How Generative AI Recruitment Chatbots Supercharge Hiring Teams

Automation is the solution of choice for recruiters looking to do more with less. Increasing competition in the job market has driven up applicant volumes, and the average position now has 73 applicants. Industries like hospitality and technology see over 100 applications per role. To address this high applicant volume, smart hiring teams have offloaded simple communication tasks to AI recruitment chatbots that can handle predictable questions and dispense pre-written information. 

The industry is now at an inflection point as chatbots evolve from that earlier form based on natural language processing (NLP) to more human-like conversational chatbots based on generative AI’s large language models (LLMs). This post examines the nature of that evolution and its implications for the future of hiring, including the following topics:

• First generation: Rule-based chatbots powered by Natural Language Processing
• Next generation: Generative AI chatbots powered by Large Language Models
• The adoption imperative for Gen AI recruitment chatbots
• Winston Chat and the re-imagined future of hiring

First generation: Rule-based chatbots powered by Natural Language Processing

Chatbot technology has been developing for decades, enabling computer-based dialogue with humans in real time. The original NLP-based technology detects specific keywords and phrases in user questions. The keywords trigger pre-defined responses from text entries stored in a database. Because this rules-based logic is limited by the responses available in the database, the chatbot can only respond to very specific candidate inputs. 

How NLP recruiting chatbots work

NLP chatbots rely on directing candidates out of the chat to a website or human interaction such as phone or email. This functionality is best suited to tasks at the top of the hiring funnel, such as delivering information, surfacing job opportunities to prospective candidates, and leading them toward the “apply” button, where a human process takes over. 

Limitations of NLP chatbots

The dependence on access to structured information means that NLP chatbots can’t have dynamic conversations that involve administrative tasks such as candidate screening and interview scheduling. These chatbots generally lack integration with the activities that occur within the applicant tracking system (ATS), limiting their ability to fundamentally transform the hiring process. Rules-based chatbots also require significant setup and maintenance overhead to explicitly program responses into the system. Because of all these factors, legacy NLP chatbots often fall short in supporting the many needs of real-world candidates.

Next generation: Generative AI chatbots powered by Large Language Models

The generative AI (Gen AI) that powers the emerging generation of chatbots is based on advanced LLMs built to understand and generate language. The sophisticated neural networks used by LLMs are trained on massive data sets that make them capable of understanding context and engaging in nuanced conversations. Unlike the rules-based logic of legacy chatbots, LLMs are designed to handle novel questions and problems that their developers haven’t foreseen and explicitly planned for.

How Gen AI recruiting chatbots work

Gen AI recruitment chatbots use conversational AI to  intelligently automate candidate engagement at practically every stage of the hiring process, from the first stages of searching for job opportunities and information, through screening, application, and interview scheduling. Candidates can interact with them across different devices and communication channels, such as SMS, WhatsApp, and websites. The chatbot remembers context across interactions, such as the status of a job application, providing candidates with human-like interactions.

Benefits of Gen AI recruiting chatbots

Taking advantage of deep integration with the ATS, Gen AI recruitment chatbots act as an automated communication layer that handles transactional communications. Eliminating that effort frees up hiring resources, so recruiters can focus on human-oriented tasks such as interviewing and relationship building, while hiring managers can attend to their core responsibilities. 

In addition to reducing manual effort by the hiring organization, Gen AI recruitment chatbots reduce the friction that causes nearly 60% of job seekers to quit online applications partway through. Reducing candidate drop-off could net higher-quality hires who don’t want to deal with a tedious experience. Moreover, many applicants are also customers of hiring companies, and the recruitment process may directly influence their perception of the brand. A good experience with a chatbot can positively influence brand perception.

The adoption imperative for Gen AI recruitment chatbots

The future of hiring undeniably involves Gen AI recruitment chatbots, and the coming years will no doubt see accelerated deployment. Organizations that engage in high-volume, decentralized hiring, such as those in retail, hospitality, healthcare, and delivery services, have been early adopters of this technology. These innovative recruitment teams have begun to notch easy wins, including hiring and onboarding more quickly and making agile responses to high turnover and seasonal surges.

Gen AI recruitment chatbots are future-ready

Gen AI recruitment chatbots deliver an unprecedented combination of efficiency and personalization, making the entire hiring pipeline more effective. The ability to create novel speech makes them more adaptable and future-ready than first-generation chatbots. The chatbot can evolve with new knowledge based on changes to its live data sources, answering new questions without anyone having to write the answers. Additionally, Gen AI chatbots take hours, not weeks, to implement, which significantly reduces setup and maintenance work for TA operations.

Winston Chat and the re-imagined future of hiring

SmartRecruiters, a Leader in Talent Acquisition Suites, is an ideal partner for hiring organizations that seek to leverage the benefits of a Gen AI recruitment chatbot. Winston Chat, a new set of capabilities from Winston, our wise and capable AI hiring companion, engages with candidates throughout the hiring process.

The AI software dynamically anticipates and adapts to the needs of individual candidates, seamlessly communicating with them across their preferred channels—such as SMS, WhatsApp, or the website—to provide guidance and updates.

By automating repetitive hiring tasks such as screening and scheduling, Winston Chat is projected to reduce administrative tasks by 80% or more. That promises to make the hiring process more human by creating time for candidate nurture and person-to-person relationship building. It also helps Winston add his signature touch of joy to the pipeline in his quest to transform hiring into a positive experience for everyone.

When you’re ready to take the next step, go ahead and get introduced to Winston.

The post How Generative AI Recruitment Chatbots Supercharge Hiring Teams first appeared on SmartRecruiters Blog.