Why Personalization Matters More in the World of AI

Whether your recruiting department is embracing AI or not, it’s already changing how you recruit. As AI handles more of the heavy lifting, the human recruiter isn’t becoming obsolete.  They’re becoming essential in a completely different way.  I wrote a recent article that focused on the technologies changing the landscape of recruiting (see “Technology that Transforms Recruiting” ).  Today, I want to focus on the importance of human interaction in the recruiting process.

The AI Efficiency Trap

AI has made candidate identification almost trivial. What used to require headhunters with carefully cultivated networks can now be done by algorithms scanning the entire talent market in seconds. As I discussed in my recent article, “Re-Recruitment Day – Everyone’s a Candidate,” AI can find everyone who could do the job. But finding prospects and attracting the right candidates are two different challenges entirely.

Why “Un-Scalable” is Your New Competitive Advantage

Here’s what many recruiting leaders are missing: in a world where every candidate receives dozens of AI-generated InMails and templated email messages, personalization isn’t just nice to have.  It’s the new normal for successful recruiters.

The mix of job seekers versus passive prospects is changing the candidate pool.  Employed prospects who are selective about their next move are comfortable dropping out of the process. They’re not desperate. They’re discerning. And they’ll ignore anything that feels mass-produced.  As they make up a greater percentage of the pool, it makes sense to adjust the methods to recruit them. This is where the high-touch recruiter becomes invaluable.

The Concierge Model

Think less “talent acquisition specialist” and more “career concierge.” Your job isn’t to process applications or screen resumes—AI handles that. Your job is to create an experience so personalized that passive prospects actually want to continue the conversation.

What does this look like in practice?

Instead of sending a LinkedIn templated message, you record a 60-second video explaining specifically why this prospect caught your attention. You reference a project they led, an article they wrote, or a skill that aligns with a specific challenge your team is facing.  Arm yourself with detailed information about the company, videos from leaders describing the culture or other benefits, and employee testimonials talking about the same.

Future recruiting experts will present this information in a personalized way that is customized to the individual they are interacting with.  The sole responsibility in this process is to answer every question a prospect might have while highlighting aspects of the company which are appealing to that particular person. Recruiters will be free to spend time with the candidate pool, learn what’s important to them, have more time to “check in” rather than ignore phone calls.  To be successful, recruiters will need to be expert storytellers, be able to leverage all the resources of the company to display “day-in-the-life” scenarios, and be personable enough to incite passive prospects to continue further in the process.

Instead of rushing prospects through the process, they will be treated like the passive candidates they are. Just like a hotel concierge, the recruiter’s job is to be there when prospects are ready to explore.

The Skills That Matter Now

To succeed in this model, recruiters need to be able to translate company benefits into personal value propositions. They will be resourceful enough to pull together customized information designed specifically for a single prospect. And they will need to be genuinely personable because prospects can tell when you’re going through the motions.

This work doesn’t scale. That’s the point.

While your competitors are using AI to blast 500 candidates with the same message, you’re spending deep time with 20 prospects who actually fit. AI gives you the gift of time by handling the mechanical work. Will you invest that time in high-touch personalization, or waste it trying to out-automate the competition?

The Counterintuitive Truth

I differ from many of my peers on one key point: I don’t think we need to preserve the “human” in “human resources” just because we think candidates will always prefer humans. Preferences change. A decade ago, it felt a bit creepy when candidates viewed my LinkedIn profile. Today it’s expected. Tomorrow’s workforce may actually prefer AI for transactional interactions.

But here’s what won’t change: top talent will always gravitate toward opportunities that feel designed for them. Whether delivered by human or AI, personalization wins.

The irony? Right now, humans are still better at being genuinely personal. That’s why now is the time to transform your recruiting activities with personalization in mind.

This is the future of recruiting. Are you ready for it?

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Need help retooling your recruiting team to embrace the new normal? ES Talent Solutions is a recruiting strategy company which helps organizations be more efficient in their hiring practices. Whether it be optimizing your process, improving interview or sourcing skills, or implementing a new ATS or AI tool, ESTS is the strategic partner you want to work with to achieve corporate business goals. If you would like more information on our services, contact info@estalentsolutions.com or visit our website at ES Talent Solutions.

The conversation is free but the results could last a lifetime.

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