How important is technology in recruitment?
I alway been told that delivering hiring success leaned on three equally important balance of people, process and technology. The recent advancements in technology have led to a situation where it can outperform humans in most aspects of recruiting work, while making the process far more effective, consistent, predictable and better experience for everyone involved. Because of this, I’m reaching the conclusion that technology is the most important element in recruitment. And if this isn’t true now, it will become true shortly, because technology is improving at an exponential rate.
What should or what can the industry do with AI?
The most important thing that we should and could do with AI as an industry is to start optimizing for candidates, hiring managers and the experience they have. Most of the technology used in our industry has been optimized for middle functions. Recruitment and HR to be precise. This makes sense, because those functions were paying for the technology. Since AI is poised replace most of the human labor within those functions, there hasn’t been a better time to usher in a new era. And let’s be honest, I’m yet to meet the first candidate, or hiring manager that really enjoys logging into an ATS, or using yet another application to land a job or make a hire. AI can act like a front-end for both candidates and hiring managers. Offering human-like experience, through voice and text, on their devices of choice, within the technology and through the channels they are already using. For example WhatsApp for candidates and MSFT Teams for hiring managers, while utilizing all the other applications needed and updating systems of record in the back-end.
What do you think, where can it be helpful when recruiting from another country?
AI is extremely relevant for international recruitment. For example, Scotty AI speaks 140 languages, in multiple dialects. I’ve recently learned that we even includes Nepalese. So if you're a global business recruiting for multiple countries or a local business, wanting to expand your talent pool, AI makes what used to be a challenge, a walk in the park. Responding to applicants, sourcing talent and onboarding hires. You can do all of that, anywhere in the world, without the need of hiring multilingual people and at a fraction of what they would cost.
What would be the one lesson you would share from 2023 based on your professional activities?
Technology is developing extremely fast. Ultimately, it will replace al white collar knowledge work. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or intimidated by that, stick your head in the sand and come up with arguments why it won’t be impacting your situation anytime soon. That’s a recipe for failure if you ask me though. I advise everyone in our industry to get comfortable with AI, develop an understanding of what it can do and use it to slowly, but surely, replace what they’re doing. Not everything is once, but little by little. Breaking things down. Using business outcomes, and delivering a great experience, to both candidates and hiring managers, as your compass. That’s how you will remain relevant, while others are being replaced.
What do you see as the biggest challenge for 2024?
Scotty AI’s global expansion via partners. We’re seeing amazing opportunities and traction with many global technology vendors, RPOs and staffing businesses. I believe they are in an incredible position to secure continuity as intermediaries between the demand and supply for work, in a future where most of the work will be automated. This will require a strong collaborative effort, spanning across every continent en time zone though. Not an easy feat, but we’re up for it!
Of all the advice and feedback you've received over the years, which has stuck with you the most?
The one that keeps coming back to me, interestingly, is one that my first manager ingrained in me, some 18 years ago. He used to say, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That’s a timeless notion. These days, more than ever maybe, we really need to look ahead and optimize for the long term. If we fail to align AI with our interests, we’ll have a big problem once it reaches general- and later, super intelligence. It's no coincidence that I'm working in AI. I want to be able to provide for my family and to make an impact. I saw what's happening around me, so I bet on the future, which I believe will be AI-led. Now I’m here to help anyone who believes the same.
Thank you for the anwers Stan Wasowicz, the VP of Growth & Partnerships of Scotty AI!
