The 12 Part Beginners Guide to Using ChatGPT for Recruitment

Welcome to the beginner's guide to using ChatGPT for recruitment!  

If you haven’t already heard about ai and how it is going to change the way you can work, then you need to read on. This tool and the many derivatives of it now arriving every single day online WILL HELP YOU streamline your recruitment process and save you time and effort, allowing you to focus on the value-add aspects of recruitment. In this guide, I will walk you through the various ways you can take advantage of the might of ChatGPT and use it for the core areas of the recruitment, starting with the critical element of success – Prompts.  

1. Prompts 

ChatGPT can help you create prompts that you can use to engage with potential candidates. Go to https://chat.openai.com/ in your browser (desktop or mobile), login and (if you haven't started yet) ask your first question in the chat box. This is called a prompt and it is a question or statement that is used to start a conversation with ChatGPT. You can stay in the same conversation, asking further questions and fine tuning them until you get the types of response you are looking for. You can use prompts to learn more about a candidate's skills, experience, and qualifications. Here are some examples of prompts that you can use: 

• Can you tell me about your experience in [specific skill or industry]? 
• What motivated you to apply for this position? 
• Can you walk me through a recent project you worked on? 
• What are your long-term career goals? 
• Can you describe your ideal work environment? 
• What are some challenges you've faced in your previous roles and how did you overcome them? 

You can customise your prompts to fit your specific needs and the requirements of the job. Use these prompts as a starting point and add your own questions to make them more specific. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT (on an example candidate): 

 NOTE: You will need to use prompts for all the activities here in this beginner's guide. Learn how to use them well, as they will be the way you become super proficient at getting the most out of these tools. Google ‘recruitment prompts’ and you will be presented with many places to start. 

2. Guides 

ChatGPT can help you create guides that you can share with candidates. A guide is a document that provides information about the job, the company, and the recruitment process. You can use them to give candidates a better understanding of what to expect during the recruitment process and to answer any questions they may have. Here are some examples of what you can include in a guide: 

• A job description that outlines the responsibilities, requirements, and qualifications for the position. 
• A company overview that provides information about the company's mission, values, and culture. 
• A recruitment process overview that explains what candidates can expect during the recruitment process, including the timeline, interview format, and assessment criteria. 
• Tips for preparing for the interview, such as what to wear, how to research the company, and what to bring to the interview. 

You can customise your guide to fit your specific needs and the requirements of the job. Use these examples as a starting point and add your own information to make the guide more specific. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

3. Personas 

ChatGPT can help you create personas that can help you target specific candidates. A persona is a fictional representation of a candidate that helps you understand their needs, motivations, and behaviours. You can use personas to tailor your recruitment process to the needs of different candidates. Here are some examples of personas that you can use: 

• The career changer: This candidate is looking to transition into a new career and may need extra guidance and support during the recruitment process. 
• The recent graduate: This candidate is just starting out in their career and may be looking for opportunities to learn and grow. 
• The experienced professional: This candidate has years of experience in their field and is looking for a challenging role that allows them to use their skills and expertise. 
• The work-life balancer: This candidate is looking for a job that allows them to balance their work and personal life and may prioritise flexible work arrangements. 

You can create personas based on your target audience and use them to tailor your recruitment process to their needs. Use these examples as a starting point and add your own personas to make the process more specific. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

 4. Candidate Screening 

ChatGPT can help you with candidate screening by analysing CV's and cover letters to identify the most qualified candidates. You can input the these into the tool and it will extract the key information such as: 

• It will help identify the most qualified candidates for a given role, allowing you to prioritise your outreach and save time in the recruitment process. 
• Analysing candidate data from online profiles and social media to gain insights into their skills, interests, and qualifications, helping you to identify potential matches for current and future job openings. 
• Using chatbot interviews to assess candidates' communication skills, personality traits, and cultural fit, enabling you to gain a more nuanced understanding of candidates' strengths and weaknesses. 
• Automating the initial screening process using ChatGPT-powered chatbots, allowing you to quickly filter out candidates who do not meet the basic qualifications for a given role and focus their attention on the most promising candidates. 

