advantage of McDonald's Archways to Opportunity program and pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration, with a focus in HR management — her courses were online and fully paid for by Archways — from Colorado Technical University. For the Morris family (from left: Emma, Scarlett, Chris, and Jackson), working at their local McDonald's is more than just a job; it has become a way of life. Two years later, her dream became a reality — times three. In a trio of Archways-inspired milestones, Scarlett and Chris both graduated from CTU in May 2024 (Chris also got a bachelor's in business administration, with a focus on information technology), just as Emma was completing her freshman year at nearby Texas A&M University. Thanks to tuition assistance, Emma — who is now the restaurant people department leader at her local McDonald's — can afford to work 30 hours a week instead of 40, so her grades don't suffer. 'Her work experience, paired with that degree — she's going to be leaps and bounds ahead of many of her classmates,' Scarlett said. Scarlett immediately put the knowledge and skills developed while pursuing her degree to use. 'I was able to take what they were teaching me and turn it into a real-life scenario at work,' Scarlett said. 'We want to make this franchise the best it can be for as long as possible.' Looking to the future, Scarlett and Chris dream of having their own franchise, or 'our own little 'McFamily,'' as they call it. 'We want to use Archways to help our people, encourage them, and propel them on their journey,' Scarlett said. 'The Archways program is a blessing, and I'm grateful for it.' Finding hope at the end of the road 'Archways to Opportunity brought out the good in me I couldn't find for myself,' Michael Shackleford said. Michael Shackleford (pictured with his wife Nicole) receiving his associate degree in Colorado. 'I was able to walk the stage for the first time in my life.' At Michael Shackleford's lowest point in life, he was homeless, foraging through trash cans for food, and eating snow. 'I was at a bus stop and noticed the clean snow beneath dirty footprints,' said Shackleford, who was expelled from school in seventh grade and later struggled with addiction. 'It hit me at a moment in my dirty life that below the muck I will find a clean slate.' Today, Shackleford is the safety and security manager in charge of loss prevention and risk management for the 22 McDonald's locations in South Carolina and Georgia that are owned and operated by his boss, John Ritchey Jr. What led to such a remarkable transformation? McDonald's. It's been an incredible journey, starting with Shackleford's first job sweeping bathrooms and taking out trash 33 years ago. (His older brother Robert was the general manager of a local McDonald's franchise who hired him to keep him out of trouble.) Fast-forward to July 2024, when — with financial and emotional support from McDonald's and its franchisees' Archways to Opportunity program and the skills he honed as a McDonald's employee — Shackleford, then 47, received an associate degree in business administration, with highest honors, from Colorado Technical University. 'I would tell my younger self, 'Thank you for not dying and for not giving up.'' He came close to doing both. In a quest to figure out where he belonged, Shackleford spent most of the 1990s traveling from state to state on a Greyhound bus. At each stop — Delaware, Virginia, New York — he'd get a job at a McDonald's restaurant, just to be able to eat. He hit bottom in March 1999, after eight months of sleeping in a church every night. On April 1, the date he'll always remember as his turning point, he decided it was time to go home. What happened after is the stuff of made-for-TV movies. At a family gathering the week after his return to Andrews, South Carolina, Shackleford met and fell for a woman named Nicole, who was visiting from Delaware. It turned out she lived in one of the towns he'd stopped at during his Greyhound days. A three-day trip to Delaware in June sealed the deal. 'I remember sitting on the bus crying all the way back home,' Shackleford said. 'In that moment, it felt like a new beginning.' By August, he had moved to Delaware, and by November, he and Nicole were married. (They celebrated 25 years of marriage last year.) Because of his prior experience, Shackleford was hired as a swing manager at a local McDonald's franchise and has been working his way through the ranks ever since. After graduating at the top of his class from Hamburger University — McDonald's' training program for high-potential managers and owner-operators — Shackleford contemplated going to college. He did so in 2021 after learning about Archways to Opportunity, which allowed him to attend CTU online, while still working, and earn his degree — for free. According to Ritchey, his organization's investment in Shackleford has paid off many times. 