A recent survey conducted by Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll highlights significant concerns among job seekers regarding the use of generative AI in hiring processes. The findings suggest staffing agency leaders carefully consider how they implement AI technologies in recruitment.
Prioritizing human connection
The survey, conducted from November to December 2024, shows that 62% of U.S. job seekers would consider not applying to companies that heavily rely on generative AI during recruitment. This caution stems from job seekers’ strong preference for human interaction throughout the hiring process:
- 87% believe meeting with a human during interviews is essential for evaluating soft skills.
- 84% prefer human-conducted initial interviews.
- 84% want humans to review their resumes and cover letters.
Despite concerns about hiring teams over-relying on AI, 78% of job seekers believe AI is suitable for them helping draft resumes and cover letters, and the same percentage approve of using AI to create mock interview questions.
The research also identified gender differences in attitudes toward AI. Female job seekers expressed more hesitation than their male counterparts about AI’s role in the hiring process. And over 40% of female respondents reported never using generative AI during their job search, compared to just 27% of male job seekers.
Finding the right balance
For staffing agencies and employers, AI offers significant operational advantages. According to the survey, 66% of hiring managers say their companies are already using generative AI, with benefits including:
- Better customer service (64%)
- Improved process efficiency (62%)
- Help closing skills gaps (60%)
- Saving employee time (58%)
The challenge for staffing professionals lies in balancing AI’s efficiency with the human touch job seekers clearly value. While companies increasingly turn to automation (48% already use AI to replace positions), 89% of hiring managers acknowledge human participation remains crucial for accurately assessing candidates’ soft skills.
AI should “complement human judgment, not replace it,” cautions Bill Stoller, CEO of Express Employment International. To leverage the advantages of technology while preserving candidate trust, staffing agency leaders must communicate openly about the ways and reasons AI is being implemented in recruitment.
