Discover how hireful’s AI shortlisting feature simplifies recruitment by evaluating CVs against clear criteria. Designed for UK-based roles, it ensures transparency, avoids bias, and supports human decision-making.
How our AI shortlisting works?
We have designed our AI shortlisting feature to be simple to use and easy to understand. This is vital in order to build understanding and confidence in this technology for your applicants and internal stakeholders.
When to use AI shortlisting
Not all roles will be relevant for AI shortlisting. The AI is only able to evaluate applicants based on the content of their CVs, so, for example, for roles where soft skills are key, the role of AI shortlisting is not as prominent or might not be relevant at all.
Can I use AI shortlisting to screen applicants for EU-based roles?
You will also see a disclaimer about “EU Nationals” on the AI Shortlisting Questions tab when you are adding a job. This disclaimer is to remind you that this AI tool has been designed for use with UK-based roles. If you have vacancies where you would be encouraging applications from EU nationals, for example, roles based in the EU, then we would advise you not to turn on AI shortlisting for these roles.
Using an AI tool on roles based in the EU will require that tool to be certified under the EU AI Act. While we are confident that our AI shortlisting tool would pass this certification, as we are focused on servicing clients in the UK, we have decided not to complete this extra certification step.
However, you are okay to use AI shortlisting to process EU national applicants for roles based in the UK. As you are not actively encouraging applications from EU nationals. Important Note Regarding EU Nationals and AI Shortlisting
When adding a job, you will see a disclaimer about "EU Nationals" on the AI Shortlisting Questions tab. Please be aware that this AI tool is designed for UK-based roles.
If you have vacancies where you are encouraging applications from EU nationals (e.g., roles based in the EU), we recommend that you do not enable AI shortlisting for these positions.
Using an AI tool for EU-based roles necessitates certification under the EU AI Act. While we are confident our AI shortlisting tool would meet these requirements, our focus is on serving UK clients, and we have chosen not to pursue this additional certification.
However, it is acceptable to use AI shortlisting to process applications from EU nationals for roles based in the UK, provided you are not actively encouraging applications from EU nationals for these positions.
Adding shortlisting criteria
When setting up a new job in the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), you can include up to three AI shortlisting criteria. Selecting appropriate criteria is key, keeping in mind that the AI only reviews applicants' CVs. For example, asking the AI to assess "excellent communication skills" will not be effective, as this is not possible from just a CV.
You can read more here about how to draft good AI shortlisting criteria.
We designed this feature to guide users by asking them to choose the first half of the screening question they plan to use.
The user chooses their preferred option and completes the criteria using their own text.
The AI then evaluates an anonymised version of the applicant’s CV* to consider whether the applicant meets each of the criteria (there can be up to 3).
*We will soon be able to include application forms for those who use them instead of CVs
Applying a rating
We have deliberately designed our AI applicant rating system to be easy to understand and explain to colleagues and candidates. Here is how it works:
- Each of the criteria gets scored out of 10
- The AI must choose, based on the evidence it was able to find in the CV, which of the following options best answers the question “Does the applicant meet the required criteria?”
- Meets criteria (scores 10/10)
- Near miss (scores 6/10)
- Partly/possibly meets criteria (3/10)
- Does not meet the criteria (0/10)
- Each of the (up to) 3 questions is added up to receive a total out of 30. This is then multiplied by 3.33 to produce a score out of 100. We decided a score from 100 would be easier for recruiters to understand/evaluate rather than 30.
Processing applicants who have been AI-rated
By default, applicants are listed based on their AI rating (AI Score) in the applicant list. This encourages recruiters to review the most highly rated applicants first. This helps ensure that they engage the most talented applicants as soon as possible.
Humans still making all the decisions
Our AI shortlisting is designed to assist recruiters, to help them to “get to the talent faster” and process applicants more efficiently. However, the AI does not take any decisions; it just rates the applicants and leaves the decision-making over to the humans.
Does your AI shortlisting feature reduce bias?
There are lots of past examples, with other providers, where AI has been used and bias has been added into the recruitment process. This is often where the software is using AI to recommend the “best applicants” and training the AI on lots of past decisions.
As you can see from above, we’ve taken a different, technologically simpler approach that breaks the task down into simple questions such as “Does this applicant’s CV demonstrate this experience?”
We believe this is the best approach to ensure that your AI usage is easy to understand, explainable to others, and is reducing bias.
Ready to find out more about hireful’s ATS and our AI shortlisting?
You can read about our AI shortlisting feature here.
You can also read more about how our AI shortlisting minimises bias, here.
When you are ready, feel free to contact our team to discuss how this could reduce bias and streamline your recruitment process.
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