'His confidence went up tenfold, and his determination towards a result has also increased,' Ritchey said. 'He's a man on a mission now, and it shows in his results. He is having a great time positively impacting our whole company.' Shackleford doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. He's now just 40 credits shy of earning a bachelor's degree in business administration from CTU, with a current GPA of 3.71. He devotes equal energy to inspiring his coworkers to fully develop their potential. That mindset benefits everybody. 'Not only does he lead by example,' Ritchey said, 'he is the most fantastic cheerleader we have for everyone who wants to achieve anything in the organization.' 'It's hard to beat someone who won't give up.' The odds of success are stacked against former foster youth like Jennifer Carter. But she found the secret to beating the odds. Jennifer Carter uses her master's degree training in social work to help her colleagues thrive. At just 19 years old, Jennifer Carter aged out of the foster care system she'd grown up in since age 3 and was awarded temporary custody of her two younger siblings. In her words, Carter described that transition to adulthood as 'challenging.' She didn't have the support or guidance she needed to accomplish basic tasks like filling out her taxes or paying the bills, much less continuing her education. So, after a semester of community college, Carter took a break to focus on work — she'd been a crew member at a local McDonald's restaurant since she was 16 — and complete the steps necessary to care for her brother and sister. 'I had to move and buy all kinds of furniture to show they had a place to stay,' Carter said. 'And since it was a boy and a girl, they had to have separate rooms.' The silver lining through all the rough times? Her innate tenacity — and her work family at her local McDonald's. 'They helped me when I was struggling,' Carter said. 'Even if my problem wasn't work related, they'd say, 'This is what you need to do.'' That came in handy when Carter — who'd become a restaurant manager before she turned 20 — decided to continue her lifelong learning journey after finding out about Archways to Opportunity. Hopeful that the skills she'd learned at work would equip her to do better at college the second time around, Carter started by taking a couple classes to get her feet wet. As it turned out, Carter said, 'All the things I learned at McDonald's — how to be organized, how to take great notes, how to deal with people — had prepared me better than all the high school I'd attended and workshops I'd had in foster care.' Archways to Opportunity enabled Carter to complete college with associate and bachelor's degrees in sociology at Cal State Fullerton and a master's degree in social work, with a focus on social change and innovation, at the University of Southern California. She achieved this, with honors, while juggling her job and taking care of her growing family: In 2023, she got married (her husband, Nathan, is an independent McDonald's franchisee with seven restaurants) and the couple now has three young children: Jayden, Jaxtyn, and Juliana. Nathan and Jennifer Carter brought sons Jayden (left) and Jaxtyn to a work event in Spain, before daughter Juliana was born. Now, she wants to put all that learning back into the Southern California community where she lives and works. For instance, she's trying to develop a program that helps connect foster care youth with job opportunities at her restaurants. 'The thing I love about McDonald's versus social work is that I can walk in a community and offer people a job,' Carter explained. 'A lot of people come in with challenges I had when I was younger. And I get to say, 'Hey, it's OK to get help. Here are some places you can go that have programs.' I assist firsthand with those resources.' This is why, after all her education, Carter — who is now an operations supervisor — has chosen to stay at her local McDonald's, rather than become a social worker. 'I don't hand off cases to different people and move on,' she said. 'I try to reflect on the challenges I had when I first started, and what kind of support I can provide. I love that I can be part of somebody's story and make a difference.' McDonald's and Stand Together are working to advance principles that help people unlock their potential in the workplace. Learn more about Stand Together's efforts to transform the future of work and explore ways you can partner with us.
