How many webinars and podcasts on AI and recruitment can a recruiter take? I know. We are flooded with it! I like to think this one is a little different. From the perspective of a guy who was recruiting 16 years before the internet was invented! So, seen more change and disruption in recruitment than most. But not an old school view. Quite the opposite. The advice is given from a viewpoint embedded in a need for AI, and what it can do. But also – and this is the important part – what it should not do!

Many recruitment companies are in defensive mode. Plenty are shrinking. But it is in tough times that nimble businesses set the scene for growth. Is now your time? Scaling a recruitment business isn’t about working harder. Hard work is a given. It’s about working toward a plan and setting the right priorities. I’ve seen too many businesses fail to meet their goals because they lack focus, take on the wrong clients, or ignore key performance metrics. To scale successfully, follow this guide.

I have a warning. And I have a non-negotiable recommendation. The world of AI is still full of hype and dominated by charlatans selling digital snake oil. Much of it isn't even real! There is a self-appointed army of AI experts, evangelists and so-called 'thought leaders'. They have never implemented AI in a recruitment environment. All they are doing is amplifying the claims of the snake-oil AI vendors. Beware! Many products on sale now actually automate dysfunction. Furthermore, many legacy traditional HR tools, CRM, and ATS products have increasingly flawed platforms. They sprinkle AI terminology and the occasional AI enhancement on top of what is, in reality, a dinosaur system.

This blog challenges the hype around “totally automated recruitment” pushed by tech founders who have never recruited or implemented recruitment tech. It urges recruiters to think critically about AI claims and separate reality from noise. By imagining a world where recruiters lose their laptops, we can clarify which tasks must remain human-driven and which can be supported by technology. Recruitment is unique: unlike products or tickets, talent is not a commodity and can say “no.” True recruitment success lies in balancing technology with human judgment, empathy, and influence — something automation alone cannot replace.