SOFTWARE: AI
It is perhaps talent assessment and screening where AI can deliver the most obvious ones, whether that be when sifting through a high volume of applicants or to predict the performance and behaviours of shortlisted candidates. Guy Thornton is founder of Picked, a set of analytics and predictive hiring tools for recruiters that make use of AI. He has seen more widespread acceptance of the technology since his product launched in 2018. “Originally, there was a healthy scepticism about the role of AI and predictive hiring in recruitment. There was a real feeling of ‘How can computers do my job better than me?’, but this is perfectly understandable,” he says. “However,
“Originally, there was a healthy scepticism about the role of AI and predictive hiring in recruitment” GUY THORNTON Founder of Picked
now the technology is becoming increasingly used, recruiters have seen the benefits in enhancing what they do, not replacing what they do. This has led to an increasingly positive sentiment and growing uptake.”
He said recruiters need to move away from the notion that AI and machine learning means “clicking a button” and letting the machine do all the hiring for you. “Rather, it can be used to increase speed and efficacy of the hiring process,” he says. “This could be by improving sourcing, screening, assessment and more.” Picked’s clients include search and media company Reverse Media Group, which uses data and AI in all of its business units and had wanted a more scientific approach to recruitment. Greg Burgess, CEO, says it had tried
CASE STUDY 1 HOW AI HELPED HERMES TACKLE ITS CHRISTMAS RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES Hermes is one of the largest courier companies in the UK, delivering more than 400m parcels every year. The logistical challenge of making so many next-day deliveries is huge, as is the demand to provide self-employed courier coverage to every postcode in the country. Meanwhile, the pandemic has compounded existing – and brought new – challenges. Initially, it led to a wave of extra applications as the economy locked down, but as 2020 progressed the competition intensified and drove the cost-per-hire (CPH) up. In the run-up to the peak
season before Christmas, the demand for couriers rises exponentially leading to increased competition, so Hermes knew it would need a fresh approach to recruit all the self-employed couriers it needed to fulfil its busy Christmas delivery schedule. This new approach came in the form of Creed Communications’ Programmatic Performance model. It was developed by the full-service recruitment marketing agency to enable clients to advertise on lots of different channels, buying inventory on the right channel at the right time for the best price. Hermes became the first client to benefit from the platform that uses advanced machine learning programmatic job board software to drive performance. Hermes used it to deliver job applications where they
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were most needed while delivering a cost-effective cost-per-action (CPA). Creed Communications explains that commercial agreements with different channels shifted the balance of power between employer and advertiser so rather than a guaranteed investment upfront irrespective of performance, money would be invested on whichever channels were most effective. The software’s AI learns over time to continually improve performance, ensuring that Hermes kept on delivering during the most demanding Christmas peak it has ever encountered. The metrics proved to be impressive. The approach delivered a 52% lower CPA than
comparable channels, a 45% increase in hires compared to 2019 and a 25% reduction in CPH. Hermes supported by Creed Communications won the Best Use of AI Award at this year’s The FIRM Awards, sponsored by Recruiter. Jonny Heyhoe, client partner at Creed Communications, believes the Programmatic Performance is a great platform for showcasing the best of AI in recruitment. “The way it automates the bidding process with numerous channels, learns and improves performance is a step-change from manual set-ups and analysis on each channel,” he says. “It improves performance and return whilst giving our digital team more control and insight than ever before.”
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