AI in Recruitment: Are Employers Keeping Up with Candidate Expectations?
AI is no longer a distant trend in recruitment, it’s already shaping how candidates search for jobs, make decisions, and prepare their applications. What was once seen as a novelty is now becoming an integral part of the candidate journey.
The 2025 Potentialpark Talent Communication Study, which gathers insights from thousands of early-career candidates worldwide, reveals that AI is influencing not only how candidates interact with employers, but also how they expect employers to interact with them.
How Are Candidates Using AI?
Far from rejecting it, candidates are embracing conversational AI tools to support their job search. The data highlights three key behaviours:
50% use AI to improve their CVs or cover letters
40% rely on AI-powered guidance to find the right jobs
38% get AI-based recommendations matched to their skills and experience
This shows a clear shift: candidates expect job search support to be personalised, data-driven, and efficient. Employers who don’t adapt risk falling behind as candidates move toward tools that give them speed and clarity.
Where Do Candidates See the Value — and the Risks?
While candidates are open to AI, they’re not blindly trusting it. They see both opportunities and risks in its use by employers:
42% say the most preferred stage for AI in recruitment is scheduling interviews
69% expect employers to be transparent and disclose when AI is being used
30% remain skeptical, either apprehensive or concern
In other words, candidates appreciate the efficiency of conversational AI tools, but they want reassurance that people, not algorithms, make the final decisions. Transparency and trust are non-negotiable.
What Does This Mean for Employers?
The rise of AI in the candidate journey brings a new set of questions for employers:
Can AI tools find and accurately describe your company?
Does your career website appear in AI-powered searches?
Are candidates more likely to discover you or your competitors?
How does AI portray your employer brand to potential applicants?
If candidates can’t find you through the tools they increasingly rely on, you may lose top talent before they even consider applying.
From Insight to Action: Best Practices in Transparency
Some employers are already setting strong examples:
At ICA Gruppen, Sweden, candidates are informed upfront on the career site how AI supports recruitment, while making it clear that all final hiring decisions are made by humans. This balance of openness and reassurance strengthens trust while still benefiting from AI’s efficiency.
Final Thoughts
AI is rapidly becoming part of how candidates navigate the job market, from building CVs to discovering employers. For recruitment teams, the challenge is to strike the right balance: embracing technology where it adds value, while maintaining the transparency and human connection that candidates expect.
Employers who get this balance right won’t just keep up, they’ll stand out!
💡 Curious about how AI is shaping candidate expectations in your market? Potentialpark provides the data and insights to guide your strategy. Let’s talk 🔗