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Many red flags are popping up when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) — or as some call it, machine learning — and recruiting. A women’s trucking association recently filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that Facebook discriminates by steering ads to younger workers and using gender stereotypes from the 1960s to further limit who sees which hiring advertisement. It is alleged that this happens even when the employer searching attempts to override these limits.

Facebook settled lawsuits in 2019 and promised it would not let advertisers target job or housing postings based on age or gender. The complaint by the trucking association, filed December 1, 2022, concedes that Facebook has worked to stop advertisers from discriminating, but “Facebook’s own algorithm has replicated the same problem,” according to the charge.

Previous concerns include platforms that read resumes and screen for exact matches, instead of relevant work experience, overlooking many qualified applicants who did not possess a particular type of credential or experience, which can translate to discrimination. For example, requiring someone applying for a customer service representative position to specifically state in their application or resume that they have customer service experience and screening out those who have worked in fast-food, where anyone working at the counter may have the experience needed.

What is an employer to do? When recruiting, the job is two-fold: Find qualified applicants willing to work, and choose those applicants based on their knowledge, skills, and ability to do the job advertised. Finding applicants is a process, and employers who find success often create a pipeline of promising candidates. Creating a steady stream of applicants involves a comprehensive approach.

A successful branding strategy guides how potential employees view the organization over time. Starbucks is a perfect example. Their careers page does not only talk about what jobs are available; it refers to sustainability, community, and the environment. It shows how well employees can expect to be treated when working there.

Find the best sources to reach applicants for the jobs that are open. It may be LinkedIn for certain professional service jobs and salary.com for a barista at Starbucks. There may be a local internet job board you are unaware of. Don’t be afraid to ask your employees about local job boards; they often know about several. A professional association, college, or trade school may have a job board that would be happy to post your advertisement. There may be an informal network in your workplace. Good recruiters know about these and can source applicants quickly.

Wise employers look for applicants who can do the job by thinking carefully about the abilities needed to perform the tasks. Ask yourself the following:

• Is a college degree truly necessary? Many employers are looking more at certificates for skills needed on the job.

• Must a successful candidate have three to five years of experience? The best employees have a proclivity for the work they do and may be on their way to mastering the tasks sooner.

• Is knowledge of a particular software platform required? Many workers are accustomed to a wide variety of platforms and can master new ones with ease due to their innate understanding of how they generally work.

Given those considerations, you may not be able to have an AI program screen resumes. Recruiters often sort resumes into three piles: A, B, and C. A are those who seem to have the right combination of experience and education to do the work, taking a broad view of what is needed to be successful. B are those who appear to have some qualifications and, with training, could be competent in the position. C are those who do not appear to meet the requirements. The system can help focus efforts on whom to interview first and second and whom to send an email thanking them for their interest in the position.

If you need help with recruiting or have questions, contact us at info@employerscouncil.org.