By Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels, Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software
Over the past few years, the word “AI” has been buzzing about the staffing world. At first, everyone wanted “AI” and in some cases they might not even have known how they wanted to use AI. It was the most talked about word and people wanted it implemented into their day to day processes someway somehow. Now fast forward to today and AI is still a word buzzing in the industry. Every staffing industry conference has sessions on AI and there are constantly new articles being published about using AI in staffing, including this one! What has changed though is that AI is no longer a shiny new object on the street that people want to experiment with. It has become an essential tool to stay competitive in the staffing industry.
As companies implement AI, one of the biggest concerns continues to be how to balance AI with the human touch, as we are in a “people business” industry. How can we use AI without harming the personal relationships between our candidates and customers?
One of the most important principles to keep in mind when implementing AI at your staffing agency is that AI is an enhancement, not a replacement. Use AI at your staffing agency to eliminate mundane tasks and the time it takes to find candidates. Use AI as a training tool and to brainstorm new ideas. Use the human touch to maintain strong relationships with your candidates and customers by calling them and checking in. Use the human touch to get to know your candidates and customers so it’s less of a business transaction and more of a valued partnership.
The right balance between AI and the human touch is what will set staffing agencies apart from the competition. AI can be used as an enhancement to improve and quicken the recruiting process. This, coupled with maintaining genuine relationships, will give staffing agencies the ultimate competitive advantage.
Using AI as an Enhancement for Your Staffing Business
Let’s remember the principle that AI is an enhancement, not a replacement. How can you use AI to enhance your business processes and even improve the experience for your candidates and customers? Let’s take a look at some use cases.
AI Tools That Decrease Your Time to Hire
With today’s tools, AI can be used to help decrease your time to hire. Candidates want to be hired as fast as possible, and clients want candidates placed on their assignment as quickly as possible. Decreasing your time to hire is a win, win for both sides of the business.
Candidate Matching
Some ATS systems now have candidate matching and ranking. If you want to save your recruiters time from manually going through hundreds of resumes, AI staffing tools can sort through resumes, identify which candidates are a match for a position, and rank them.
AI-powered job invitations also match open positions with candidates. If a candidate matches the qualifications for a job, a job invitation can automatically be sent to the candidates to accept or decline it on the spot. This will place them onto an assignment and the assignment and candidate status codes will be updated in the ATS.
Chatbots
If a recruiter isn’t available to speak, such as during after hours, an AI powered chatbot can be set up on your website to field candidate or client questions. This way, you can continue to engage with candidates and customers outside of work hours and they can get their questions answered on the spot, which automatically helps improve candidate and customer service.
Chatbots can even be used to pre-screen candidates and schedule interviews. The technology is so advanced where candidates feel like they are having a one-on-one conversation with a recruiter. Before a candidate hits a recruiter’s desk, all of the information needed can be collected and input into the ATS.
Voice AI
There are even Voice AI assistants that can help pre-screen candidates for positions, similar to the Chatbot function. This technology is also so advanced that it seems like you are talking to a real recruiter.
Writing Job Descriptions and Resumes
AI can also be used to write Job Descriptions. Whether you are using ChatGPT® or an AI tool built right within your ATS, you can use AI to write original job descriptions. Job descriptions take time to put together, so why not use an AI tool to write a job description in seconds or at least help with a first draft? AI Job Description Creators that are built into an ATS may even factor in the information on the job profile, so the job description is automatically created based on AI and the information on the job profile.
Another helpful tool is an AI Resume Builder. Sometimes you may get a candidate that doesn’t have a resume. Instead of needing to take time to build one from scratch, a Resume Builder will automatically build that resume for you. A resume builder that is built into your ATS may use AI and the information on the candidate profile.
All of the above AI tools can significantly decrease the time it takes to hire a candidate and improve efficiencies. Whether AI is pre-screening candidates or matching them to positions these are critical tasks in the recruiting cycle that can eliminate back and forth communication and the time it takes to find candidates. Not to mention, the ability to quickly create job descriptions and resumes is a huge time saver.
