Hiring the right talent is more challenging than ever. A single job posting can attract hundreds of candidates, leaving HR teams with stacks of CVs or relying on software to pick out the right candidates.
Traditional screening methods like keyword-based ATS or manual reviews fail to identify the truly best candidates. In fact, many qualified candidates are filtered out simply because their resumes aren't perfectly crafted with the right keywords. Meanwhile, poor-fit candidates can game the system by stuffing their resumes with relevant keywords.
Hence, companies are turning to AI-powered interviews and AI candidate screening software to screen candidates effectively and efficiently. We will explore why traditional resume screening is failing, how AI interviews offer a better way to shortlist candidates, and why HR leaders in IT, Support, and Operations are embracing this technology to save time and hire efficiently.
Why Traditional Resume Screening Falls Short
Most companies today use some form of resume screening to narrow the candidate pool, but these traditional methods have limitations such as:
- Blind spots with keyword filters: Screening resumes for specific keywords or criteria is problematic because qualified candidates don't always use the exact same keywords. Surveys show over 70% of resumes get filtered out by ATS software and never reach recruiters. Moreover, more than 80% of hiring managers believe they lose high-quality candidates because of ATS.
- Easy to game: Many candidates can game the system by inserting a bunch of relevant keywords or using AI tools to auto-tailor their resumes. A slick resume full of buzzwords can score high in an ATS but does not guarantee anything about the candidate’s quality.
- Volume overload for candidates: When seeking jobs, candidates often apply to multiple positions of different nature and skill requirements. It is inefficient for candidates to create different resumes for each job.
- Bias and inconsistency: Manual screening is prone to human bias and inconsistency. Different recruiters may have different criteria for screening candidates.
- Poor candidate experience: This screening issue is not just a problem for recruiters; it's a problem for candidates as well. They often never receive feedback for the majority of their applications or wait days or weeks for a response.
So, what's the alternative?
The Rise of AI-Powered Interviews
Instead of relying solely on resumes, you could have a conversation with every applicant and automatically evaluate their fit. This is the promise of AI-powered interviews and automated candidate interviews. Thanks to advances in large language models (LLMs) and multimodal models, it is now possible for a virtual "recruiter" to conduct real-time audio or video interviews with candidates without a human interviewer of required skill needing to be present. These AI agents are emerging as game changers in high-volume hiring.
Many companies have begun deploying AI interview platforms and AI recruiting platforms to conduct first-round screening interviews at scale. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a growing number of organizations are using AI in recruiting to automate candidate outreach. Candidates are noticing the change too. Instead of a call from a recruiter, many applicants now receive an interview link to schedule a quick interview. These can take place over a phone call or video, often lasting from a few minutes to 40 minutes.
Early experiences with AI interviews have yielded mixed reviews. Some find them surprisingly human-like and convenient, while others miss the personal touch. Recruiters, on the other hand, are finding that this can address many pain points. They can respond to every candidate—no more silence—work around the clock, filter out candidates who don't meet the criteria, and provide consistent feedback to everyone.
The goal is not to replace hiring managers or interviewers but to replace resume screening or ATS-like software that is prone to bias and inconsistency. The AI agent acts as an assistant that ensures every candidate gets a chance to be heard, while human recruiters remain in charge of decisions.
For high-volume roles or entry- to mid-level positions in IT, customer support, and sales—where you might have hundreds of applicants with almost identical resumes—AI interviews offer a way to screen everyone quickly and fairly. This ensures you won't miss out on hidden gems who have subpar resumes.
Benefits of AI Interviews
AI-powered interviews introduce a fundamentally different approach to early-stage hiring: talking to candidates directly. This shift brings many benefits, including:
- Evaluate real skills and fit: Often during initial screening calls, interviewers are from HR teams or other departments and may not be experts in the role. They might not be able to evaluate the real skills and fit of the candidate, so the initial rounds completely miss the competencies that matter. An AI hiring tool can help bridge this gap by providing consistent and role-specific assessments.
- No good candidate left behind: Because AI interviews can be conducted at scale with minimal cost, you can afford to interview a far larger percentage of applicants using AI for HR teams.
- Speed: Automating the first round can slash your time-to-hire and time-to-interview dramatically. No more back-and-forth emails asking “Are you available for a call tomorrow?” or “Can you take a call today?” Candidates can apply and immediately take the interview, giving you good reviews within minutes.
- Consistent and fair scoring: Humans can unintentionally be inconsistent or biased in early interviews, with unconscious bias creeping in. AI interviews deliver a structured and standardized process for every candidate. The evaluation is based on the same rubrics and scoring guidelines, resulting in a shortlist based on data and merit.
- Better insights: AI interviews don’t just give yes or no answers. They provide tangible data and recordings. For every candidate, the AI agent gives constructive feedback and evaluation based on different criteria, explaining why it considers the candidate fit or unfit for the given role, adding even more context.
- Improved candidate experience: A well-designed interview can actually enhance the candidate experience. Candidates get a chance to truly present themselves beyond the resume. They can do the interviews on their own schedule rather than accommodate a recruiter’s calendar or wait weeks for a slot. Furthermore, candidates receive immediate feedback with highlighted strengths and weaknesses, which can be a nice touch.
- Massive efficiency gains for HR: From the recruiters’ perspective, handing off the initial interviews—where the bulk of time is spent—to AI agents can save countless hours of labor. All repetitive tasks like explaining the role and asking basic questions can be handled by AI. Then, managers can spend their time only on the best-qualified candidates, armed with good summaries and context.
In short, AI interviews are not just a technical improvement but a shift in how we think about hiring. It is about leveraging technology to improve the hiring process and make it more fair and efficient.
Start Screening Smarter with Zivaro
Tired of keyword matching and outdated ATS filters? With Zivaro, you can conduct fully automated AI-powered interviews that evaluate real skills and personality fit.
Save time, eliminate bias, and discover top talent faster.