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There’s no doubt that AI is reshaping recruitment—but is the recruitment industry truly ready for it?
In a recent battle planning chat with a client, I raised concerns about the readiness of most recruitment businesses to adopt AI meaningfully. While AI is already being used for tasks like note-taking, blog writing, research, creating prompts to help with screening and sales, I think that real transformation requires much more thought and time.
For most recruitment firms, poor data quality and fragmented recruitment processes remain major barriers. If 2024 was the year of AI curiosity, 2025 needs to be the year of AI readiness.
Get Your Recruitment House in Order First
I think that recruitment leaders need to use the next 6–12 months to improve internal systems, particularly focusing on data hygiene (data wealth) and process automation. Too many firms are chasing shiny AI tools before ensuring their candidate and client data is clean, current, and usable. In fact, many recruitment CRMs are disorganised—polls show that messy and unstable databases are the norm, not the exception.
You could start by booking a free 30-minute Bullhorn RoI consult with my team - Bullhorn adoption ideas / automation strategies / data health insight etc..
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Automation Struggles
Even the biggest players are feeling the pinch. I often hear of large enterprises struggling to get automation really driving performance due to internal resistance and territorial "leave my data alone" behaviour. Siloed departments, and change-averse individuals can inadvertently block progress, making it difficult to implement even basic automations and change.
Plus, as much as the industry is keen to adopt efficiencies and tech, it's often not driving change through continuous, engaging, recruitment training.
Automation and AI needs to be "sold" to recruiters with a WIIFM (What's in it for me?) approach. Even the best-intentioned recruiter may find it hard to step into the space that automation and AI creates for them.
Have you been hired, or been the one doing the hiring, in the last 5 years? The turbulence, blind-siding, speed of change, means that stopping to take a breath and ensure best practice is a big ask!
AI Can’t Replace Relationships (Yet!)
My client gave a compelling example of AI not really driving the best outcome when their client was trying to use AI instead of their recruitment business.
Luckily my client had the time and knowledge to step in and prevent their client from making a mistake.
AI had failed to select the right candidate for a role, missing vital nuances only a seasoned recruitment consultant would catch. They campaigned for the candidate that AI had rejected. The client interviewed and offered!
It’s a strong reminder that recruitment remains a relationship-driven business. AI can support consultants, but it can’t replace their ability to read people, understand market subtleties, or build long-term trust. (Yet...)
Getting Back to Being Recruitment CONSULTANTS
I encourage recruitment leaders to rethink traditional recruiting models—especially the classic 360 / 180 recruitment role.
With automation and AI streamlining admin and sourcing, do you really need consultants to do everything? This could be the moment to specialise, refocus roles, and hire people who are better suited to today’s more tech-enabled recruitment landscape.
There are way too many recruitment consultants who are actually recruitment co-ordinators / administrators. Large, dirty data sets, managed by untrained recruiters makes for a very transactional process, and this is at a time when recruiters really need to get back to consulting. (The clue is in the job title...)
From Vicious to Virtuous
The recruitment industry’s heavy reliance on LinkedIn— which I think is one of the dirtiest databases—is another sign that recruiting firms aren’t maximising their own data or opportunity. The irony? Many of the best candidates are already sitting in your CRMs, but are overlooked in favour of job boards and external sourcing. This results in a vicious cycle of wasted time, rising costs, and lost opportunities.
A recent poll confirmed this.
Instead, recruitment businesses must create a virtuous cycle: invest in clean data, automate wisely, and help consultants to focus on consulting. With proper engagement, re-engaged candidates and clients can convert faster and generate more revenue than cold leads.
The Road Ahead for Recruiters
My client summed it up well: their goals for the next six months are about efficiency, pushing back against unfair client demands, and focusing on higher-value deals.
Yes! This is the mindset the industry needs.
AI isn’t magic—but with smart preparation, clean data, and clear processes, it can be a game-changer for recruitment. Let 2025 be the year your recruitment business gets truly AI-ready.
You could start by booking a free 30-minute Bullhorn RoI consult with my team - Bullhorn adoption ideas / automation strategies / data health insight etc..
BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION
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Lisa Jones
Blog
Stop Losing Placements: Your 3-Step Plan to Pre-empt the Counter Offer or Drop Out
Every recruitment consultant knows the feeling. You’ve invested weeks building a relationship, found the perfect role, secured the offer, and then... heartbreak! The candidate accepts a counter offer and / or drops out.It’s an emotional and costly recruitment defeat.It seems that the candidates that you spend the most time on, are the ones that are more likely to break your heart.But these dropouts aren't random acts of betrayal; they are the often result of candidates not being educated about the harsh realities of a counter offer.We, as the recruitment industry, have a critical role to play in managing the candidate lifecycle and preventing this pain. We must stop hoping a candidate won't be counter-offered and start actively managing the process.Here is your straightforward guide to preventing counter offers, armed with the data you need to make the case.❓And whilst you read this ask yourself "how can I use Bullhorn to help me prevent counter offers and protect my pipeline?"❓How can you use note templates, emails, messages, tasks to make light work of the process? (Watch our Optimise Bullhorn Part 6 ~ Easy Candidate Management Webinar for tips)💥The Stark Reality: A Counter Offer is a Short-Term FixBefore you can coach a candidate, you need to understand the data. Counter offers and drop outs don't just "suck" for the client and the recruitment consultant, they are detrimental for the candidate as well in the long term.Here are the compelling stats you need to share with your candidate from screening through to offer and start date!Inevitable! 80% of candidates who accept a counter offer leave their current employer within six months.Pointless! 9 out of 10 candidates who accept a counter offer leave within twelve months.Regret! 50% of candidates who accept a counter offer are actively looking for a new job again within 60 days, indicating immediate regret.The primary reason a counter offer is made is financial for the employer, as it can cost up to 213% of an annual salary to replace your candidate.The lesson is clear: A counter offer is almost always a panicked, short-term measure by an employer to avoid the high cost and hassle of an immediate replacement, not a genuine, long-term commitment to the employee’s happiness or career progression. ... And the reasons your candidate wanted to leave in the first place are still there.1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ Your 3-Step Counter Offer Prevention PlanThe key to preventing dropouts is to pre-empt the counter offer during the initial screening process. You must be proactive and get the candidate to process the scenario before they resign.🙈Step 1: Gather Intel on Company CultureMake it standard practice to gather intelligence on the candidate’s current company during the screening call. This isn't just about their skill set; it's about their employer's retention strategy.Key Questions to Ask:"Is there a known counter offer culture within your business?""What is the typical reaction when people resign from your organisation?""Are you aware of the firm's reputation for dealing with departing employees?"This research not only gives you crucial intelligence but also starts the candidate thinking critically about their current employer’s motivations.🙊Step 2: Get Them to Acknowledge the LikelihoodThe next step is to get the candidate to acknowledge and vocalise the likely sequence of events."Let’s be realistic: based on what you’ve told me, you will probably be counter-offered when you hand in your notice.""I need you to tell me now, what is likely to happen when you resign? What will your manager say to try and keep you?"By making the candidate admit what’s likely to happen, you remove the element of shock and flattering surprise when the counter offer is actually made. You own the narrative!🙉Step 3: Arm Them with the Facts (The Regret Factor)Now, you connect your intelligence gathering with the hard data. This is the final, crucial step: educate the candidate so they can manage the emotional moment of resignation.Tell them:It’s Not About Them: Their employer is only offering them more money because it’s easier and cheaper than replacing them right now. The trust is likely broken, and they are now a known flight risk who will probably be overlooked for future opportunities.The Core Problems Remain: The original reasons for their resignation—lack of progression, management issues, or company culture—are still there. A simple pay rise won’t fix the broken relationship or the fundamental job dissatisfaction.They Will Regret It: Remind them of the statistics: 9 out of 10 people who accept a counter offer are gone within a year. They’ll be looking for a new role again within six months, only this time, they’ve burnt a bridge with your client.💡By using data to manage the candidate experience and ensuring you have an open, honest discussion about the realities of a counter offer, you can manage this part of the candidate lifecycle and prevent the heartache and protect your pipeline. 👀Keep your eyes peeled! We'll be following this blog with ideas on how automation can help you make light work of preventing and managing drops outs and counter offers.Automation Buddy / Bullhorn RoIWe are Automation Buddies set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.READ MORE ABOUT OUR BULLHORN VISION SERVICEREAD ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICEBOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION
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Rose Megson
Blog
Bullhorn Tip - Place More Jobs
We've got a simple 1-minute Bullhorn tip to help you place more jobs. It's time to filter, work and place (and earn!)Having too many jobs and not enough placements can be beyond frustrating. But we have a Bullhorn tip for you to help you focus on the jobs you can (and should) place! There's plenty Bullhorn can do to help you manage your jobs pipeline and recruitment workflow. It's Time to Place Your Jobs!Here's a quick bullhorn tip about why you should regularly update your job statuses in Bullhorn.Get focussed on the most profitable opportunities.Prioritise your efforts.Boost your earnings. Watch this 1-minute Bullhorn tip - then spend a few easy minutes creating focus and an easy path to placing more jobs. Watch Our 1-Minute Bullhorn Tip on How to Place Jobs QuickerNeed more Bullhorn / Automation Tips? Try our 1-minute tips.Be sure to sign up for (or watch the recordings of) our regular free Bullhorn and Automation webinars.CHECK OUT OUR WEBINARSAutomation Buddy / Bullhorn RoIWe are Automation and Bullhorn Buddies set on helping ambitious recruitment businesses who want to increase speed and sales.We coach to inspire, and build your automations so you can recruit and sell!Plus, through our Bullhorn Vision service we help generate serious ROI from your Bullhorn, data, and people.READ MORE ABOUT OUR BULLHORN VISION SERVICEREAD ABOUT OUR AUTOMATION BUDDY SERVICEBOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION
