Rejection by Robot… Chesterfield Recruiter Spotlights Candidate Expectations of AI Driven Recruitment

Leading Chesterfield specialist recruiter, Gi Group UK, part of the 10^th largest global staffing firm in the world, Gi Group Holding, has found that nearly a third of candidates would feel ‘very uncomfortable’ if AI was part of their recruitment process, as released in its 2025 Candidate Survey.

Against a challenging backdrop of chat robots, fake jobs ads and automated recruitment, recruiters have an uphill battle to remain authentic and trustworthy. However, Gi Group, which is headquartered at The Glass Yard on Sheffield Road in Chesterfield, is urging businesses to prioritise the recruitment process and effectively integrate candidate demands. As the powers of AI continue to grow, it would seem some candidates surveyed, particularly those aged between 55-64 (33.78 per cent), are nervous about the implementation of AI within the hiring process.

The findings from Gi Group’s 2025 Candidate Survey, which were collected from recruiters and candidates across the UK, paints a multigenerational united front. It found only 7.19 per cent of candidates aged between 35–54 were ‘very comfortable’ and only 19.88 per cent of 18-25 year olds at ease with AI lead recruitment processes. These findings show that, despite a slight difference, overall candidates still value human interactions over Chatbots.

Rebecca Napier, IT Business Partner at Gi Group UK, commented: “AI is here, and it is here to stay. There is no denying that AI systems have their uses and should certainly be integrated to increase business efficiency, however, the recruitment process needs to remain adaptable. Our candidate survey has found that an important proportion of our candidates feel very uncomfortable when approached by Chatbots rather than people. Maintaining authenticity for candidates it an integral element of our role which is why AI should be implemented with caution, especially when its being used externally.

“There is no doubt that the use of AI across all industries can improve efficiencies, boost productivity and streamline operations but, ensuring there is someone at the end of the phone to ease concerns is key.

“AI extensions have hit the recruitment industry from all angles and while data shows candidates value human interactions, the industry has been inundated with CVs that lack appropriate qualifications and role awareness. With this increase in mind, recruiters are left in a challenging position as they navigate the ever-changing recruitment landscape.”

Chatbots are used increasingly within the recruitment process to automate the hiring process, by streamlining workflows, reducing human bias and gaining data-driven insights.

Rebecca added: “It’s important that we continue to find new and improved ways to increase productivity and reduce time wasted on admin, however, ensuring we are providing the right support to candidates is vital. We must ask ourselves why candidates are uncomfortable with Chatbot interactions and focus on how we can simultaneously provide the right service but also the most effective for each individual. At Gi Group, we implement AI to assist us in improving time to hire. Working alongside the expertise of our consultants, AI is able to create job adverts and scan for candidates in order of suitability for roles. We’re focused on saving time and ensuring we can really focus on the best candidates for each job. Not only this, but we use AI internally to produce training material and process manuals.”