By James Johnson, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Robert HalfCompanies across industries, from technology to food service to consumer packaged goods, are using artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), big data and automation to enhance their recruiting and hiring processes. In a recent survey by the University of Oxford and Protiviti, a global consulting firm and Robert Half subsidiary, 85% of global executives said they expect AI and automated recruitment processes to become more important for hiring over the next decade.The challenge for companies as they expand their use of advanced technology for talent recruitment is not to dilute the “human” side of hiring. The hiring process has always been very human-centered — people hiring people. Take away the human element, and something vital is lost.That’s how we see it at Robert Half. We have a nearly 75-year history of connecting highly skilled job seekers with opportunities at standout companies. Today, we take an approach to that process that is both high-tech and high touch.Our recruiters blend their expertise with Robert Half’s AI-based matching technology incorporating decades of placement data. Together, they make our company even more effective at aligning candidates with roles that suit their skills, experience and interests. We think our investment in AI and our highly skilled recruiting specialists set Robert Half apart.Our AI journey: what we builtFive years ago, we set out to create a world-class AI engine to power how we match candidate profiles to available job opportunities. We had already been working with machine learning in support of job searches for several years, and we wanted to take things to the next level.We had another aim as well: to build a best-in-class mobile app, founded on that AI engine, which would provide candidates with a tool to manage their entire job search in one easily accessible place. We also wanted to make sure candidates using the app could interact with our recruiting specialists as part of their active job search — thereby preserving the crucial relationship element.The proprietary AI matching technology that Robert Half developed is actually comprised of three engines with different yet complementary roles. They work together to power the candidate-job matching capabilities in the reimagined Robert Half Mobile App, which we launched in 2019.Here’s a quick explanation of each engine:Profile match — This engine compares candidate profiles with job requirements and the profiles of our placed and most successful candidates. Data from more than 28 million profiles drive this engine. We use ML to turn the words of resumes into numbers, which are then organized as “features” and assigned “weights” that are used to generate scores for candidates. The higher the score, the more closely a candidate’s skills and experience match a relevant opportunity.Job search signals — This engine measures recent candidate engagement by evaluating candidate-initiated activity or “signals.” These signals include profile updates and job applies. We use data and ML to develop a score for candidates. In this case, the score is based on their intent, or how actively engaged they are in the job search process.Recruiter interactions — The key to our success is our recruiter-driven interactions. This engine incorporates learnings from Robert Half recruiter interactions with candidates, including prior placements, performance evaluations and pre-placement vetting activities, such as interviews. Scoring with this engine is a bit like a ladder — each time the candidate achieves something, whether it’s interviewing with a client or completing a contract assignment, their score goes up a rung. (We consider the very first job placement to be the hardest for a candidate to achieve, so that carries more scoring weight than other activities.)Our AI also aims to reduce hiring bias. While our AI-driven proprietary matching technology makes it faster for our talent professionals to place job seekers, we recognized early on that, if not built properly, it could result in discriminatory employment. That’s why we took important steps from the outset to eliminate biases within our algorithms, removing data that might reflect a candidate’s gender, race, age or socioeconomic status.The benefits for employers and job seekersSince we built our AI, Robert Half has made tens of thousands of placements using the technology. Companies that work with us are benefiting from our ability to combine leading-edge technology with the skills and knowledge of our specialized recruiters to find top candidates in a tight labor market.When candidates are in short supply, companies can gain a distinct competitive advantage by working with an experienced resource that has the tools and insight to help them quickly identify professionals who have the in-demand skills they’re looking for, are engaged job seekers, and are likely to be successful in a role based on their work history and qualifications.We’re constantly thinking about how to use technology to improve the candidate’s experience, too. Just one example: We’ll soon enable push notifications in our award-winning mobile app to let candidates know when an employer is interested in them. This is an exciting new feature, as it helps bring light into that nerve-wracking “black hole” for candidates waiting to learn of their job search status.Any hiring and recruiting advancement Robert Half has introduced over the past 75 years is meant to make it easier for the job seekers and employers we work with to connect. That won’t change, no matter how much technology evolves. Nor will our commitment to keeping things as human as possible in the hiring process.Follow James Johnson on LinkedIn.