You can then use this information to identify the most qualified candidates for the job.  

 5. Chatbot Interviews 

ChatGPT can be used to conduct chatbot interviews. This is where the tool takes the place of a recruiter or hiring manager and asks candidates a set of predetermined questions such as: 

• Can you tell us about a time when you had to think outside the box to solve a problem in your previous job? How did you approach the situation, and what was the outcome? 
• What skills and experience do you possess that would make you a good fit for this role? How do you see yourself contributing to the team? 
• Can you describe a time when you had to deal with a difficult coworker or customer? How did you handle the situation, and what did you learn from it? 
• How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and developments in your field? Can you give an example of how you have used this knowledge to improve your work or the work of your team? 

 The tool can analyse the responses and provide a score or ranking for each candidate based on their answers. This can save you time and effort by automating the interview process and allowing them to focus on the most qualified candidates. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

6. Diversity and Inclusion 

ChatGPT can help with diversity and inclusion in several different ways: 

• Analysing language patterns to ensure job descriptions and recruitment materials are inclusive and free from bias. 
• Removing unconscious biases from the recruitment process by using a tool trained on a diverse set of data. 
• Providing a standardised and unbiased interview experience for all candidates through chatbot interviews. 
• Enhancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace by promoting fairness and objectivity in the hiring process. 

Using ChatGPT in recruitment can help improve inclusivity by providing an unbiased, standardised, and accessible interview process for all candidates, regardless of their background or identity. 

7. Employer Branding 

ChatGPT can help you improve your employer branding by providing personalised communication with candidates. Either you as a recruiter or your recruitment marketing team can benefit from using it in some of these ways: 

• Creating compelling and engaging content that resonates with your target audience and strengthens your employer brand. 
• Providing personalised and relevant messaging to candidates by analysing their language patterns and preferences. 
• Generating insights into candidate behaviour and preferences that can be used to improve recruitment and retention strategies. 
• Enhancing the candidate experience by providing a seamless and consistent brand experience across all touchpoints. 

Providing ChatGPT with examples of your own corporate language and style of writing (i.e. your URL) will allow it to write content for you in your own words. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

8. Candidate Engagement 

ChatGPT can help you engage with candidates throughout the recruitment process. You can use the tool to create chatbots that can answer candidate questions, provide feedback, and keep candidates updated on the status of their application.  

• Providing personalised and timely responses to candidate inquiries and questions, ensuring a positive candidate experience. 
• Offering 24/7 support to candidates, allowing them to engage with your organisation at their convenience. 
• Providing real-time updates on the status of the recruitment process and next steps, keeping candidates informed and engaged. 
• Delivering targeted and relevant content to candidates based on their language patterns and preferences, helping to build a strong relationship with them. 

 This can help candidates feel more engaged and invested in the recruitment process and increase the likelihood that they will accept a job offer if extended. Additionally, by providing timely and helpful communication, you can create a positive candidate experience and improve your reputation as an employer. 

9. Skill Assessments 

ChatGPT can be used to assess the skills of candidates. You can use the tool to create assessments that test candidates on specific skills related to the job. For example: 

• You can create an assessment that tests candidates on their programming skills, data analysis skills, or customer service skills. The tool can analyse the responses and provide a score or ranking for each candidate based on their skills.  
• Administering skills assessments to candidates in a standardised and objective manner, reducing the risk of biases and subjective evaluations. 
• Analysing language patterns and responses to skills assessment questions to gain insights into candidates' critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. 
• Providing detailed and personalised feedback to candidates on their skills assessment results, enabling them to identify areas for improvement. 

