Here’s my tips for how employers can hire in the age of AI

AI and automation has already reshaped how we work — from managing data to how we communicate and plan. But now it’s coming for hiring, too. 

Job descriptions, resume scans, even assessments are being influenced by algorithms. That means companies need to rethink how they define roles, assess talent, and hire fairly.

As Head of Data and AI at a large tech firm, I’ve had years of experience building AI-driven teams and hiring data talent myself.

Here’s what I know about AI and automation that you should be aware of — and how it can help you adjust your hiring strategy today.

1. Modernise your interview questions

Many job descriptions haven’t caught up with how modern work is actually being done. If tools or automation are changing the game, that should be reflected. For more technical roles, you could ask your candidate:

• What tasks are now handled by automation?
• What now requires judgment, oversight, or tool fluency?

You don’t need specialists in every tool, but you do need people who learn fast and adapt. Skip generic questions and focus on how people think and work. Ask:

• How do you decide when to use a tool or do something manually?
• Have you introduced a new process or system? What changed?

I’d also recommend adding questions on tool exposure explicitly, like experience with Snowflake, dbt, Salesforce Copilot, or automation platforms. 

For non-technical roles, check their comfort level with automation. Ask if they’ve used assistants or smart tools before. In most jobs, this will be part of their day-to-day soon. Better to know who’s open to it now.

2. Rethink the resume scan

Automated filters can’t assess nuance. If you rely on them too heavily, you’ll lose out on great people. 

I would recommend you use automation to streamline basic screening, interview scheduling, and initial pattern detection. But humans should still be evaluating a candidate’s soft skills such as communication, adaptability, and critical thinking.

If your screening is automated, be cautious about filters. The best candidates may not have traditional titles — but they’re already solving problems with new tools. 

On the HR side, align with hiring managers on what really matters and look for candidates who’ve built, tested, or optimised processes. That candidate who built an internal workflow using Sheets? Don’t miss them.

3. Watch for bias

Automation doesn’t remove bias — in fact, it can reinforce it. Algorithms learn from past patterns, which often reflect outdated hiring norms. 

At every stage, make sure you review who gets filtered out, and why. Keep language in job descriptions inclusive and audit your process for fairness, not just speed.

4. Use case tasks, not just Q&A

Some candidates are great with tools but struggle to collaborate. Others communicate well but avoid new systems. The right hires do both.

Look for people who can show evidence of sharing knowledge and helping others to adapt to new workflows. Ask how they’ve supported change in past teams or introduced smarter ways of working.

Case-based tasks will also reveal how candidates think and solve problems in real-world situations. This tells you far more than memorised answers. For example:

• “Here’s a messy dataset. What’s your process?”
• “You need to automate a weekly report. Where do you start?”
• “How would you summarise a client’s needs with limited data?”

5. Hire people who can evolve with the role

In fast-moving environments, like startups, you want people who don’t just fit the role, but shape it. In an interview, ask yourself: “Will they challenge how we work?”

The best candidates today aren’t just experienced, they’re evolving. They’re learning, building, and applying new tools to real work. That’s who you want on your team.

Hire for progress

You don’t need to rebuild your hiring strategy for AI overnight. But you do need to adjust it. Start by updating how you write roles, rethinking how you screen, and training your teams to look for more than titles and degrees.

And remember: AI won’t replace people — people using AI will. Technology will keep moving. The firms that get ahead are the ones that hire people ready to move with it.

By Atalia Horenshtien, Head of Data at Customertimes

Atalia helps organisations to harness AI solutions to achieve their business objectives, specialising in generative and predictive AI, data security, and AI operations. Over the course of her career, she has worked with clients across a wide range of industries — including consumer goods, motorsport, insurance, and manufacturing — and shared her insights at major events such as MAICON and Google Next.