Nearly 8 in 10 employers in Ireland are using AI in the hiring process, according to new research from IrishJobs. Recruiters report that AI tools are helping to enhance productivity and enabling more efficient hiring.
The IrishJobs Hiring Efficiency survey gathered insights from 475 recruiters and 824 jobseekers in Ireland to identify changing attitudes and actions on hiring processes in a fast-evolving labour market.
Findings from the survey reveal that 78% of recruiters in Ireland are using AI at some point in their recruitment process to enhance productivity. Adoption of AI among recruiters has increased by 50 percentage points over the past 12 months. 28% of employers reported using the technology in recruitment in August 2024, according to previous research by IrishJobs.
Recruiters in Germany, the UK, and Austria also took part in the research, with results indicating that Irish recruiters are following a similar trajectory to international HR professionals regarding the adoption of AI. Over half of employers in Germany (60%) use AI in their hiring processes, while 77% of recruiters in the UK report using the technology to boost productivity and efficiency. In Austria, more than two-thirds of recruiters (66%) reported leveraging AI to support recruitment activities.
Impact of AI
52% of recruiters in Ireland report that manual administrative tasks take up too much time in their everyday role and slow down the hiring process. The use of AI tools and technology is having a direct impact on reducing the time spent on these tasks and streamlining the hiring process.
Writing and publishing job adverts (28%) is the top way in which recruiters are using AI to automate the recruitment process and enhance productivity. Reviewing job applications and CVs (23%) is the second most frequent use of AI among recruiters. This is followed by preparing and sending offer/contract documents (17%). 13% of employers are using AI technology to conduct interviews.
Despite the rapid growth in AI adoption, a sizable minority of recruiters remain uncertain about the adoption and implementation of the technology in operations. 19% of recruiters reported that their current IT systems do not support integration of AI tools.
Candidate dissatisfaction with recruitment processes
The survey reveals several factors that are affecting hiring success, including the length of recruitment processes and the number of stakeholders involved. 23% of job candidates report that there are too many steps involved in the hiring process and drop out before it is complete. Overall, more than 1 in 4 job candidates who apply for a role do not complete the hiring process.
Many employers are considering reducing the number of interviews in response to candidate dissatisfaction, with 36% of HR leaders admitting there are now too many interviews in the hiring process. A further 44% of employers call out the need for quicker internal processes, saying it takes too long to receive feedback from hiring managers.
Commentary
Commenting on the findings, Christopher Paye, Country Director of The Stepstone Group Ireland with responsibility for IrishJobs, said: “The Irish economy is set to face a new period of elevated economic uncertainty over the coming months, prompted by the introduction of international trade tariffs. However, despite this heightened volatility, the outlook for the labour market remains positive, with Davy recently forecasting that the workforce will grow by 2-3 per cent in 2025, while recent data from the CSO reported that the number of people employed in the state has risen above 2.8 million for the first time. This resilience will mean that many employers in Ireland continue to navigate a highly competitive market for talent and face skills shortages across various sectors.
The IrishJobs Hiring Efficiency survey provides a timely insight into the opportunities and challenges facing recruiters in this evolving environment. It’s clear from the findings that AI is becoming an increasingly important tool for employers to manage an intensive recruiting workload. Nearly 8 in 10 employers in Ireland today are using AI as part of their recruitment process – a rapid increase in adoption over the past 12 months.
With more than half of recruiters struggling with time-intensive manual and administrative tasks, AI is having a positive impact in enabling them to reduce the time spent on such tasks, enhance efficiency and increase the pace of successful hiring. The technology is also playing an important part in enhancing the candidate experience during the recruitment process. With many job candidates dissatisfied with lengthy hiring processes, AI is helping recruiters to streamline their processes and identify the right candidates for roles more quickly.
Despite the rapid rise of AI in recruitment, a sizable cohort of recruiters remain uncertain about the responsible and safe use of the technology. It’s crucial that employers implement clear AI policies to ensure ethical use of the technology and invest in skilling programmes that equip recruitment teams with the right capabilities for the future.”