Forbes
24-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Making Recruiters AI-Powered, Not AI-Replaced
Paraform product Paraform Silicon Valley has a new obsession: eliminating humans from recruiting. Venture capitalists have poured billions into AI-powered resume scanners, chatbots that conduct interviews, and algorithms that promise to find perfect candidates without human intervention. The pitch is seductive: Why pay expensive recruiters when artificial intelligence can do it faster and cheaper? The integration of artificial intelligence into recruitment processes represents a fundamental shift in how organizations identify and evaluate talent, yet it raises profound questions about the nature of human potential itself. While AI-powered systems can process thousands of resumes in minutes and identify patterns invisible to human recruiters, they simultaneously risk codifying historical biases and reducing complex human capabilities to algorithmic scores. Major corporations have documented substantial gains from algorithmic hiring - e.g. Unilever reduced its recruitment timeline by 75% while processing nearly two million applications annually, saving over £1 million and 50,000 candidate hours through AI-driven assessments. Yet this efficiency revolution carries an uncomfortable irony: these same systems may systematically exclude unconventional candidates who don't conform to algorithmic patterns, potentially filtering out the very innovators and disruptors that drive organizational breakthroughs. The paradox becomes stark when considering that the most valuable employees are often those who defy easy categorization: the college dropout who built a billion-dollar company, the career changer who brought fresh perspective, or the candidate whose resume gaps hide periods of crucial personal growth. As AI recruitment tools become ubiquitous, organizations face a critical choice between operational efficiency and the messy, unpredictable reality of human potential - a decision that may ultimately determine whether they optimize for today's needs or tomorrow's breakthroughs. Make no mistake, the AI recruiting startup ecosystem is reaching a watershed moment. Companies like Mercor have had a meteoric rise from dormroom idea to $2 billion valuation in just 18 months—a trajectory that encapsulates both the immense promise and inherent contradictions of algorithmic hiring solutions. Meanwhile, players like Borderless AI are using agentic workflows and AI as an early AI-powered company in the HR and Employer of Record space. On the flipside, Eightfold AI is focusing on what happens after hiring: boosting productivity and managing talent using AI. But the ultimate test won't be whether they can attract venture capital or process millions of resumes—it's whether they can solve the human problem of matching the right person to the right role without perpetuating the very inefficiencies and biases they claim to eliminate, all while navigating an increasingly skeptical regulatory environment that questions whether algorithmic hiring truly serves workers or simply serves the algorithm. Time-to-Hire overview: Traditional vs. AI powered Vs Skill ... More based. Source: Recruiter Powered Marketplace Instead Of an Automation Rush When it comes to that age-old challenge, an intriguing counter-trend is emerging in the shadows of this automation rush. While most companies chase the promise of fully automated hiring, a growing number of companies are discovering that their most critical talent decisions actually require more human expertise, not less. And they're willing to pay for it. Enter Paraform , a startup betting big on that shift. The company just raised a $20 million Series A to scale its recruiter-powered hiring marketplace. Led by Felicis Ventures, the round also included participation from A* and strategic angel investors like the co-founders of Canva, Instacart, YouTube, and xAI. Rather than using AI to replace human recruiters, Paraform says that its AI makes recruiters faster, sharper, and far more profitable. The result is a new labor model -- one where elite recruiters act more like sports agents than back-office support, and companies get better results on the hires that matter most. Paraform's customers offer a glimpse into how companies are adapting to meet high-stakes hiring needs. Apriora , a Y Combinator-backed company developing AI agents, used Paraform to hire four engineers in one month, reporting a fivefold reduction in time to hire and a 90 percent cut in recruiting overhead. Carma , a fleet management platform, turned to Paraform to find its founding engineer after struggling with traditional agencies. In both cases, the technology helped widen the funnel and accelerate the process, but the final decision came down to human judgment. Paraform CEO John Kim Paraform "AI can't evaluate soft skills, predict team dynamics, or assess whether a candidate will meaningfully contribute to long-term success," said Paraform's CEO John Kim. "For early and