Recruiting Chatbot: A Quick Guide, +8 Best Tools

Recruitment is no easy task, it’s a combination of screening resumes and cover letters to selecting candidates, and holding interviews. The key ingredient to make the workflow streamlined here is balance.

Finding that perfect balance is now much more simplified with AI and chatbots. Here recruiting chatbots (which are specifically designed for this process) come into play.

What is a Recruiting Chatbot?

With the advancements and developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), most workspaces are constantly upgrading and integrating them into their workflow. AI not only acts as an additional tool but can also be an integral part of the recruiting process. The addition is not limited to just the recruiter’s use but can serve the purpose of connection with the candidates and clients as well. The involvement of AI is also hence observed in Recruiting Chatbots.

A Recruiting Chatbot is an automation tool which can help the recruiter handle tasks, creating efficiency and the perfect balance that everyone strives for. They work by engaging with the candidates and the clients on the behalf of the recruiter through a chatbox. They are helpful to both parties as one can expect quick answers while the other can expect consistent communication. They generate answers particular to queries, requests, and process commands. The recruiting chatbots can be either the traditional models or the newer AI models.

Types of Recruiting Chatbots

There exist two types of Recruiting Chatbots currently: the traditional model (rule-based recruiting chatbots) and the newer models (AI-based recruiting chatbots).

The key difference between the two is how they respond to particular queries, it can be either pre automated or it can process information to generate an answer.

Rule-based Recruiting Chatbots (Traditional Model)

Rule-based Recruiting Chatbots follow a fixed rule based pattern. It is based on pre-established scripts provided by the recruiter. The automation is done through keywords where the recruiting chatbots recognises them. Based on the keywords it produces a scripted answer.

These chatbots do not automate their own answers. They rely on a simple formulation of keyword analysis. Constant updating of these keywords is necessary to keep up to date with queries.

Example: If a candidate asks “What positions are available in the company?” The recruiting chatbots would be able to recognise “positions available” as keywords and hence would produce an answer.

On the other hand if a candidate asks “Is the workplace environment welcoming to fresh candidates?”, the Chatbot would not be able to pick up any relevant keywords.

Rule based models provide quick, routine and straight forward answers, but lack a human touch to them.

AI-based Recruiting Chatbots (The Newer Model)

AI-based Recruiting Chatbots are a more advanced version of the rule based models. The Chatbots are not based on formatted rules or just keywords but analyse requests further. The AI-based recruiting chatbots use natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) to adapt to candidate’s queries, they adapt rather than just give a directed output.

The AI Chatbot understands the complexities and the nuances present within the query, and produces an apt response. It takes context, variations, tone, and other key features into account while producing a response.

The recruiter does not need to manually update the Chatbot but can have interactions to improve and refine.

Example: If the candidate asks “What job roles provide the best work-life balance?”, the AI Chatbot would be able to compute the query to produce a human-like answer.

The AI based recruiting chatbots ease out the work for the recruiter as more that this Chatbot model engages, the better outputs it provides.

Both of these serve a unique purpose and can be used either simultaneously or according to one’s preference.

Recruiting Chatbots Use Cases

Recruiting Chatbots helps out in various tasks, from candidate sourcing to onboarding. They serve as a common point of communication.

AI based recruiting chatbots help the user in:

1. Engaging and Updating Candidates

With the amount of tasks, it is often difficult to connect with the candidates. Reaching out and constant updates are hence performed by these chatbots.

Recruiting Chatbots not only help in managing conversations but can also be used to reach out to passive users, sourcing through social platforms and listing websites to actively connect to users.

Once the recruiting chatbots connect the two parties, it can also help in providing a basic overview of the company, or general FAQs about the job roles, special requirements and interests of the company, an overview on the workflow or the workflow culture, etc.

2. Matching Candidate Profiles

Recruiting Chatbots can be integrated into the workflow for easier matching and screening of candidate profiles.

The AI chatbot can be used to compare, screen and match candidate profiles (or resumes) with job listings and requirements. It takes various things into account, like skills, experiences and preferences. Not just that but it can also compare between multiple profiles and analyse other key factors to match the best suitable candidate according to the company’s requirements.

The matching process done by AI can cut the work load in half for the recruiter. It proves to be an efficient system.

3. Scheduling Interview

Once the candidate’s profile is screened and matched for the company, the chatbot can also be used to schedule interviews.

