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Can AI Solve the Challenges Staffing Professionals Are Facing?

Can AI Solve the Challenges Staffing Professionals Are Facing?

CEIPAL recently conducted research on the state of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the recruiting industry at the Recruitment Agency Expo, a biannual conference that gathers staffing professionals to address industry changes and trends. The main goal of the CEIPAL-AI survey was to understand the real-time challenges being faced by the majority of staffing firms, the business impact of those challenges, and companies’ future agenda to overcome them.

Overall, 80% of respondents found Sourcing Candidates to be a major pain point, with more than 85% of organizations planning to adopt an AI-enabled ATS solution in the next year to help overcome this issue and increase company ROI. 

CEIPAL surveyed event attendees, the majority of whom were from top-level management teams of global staffing firms. They universally expressed the view that, with the rise in increasing industry needs, it is essential for any organization looking to adopt new technology to stay in line with industry trends and find a provider dedicated to doing the same. The chart shows the responses marked against the severity of the four major challenges every firm has in common: Marketing Requirements, Sourcing Candidates, Reports, and UI/UX. 

Marketing Requirements is one of the essential things which helps recruiters reach passive candidates, yet over 70% of the respondents find it difficult to reach the appropriate candidate. Additionally, they mentioned that “a traditional email tool cannot help them in solving the issue”. Instead, they expressed interest in an advanced ATS system properly equipped with a mass emailing tool and integrations with social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.

Over 80% of the respondents mentioned Sourcing Candidates as one of those major pain points which they would like to fix on a high-priority basis; they expressed that most recruiters find it difficult to source the ideal talent within the prescribed period of time.

Reports and UI/UX were found to be less of a concerning area, with no respondents marking them as an extreme challenge. However, around 50% of respondents still mentioned they would like to have a clear picture as to where their organization is standing, who is contributing more to the bucket, and get access to overarching client analyses.

Upon asking about the awareness they have of AI capabilities in an Applicant Tracking System, 33% of respondents marked that they are unaware while 26% have only been made aware within the past 6 months. 16% of the respondents are aware of this technology for more than one year and have successfully implemented the same. 

Respondents who have already adopted AI in their ATS mentioned either they have low or no major pain points. 

A whopping 71% of the respondents mentioned they are planning to adopt an AI enabled ATS within the next 6 months while 14% mentioned they have this planned for the next year. Overall, 85% of organizations are planning to adopt AI enabled ATS solutions, believing that AI can solve the major challenges they face and in turn increase company ROI.

The survey results show the growing importance of having an AI enabled ATS. The right combination of technology solutions will help organizations to stay in line or ahead of the growing competition.

Interested in learning more? Take a look at the Artificial Intelligence in Recruiting Industry Report.