5 simple ways AI can help your hiring
The use of AI is at an all-time high, and it’s only expected to climb. While large language models have already impacted how Kiwis do their jobs more broadly, there are specific AI-based applications that can help hirers with the recruitment process – like writing job ads and reviewing resumés.
With the technology moving so fast it can be tricky to keep up – but it’s worthwhile staying up to date if you want to harness AI's strengths to help your hiring process.
Here’s what our experts say on using AI in hiring, its benefits for recruiters, and how it can streamline your recruitment process.
What are the benefits of AI for recruitment?
AI is already used in hiring by many businesses. AI completes some tasks much faster than a human can, freeing up team members for more strategic work. This is especially helpful given the current job market, says Kristine Tuazon, principal onsultant at Good People HR.
Not only has the cost of recruiting jumped substantially in recent years, hirers are also receiving more applications for roles, creating extra work to screen resumés, set up calls and interviews, and share feedback.
“A role that might have received 300 applicants in the past is now getting 500,” she says. “It’s way more time intensive. I have to use AI more to better manage my time and stay on top of the extra workload.”
Adoption of AI is growing so fast because people are seeing real benefits, both in quality and efficiency, according to Bennett. For hiring, this includes:
Drafting compelling job ads
Helping reach more suitable candidates
Minimising bias in the selection process
Screening resumés faster
More accurate reference checks
The use of AI in recruitment today
Despite these potential benefits, not everyone is on board with AI. “As is often the way with new technology, there’s a certain amount of wariness for some people,” says Bennett.
According to SEEK data, 57% of hirers say they’ve never used AI in the recruitment process. However, many are open to it – they simply haven’t used it yet. In fact, three-quarters (76%) say they’d consider using AI in the future.
Most businesses are using AI to support with manual hiring tasks rather than making big decisions: 22% have used AI to write role descriptions, while just 11% have used it for candidate selection, SEEK data shows. Around 11% are using it to screen applicants for certain criteria and 14% to schedule interviews.
All technology goes through an adoption curve, says Bennett, with some people – and businesses – quick to get on board while others lag behind. “We can look to past technologies, like mobile phones, the internet or even calculators, to see how this happens. These days, no one thinks twice about using any of these things.”
“There will come a point where using artificial intelligence is as commonplace as using Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint, both inside and outside of work,” she adds.
How to use AI in recruitment
It might feel daunting adopting artificial intelligence in your hiring process. Here are some tips from Tuazon to help get you started:
1. Draw on AI’s extensive knowledge.
Part of the reason why AI tools are so powerful is that they draw on a huge data pool. This is helpful as a source of information or simply getting feedback, says Tuazon. “For example, if a client asks for a candidate with knowledge of a complex engineering concept, I might use AI to summarise it so I can better understand what they’re after, or to check whether a candidate’s certification is relevant to the client’s industry.”
“It's saving me time on research since we have clients in complex science and engineering fields,” she says. “Back in the day, I would have to look at 12 websites and go down a rabbit hole to find an answer, but now I simply have to type in a question.”
2. Use it for the basics.
Get comfortable using it for basic tasks, like updating or reviewing a job ad. This could be checking for typos or asking for help updating an old job description to make sure it has the latest terminology, says Tuazon. These save huge amounts of time and can have a big impact. “For a job ad, you might have all this information in your head, but not a clear way of expressing it. AI might help you order it so it’s more punchy, and prioritises what the candidate actually wants to see first.”
3. Review and when in doubt, check with the experts.
Just like you’d review work from a junior team member, it’s essential to still double-check what AI produces. “It has a tendency to hallucinate,” says Tuazon. “Use it, but if something feels a bit off, check with an expert. Let’s say you’re researching IT recruitment and it says you need certain tools for that specific role, but it doesn’t look right. If you’re not 100%, I’d highly recommend checking with someone who has years of experience in that role.”
4. Consider security and privacy.
Although there are specialty AI tools for recruitment, be cautious about what you put in public tools. Check with your IT team around best practices, as each organisation has its own policies. “I’d be careful about what you're asking it to analyse and if you want that information to be public,” says Tuazon. “If you’re asking a tool like ChatGPT to scan applications, there might be personal data on there, like their phone number or even a driver’s license for some roles.”
5. Maintain human connection.
While AI is a handy tool for recruiters, be sure to prioritise human connection throughout the hiring process, especially when interacting with candidates. “AI really helps with the tedious admin, which means we have more time for building relationships, understanding your customers or just anything that's more people-related,” adds Tuazon.
How SEEK uses AI to streamline recruitment
“SEEK has been investing in AI for a decade; it’s already integrated into our platform, often invisibly helping hirers with their recruitment needs,” says Bennett. AI opens up new opportunities for SEEK to build tools that improve and streamline hiring processes.
SEEK is always exploring ways artificial intelligence can help hirers on the website. It can be a useful tool in identifying the best talent for organisations, with confidence and in the smoothest way possible.
At the moment, AI is mostly used to enhance existing recruitment processes rather than change them entirely, Bennett explains. AI tools can solve very specific, high-value business needs (e.g. evaluating candidates) and support day-to-day tasks like scheduling interviews.
It’s important to acknowledge the ongoing discussion on the role of AI in creating or perpetuating bias in hiring. All of the work SEEK does in the artificial intelligence space adheres to Responsible AI guidelines.
“Bias has always been present and is a risk to manage, and any model trained using the data may include this bias,” says Bennett. “What we try to do is ensure we don’t introduce bias in the process. Our data shows that AI applied responsibly – and an awareness of bias, so that we can mitigate it – can make the hiring process more efficient and help the hirer recognise where bias may exist.”
AI is a helpful tool that can automate tasks and help with time-consuming admin in many roles – and recruitment is no exception. It can be particularly helpful now with the hiring process, as the jobs market is placing more demands on recruiters. Start simply, by using AI to help with the tasks that slow you down, test and learn from your experiences, and use the time it frees up to focus on building connections with candidates.
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Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4000 Kiwis annually. Published November 2025.