Imagine you had a robot butler or maid to do all your dirty, repetitive chores, freeing you up to do more of what you love. That’s exactly what recruiting chatbots promise to be for recruiters: a solution that takes care of the most boring, tedious parts of the job, like sourcing, screening applicants, and scheduling interviews.
Communicating with candidates in one-on-one, instant messaging conversations on platforms like Facebook Messenger and text messages, chatbots can ask candidates about their experience, answer common questions, and collect all kinds of info and inquiries for a human recruiter to review.
Learn more about what these robot helpers can do and how they’ll shape the future of recruiting.
Chatbots are super buzzy saves recruiting teams time and money –
Chatbots aren’t new,but they’ve generated a ton of excitement and buzz in the last couple years. That’s because now they’re actually smart enough to be pretty useful.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) are all the rage right now. And it’s not just consumer-friendly “virtual assistants” like Siri, Alexa, and Cortana: other AI-fueled robots are invading almost every industry—including recruiting. Mya.
Today’s recruiting chatbots can do a lot. They can parse resumes and ask for clarifications. They can also answer basic questions and even make sarcastic quips. Chatbots can complement or even replace your traditional application form, interacting with candidates immediately to get their experience and qualifications.
For example, rather than filling out a lengthy application form, chatbots can prompt candidates for the same information in the form of a user-friendly text-based conversation. And while up to 74% of candidates drop out after starting the application process, chatbots can actively remind them to finish answering questions and collect incomplete information, unlike a static application form.
“A candidate only needs to talk to a chatbot once to establish a relationship”. “If the candidate drops off, the relationship still exists. The bot can pick things up and nudge them later on, encouraging them to finish the application.”
After the first contact, bots can provide status updates, schedule an interview, or even reject candidates.
Chatbots solve the “black hole” problem of pre-screening candidates –
The most obvious challenge that chatbots solve is one that’s all too familiar to recruiters and candidates alike: that uncomfortable radio silence between submitting a resume and hearing back about next steps.
Recruiters rarely have time to personally reject dozens of applicants every day, but being left in that “black hole” makes for a terrible candidate experience. “About 85% of candidates never hear back,” says Eyal of Mya Systems. “With a chatbot, it’s all instantaneous, and candidates really appreciate that speed.”
Skeptical at first, some recruiters open up to the potential benefits of chatbots automating menial tasks –
While your most valuable skills as a recruiter relate to your judgment, outreach, and personality, much of your day is spent doing mechanical tasks like scheduling interviews and sorting through resumes.
That’s where chatbots can make a huge difference, “Our chatbots augment the recruiter, they don’t replace them”. The chatbot eases recruiters’ burdens “anywhere there’s redundant, boilerplate work that creates bottlenecks.”
While some recruiters might first fear a robot takeover, many find that it actually allows them to focus on the most interesting parts of their job.
Take it from actual recruiters using the chatbots: “Our recruiters were skeptical in the beginning,”but now they appreciate the fact that bot automation actually reduces the low-value, repetitive work so they can concentrate on the high-value, face-to-face interactions with the candidate.”
Indeed, a recent survey of recruiters shows that more than 80% believe sourcing and pre-employment tests should be automated.
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According to companies using chatbots, candidates are mostly happy to talk to an automated algorithm –
Even if recruiters welcome their new robot underlings, some companies might worry about the impact on candidate experience. But in practice, chatbots seem to enhance the experience. Rather than waiting for recruiters’ delayed responses, they get an “instant reply,” “There’s no unnecessary small talk with recruiters needed. Candidates can directly get the information the instant they want it in order to find out whether they want to apply or not.”
“We don’t pretend that the bot is human,” “so it’s clear for everyone that they’re talking to an algorithm with limited information. Since we’re a digital company, it reflects well on our brand since the bot is a fun part of our candidate experience.”
Chatbots also come with potential risks and downsides
That’s not to say it’s all perfect. Some candidates might be tripped up by the chatbot: “Candidates who aren’t used to communicating via chat and expect a human might experience gaps in their candidate experience.” And while chatbots might make recruiters’ lives easier and delight some candidates, there’s also a risk that it could turn other candidates off. A recent survey of job seekers also shows the 82% say they’re often frustrated by an overly automated experience, and 87% agree technology has made the job search process more impersonal.
Still, chatbots grow smarter every day and as consumers get used to virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Now, they may become more and more comfortable interacting with bots.
Candidates are eager to interact with their chatbots. While many chatbots run through a series of standard, scripted questions, many users treat chatbots like real conversation partners going off-script and asking the bots organic questions.
“About 40% of users will ask an unprompted question to the chatbot,” “To me, that’s the ultimate sign that a person’s willing to interact.”
Salesflying assures you that recruiting chatbots are not here to replace your job but to amplify its ease and efficiency. With Salesflying’s innovative solutions, embrace a future where technology becomes your ally, enhancing your recruiting experience
Chatbots might be a novelty today, but watch out: in a few years, they might be the new standard.
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