growth-stage companies hiring for critical roles, the difference between a good hire and a bad one can shape the entire future of the business." The Rise of Enhanced Human Expertise The AI recruitment market is now growing toward a projected $1.12 billion by 2030 , with 87% of companies now employing AI-driven hiring tools. Jason Rumney, who runs Intelletec Group, a Paraform partner that specializes in executive placements, said they aren't competing against AI — they're collaborating with it. "The best platforms use AI to handle the busywork so we can focus on what actually drives results — building relationships and closing critical hires,' he said. At recruiting agency Continuity Partners, founder John Keenan placed four candidates in a month, generating $82,000 in billings. By automating manual tasks like candidate submissions using Paraform's AI features and giving his team instant access to a steady stream of open roles, the platform has helped him cut 20 hours a week of operational overhead. 'As the market increases, the way I always think about it is like this: If I place one candidate a week, I make $20,000 off that placement,' said Keenan. '20 times five is 100, so I would make a million dollars a year if I placed one candidate a week." It's a trend that reflects broader shifts in the workplace: a recent Gallup study found that 93% of Fortune 500 CHROs are adopting AI to boost efficiency, with nearly half of AI users reporting productivity gains. For recruiters using tools like Paraform, that efficiency translates into real business outcomes – from reduced overhead to higher placement volume (and earnings). The Future of Professional Services The transformation underway in recruiting may offer an early glimpse into how AI could reshape professional services at large. Instead of replacing human workers outright, its increasingly being deployed alongside them—streamlining repetitive tasks while leaving space for judgment, creativity, and relationship-building. This model could extend to consulting, creative services, legal work, and other knowledge-intensive fields. A recent report from McKinsey lends weight to this idea, noting that workers who adopt AI tools are not only more productive, but also more focused on the kinds of high-leverage work – like strategic decision-making and problem-solving – that define expertise in complex domains. "Speed and talent are everything in today's world," notes Peter Deng, a partner at Felicis Ventures who led Paraform's Series A round. 'With every search, the Paraform network compounds in intelligence - improving candidate matching, interview efficiency, and recruiter-role fit.' The companies that can identify and close the best candidates fastest gain compounding advantages in rapidly evolving markets - and this is equally true today when some companies are apparently hiring AI researchers - not to build products, but to prevent their competition from hiring them. And while prominent VC funds and investors pump capital into AI powered HR solutions and openly debate whether or not deeply human functions like HR should be outsourced, the future may not be a matter of human Versus machine - but rather, one where the most powerful solutions are human-powered and machine-enhanced.
Forbes
23-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The Real Risk In Recruiting Isn't AI; It's IA (InAction)
Casey Marquette is a seasoned Fortune 50/200 security strategist & CEO at Covenant Technologies empowering elite technical recruiting teams. When AI entered the recruiting conversation, it was met with both optimism and apprehension. It promised to streamline hiring, reduce bias and help organizations find better talent faster. For some, that promise is starting to come true. But for most, it remains just out of reach. According to LinkedIn, 73% of talent acquisition professionals agree that AI will reshape how companies hire. Yet despite this momentum, only 11% of recruiting teams report having truly integrated AI into their processes, and more than 30% haven't explored it at all. This hesitancy is understandable. AI raises valid concerns about bias, data privacy, transparency and cost. But I believe many companies are overlooking a larger risk; doing nothing leaves recruiting teams at a growing disadvantage. The Status Quo Is Quietly Breaking Down Most recruiting still relies on manual processes and disconnected technologies. Resumes are screened by overworked teams. Interview scheduling drags out for days. Candidate evaluations vary wildly depending on who's involved. This status quo is inefficient, expensive and increasingly unsustainable. Top candidates don't wait around. Many receive multiple offers in days. Slow hiring cycles in high-pressure industries like healthcare, insurance and technology mean lost talent, missed revenue and damaged employer reputation. Even companies that have invested in technology often find themselves frustrated. Their platforms may offer plenty of features, but they weren't built