Two audiences, one website
Candidates want to know about roles, process and feedback. Clients want to know about fees, terms and how quickly you can deliver.
A bot that treats them the same frustrates both. Establishing which one is chatting should happen in the first exchange.
What candidates ask
- Is this role still open?
- What is the salary, really?
- Where has my application got to?
- Do you have anything else like this?
- What is the process and how long does it take?
The third question is the one candidates complain about most across the whole industry. Even an honest “we will chase and come back to you today” is better than silence.
What clients ask
- What are your fees and terms?
- Do you cover this sector and this level?
- How quickly can you send candidates?
- What is your rebate or guarantee period?
Candidate experience is a differentiator
Recruitment has a reputation for leaving candidates in silence. A bot that answers process questions and acknowledges applications is a low-cost, visible improvement.
It also reduces the chasing emails that consultants spend their afternoons on.
Do not automate decisions about people
The bot answers questions and captures details. It does not assess suitability, rank candidates or make any decision about an application.
That boundary keeps you well away from the fairness and discrimination questions that automated screening raises.