Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are revolutionary fields that are already having transformative effects on every industry on earth, and this includes the recruitment industry.

One of the most exciting and accessible forms of AI in the context of recruitment is the AI-enabled chatbot. In this article, we look at how recruiters can utilize AI chatbots to recruit more efficiently and more effectively.

What are recruitment chatbots?

A recruitment chatbot is simply a type of chatbot that has been specifically designed to work in a recruitment context. This can mean many things, depending on the chatbot and its purpose, but at its most basic level, it allows people to have conversational interactions, usually via text, to exchange information.

In recruitment, these chatbots can be equally useful for external candidates and internal recruitment professionals alike, helping each party access and provide information more efficiently than otherwise possible. Below we’ll look at some of the transformative benefits they can have on the industry.

How can AI help the recruitment industry?

There are a number of exciting ways that AI can be and is being utilized in the recruitment industry, but in the context of chatbots, it essentially enhances all the capabilities of recruiters and recruitment software.

Without AI, chatbots and virtual assistants are limited to scripts with a finite number of preset responses to specific queries and commands. This model is useful to a point but can become useless when presented with something outside of its limited scope.

With AI, the software becomes hugely more responsive, adaptable, and versatile in its applications. For example, if somebody asks an unexpected question or uses another language, AI is better able to recognize the meaning and respond appropriately. This may seem like a small change, but it makes AI-enabled chatbots much more useful to anybody who interacts with them and far more similar to real conversation than more primitive forms of the technology.

Automated screening

Candidate screening is one of the most time-consuming tasks required of recruiters, but it is a vital part of the process. Usually, a recruiter will need to trawl through applications, correspond with candidates via email, telephone, or in person, and narrow down the list over several days or weeks, often working to tight deadlines and having to make compromises. AI chatbots can cut the screening time by performing basic interviews with candidates, asking various questions,  and collating the data for recruiters to analyze more effectively.

Complementary to traditional recruitment

Recruitment chatbots are not designed to replace traditional recruitment. Rather, they are complementary to it, enhancing the ability of recruitment professionals to process large numbers of candidates, screen for ideal matches, interview people, and onboard new recruits for any role. With the right recruitment chatbot, businesses can reduce their spending on recruitment while increasing their chance of finding the perfect candidates for any position.

Appointment scheduling

When a candidate has been shortlisted for a position, recruiters will generally need to conduct a face-to-face interview. Recruitment chatbots can be integrated into your organization’s scheduling system, meaning candidates can simply ask about available times and book a slot within a matter of seconds. This can massively simplify the scheduling process for candidates and recruiters alike.

Simpler onboarding

Another time-consuming job for recruiters is the onboarding process, where they need to collect various details about people and enter them into a database. While this is a relatively simple process, it would traditionally take up a significant portion of most recruiters’ time. Recruitment chatbots can perform this part of the recruitment journey automatically, much in the same way they can screen candidates, to save recruiters time and help them process larger numbers of candidates.

Responding to questions

Many candidates will have questions that usually only a recruiter could answer. However, specialized chatbots for recruitment can take care of most queries automatically, providing immediate, useful, and personalized responses to many questions, keeping candidates engaged, interested, and satisfied.

Accessible support

Accessibility is an absolutely crucial factor in any successful interaction in recruitment. After all, if interested people can’t get in touch with you then you’ll never even know they exist and could miss out on the perfect candidate. AI chatbots immediately improve candidates’ abilities to express interest and apply to position and ask you any questions. Firstly they are available 24/7, but they can also often recognize several different languages and include multi-channel support to help people get in contact more conveniently.

Find and retain more prospects

The efficiency-boosting capabilities of AI recruitment chatbots can translate directly to businesses being able to find greater numbers of excellent candidates. This is an invaluable benefit in many ways as it can enhance your ability to fill your organization with the best available talent that may have otherwise slipped through the net. Additionally, the responsiveness and immediate, personalized interactions offered by chatbots mean organizations and candidates can remain fully engaged throughout the recruitment journey, helping to build stronger, more loyal relationships and reduce churn.

Why choose Skil.AI?

Skil.AI recruitment chatbots are built with the specific goal of assisting recruitment professionals in their search for the perfect candidates. They utilize the latest in AI and machine learning technology to provide a responsive, adaptive, and truly conversational experience for prospective candidates.

Our chatbots for recruitment are also built with accessibility in mind, enabling more candidates to engage with you by offering 24/7 access, multi-language support, and automatic escalation to recruitment staff for issues that require human intervention. Additionally, our omni-channel integration for email, SMS, WhatsApp, and more ensures that candidates always have an open line of communication with you.

Get in touch with our team today to discover how an AI chatbot could cut costs and increase the effectiveness of your recruitment strategy.

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