These can help you identify the most qualified candidates for the job and ensure that they have the necessary skills to succeed. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

 10. Talent Pipelining 

ChatGPT can help you create a talent pipeline by engaging with passive candidates who may not be actively looking for a job. It is fantastic at helping you in doing this in different ways, here are just a few: 

• Analysing job descriptions and candidate profiles to identify potential matches, allowing you to build a strong talent pipeline for current and future hiring needs. 
• Leveraging candidate engagement data to gain insights into candidates' level of interest, skills, and qualifications, enabling you to prioritise outreach to the most promising candidates. 
• Automating the initial screening and assessment process using chatbot interviews and skills assessments, allowing you to focus on high-value tasks such as relationship building and candidate engagement. 
• Providing personalised and relevant messaging to candidates throughout the recruitment process, helping to build a strong relationship with them and increasing the likelihood of a successful hire. 
• You can use the tool to create chatbots that can reach out to potential candidates on social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, and start a conversation with them.  

By building a relationship with these candidates, you can keep them engaged and interested in your company, so that when a job opportunity arises, they are more likely to apply. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

 11. Onboarding Support 

ChatGPT can be used to provide onboarding support for new hires. It can be used in different ways and in different forums depending on your own work environment: 

• Delivering personalised and relevant onboarding content to new hires based on their language patterns and preferences, ensuring a positive and engaging onboarding experience. 
• Providing real-time support to new hires through a chatbot, answering their questions and concerns and providing guidance and support as needed. 
• Facilitating communication and collaboration between new hires and their colleagues, helping them to quickly integrate into the team and the organisation. 
• Analysing onboarding data and feedback to identify areas for improvement and optimise the onboarding process for future new hires. 

By providing personalised support, you can help new employees feel more welcome and integrated into the company culture. 

 12. Employee Feedback 

ChatGPT can help you gather employee feedback on the recruitment process and the overall employee experience. You can use the tool across the whole lifecycle in different ways: 

• Administer surveys to employees and candidates to gather feedback on their recruitment and onboarding experience, identifying areas for improvement and optimisation. 
• Analyse employee feedback to gain insights into their perceptions of the organisation and their level of engagement, helping to inform retention and engagement strategies. 
• Provide personalised and anonymous feedback channels to employees and candidates, allowing them to share their thoughts and concerns in a safe and non-judgmental environment. 
• Leverage the natural language processing to analyse open-ended feedback and identify themes and patterns, enabling you and your HR colleagues to take targeted action to address specific issues and concerns. 

This feedback can help you identify areas for improvement and make changes to improve the employee experience. 

Here is a screenshot of the one of the above prompts I asked ChatGPT: 

 In conclusion  

 I hope you can now see why ChatGPT is an incredibly powerful tool for you and your HR colleagues who want to streamline and optimise the recruitment process. By using these #ai tools you can free up your time to focus on building relationships with candidates and focusing on improving the candidate experience. 

However, it is important to acknowledge that there are some risks associated with using AI in recruitment. For example, there is a risk that the tools used by #ai LLM’s could perpetuate bias and discrimination if they are not trained on a diverse set of data or if they are not properly audited and monitored. Additionally, there is a risk that candidates may feel uncomfortable or disengaged if they are interacting with a chatbot rather than a human recruiter, particularly if the chatbot is not able to provide the level of support and guidance that they need. 

 To mitigate these risks, it is important to approach the use of ChatGPT in recruitment with a thoughtful and strategic mindset. This might involve working with AI experts and diversity and inclusion specialists to ensure that the tools are trained on a diverse set of data and are monitored for bias and discrimination. It may also involve providing candidates with the option to interact with a human recruiter if they prefer, or offering additional support and guidance to those who are interacting with a chatbot. 

 Ultimately, the use of this tool in recruitment has the potential to revolutionise the way that you work. By automating routine tasks and providing personalised and relevant support to candidates throughout the recruitment process, it can help to build stronger relationships with candidates, promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and enhance the overall recruitment experience.  

With careful planning and attention to the risks involved, ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for any organisation looking to improve its recruitment outcomes. 

If you like this article, then check out my other articles on LinkedIn below and Follow me on LinkedIn for more exploration into using ChatGPT in recruitment: 

ChatGPT and Bard: The Impact for Talent Acquisition 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/chatgpt-bard-impact-talent-acquisition-andy-headworth/ 

When Could a Recruiter Use ChatGPT? 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-could-recruiter-use-chatgpt-andy-headworth/