.png)
Everybody seems to be talking about AI lately. Those of you in talent acquisition know that recruiting AI is here and it’s already changing the way candidates experience the recruiting process today.
Did you know that statistics reveal candidates are now applying for an average of 12 jobs simultaneously? With such fierce competition, what do you think is the key to capturing their attention? It's simple: the first one to respond!
And that’s where AI chatbots can help. In a conversation with Keith Corrigan, COO, Integrity Staffing, and Christine Small, Director of Human Resources, UF Health Jacksonville, I delved deep into how they’re leveraging chatbots to deliver exceptional candidate experiences.
I’m sharing key takeaways from the session.
A staggering 56% of applicants are submitting their resumes outside regular working hours. This means that when they hit that "submit" button, most recruiters are offline, probably catching up on some well-deserved rest.
These eager candidates are not going to wait around for 15 or 20 hours until someone notices their application. They want an instant connection, an immediate response.
In recent research, faster response time from recruiters was ranked highest as the best way for companies to improve the candidate experience.
Candidates now expect a consumer-like experience throughout the entire recruitment journey. Think about how you interact with popular online platforms like Amazon.com. You want them to remember your preferences, whether it's through texts or emails, and you expect them to respect your preferred communication times.
Similarly, candidates applying for jobs want a swift response tailored to their preferences.
This is where the magic of AI chatbots comes into play. These conversational recruiting assistants enable recruiters to engage in instant communication with candidates, even when they're offline or tied up with other tasks. It's like having a tireless virtual assistant that can start a conversation the moment a candidate expresses interest.
So how can you get started with recruiting chatbots? Here’s how Integrity Staffing and UF Health Jacksonville did it successfully.
60% of candidates report never hearing back from companies after they apply for a job. Can you imagine the impact this has on their perception of your company and the overall experience?
Instead of leaving candidates in limbo, chatbots engage these candidates instantly.
“Chatbots play a vital role in our recruitment process at every stage. From our career page where candidates explore job opportunities, to our website where we have an interactive chatbot, we ensure that no aspect is left untouched. These chatbots promptly provide answers to various inquiries candidates have related to our operations, company culture, and pay”, adds Keith.
Candidates visiting your career site often don't know what the right job is for them. Chatbots can provide these candidates with other suitable job openings.
“If the candidate does not possess the required skill set for the position we initially contacted them for, we leverage Sense chatbot to alternative opportunities within our organization that they may not be aware of but could be genuinely interested in. This way, even if the original role doesn't work out, we still have a potential candidate for another position”, says Christine.
This level of tailored experience can make a world of difference for candidates, helping them explore alternative opportunities and feel valued throughout the process.
Recruiters often have to ask repetitive questions when screening candidates: are you authorized to work in the US? Any felony convictions? COVID vaccination? Can you handle physical demands like lifting weights and standing for long hours?
Enter chatbot — always available to engage in a conversation. Chatbots can gather credentials, availability, desired compensation, accommodation preferences, etc. The chatbot then guides candidates to schedule a conversation with a recruiter, giving them the power to choose a convenient time.
“Hiring for nurses is more competitive than ever. Moreover, nurses work 12-hour shifts and recruiters may not always be available to answer their questions outside of work hours. Chatbots have allowed us to ask screening questions, understand their interests and preferred shifts, and effectively brand our organization.”, shares Christine.
Interview scheduling is another time-consuming process. Take for example, an organization that conducts 25,000 interview schedules every quarter. Ordinarily, this task would consume 20 minutes per schedule, involving 6-7 emails taking 2 to 3 minutes each. However, with chatbots, they save an astonishing 5,000 hours or 2.5 man-years every quarter, per year!
Recruiters are BUSY. And when they are loaded with mundane administrative tasks, they can’t do what they’re best at — building meaningful candidate relationships.
“The traditional approach of relying solely on recruiters to handle inquiries from candidates can be overwhelming and time-consuming. However, with the implementation of chatbots and automation, we have discovered a more efficient way to address this challenge,” Keith shares.
Imagine a scenario where a newly hired recruiter receives a call from an associate and doesn't have all the answers yet. They have to scramble to find the information and get back to the associate, causing delays and potential frustration. Chatbots, however, are always available to provide instant and consistent answers.
From the moment someone clicks on a job posting to the application process and beyond, a chatbot is there to answer questions and guide candidates to the next steps. This allows candidates to progress smoothly through the process, even if recruiters have to step away temporarily and come back later. The chatbot becomes a recruiter’s reliable companion, always ready to provide the necessary information and keep candidates on track.
Chatbots have a measurable impact on your core hiring metrics, like cost-per-hire and time-to-fill.
“Ultimately, our focus on improving cost per hire and enhancing the candidate and associate experience has yielded positive results,” adds Keith. “We have managed to reduce our cost-per-hire by 60 to 70%. This reduction has been remarkable.”
Happy candidates and personalized experiences also lead to better NPS scores. The instant engagement and job matching facilitated by chatbots foster a sense of trust and satisfaction among candidates. Integrity Staffing observed a steady increase in their NPS scores, with a notable improvement of 25%.
UF Health Jacksonville also realized exceptional ROI with chatbots, including:
Sense chatbots are purpose-built for recruiting use cases, such as interview scheduling, FAQ bots, or campus recruitment drives. Sense also allows users to create and customize their chatbots without relying on external assistance or lengthy development processes. With just a few clicks, you can have your chatbot up and running!
If you’re still evaluating recruiting chatbots and want to make an informed decision, we have compiled a comprehensive checklist for assessing chatbot providers. Check out our recruiting chatbot buyer guide for more information!
