Optimise Recruitment: How to Save Hours and Boost Accuracy with a Custom AI Chatbot

Hire Smarter with the Help of AI - A Case Study

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Client:

BlueRock is a professional services firm with a variety of internal divisions including accounting, financial advisory, law, wealth creation, digital services, book-keeping, payroll services and more

Challenge:

The Talent Acquisition team at BlueRock faced challenges in efficiently handling a high volume of applications, particularly for roles like accounting graduates which are recruited frequently and in volume. They needed a solution to streamline the initial part of the screening process and better manage candidate interactions, especially given the high similarity in most applicants' profiles.

Objective:

The primary objective was to implement a system that could save time in the initial stages of recruitment by automating the screening process. The aim was to ensure that the team could quickly identify the most promising candidates and filter out those less likely to be a fit, while also maintaining a positive and engaging candidate experience.

Solution:

BlueRock implemented the Recruiter Chatbot to assist in the initial screening of candidates. This tool was designed to handle mass interactions with applicants, collect their responses, and provide summaries for the recruitment team. Various features such as timestamps and conversational flow analysis were integral to making the process smoother and more efficient. The accuracy of documenting technical skills was also a significant benefit of using the tool.

Recent Application:

The Recruiter Chatbot was recently deployed for a mass recruitment drive for accounting graduates. The team used the chatbot to send out invitations to applicants, who then interacted with the bot to answer screening questions. The Chatbot provided summaries and detailed chats for the team to review. Despite some shortcomings related to language barriers for non-native speakers and the manual effort required to retrieve detailed interactions, the overall experience was positive. The tool proved particularly useful in roles that required detailed technical knowledge which the HR team might not possess.

User Uptake:

Out of the 27 candidates who made it through to the phone/chat screening round, none opted to schedule a call with recruiters. Instead, 15 candidates completed the online chat. Previously, the talent acquisition agent would spend around 20-25 minutes per screening phone call. After implementing the chatbot, it took about 10 minutes to review each chat. With 15 candidates completing the chats, saving 10-15 minutes per chat, the team estimated they saved at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours). This was just for one role. Additionally, the chatbot’s accurate documentation of very technical skills was just as beneficial as the time savings.

Outcomes:

Efficiency: As well as documenting the chat itself, the propella Recuiter Chatbot also generates a Summary of each chat for recruiters to read for an overview to save them reading through the entire chats from all participants. So, while the chatbot required reading through responses, it ultimately saved a lot of time by automating initial screenings and highlighting key candidates. The manual effort to extract detailed responses was noted but considered largely worthwhile.

Candidate Experience: Candidates generally found the process easy and quick, completing it at their convenience, avoiding the need for scheduling phone calls or call-backs. Feedback from applicants was positive, noting the innovative approach.

Usability: For most part, the tool was user-friendly and capable of parsing accurate summaries of candidate responses. The timestamp feature and recognition of detailed answers were particularly appreciated, although integration of these features directly into the chat interface was suggested for improvement.

Future Applications: BlueRock is interested in expanding the chatbot's use to more technically demanding roles, such as software development positions. The chatbot's ability to efficiently capture detailed technical skills and experiences has proven successful, especially in areas where recruiters may lack the technical expertise.

Conclusion: The Recruiter Chatbot has proven to be a valuable tool for BlueRock’s Talent Acquisition team, enhancing both the efficiency of the recruitment process and the candidate experience. Key areas for future improvement include better integration of detailed response timestamps and exploring voice-based chatbot interactions to reduce language barrier issues. Overall, the deployment has been a success, meriting further application and development in different recruitment contexts.

If you are interested in exploring ways to streamline and automate various aspects of business operations using AI tools, please reach out to Gus McLennan, Managing Director of propella.ai, or contact us through our website here.

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