The chatbot can check the availability of the interviewer and the candidate to then suggest a few dates and time schedules. The chatbot can then send invitations of these schedules to the respective candidates, saving time.

Apart from just scheduling, the chatbot can even send reminders and keep an up-to-date profile with the candidate, reschedule meets and such tasks. This ensures credibility for the company and makes the process smoother for the recruiter.

4. Query Solving and Building Rapport

Maintaining engagement is not only about being in a connection with the candidate but also being helpful and resourceful while solving queries, providing solutions and clearing any misunderstandings.

The chatbot can be programmed (or trained) in a certain manner which can give instant responses. They can be feeded with information regarding some frequently asked questions, some basics about the company and other such data through which it can answer queries.

This task is quite similar to engaging the candidate. Additionally this can even help the candidate be more informed in the later stages of the recruiting as well. Hence, the recruiter wouldn’t need to worry about solving every query personally.

5. Selection and Onboarding Assistance

Apart from just the initial stages before recruiting, these chatbots can also help candidates to ease into the new company.

Onboarding is made easier too by these chatbots as they guide its users, provide necessary toolkits, collect feedback, address any issues, and even keep everything organized.

This reduces the training time, as well as helps the HR managers to focus on more important tasks.

While these are a few tasks mentioned here, Recruiting Chatbots are not limited to them! With the right programming and data feeding, it can ease out a recruiter’s workload in many ways.

Setting Up Recruiting Chatbots (Step-by-Step Guide)

A clean, modern tech banner showing people using their phones with a central AI robot icon, representing a guide on setting up a recruiting chatbot.

Setting up recruiting chatbots is a one time effort for ease in all time! These are the few steps to follow while setting up a recruiting chatbot:

Having a Defined Purpose and Goal

Before setting up any chatbot, the recruiter should be clear about what task the chatbot should do. Chatbots can do various tasks but some chatbots are specially automated to perform certain tasks the best.

The recruiting chatbots could be automated in specific tasks including screening and sourcing of candidates, resume and document collection, answering job related queries, providing updates and reminders, scheduling interviews and such.

A checklist to go-by before choosing the chatbot could include its integration with ATS/CRM, the file support, conversation and engagement, multiple platforms engaging.

Being specific about the Chatbots can boost efficiency and help in prioritising tasks.

Customisation and Design

After choosing the right chatbot, the recruiter needs to tailor it to the company’s needs.

The perfect script that the chatbot should use is designed by the recruiter. It includes basic information like initial greetings, to screening or document collection (based on the chosen chatbot), to automation of frequently asked questions (or such) and a final remark.

The recruiter can even set up a particular tone, personalized answers and even keywords which trigger the chatbot to engage better with the candidate.

Integrating into Workflow

Integration of chatbots means streamlined and efficient workflow.

The recruiting chatbots could be integrated into various systems, algorithms and platforms to focus on efficiency.

It helps to keep a track and update the candidate when needed. It would also help in collating all tasks in a single space. It overall reduces time spent and the smoothness adds to the efficiency.

Training the Chatbot

Before launching the chatbot, it is necessary to train it. This is done to make sure that it works smoothly and gives out correct information.

After the recruiter trains it with necessary information, he/she can test it using candidate scenarios. It should be able to handle job specific and related queries with other tasks like keeping an up-to-date schedule.

It could be occasionally tested and trained with more information to maintain the same level as the company.

Final Tracking and Optimization

The last step to set up the perfect chatbot does not not end with its launch, but it continues during its initial journey and updates.

Here, the chatbot is used in real time by candidates (and not just scenarios). This is how it gets trained once it’s live, each query and interaction trains the chatbot further. The recruiter can keep track of the chatbot’s progress and gain feedback to further improve the system.

Through constant updates, the chatbot is optimised to almost perfection creating credibility.

Common Issues Faced While Using Recruiting Chatbots (With Fixes)

Recruiting Chatbots are based on automation, they can ease out recruiter’s workflow but cannot become the recruiter. There is always room for improvement, even in these chatbots. Some common issues faced while using recruiting chatbots and their fixes are:

Limited Understanding of Complexities

Issue: Recruiting Chatbots can sometimes struggle with complexities, nuances, or the terminologies in the query. The chatbot can be specifically automated for a singular line of commands and does not go beyond. The limited information or the complex requests, etc., can be misinterpreted and can lead to incorrect, generic or flawed answers.

