CV Screening: Manual vs AI-Powered Approaches
Alex Kumar
Recruitment Technology Specialist
CV screening is one of the most time-consuming parts of recruitment. For a single role, recruiters might review hundreds of applications. The question is: should you screen manually or use AI? Let us compare both approaches honestly.
Manual Screening: The Human Touch
Manual screening allows for nuanced judgment and context that AI might miss. Experienced recruiters can spot transferable skills, read between the lines, and make intuitive leaps. However, it is slow, expensive, and vulnerable to unconscious bias and fatigue.
AI Screening: Speed and Consistency
AI can screen hundreds of CVs in minutes with perfect consistency. It never gets tired, never has a bad day, and evaluates every candidate against the same criteria. Modern AI can even identify transferable skills and non-traditional career paths. The downside? It requires good training data and can perpetuate existing biases if not carefully designed.
The Hybrid Approach
The best solution is often a combination: use AI for initial screening to quickly identify qualified candidates, then have humans review the shortlist with full context. This combines the speed of AI with the judgment of experienced recruiters.
When to Use Each Approach
Use manual screening for executive roles, niche positions, or when you have fewer than 20 applicants. Use AI screening for high-volume roles, junior positions, or when you need to reduce time-to-hire. Use a hybrid approach for everything in between.
Key Takeaway
There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The right approach depends on your volume, budget, and hiring goals. What is clear is that AI is becoming essential for high-volume recruitment, while human judgment remains crucial for final decisions.
Ready to transform your recruitment?
Join thousands of companies using RecruitPilot to hire faster and smarter with AI-powered tools.
Get Started FreeFound this helpful? Share it with your network