How Employers Are Using AI in the Hiring Process

By Nicole Maxwell

AI use has taken over many tedious tasks for employers and employees worldwide. ChatGPT is likely the first, and possibly only, AI platform that comes to mind when thinking about using AI. However, there are many other platforms that offer alternative tasks that ChatGPT does not provide.

ChatGPT Role and Limitations

Employers and potential employees can use ChatGPT for various tasks. Employers can use the AI platform to draft job descriptions and postings. Potential employees can enter a job description into ChatGPT and request a personal cover letter using the language from the employer’s posting. Applicants should carefully review any materials written by AI to ensure information is accurate and coherent.

Although ChatGPT may benefit applicants, the AI platform restricts employers from getting assistance through manually entered information. ChatGPT cannot provide certain data-seeking tasks like externally sorting through employers’ applications and analyzing each applicant’s materials. Paid versions of ChatGPT allow employers to link PDFs and other downloaded material for AI to summarize.[1] Advanced versions of ChatGPT can also create coded URLs for employers to find applicants on popular networking websites.[2] However, even the most advanced versions of ChatGPT cannot analyze job applications from a company’s applicant pool to determine which applicants are eligible for employer review. Employers must turn to alternative AI platforms to parse through external application materials.

Why Do Law Firms Use Alternative AI Platforms?

Law firms often receive hundreds of applicants for job postings. Many law firms today use AI platforms to screen applicants during the initial hiring phase to narrow down the applicant pool. This way, when hiring managers start looking at applications to determine interview candidates, an AI platform could have already eliminated ineligible applicants.

One AI platform, Workable, selects the most closely matching applications to employers’ job descriptions and generates top candidates so employers do not have to spend time searching for the most qualified applicants.[3]

Workable can also email candidates using the information applicants wrote in their applications to describe why they were chosen for an interview or why they were not selected for an interview.

Another AI platform, Paycor, assigns applicants a score based on how well they match the job description.[4] This tool allows employers to choose which applications to review based on a numerical hierarchy.

Resume Review

Other AI platforms, like Claude Sonnet, can analyze resumes to select qualified candidates for an employer’s job description.[5] This AI tool can extract specific resume information like education, skills, and achievements to determine whether an applicant is eligible for the position.

The platform can also separate applicant information into categories so hiring managers can prioritize which resumes to review. For example, this AI platform can separate applicants into different educational categories for applicants that attend graduate school, undergraduate university, high school, or no school.

Keywords

AI platforms, like Manatal, also scan application documents for keywords in cover letters and resumes.[6] For example, the AI tool can scan a cover letter for keywords in the employer’s job description. Law firms may use this tool to eliminate applicants who may have submitted a general cover letter and did not tailor their application to a specific job position.

An AI keyword tool can also search resumes and cover letters for words pertaining to a specific area of the law. For example, for an Intellectual Property job, the AI platform can select applicants whose application materials include words like “copyright,” “trademark,” and “patent,” so employers can review candidates who show interest in the area or candidates who have previous experience in the field.

What does an employer’s use of AI platforms mean for applicants?

When applying to law firms, applicants should first confirm they meet all required qualifications in the job application. If an applicant’s resume and experience are inconsistent with the qualifications listed in the job posting, their resume could be eliminated by an AI platform even before an employer reviews the application.

To stand out amongst other applications, an applicant should use the exact words listed in the job description and words relating to the job field. Using keywords may cause an applicant to be selected by an AI tool for review by an employer.

[1] https://profiletree.com/chatgpt-plugins-explained/#link-reader-chat-gpt-plugin-example

[2] https://coitgroup.com/chatgpt-for-recruiting-part-1-how-to-source-candidates-in-seconds/#:~:text=In%20the%20recruiting%20realm%2C%20you,for%20recruiting%20yet%2C%20it's%20time.

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[3] https://get.workable.com/ai-recruiting-features?

[4] https://www.paycor.com/hcm-software/recruiting-software/

[5] https://beginswithai.com/how-to-use-claude-ai-for-resume-screening/

[6] https://www.manatal.com/blog/a-guide-to-resume-screening-for-recruiters-hr-personnel