Indeed's new AI tools could make the recruitment process simpler

Job matching and hiring platform Indeed wants to speed up the recruiting process, and they're using artificial intelligence to do it. 

Sixty-four percent of hiring managers say sourcing qualified talent is challenging and time-consuming, according to data from Indeed, while 54% of jobseekers are frustrated with the process. To better support both parties, the platform rolled out Smart Sourcing, an AI tool meant to streamline the recruiting process.  

"AI is as big a transformation as the internet itself," says Deepti Patibandla, senior director of product management at Indeed. "These AI tools represent a significant shift towards a more efficient and personalized hiring process, benefiting both employers and job seekers alike." 

The new tech tool uses AI to tailor its candidate recommendations based on job descriptions it has matched to available profiles. Employers will receive a list of matched candidates who fit their needs, complete with candidate summaries written by the AI tool with context on why someone is a suitable match. Smart Sourcing can also handle candidate outreach by sending out AI-driven messages to prospective applicants, as well as schedule interviews for recruiters in an effort to reduce tedious administrative tasks. 

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"Currently, it takes over 50 days to make a hire, and oftentimes this is even longer with the admin tasks recruiters deal with," Patibandla says. "With these products, we will help people get jobs and find the right talent more efficiently."

Indeed also made AI-backed changes for job seekers using their site. The platform redesigned its user profiles to include functionalities that allow applicants to easily showcase their skills, experiences and preferences in one place so that AI algorithms could match them with relevant job opportunities and employers — even jobs they didn't think they were qualified for. 

Patibandla believes that rolling out more AI could help address the long-term, global labor shortage by speeding up the time it takes for workers to get hired, so much so that she says the launch of Smart Sourcing is the first step in Indeed's commitment to shortening job search duration by 50% by 2030.

"AI cannot and will not replace the 'human' in the Human Resources industry," Patibandla says. "But collaboration between humans and technology will help us hire the right candidates more simply and quickly — which is good for job seekers, employers and society."