Fix: The recruiter should use AI-based chatbots instead of the traditional model of recruiting chatbots. The recruiter can also train the chatbot with up-to-date keywords or provide alternatives for certain phrases. He/she can also employ multiple chatbots for multiple areas of queries.

Technical Difficulties or Poor Integration

Issue: The chatbot can glitch or respond poorly based on its connectivity or integration into various systems like ATS systems, career sites, or other such tools. The chatbot might fail to update or show traces of missing entries and lost records, or just produce slow responses. The inconvenience might lead to the candidate not trusting the company.

Fix: The recruiter should use chatbots which support external tools and systems. He/she should also make sure to not trust the chatbot blindly but also maintain system checks and updates. The testing could be performed on all types of listing sites and as well as with candidate scenarios.

Limited Multi-Language Understandability

Issue: The chatbot’s inability to direct candidates worldwide because of multilingual aspects or voice text recognition can result in lower interactions. The candidate experience could be hampered by language specific terms or the translation itself.

Fix: The chatbot could be trained with multiple languages and language specific keywords to ensure a global audience. It could also be programmed to use voice text recognition and assisting features.

8 Best Recruiting Tools

1. ATZ CRM

ATZ CRM is an AI-based Recruiting CRM, specially designed for recruiting and staffing agencies. It focuses on candidate sourcing and recruitment, job management and seamless workflow integration.

It can be used for candidate sourcing and document collection. It can even help create resume libraries specific to certain domains while maintaining records. It also provides communication history, transcripts, multi channel sourcing and an intuitive interface for easy navigation.

2. MYA Systems

MYA Systems is an AI-based recruiting system, which essentially works for candidate engagement with human-like chatbots and high-volume hiring tasks.

The system can operate multi-channel communication, screening and sourcing is made easier, while also keeping up with schedules. It’s designed for a worldwide audience with its multi language automation.

3. HireVue

HireVue is an AI-based recruiting system, specialising in screening, interviewing and assessing candidate’s skills.

A noticeable feature is live video interviewing, assisted by AI. The system also provides mini assessments often in a game-based form. It also provides multi-channel integration. The chatbot also has human oversight.

4. XOR AI

XOR AI is a conversation based recruiting chatbot, specifically designed to engage in conversation and maintain a connection between the recruiter and the candidate.

The AI chatbot asks screening questions, evaluates candidate responses and analyzes them. It syncs to the recruiter’s needs and keeps an automated schedule planned.

5. Paradox.ai

Paradox AI is a recruiting chatbot, its prime AI assistant is “Olivia”. It manages candidate chats, screening, questions and answers, scheduling interviews. The focus remains on excellent candidate experience.

It supports chat based job applications. It provides a multi language system with over 100 languages, and focuses on fairness, ethics and accessibility. It also provides strong integration with major ATS and HRIS.

6. Humanly.io

Humanly.io is a conversational AI for recruitment. It manages screening, scheduling, interviewing, candidate engagement, and additionally it provides voice tech and interview analytics.

It provides tools to keep in touch with the candidate, reviving past connections and building talent pools. It supports high volume hiring and ATS integration.

7. Zoho Recruit

Zoho recruit is designed for engaging candidates and automating workflows, serving as a recruiting platform. It proves to be good value for smaller teams and initiating AI into the recruitment process.

It provides the recruiting platform and chatbot all in one space, it does not need external vendors for its functioning. Not only is it efficient but also cost effective for smaller organisations.

8. Skillate

Skillate is a recruitment platform. It works to automate and streamline hiring workflow. It operates various tasks to reduce manual effort.

It uses keywords matching to match profiles to job requirements. It performs screening and interview scheduling. Job descriptive assistant helps save time and be efficient.

Key Takeaways

AI is not only working on base levels but also being integrated into recruiting systems day by day.
The two types of chatbots are Rule-based and AI-based.
Setting up a recruiting chatbot is not a light task. Recruiters should have a defined goal, customize it to his/her liking, know about its integration, train it and have a few final tests.
Some common issues could result from the lack of human touch or limited understanding, hence knowing their fixes are important.
The 8 best chatbot tools work on various levels and function for specifications.

Recruiting Chatbot: A Quick Guide, +8 Best Tools

What is a Recruiting Chatbot?

Types of Recruiting Chatbots

Rule-based Recruiting Chatbots (Traditional Model)

AI-based Recruiting Chatbots (The Newer Model)