Over the past year, one question has come up in countless conversations with clients, candidates, friends, and other business owners.
“What do you think AI is going to do to hiring?”
It’s a great question, and after spending hundreds of hours using AI in my own business, my answer has changed.
At first, I thought AI was going to transform recruiting because of everything it could do.
Today, I think it’s transforming recruiting because of everything it can’t do.
AI Is an Incredible Tool…But It’s Still Just a Tool
I use AI every single day.
It helps me organize information, improve my writing, identify patterns, and make sure I don’t overlook important details. It’s become an incredibly valuable part of my workflow.
But something surprised me.
The more I use AI, the more I appreciate the value of experience.
AI can provide information.
It can’t always recognize what’s most important.
It doesn’t know when an answer sounds polished but misses the point.
It doesn’t know when I should ask one more question because something doesn’t quite add up.
That’s where experience still matters.
And in my opinion, it matters more than ever.
The Résumé Still Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
One thing AI hasn’t changed is this:
The best hiring decisions have never been made solely from a résumé.
I’ve interviewed candidates whose résumés looked almost identical, yet after a thoughtful conversation, it became clear that one person was the stronger fit.
Why?
Because the conversation revealed things a résumé never could.
How they think.
Why they made certain career decisions.
How they handled setbacks.
What motivates them.
How they define success.
AI can certainly help someone write a better résumé, and I don’t have a problem with that when it accurately reflects their experience.
But it can’t create authentic experience.
Eventually, every résumé gets pressure-tested through interviews, conversations, and reference checks.
Authenticity always wins.
What I’m Seeing in Today’s Hiring Market
One trend I’ve noticed over the past few years is that many employers are placing a little less emphasis on degrees alone and more emphasis on demonstrated experience and adaptability.
That doesn’t mean education isn’t valuable—it absolutely is.
But companies increasingly want people who can solve problems, communicate well, adapt to change, and continue learning as technology evolves.
Those qualities are becoming powerful differentiators.
I’m also seeing many of the strongest candidates embrace AI rather than fear it.
They use it to become more productive—not to replace their own thinking.
And I believe that’s the right approach.
My Biggest Takeaway
Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that AI hasn’t made recruiting less personal.
It’s made the human side of recruiting even more important.
Instead of spending more time buried in paperwork, I spend more time understanding the person behind the résumé.
I ask more questions.
I dig deeper into career decisions.
I look for what I often call the “golden nuggets”—those moments that reveal how someone thinks, what motivates them, and whether they’ll truly thrive in a new opportunity.
Ironically, the more technology advances, the more valuable those conversations become.
That’s probably the biggest lesson AI has taught me.
It hasn’t replaced human judgment.
It’s reminded me just how valuable it is.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Has AI changed the way you hire, lead, or think about your own career? What’s been the biggest surprise for you?
