From paper files to AI-powered platforms, Rachel Hilary Blanton has seen recruiting evolve firsthand, and she believes today’s tech can dramatically speed up hiring while bringing back the human touch. With over 20 years of experience in corporate recruiting, Rachel Hilary Blanton has lived through every era of hiring, from manual systems to digital databases, and now, intelligent automation. “When I very first started, there wasn’t AI, there weren’t applicant tracking systems. Everything was done manually,” she says. That journey gives her a unique perspective on what’s possible today.
What excites her most isn’t just the technology, it’s the opportunity to rethink the role of talent acquisition entirely. “Talent acquisition has definitely become much more of a strategic partner and less transactional,” she explains. “We can do that now due to AI and tech efficiencies.” Rachel’s mission is clear: use AI to speed up the process, reduce friction for everyone involved, and create a candidate experience that reflects the best of what a company has to offer.
The Promise of AI: Speed Without Sacrificing Empathy
In today’s hiring landscape, speed matters more than ever. Unfilled roles create pressure across teams, and long hiring timelines can hurt business outcomes. But Rachel believes AI offers a better way forward. Rather than drowning in admin tasks or screening hundreds of resumes by hand, recruiters can lean on AI to move faster, stay organized, and focus on what they do best: connecting with people. “AI should absolutely help us be the best we can be as a recruiter,” she emphasizes. “It’s not about replacing people with robots. It’s about using robots to help people do better work.”
Three Ways AI Speeds Up Recruiting Without Losing the Human Touch
Handling Admin Fast: Filtering, Screening, Scheduling
“AI can take on the time-consuming work that slows everything down, such as scheduling interviews; responding to candidates with timely, personalized responses and pulling essential data for reporting and analytics,” Rachel suggests. When these tasks are automated, recruiters can move faster, and spend more time with the candidates and the business.
Communicating at Scale: Avoiding Ghosting with Automated Updates
One of the biggest frustrations in recruiting is silence, for both candidates and hiring managers. “No candidate should be sitting there going, I haven’t heard anything for a week. I don’t know what’s going on,” Rachel says. AI-powered messaging systems can keep everyone in the loop with automated updates that feel timely and respectful. The result? A smoother experience that builds trust at every step.
Closing the Loop with Dignity: Respectful Rejections That Protect Your Brand
Every open role may attract hundreds of applicants, but only one will be hired. Rachel puts it simply: “You’re only hiring one person for the job. Over 500 people applying for every job on average. You better turn down 499. That’s a lot of people.” With AI helping manage volume, companies can ensure timely, thoughtful responses, reducing the emotional toll of the job search and leaving even rejected candidates with a positive impression. “I think it can enhance the human touch with the communication,” she adds.
The Human Imperative: Tech Does the Lifting, People Build the Trust
Rachel believes AI actually creates more space for human connection, not less. By removing the bottlenecks, recruiters can focus on strategy, empathy, and meaningful interactions. “How can we deliver a fantastic candidate experience, but also a great hiring manager experience as well?” she asks. That’s the real challenge, and the real opportunity. With smarter systems in place, companies can move fast and treat people well. And in a world where reputation and brand matter more than ever, that balance is a competitive advantage.
Use AI Well, Not Just Use It
Rachel’s advice to companies is simple but powerful: “Use AI to help you recruit quicker and more efficiently to support the business. But also make sure that candidate, that human, has a great experience.” She’s seen what happens when companies get it right, and when they don’t. But for her, the future of recruiting is bright. The technology is here. The intent is growing. And with the right mindset, recruiters can deliver a process that’s both faster and more human than ever before.
Connect with Rachel Hilary Blanton on LinkedIn to learn more about improving your recruiting process.
