Unlocking AI in Recruitment Efficiency: My Top AI Takeaways from a Recent AMA
This session was part of a broader series of AI in Recruitment workshops I’m running for recruiters, especially those in boutique and specialist agencies. The cohort for this one? A sharp, UK-based bunch of independent recruiters, all from businesses with fewer than five people. Highly niche. Highly engaged.
They joined me for an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session 🤓 where I invited them to ask whatever they liked about using AI in recruitment. No scripts. Loads of great questions – just real talk, live demos, and practical advice from me.
They came ready with the real questions, the ones I know many recruiters are sitting on. So I wanted to bottle up the best bits of that live conversation and share it here, for the rest of you who might be wondering the same things.
Whether you’re agency-side, in-house, or just AI-curious, this is your honest, no-fluff guide to working smarter (not harder) with AI. ⚙️
🔮 What 2026 Might Look Like
We kicked off with a chat about recruitment budgets and how things are shifting. 2026 isn’t going to be more of the same. It’s already looking leaner, faster, and way more tech-enabled than 2025, which is saying something, I know!
🤖 Should Recruiters Build Their Own AI Agents?
Attendee 1 asked about “AI agent thingies”, or a similar type of tool that runs in the background and does bits of work for you.
Short answer? Don’t build your own (unless you really love debugging logic errors at midnight).
The biggest trap I see recruiters fall into is going down the DIY rabbit hole when the solution’s already out there. I love how Recruiters have such a great ‘can-do’ attitude, but this unfortunately cannot turn us into Software Engineers overnight.
Tools I recommend if you are still determined to try:
🧩 Zapier – for automating simple tasks
⚙️ Replit / n8n – for building more logic-based workflows
💡 Chipp / Relevance – built with recruiters in mind
The key? Start with your use case, not the tool. Be crystal clear on the problem you want AI to solve, then go tool shopping.
💣 Grok: The AI With No Filter
Attendee 2 asked me to pick a favourite LLM for sourcing talent.
It’s Grok. Closely followed by ChatGPT and Gemini.
Why Grok? It has almost zero guardrails, which means:
- You get deeper insight
- Fewer ‘filters/rules’ means it’s easier to dive into the people data
- More “real” responses, with candidate contact details
One attendee tested anonymised CVs across different LLMs, and Grok was the only one that figured out who the candidate was 😳
The file was named something like “admin doc,” but Grok still connected the dots.
Impressive? Yes
A little scary? Also yes
Use with caution. Always anonymise personal data. But when you need raw insights and candidate information? Grok delivers.
⚒️ I Built a Prompt Enhancer in 15 Minutes (No Code!)
I recently built a prompt enhancer tool using a no-code platform from Google (Antigravity) because bad prompts are everywhere, and they’re the number one reason people are too quick to say “AI doesn’t work for me.”
What my tool will do (it’s still a work in progress for now):
📝 Takes basic recruiter info (role, location, skills, tone)
📈 Outputs clearer, structured prompts
📬 Comes with templates for outreach, interview questions, and business development
🧠 Works with any LLM, Claude, Gemini, Grok, ChatGPT
The coolest part? You can update it using natural language. No code needed. Just describe what you want it to do.
Disclaimer: This is still a ‘work in progress project’ for me, but as soon as I get back from this trip to the US to speak at a conference, I plan to ship it to the masses so we can all write better prompts.
📧 Copilot in Outlook: The Underrated MVP
Attendee 3 shared their experience with Microsoft Copilot inside Outlook, and I backed them all the way.
If you’re already using Microsoft 365, Copilot is a total win.
What I love:
✅ Drafts emails in your voice
✅ Matches your tone and formatting preferences
✅ Remembers your quirks (like “never use em-dashes” 🙅🏼♀️)
✅ Saves you some serious time in your inbox – isn’t this what we all need?
Another attendee mentioned the premium version that integrates with OneDrive, giving Copilot even more context to work with. It’s like hiring an AI-powered assistant who already knows your workflows.
📈 AI for Business Development? Yes, Please
Attendee 4 raised a pain point many of us feel: juggling business development with candidate outreach.
They were testing SourceWhale (great for email flows), which I agreed with and asked what else might help.
I recommended:
💥 Venti AI
This tool blew me away. It:
- Analyses your target market
- Surfaces qualified leads
- Gives verified contact details
🔁 SplendUp
Built for your “silver medalists”, candidates who almost got the job. It:
- Takes their old CV
- Scans the market
- Matches them to fresh roles
It’s like giving past candidates a second chance, without lifting a finger.
🎓 When AI Works Brilliantly for Screening
For high-volume hiring, think grads, call centres, retail, and AI tools can:
- Take your job brief
- Write interview questions
- Rank candidates
- Run AI-powered interviews
- Automate follow-ups
- Re-rank after interviews
Attendee 5 asked if these tools integrate with LinkedIn Recruiter. Most don’t, but they do link into your CRM or ATS, which is where the magic happens.
For senior or niche roles, though? Human instinct still wins every time 💪
🔍 Sourcing Isn’t Broken, But Your Keywords Might Be
Attendee 6 brought up something I hear a lot:
“I’m searching LinkedIn but getting nowhere.”
They were hiring for a niche role where job titles didn’t match the reality. LinkedIn wasn’t cutting it.
My advice:
🔍 Use a tool like Metaview to assist you with your sourcing. It learns as you rate profiles and refines its search as you go
🔑 Think adjacent tskills, not just job titles, look at tools, projects, and experience
🧠 Pair Boolean basics with your AI tool for even stronger results
The more context you give your AI, the better it performs.
🌍 Why Recruiters Should Care About SEO and GEO
This isn’t just for marketers anymore.
AI search engines like Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews are changing how people find your site, your jobs, and your brand.
My simple system:
🛠️ Plug your site into an AI search grader
📉 Fix headings, load speeds, and keyword clutter
📆 Re-check it every quarter to stay visible
This isn’t about being an SEO expert. It’s about being discoverable by both humans and machines.
🧠 Final Thoughts: Keep the Human in the Loop
Let’s keep it real.
AI isn’t going to replace recruiters.
But recruiters who embrace AI? They will absolutely replace the ones who don’t.
What I want you to take away:
💡 Be curious
🧩 Start small
⚙️ Let AI handle the admin
🧍 Stay human — your nuance, empathy, and creativity still matter
This AMA reminded me why I love these workshops. Real recruiters, asking real questions, solving real problems.
🙋♀️ AMA FAQs (Because You Asked)
Can I build AI tools if I can’t code?
Yes! I built a working app in 15 minutes using natural language.
What’s the best BD tool right now?
Try Venti AI. And use SplendUp to re-engage silver medalist candidates.
Is Grok safe to use?
Yes, but anonymise everything. It’s powerful, not filtered.
Should I use Copilot?
Absolutely, if you are working in a Microsoft environment. It will save you hours each week.
One quick SEO win for recruiters?
Run your site through an AI grader. Fix the headings and page speed.
How do I improve sourcing accuracy?
Use AI tools that learn from your feedback to refine your searches.
👋 Who Am I?
I’m Vanessa Raath, Talent Sourcing Trainer, AI Literacy Coach & Strategist, and Keynote Speaker. I’ve trained over 8,000 recruiters in 100+ countries and still spend my days testing tools, sourcing talent, and sipping Rooibos by the sea 🐳
I believe in:
🖖🏼Staying hands-on, always
🤯Equipping recruiters, not overwhelming them
🏃🏼➡️Using AI to empower, not replace
💬 Stay Connected
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