Human Recruiters: Holding the Line Against AI

I’ve decided that understanding human nature is going to keep recruitment consultants safe when the world is finally taken over by ChatGPT or Bard or any other local, friendly artificial intelligence. Phew! That’s pretty much the nub of this whole article but if you fancy killing a bit of time and hearing why, then do read on:

I see it as being in the realms of cultural fit, honesty and our innate understanding of social cues, body language, the subtleties of conversation and, quite frankly, our ability to smell bullshit that we’re going to be safe. Skills woven into the fabric of our daily lives that AI, for all its computational and reasoning power, will always struggle to grasp. 

We human recruiters harness these subtleties with a finesse that comes from years of navigating murky social waters. We find it easy and take it for granted, but we really shouldn’t - it’s what sets us apart. We detect the slight tremor in a voice that hints at nervousness, the overly rehearsed stories that might suggest embellishment and the genuine smiles that show true enthusiasm. This isn't just about reading a room; it's about reading the room's emotional currents, which ebb and flow with the nuances of human psychology. We should be proud of this skill and promote the hell out of it. 

Let’s take the concept of 'culture fit’ - a term bandied about in countless HR articles and job descriptions and one which I’ve come to loath incidentally as I’ve never been a fan of conformity - is, love it or hate it, profoundly human. It refers not just to a set of shared values but to a shared rhythm in the way a team works and communicates. It's about feeling 'right' in a place, a sensation that is as much emotional as it is rational. Culture isn’t just built through shared goals but through shared struggles and triumphs, tea breaks, inside jokes, and the unspoken understanding among team members. 

AI, in contrast, operates through algorithms and data patterns. It can scan through thousands of CV’s and evaluate candidates against a checklist of qualifications and experiences with stunning accuracy. But can it understand the heart of a team? Can it measure the warmth of a smile or the earnestness in a handshake? No. It can’t. AI lacks the capability to navigate the deeper waters of human emotion and social interaction that are crucial for assessing true culture fit. Now, one could argue that a lot of recruitment consultants cannot do this either, but that’s a different article for another time. 

The real clincher however is when it comes to honesty—a cornerstone of the recruitment process. This is when the situation only becomes more complex. Human intuition plays a key role in detecting dishonesty, a skill honed not just through what candidates say but how they say it. And, boy, do candidates love telling porkies! 

I reckon recruitment consultants are proudly the most cynical people alive. You may think you’ve won us over with your ‘family emergency’ or your sudden illness, your transport issues or your unexpected personal commitments, but we see you, you massive fibber. We may not be able to call you out on it, but we see you! 

Likewise, we’re brilliant at noticing the inconsistencies in stories that don't quite add up, or the discomfort exhibited when asked about a particular job experience and the all-too-perfect responses, polished for popular interview questions. AI doesn’t stand a chance when it comes to our bullshit radar. 

So, while AI might be knocking on the doors of many professions, promising efficiency and precision, the nuanced world of recruitment—rich with human interaction, emotion, and psychological complexity—remains a bastion for human expertise. At least for now, and quite possibly for many years to come, the unique capabilities of us human recruiters in understanding other humans are not just an advantage but a necessity. And my advice is to bang on about it as much as we humanly can.

Ricky Wilkes