AI and Recruiting: Steps for the Hiring Manager

Hiring managers, this one’s for you!

As we’ve highlighted, there are pros and cons on both sides of the hiring process when it comes to using AI. As a result, we have some new legislation to ensure fair decision-making in the hiring process.

Beginning on January 1st, 2026, employers in Ontario with more then 25 employees will be legally required to disclose in job postings whether AI is being used at any point throughout the hiring process. This, along with other requirements such as disclosing salary range, is intended to drive hiring transparency, as part of the Workers for Workers, Four and Five Acts.

These steps have been taken because using AI alone, has proven to not be reliable. We know we sound like a broken record, but AI is a tool, not a replacement. Problems arise when you treat it as a replacement, and you swap all human decision-making for artificial intelligence.

While AI can alleviate biases found in the workplace by ensuring hiring managers do not miss valuable candidates, it can also replicate biases if you’re not careful. Workday is currently in the middle of a lawsuit, as their AI screening tool is being accused of ageism. Similarly, in 2018, Amazon found that an automated screening tool favoured male applicants over women. These platforms cannot make the independent decisions to break old habits; if they are scanning past successful candidates, they may just be looking for that same profile again.

Candidates will be able to choose whether they want to apply to a place that uses AI in their hiring process.

So! You’re a hiring manager, let’s go over some things that you should be keeping in mind when integrating AI into hiring:

Transparency

As this technology develops and new technologies that affect our daily lives arise, transparency is a good first step to ensure your actions remain ethical. You would want candidates to be transparent about their AI use as well, and they deserve the same courtesy from you.

Always check AI work for mistakes and biases

Ensure you are feeding correct information and that you check over everything that AI feeds you. It may be an efficient way to rank candidates, but look at the applications anyway, even if it’s just quick, to make sure it didn’t miss anything. And make sure you are the one corresponding with candidates, meeting them, and checking all information that goes to them.

There are things AI cannot do for you

Assessing soft skills or cultural fit, personalities, or even potential when qualifications aren’t there – these are assessments that come from humans, not AI. Be smart about what automated processes AI takes off your hands and do the important things yourself.

Education

Train your team how to properly use AI, constantly look at things and adjust your strategy, do your research on the best platforms for you. And with this new legislation, make sure you are legally complicit, transparent, and following the rules.

Let’s lean on our community for advice, guidance, and support. We’re all struggling to keep up with new technologies, so it’s important to prioritize your values and ensure you are preserving the human element of whatever you do.