Like everyone else, I am sure you have read an article or two about how AI is taking over, jobs will be lost, etc, etc. Headlines screaming, “Recruitment is dead – How AI is changing the recruitment landscape”. Dramatic, right? Spoiler alert: If you are letting AI take over recruitment, you are taking the human out of a human industry. And that is the real problem.
At Essence, we understand that it is not AI vs. humans, it’s AI and humans together. We are not better apart but better working together. Chatboxes and Autoboxes are not part of our culture or values, but we are using AI to make our work smarter, move faster, and operate more efficiently. We are not replacing the part that matters the most, PEOPLE. Recruitment is and will always be about humans.
HOW ESSENCE USES AI
It’s not that we don’t believe in AI; we think it brings great value to our company, and it has changed how we work for the better.
- ATS AND ONLINE JOB BOARDS
AI helps us search for keywords such as titles, experience, and education when sorting through our database online job boards. This saves so much time when going through hundreds of resumes. However, it only sees what is on the page. It is easy to overlook the personality traits, transferable skills, and core competencies that make someone a right fit for your organization. AI cannot pick up on those that require real human conversations therefore, if we only rely on AI to screen candidates, we lose out on great humans.
- JOB DESCRIPTIONS:
We work with AI to help us with the writing process, but it never replaces our expertise. We will always draft the first and final version, and use AI along the way to proofread, offer suggestions, and pull quick data (which we always verify for accuracy). AI gives us an extra layer of support, but the voice and insight behind every job description will always be us.
- INTERVIEW GUIDES:
Like Job descriptions, we create every interview guide ourselves. We use AI to provide input to double-check that we have not missed any important questions and gather recommendations we may choose to incorporate. Again, AI supports our process, but the strategy and judgment behind every guide is ours.
- REPORTS AND SUMMARIES:
We will ask AI to help us summarize a report or interview, and this has helped us tremendously. What took us hours of cleaning up notes and crafting summaries can now be done in a fraction of the time. AI has sped up the process, but the insight, context, and final interpretation still come from us.
AI has become a powerful tool in our work, but that is it, a tool. What sets Essence apart, is that we lead with humans: their stories, their goals, and their potential. AI helps us work smarter, faster, and more efficiently.
HUMANS AND AI ARE BETTER TOGETHER…
As impressive, helpful, and fast AI can be it is not magic. There are things that it simply cannot do, and things we have to be intentional and cautious. Some of the key considerations include:
- SAFETY AND SECURITY:
When we upload information into an AI system, we have to assume it may no longer remain fully confidential. Protecting sensitive information means ensuring our systems are secure, understanding where data is stored, and making thoughtful decisions on what belongs in an AI tool and what doesn’t.
- ACCURATE DATA
AI reflects the information and perspectives that it was built on, which means bias and inaccuracies can show up in results. Just because AI has provided an answer doesn’t mean it is accurate. That is why we will always ensure the information that is generated is accurate before relying on it.
- NO HUMAN TOUCH
AI can process information, but it cannot read emotions, build trust, or follow the subtle cues that guide real conversations. It does not have emotional intelligence, and it cannot ask thoughtful follow-up questions based on what someone has shared. Those human moments of connection, empathy, and curiosity cannot be replaced. Applicants are not looking for an automated response or outreach; they want to feel seen and heard. Career transitions are some of the biggest decisions people make, and we are guiding them through that change. This support requires trust, empathy, curiosity, and real conversations, things that no AI can ever replace.
As AI continues to be stronger and smarter, I am sure we will use it more purposefully. Because at the end of the day, it is all about balance: AI makes things efficient, but humans make them meaningful. So yes, we use AI but we are better together. It works quietly in the background, supporting us while we do what we do best, connecting with people.
FINAL THOUGHTS: HUMANS FIRST, AI SECOND
AI isn’t the future of recruitment; PEOPLE are.
AI simply helps us get there more efficiently. It gives us time back, keeps us organized, and sharpens our process. But it will never replace the relationships, intuition, and human connection that make great hiring possible.
At Essence Recruitment, we will continue to use AI to work smarter, but our purpose remains the same: finding the right people for the right roles, and doing it with care, curiosity, and heart. The tools may evolve, but the way we show up for clients and candidates never will.
So whether you are a small-to-medium-sized business or a not-for-profit organization, we are here for the part that really matters: the people. Because recruitment isn’t about robots or algorithms, it is about humans helping humans find their place, with just a little AI magic in the background.
Contact us via email at info@essencerecruitment.ca or call us at 306-652-5232 (Saskatoon) / 587-601-0523 (Calgary – by appointment only).
www.essencerecruitment.ca