AI as a Writing Assistant
In addition to using AI to write job descriptions and build resumes, it can also be used for writing emails, text messages, social media posts, internal documentation, and more. Often times, AI may even write better than a human! This can save time and can help generate ideas for copy. While you may not always need to lean on AI to write for you (hopefully not!), it is a nice tool if you need ideas or assistance in writing something. It can also help expedite the time it takes to write copy from scratch.
AI as Brainstorming and Training Tool
AI can also be used to brainstorm ideas. Do you need help coming up with a campaign idea? Are you looking for new strategies to attract travel nurses? Are you looking for guidance on creating a new onboarding program for recruiters? AI can be used like Google. It probably won’t have all of your answers, but it can help generate a foundation for what you are looking to do.
AI can also be used as a training and role playing tool for recruiters and sales associates. They can practice different scenarios to improve their skill set.
Maintaining Genuine Relationships in the Mix of AI and Automation
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention automation in this article as well. While AI and Automation are often used interchangeably, they are different. AI simulates human intelligence to continuously learn from data, while automation executes pre-defined tasks. Many staffing agencies use automation to send out text messages and emails based on certain triggers. For example, using automation to trigger a text to someone the morning of their first day of work or sending an email to candidates that meet the criteria for certain positions that are open. Perhaps you are using automation to reach out to clients to check in to see how candidates are doing on an assignment. Automating tasks is a way to save time, engage with candidates and clients, and improve the overall recruiting process.
Coupling AI and automation together can be a game changer for staffing companies, but at the same time it can also make staffing agencies lose their personality and identity. Without the right mix of AI, automation, and human interaction, your business can feel more like a transactional relationship.
Staffing is a People Business – Don’t Lose Your Identity
At the end of the day, staffing is a people business. AI and automation tools are fantastic and are paving the way for greater success, but it’s important not to lose your identity in the process. That is why phone calls are still critical. Candidates and customers should know who they are working with and feel comfortable reaching out to you at any time. If most communication is through AI and automation, candidates and clients will never get to know you.
At the end of the day, people like to do business with people they like and trust. If they are never communicating with you, why would they feel loyal to keep working with you? They can easily go to another staffing agency.
Have Genuine Interest
In one of our recent podcast episodes on The Staffing Buzz Network, Robert Reid noted the importance of genuine interest. When you are talking with candidates and customers, are you asking how their weekend was? Do you know about their hobbies and their family? People enjoy talking about their life and being asked questions. In your ATS, you can note under their record their hobbies, information about their families, etc., so when you are speaking with them, they feel like you have genuine interest. Doing this will automatically help you build a greater connection with candidates and customers.
Find the Balance
So, how do we find balance between AI, Automation, and the Human Touch? This is something that could be worked into your policies and procedures. Guidelines should be outlined on using AI and Automation, but why not also outline guidelines on calling candidates and customers? Calls should be interspersed in the recruiting process to maintain that human and genuine connection. If candidates and customers are local, you can invite them into your office from time to time. Why always have phone meetings when you can meet in person? For candidates and customers that aren’t local, you can also schedule video check-in calls so you still can see them face-to-face.
Let’s also not forget about client visits. This can seem like a thing of the past, but why not visit prospective clients and current clients in-person, especially if they are local? They will appreciate you stopping in and it builds a credible relationship.
You may also consider in-person events and parties for your candidates and customers. This could be held yearly or every other year. It’s a way to show appreciation to both your candidates and your customers.
Back to the Basics with New Innovation
Phone calls and in-person meetings can sound “dated.” Why call when you can send a quick text? Why bother to meet in-person when you can schedule a quick Zoom® call? Relationships are the core of what staffing is, which is why we can’t forget to sometimes go back to the basics: The basics of what a relationship and a partnership are.
As we make our human connections though, AI and automation do also have a place in staffing. It is the now and the future of staffing. Today’s technology can give your staffing company a competitive edge and improve the candidate and client experience. What will launch staffing companies ahead of the competition though is finding the right balance between AI, Automation, and the Human Touch because we can’t forget we are still in the people business.
Questions about the AI tools discussed in this article? Schedule a demo of Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software to learn about the tools available to you.
