AI IN RECRUITMENT: BALANCING TECHNOLOGY WITH THE HUMAN TOUCH

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation are profoundly reshaping industries, including the recruitment sector. While these technologies promise a lot, their application and impact vary significantly, especially when contrasting mass-market approaches with the needs of specialist professional services recruitment.

In this article, Christopher Costi, Director at Victus Search, looks at the use cases for AI in recruitment and explains the need for balance when onboarding these tools to maintain exceptional standards of service.

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PRIORITISING HUMAN INSIGHT

General recruitment agencies have been quick to adopt AI tools such as automated Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), AI-driven candidate sourcing, screening chatbots, and automated scheduling. These technologies offer speed, reach, and cost efficiencies, enabling agencies to process large numbers of applications and optimise for throughput and efficiency.

However, the increasing prevalence of AI in recruitment has not gone unchallenged, with both candidates and employers voicing concerns that highly automated recruitment processes lack the subtle understanding and interpersonal relationships necessary to strategically match talent with opportunities.

That’s a particular concern for Victus Search. For the type of specialist professional services recruitment that we offer – targeting niche roles in fund administration, trust, family offices, or specific legal and compliance areas – the AI tools we’ve researched still fall short, and the human touch is still very much required to deliver for our clients and candidates. For example:

Looking beyond keywords: Critical skills, specific experience, cultural fit, and leadership qualities for senior niche roles are often too nuanced for algorithms to nail down, so deep contextual understanding is essential.

Accessing passive talent: Top-tier professionals in specialised fields are rarely active job seekers. They require discreet, personalised outreach from trusted advisors who understand their aspirations.

Diligence and discretion: Mishires in senior roles can be extremely costly. Our recruitment process relies on meticulous due diligence, discretion, and trust-building – inherently human qualities.

Consultative partnership: Specialist recruitment is advisory, providing market insights and guiding complex career decisions, a role that thrives on human interaction and deep sector knowledge.

As a result, Victus Search currently avoids the use of automated resume scanning or AI-assisted interviews for our niche placements, safeguarding service quality and ensuring exceptional talent isn’t overlooked.

FORWARD-LOOKING, STRATEGIC AI ADOPTION

This emphasis on human interaction doesn’t mean we’re resistant to adopting new tools, but it does mean we do so discerningly. At Victus Search, the guiding principle is whether a new technology or tool enhances service quality rather than detracting from our personalised, expert approach.

We’re already leveraging AI’s value in optimising back-office processes and augmenting consultant capabilities, not replacing core human engagement, from automating routine administrative tasks to enhancing data management and market research.

For us, any future technology we adopt should similarly empower, not replace, our team, freeing them up to focus on building relationships, understanding individual needs and aspirations, and providing expert advice. Our approach will be to implement AI on a case-by-case basis, ensuring it doesn’t compromise the personal attention our clients and candidates expect.

THE FUTURE: AUGMENTING HUMAN EXPERTISE

While AI and automation are already transforming mass-market recruitment, a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective for the type of service we at Victus Search provide. In our opinion, the future of AI in recruitment is not a case of machines versus humans, but a complementary relationship where AI augments human expertise. We believe that critical judgment, empathy, and strategic relationship-building will remain human domains – at least for the foreseeable future.

Having said that, we’re keeping a close eye on the rapid developments within the AI sphere, and we’re excited about the potential for new tools and approaches to enhance our services further. In the meantime, if you’re seeking or recruiting for niche roles within fund services, corporate services, trust, and family offices, and you would benefit from our highly developed global network of exceptional candidates and discreet, personalised service, feel free to contact us.