"This year AI will only be more intelligent" is old news. And truth be told in 2025, it just won't be enough!
Like other industries, hiring has already tapped into AI’s juicy fruits. But thus far, it has been about experimentation; this year, more businesses will make it an essential part of their tech stack and change how things are run. AI might take its seat as the ultimate hiring assistant.
Think of it as The Matrix moment for recruitment - where old hiring methods are fading, and AI is rewriting the rules. But just like Neo still needed Morpheus, candidates still need human connection. AI can streamline, but recruiters guide talent to the right opportunities.
We’ve put together some bold predictions on how AI will shape recruitment in 2025. We’ll be discussing things like:
We’ll talk about transparency - like hiding salaries is not such a cool move in 2025 - and a lot more things too.
Let’s begin.
The recruitment industry changed a great deal in the last three decades.
The 1990s:
Recruitment in the 1990s was all about Rolodexes and fax machines. Everything was manual, and there was a huge reliance on personal networks, cold calling, advertisements, etc.
The 2000s:
The new century was a digital revolution. Platforms like LinkedIn, Monster.com, and Career Builder came into existence.
All of these introduced a more “professional” way of networking and widened the talent pool.
The 2010s:
2010s: social media and data dominated. And tools become a norm by the end of this decade.
And early 2020s:
COVID-19 opened a lot of undermined avenues - like remote working and digital hiring. Plus, we’re also seeing a surge in ATS integrations, AI notetakers built specifically for recruiters (hint: it’s Quil), and much more.
Thus, it’s no secret that AI is playing a huge, huge role in recruitment. And we’re all here for it. At Quil, our founders interacted with thousands of recruiters last year. Safe to say, we’re pretty much experts in predicting what hiring trends will look like this year.
@https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97CWTsariyI
One of the things we’ve seen is how corporate recruitment depends a lot on AI completely. That means they’re having AI bots interview candidates too. Especially since last year.
Third-party recruiting firms haven’t jumped on this trend - yet. And hopefully, they won’t.
The reason: complete dependence on AI has an extremely negative impact. Because the best candidates aren’t just applying for a job - they evaluate the opportunity.
It shows respect for the candidate. It shows you value them as a human - and not just make them talk to a lifeless bot.
This might work for competitive markets and for candidates who are actively looking for a role (without much experience) - but it definitely won’t be sustainable for high-performing candidates.
In 2025, recruiters will finally be able to ditch admin-heavy tasks. That includes updating ATS systems, writing endless candidate write-ups, and focusing more on strategy.
And Quil helps with exactly all that (and cuts time-to-hire by 50%).
Complete AI-led interviews might save you time - but at the end of the day, they’re not valuable.
Quil’s AI notetaker brings the best of both worlds together and makes things easier for you.
That means you’re using AI to cut out the admin work, but you’re also keeping that human connection alive.
Takeaway: Use AI to handle the boring stuff, but don’t forget to bring your A-game when it comes to personal interaction. Your candidates (and clients) will thank you.
70% of the global workforce is passive (candidates who aren’t actively searching for a role).
That just leaves out 30% of the workforce that’s actively seeking new opportunities.
That 70% doesn’t mean those candidates are not looking for a new opportunity - it just means they don’t have a good enough reason to leave their current role.
But if the right opportunity comes along, they’ll definitely make the change. And your role is to make sure you source these candidates.
That 70% are the rock stars of the talent pool. However, they’re not just looking for a paycheck - they’re evaluating companies just as much as companies are evaluating them.
But the catch is: that these passive candidates are difficult to entice.
You need to look at what they value and come up with creative ways to demonstrate that value.
A lot of candidates - 60% to be precise - quit in the middle of a job application because:
As an example, if you miss out on key information (like salary) - candidates are less likely to click on that job posting.
Moving forward, keeping salary details a secret isn’t a smart “strategy”. Be upfront. Candidates can decide if their role is worth their time and skillset when they have complete information from that start.
Complexity kills a candidate’s interest and so does a job posting that’s not mobile-friendly.
Why?
Because 86% of active candidates use their smartphones to begin a job search.
If they’re asked to re-enter work histories into the ATS just means you're opening the door for them to leave. Even if the ATS auto-fills the fields, there’s still a lot of formatting that needs to be done.
Now think: if a candidate is asked to re-fill all fields - that too on a mobile phone - they’ll just abandon the application and move to the next easy option.
Hence, some fundamentals like sticking to a simple form, then getting the candidate to interview with a human, and having an AI notetaker by your side are still the best methods to keep a healthy influx of candidates.
Flexibility is a huge factor - especially after COVID-19. Well, it’s now a permanent reality. A McKinsey survey found that 87% of workers would take the chance to work remotely if offered. And honestly, can you blame them?
Here are a few more stats (US-based) that show why candidates prefer flexible working models:
So if your job description doesn’t mention flexibility, you’re probably losing out on some amazing talent.
And according to our Founder - highlighting these perks during interviews really helps.
Because flexibility isn’t a perk anymore; it’s an expectation. Offer it, promote it, and watch your talent pool grow.
Degrees used to be the first thing a candidate would be asked about. But not anymore. In fact, 45% of companies plan to completely eliminate the need for a bachelor’s degree for some positions.
This doesn’t mean that degrees will be completely obsolete, but it does mean that they won’t be as important as they were.
Hence, moving forth, hiring will take more of a skills-first approach.
Some firms are already leading the way, creating training programs to upskill candidates in niche areas like coding or AI.
This not only builds a stronger talent pipeline but also positions these firms as thought leaders in their industries.
If you’re looking to specialize, here’s where the action will be:
Specializing in these high-demand sectors will keep you a step ahead.
Recruitment is changing, but that’s a good problem to have. The only thing you need to make sure is that you’re changing too.
That means using AI. And using it strategically. Engage passive candidates, make sure you take meetings with an AI notetaker and eliminate all manual processes (like updating the ATS).
All of which is possible with Quil.
With the right combination of AI tools and human touch, you’ll be ready to take on AI.
AI automates ATS updates, note-taking, and candidate sourcing. But over-relying on AI, especially for interviews, can make candidates feel undervalued.
An AI notetaker like Quil records and summarizes interviews, updates ATS systems, and eliminates manual note-taking, letting recruiters focus on candidates.
Flexibility. 87% of workers want remote options. Companies offering it attract better talent.
70% of the workforce isn’t job hunting but will switch for the right offer. Strong branding, personalized outreach, and AI-driven sourcing help.
Quil is an AI notetaker that assists you with automation. It counters redundant tasks like note-taking and manual updates to your Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Plus, it integrates with your favorite platforms like Zoho Recruit, HubSpot, and Salesforce, making the entire hiring process feel like a breeze.
