The Balance of Power in Recruitment: Why AI Is the Game-Changer We Weren’t Ready For

In recruitment, power dynamics are constantly shifting between organisations and candidates. Traditionally, this balance was heavily weighted in favour of organisations, particularly early in the process. They had access to tools, technology and strategies that allowed them to assess, filter and outmanoeuvre candidates. Candidates, on the other hand, were limited by access, geography and resources.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally rewriting the rules of engagement. Today, candidates have access to the same, or even more, powerful AI tools as recruiters, transforming the balance of power in unprecedented ways. This article explores how AI is reshaping recruitment from both perspectives and why HR leaders must adapt to this paradigm shift.

The Candidate Empowerment Revolution

In the past, advancements in technology incrementally improved the candidate experience. Think about the days when sending a CV by post evolved into sending it via email. While these innovations improved speed and accessibility, they didn’t radically shift the balance of power.

AI, however, is different. It puts the capabilities of a top-tier career coach, a professional CV writer and a recruitment strategist directly into the hands of anyone, anywhere.

AI Tools for Candidates

• CV and Cover Letter Optimisation: Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can craft professional, customised CVs and cover letters in minutes, tailored to specific roles and optimised for applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• Automated Job Applications: Platforms like AI Apply can take a candidate’s profile (CV, LinkedIn data and job preferences) and automatically apply to hundreds of suitable roles at scale. Candidates can even do this while they sleep.
• Interview Preparation: AI-driven platforms simulate interviews, provide tailored feedback and even predict questions based on job descriptions.

What this means is that every candidate, regardless of resources, has access to tools that can significantly enhance how they present themselves. This democratisation of recruitment tools is removing many traditional barriers to entry.

A “DDoS” Attack on Recruitment

However, there’s a flip side to this empowerment. The mass application capabilities of AI have created a phenomenon akin to a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on the recruitment process. Jobs are being flooded with applications at rates never seen before, overwhelming recruiters and forcing organisations to close roles after just a few hours or days.

For example, some organisations report seeing applications for graduate roles rise by 60%, with positions that once attracted thousands of candidates now receiving tens of thousands. The sheer volume makes it harder to identify the right candidates, leading to inefficiencies that contradict the very purpose of AI-driven recruitment.

The Recruiter’s Perspective: Losing Power or Reclaiming Control?

Recruiters, long accustomed to holding the power early in the process, are feeling the impact of this shift. While AI offers them new ways to navigate the deluge of applications, it also challenges their traditional dominance.

AI Tools for Organisations

• Screening and Shortlisting: AI-powered ATS platforms can parse CVs at scale, identifying the most qualified candidates in seconds. However, as candidates learn to optimise their CVs for these systems, recruiters must contend with inflated applicant pools and diminished differentiation.
• Candidate Behaviour Analytics: Predictive tools can assess a candidate’s likelihood of accepting an offer or succeeding in the role, helping organisations make data-driven decisions.
• Bias Reduction: AI helps eliminate unconscious bias in job descriptions and assessments, ensuring inclusivity. Platforms like Textio even highlight language that may unintentionally deter underrepresented candidates.

Yet despite these advancements, recruiters face new challenges. AI-generated CVs can “hallucinate” qualifications, introducing inaccuracies that ATS systems may fail to detect. Furthermore, tools designed to make applications easier (like LinkedIn’s “one-click apply”) have unintentionally created more noise than signal, inundating recruiters with unqualified applicants.

The New Power Dynamics Across Recruitment Stages

Let’s revisit how AI is shifting the balance of power at each stage of recruitment.

1. The Application Stage

Traditionally, candidates held the power here, deciding where and how to apply. Now, AI tools for both sides are creating a unique equilibrium:

• Candidates leverage AI to mass-apply, personalise applications and position themselves effectively.
• Recruiters use AI to source passive talent, write bias-free job descriptions and target the right audience with programmatic job ads.

The result is a more competitive application process, with power oscillating between the two.

2. The Selection Stage

This is where organisations regain power, leveraging AI to automate processes and filter candidates at scale. However, AI-enhanced candidates are fighting back:

• Organisations use AI-driven assessments, psychometric testing and video analysis to make objective decisions.
• Candidates prepare for these evaluations with AI coaching tools, ensuring they perform optimally.

Here, AI tips the scales back towards organisations, though it’s becoming harder to discern genuine talent from algorithmically enhanced applications.

3. The Offer Stage

At the final stage, power shifts back to candidates, who can evaluate offers with greater transparency:

• Candidates use salary benchmarking tools and AI-driven negotiation coaches to push for better terms.
• Organisations use predictive analytics to tailor offers and predict acceptance rates.

This dynamic creates a high-stakes negotiation environment where both parties are armed with data and insights.

The Ethical Challenges of AI in Recruitment

AI’s transformative power also brings significant ethical questions. Organisations and candidates alike must grapple with issues such as:

• Data Privacy: Candidates entrust personal information to AI platforms, raising concerns about security and misuse.
• Bias Amplification: While AI promises to reduce bias, flawed algorithms can perpetuate it if trained on biased data.
• Fairness in Process: Is it ethical for candidates to use AI tools to craft CVs or ace psychometric tests? And how should organisations handle AI-driven mass applications?

These challenges highlight the need for transparency and accountability in AI implementation.

How HR Leaders Can Adapt

AI is reshaping recruitment, but it doesn’t have to be a zero-sum game. HR leaders must adapt their strategies to embrace collaboration over competition.

1. Rethink Screening and Shortlisting

Invest in advanced AI tools that prioritise quality over quantity. Implement systems that parse applications and assess authenticity and alignment with organisational values.

2. Balance Automation with Personalisation

While AI can accelerate processes, don’t lose the human touch. Ensure that candidates feel valued and heard, even in automated interactions.

3. Monitor AI Ethics

Develop guidelines to ensure fairness, transparency and ethical use of AI. Collaborate with candidates to create a recruitment process that benefits both sides.

Final Thoughts

The recruitment landscape is at an inflection point. AI simultaneously empowers candidates and equips organisations with new tools, creating a complex and evolving power dynamic. For HR leaders, the challenge is clear: embrace AI thoughtfully and strategically, ensuring that it enhances, not disrupts, the recruitment process.

The future of recruitment will belong to those who can harness AI's power without losing sight of the human element. The question isn’t who holds the power—it’s how we use it to create a fairer, more transparent system for everyone.