The first in a series of articles from ‘Reclaiming Human Value in an AI-Enabled World’ by Martin Anderson, Founding Director of Carrot Recruitment

AI has standardised hiring, not differentiated it 

On Friday, I asked a simple question on a LinkedIn poll: 

“Do you believe the current use of AI in recruitment improves the candidate experience?”

Almost 80% of respondents said no. 

That response is striking and not because AI is controversial, but because it reflects a growing discomfort with how recruitment technology is being used, particularly in specialist, relationship-led markets like Market Access, HEOR, and RWE consulting. 

It also reinforces a wider issue: how candidates are engaged matters just as much as how efficiently they are processed. 

AI adoption is high. Confidence is not. 

AI is now firmly embedded in recruitment. 

• Up to 87% of organisations use AI or automation somewhere in their hiring process 
  source: https://www.demandsage.com/ai-recruitment-statistics/ 

• At the same time, 66% of US adults say they would avoid applying for roles where AI is used in hiring decisions 
  source: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/11/21/what-the-public-thinks-about-ai-and-hiring/ 

When you place that data alongside our poll results, a clear pattern emerges: AI may be widespread, but it is far from universally trusted, especially when it replaces, rather than enables, human connection. 

Is AI really making specialist hiring more efficient? 

AI is often justified on the basis of efficiency.  In some contexts, that is absolutely true. High-volume or early-career hiring (graduate intakes, operational roles) can benefit significantly from automation. But specialist consulting recruitment is different. 

In small, highly competitive talent markets, heavy AI involvement can introduce a different kind of inefficiency: candidate disengagement. When candidates feel their first interaction is with a system rather than a person, several things happen: 

• They disengage emotionally 

• They withdraw from processes 

• Or they never apply in the first place 

Losing the right candidates early is not efficient. It simply quickens the wrong outcome.

First impressions are brand signals 

Despite major investment in recruitment technology, candidate experience remains weak. 

• Only 26% of candidates describe their hiring experience as excellent 
  source: https://www.jobscore.com/articles/candidate-experience-statistics/ 

• 72% of candidates who have a poor experience share it with others 
  source: https://standout-cv.com/stats/candidate-experience-statistics 

In specialist consulting markets, this matters enormously. Market Access, HEOR, and RWE professionals operate in small, well-connected communities. A candidate’s first interaction with your hiring process is often their first impression of your brand. The same applies to recruitment partners. How candidates are treated reflects on everyone involved. 

Standardisation is the unintended outcome 

One of the least discussed consequences of AI adoption is that some hiring processes now look and feel the same. 

• Faceless / Humanless 

• Same platforms 

• Similar screening logic 

• Identical workflows 

What was positioned as innovation has quietly become homogenous. This is a problem for non-linear consulting careers. Market Access, HEOR, and RWE professionals move between industry and consultancy, across geographies, and between technical and commercial roles. Motivation, judgement, and context matter. 

AI can surface data. It cannot interpret ambition, nuance, or fit. That still requires human judgement. 

Where the human touch matters most 

The resistance we are seeing is not fear of technology. It is fear of losing human connection. 

Candidates consistently value: 

• Context over classification 

• Dialogue over automation 

• Thoughtful and timely feedback over silence 

The strongest hiring processes recognise this and design around it. They use AI to support logistics and preparation, but ensure that human interaction defines the moments that matter: 

• First conversations 

• Understanding motivation 

• Feedback and decision-making 

That balance builds trust. 

Rebalancing, not replacing 

The question is no longer whether AI belongs in recruitment. It does. The real challenge is ensuring it is used in service of better human engagement, not as a substitute for it. 

When applied thoughtfully, AI frees up time for deeper conversations and better candidate experiences. When overused, it risks undermining both efficiency and employer brand. 

At Carrot Recruitment, this balance is central to how we work. We use technology where it adds value, but we lead with human insight, sector expertise, and long-term relationships, because in specialist markets, that is what candidates respond to. 

Next in this series of articles:

In the next article, we’ll explore why candidate experience has become synonymous employer brand, and why first impressions in hiring now carry far more weight than many organisations realise. 

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Martin Anderson

Founding Director