with recruiters in mind. They provide data without insight, automation without strategy and compliance without clarity—digital clutter. AI Alone Won't Fix Recruiting—But Its Role Is Evolving The idea that AI can replace recruiters is not only misleading but harmful. The best hiring decisions still require final human judgment. What AI can do is help recruiters spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on high-value work. This is where a better framework is needed, one that views AI not as a substitute but as a support system. Augmented Intelligence refers to the intentional use of AI to enhance, not replace, human decision-making. In recruiting, it means AI assists with speed, insight and scale, while people bring context, judgment and relationship. This model remains the most accurate and forward-looking framework for how AI should operate in recruiting. What's changing is what AI is capable of. Today's advanced AI models, especially those powered by large language models (LLMs), do far more than analyze and accelerate. They can learn from hiring patterns, feedback loops and recruiter input. They begin to understand role requirements and the less tangible elements of cultural fit and leadership style. Over time, they adapt, refining candidate recommendations based on outcomes, team feedback and even subtle preferences that emerge across hiring cycles. For example, AI can now flag which candidates meet hard skill requirements and which ones are most likely to thrive within a specific team dynamic. It can pick up on tone, communication style and alignment with stated values, especially when that data is fed back into the system with thoughtful human input. That said, AI is not a standalone solution. It's a system that gets smarter in partnership with the people using it. Recruiters still play the essential role in validating, interpreting and humanizing decisions. They see the subtleties that algorithms can't always explain, like when a candidate needs reassurance before an offer call or when a resume doesn't tell the whole story. The real power lies in the partnership. When recruiters and AI systems learn together, hiring becomes faster, more intelligent, inclusive and aligned with long-term success. What's Holding Teams Back? While the technology exists, real adoption still lags. The reasons vary, but looking at my work with clients, internal recruiters and HR teams over the past few years, some common themes emerge: • Bias Concerns: Fears that AI will reinforce existing inequities. • Opaque Systems: Tools that don't explain how decisions are made. • Poor Integration: Platforms that disrupt more than they support. • Limited Training: Recruiters unsure how to use the tools effectively. • Lack Of Leadership Alignment: Tech investments without strategic backing. These are solvable problems. However, solving them requires a mindset shift from viewing AI as a one-size-fits-all product to understanding it as a framework that evolves with the team. What Recruiters Need Now For AI to create lasting value in hiring, it must be embedded in transparent, fair and recruiter-centric systems. That means: • Customizable scoring models that recruiters can adjust. • Mobile-friendly workflows that simplify scheduling, feedback and even initial interviewing. • Real-time summaries that keep teams aligned and data clear. • Ethical design principles that prioritize job-relevant skills over proxies like resume formatting or educational pedigree. It also means taking a hard look at the current recruiting tech stack. Many tools are siloed; they offer overlapping features but don't communicate. A more effective path forward is to consolidate around platforms that support recruiters in practical, flexible ways. For Talent Leaders, The Window Is Now The companies that win the talent war in 2025 and beyond won't be those that rely on AI the most. They'll be the ones that use it most wisely, choosing tools that respect the craft of recruiting while amplifying what makes it powerful. These companies will: • Replace reactive hiring cycles with data-informed planning. • Reduce time-to-fill without cutting corners on quality. • Deliver better candidate experiences, from first contact to offer. • Equip recruiters with insight, not just automation. This doesn't require a total overhaul. It starts with asking the right questions: Where are we losing time in our hiring process? What tools are our recruiters actually using, and which are getting in the way? Are we learning from each hire, or repeating the same process without feedback? If the answers point to gaps in consistency, efficiency or visibility, AI can help—but only if it's purposefully introduced. The Bottom Line The future of recruiting isn't about removing humans from hiring. It's about removing the obstacles that keep them from doing their best work. The tools are ready. The question is whether we're ready to use them before someone else hires the people we want. Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
