AI in HR: A ChatGPT PlayBook for Consulting Professionals

If you're a consulting professional in the public sector, especially a Project Manager or Proposal Manager actively involved in engaging external experts, generative AI can create a first draft for most writing tasks of recruitment functions and save you several hours every month.

AI can be used in HR to automate writing tasks like job posting, outreach, shortlisting candidates, conducting interviews, evaluation, and making job offers. It streamlines most HR processes, saving time and improving efficiency.

I'm Ram Khandelwal, founder of ProConsultant.Tech, a HR recruitment agency that specializes in assisting the infrastructure and government sector clients to recruit talent effortlessly. Over the last 12 years, I've successfully staffed numerous projects, ranging from research studies to project management units for esteemed firms like PwC, IPE Global, ICF International, and S&P CRISIL. Lately, I've been delving into the potential of generative AI to help with recruitment management and in this post I curate some of the most useful techniques and prompts I've found being used by HR professionals in companies like recruiter.com, Occupop, Paycor, SmartRecruiters and Indeed.

I'll primarily be utilizing the CREATE framework for prompt writing, which was introduced by Dave Birss in his LinkedIn Learning Course on How to Research and Write Using Generative AI Tools. CREATE stands for – Character, Request, Examples, Adjustments, Type of Outputs, and Extras.

Let's start with a simple approach shared by Miles Jennings from recruiter.com. He suggested, "Write a compelling job description for a Java developer." While this approach can yield some results, it may not always meet your specific needs. To enhance the outcome, Jennings proposed adding variations like "Make that same job description more interesting" or "Emphasize the need for J2EE design patterns in the description."

In my opinion, using an open-ended request may yield more diverse results. However, to obtain the best outcomes, it's important to provide detailed information and context about your organization and the job profile.

So, here's a prompt that you can use to elicit better results from ChatGPT by providing specific details and context.

PROMPT

Act as HR Expert in recruitment in [industry] and specialization in hiring in [function].

You are hiring for [the company] in [the department] for [the client] for [the project] at [project stage/bidding stage].

The job opening is for the position of [Job Title], which is [full-time/part-time] and has a [permanent/fixed-term] duration. The job location is [remote/hybrid/specific location]. The salary range for this position is [Salary Range]. The application deadline is [Date], and interested candidates must submit their application by sending an email to [Email Address].

The qualification and skill requirements include [paste description from terms of reference].

At the time of application submission, the candidate shall submit a CV along with a cover letter telling what motivates them to apply for this role, mention their existing and expected compensation and notice period.

Write a job description in five sections – 1. Job Summary – comprising Job Title, Job Location, Job Type, Job Duration. 2. Responsibilities and Duties 3. Qualifications – mandatory and desirable. 4. Skills – hard skills and soft skills, 5. How to apply.

Write a job description in [English] language within 200-500 words using headings, subheadings, and bullet points. Use a formal tone and a professional writing style.

Again, Mike Jennings wanted to adapt the formal job description that he just generated to make it easier to understand and possibly more attractive to potential candidates on different platforms. He prompted: “Now write a summary of that job description for social media, and make it really interesting and intelligent, meant for Java Developers.” The output started with "Calling all Java Ninjas," which Jennings said nailed the way recruiters usually write on social media.

But, I feel that there are a lot of missing variables here. If you want to be in control of the output you want, specify constraints and examples. Here’s a ring-fenced prompt that you could try.

PROMPT

Act as HR Expert in recruitment in [industry] and specialization in hiring in [function].

Write a social media post for company employees to share the job in their network. Start with an emotional hook, be optimistic, and create a sense of urgency. Focus on why it's an exciting opportunity, including exposure, benefits, and perks. End with how to apply and the application deadline.

Here’s the job description for the contextual information: [paste job description here]

Write within 100 words. Use bullet points and emojis.

Occupop provided a detailed prompt for writing an engaging email to a candidate. You can try the same:

PROMPT

Act as HR Expert in recruitment in [industry] and specialization in hiring in [function].

Write an email for candidate outreach with a convincing subject line trying to engage the candidate. Begin with their potential interests in career growth, then present the job opportunity. Outline the benefits and use a convincing tone.

Use industry terminology. Keep it short, do not use unnecessary words. Be friendly and human in tone. Use call-to-action, add a sense of urgency. Keep it within 100-150 words.

Here’s the job description for the contextual information: [paste job description here]

To ensure applicants feel valued, JobStreet suggests responding with the applicant's name, position applied for, application receipt confirmation, tentative date for screening completion, recruiter's contact information for inquiries, links to company's social media and website, and a tone reflecting company culture.

PROMPT

Act as HR Expert in recruitment in [industry] and specialization in hiring in [function].

Write an email acknowledging the receipt of the candidate's application. Please mention that this email is auto-generated and should not be replied to. Emphasize that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Write a social media post for company employees to share the job in their network. Start with an emotional hook, be optimistic, and create a sense of urgency. Focus on why it's an exciting opportunity, including exposure, benefits, and perks. End with how to apply and the application deadline.

Write within 75 words. Write in a formal tone in a professional writing style.

While AI tools and processes can simplify candidate selection in HR, it also brings potential ethical complications and legal considerations. AI recruitment tools, trained on past data, can inadvertently perpetuate existing biases if the training data lacks diversity.

This issue has garnered attention from regulatory bodies like the US Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC), which investigates algorithmic fairness in job decisions. I do not recommend using AI tools on an as-is basis in the selection process. The selection algorithm must be fine tuned to the user requirements. So that technology can offer more transparency around how hiring decisions get made.

PROMPT

Act as HR Expert in recruitment in [industry] and specialization in hiring in [function].

Write an email to candidates inviting them for an interview. Mention that your profile has been shortlisted for an interview and we’d like to organize an interview with you. Please confirm your availability for the below mentioned interview schedule. In case you’re not available, please let us know your availability.

The interview details as are as following: [time], [date], [venue]

Write the email within 75 words. Use formal tone and professional writing style.

According to Paycor, several criteria that businesses use for evaluation purposes, including educational background, relevant work experience, specific technical skills, ability to work in a team, leadership skills, critical thinking, communication skills, attitude and motivation, quality references, body language, and social media/web presence. Some of these could be useful for shortlisting candidates.

PROMPT

Act as a HR Expert. Here's a Job Description [].

I'd like you to provide me with a set of 10 open-ended questions for candidate interview evaluation that can be used to check candidate abilities across the following criteria: relevant work experience, specific technical skills, ability to work in a team, leadership skills, critical thinking, communication skills, attitude and motivation.

Give an explanation why each question is relevant and what qualities it tests.

Keep each question within 10-15 words. Write in a formal tone in a professional writing style.

So far we’ve looked at how AI can assist with creating and promoting job posts, and conducting the interviews. For the final step in the hiring process, lets look at how it can helps with evaluations and drafting the job offer.

SmartRecruiters suggest that the evaluation format shall have a rating system and description for ratings to help interviewers evaluate clearly. Evaluation fields could include education, work experience, strengths, aspirations, motivations, prioritization, communications, team work, passion, decision making, amongst others.

PROMPT

Act as a HR Expert.

I’d like you to create an evaluation template in table format. Include the following categories: Qualifications, Work Experience, Skills, Cultural Fit, Motivation and Passion, Communication Skills, Leadership Abilities, Problem-Solving Skills, Emotional Intelligence, and Professionalism.

The first column shall include the category. The second column shall include the description from the job description. The third column should explain what is expected to be evaluated. The fourth column shall leave space for evaluator notes. The fifth column shall leave space for scoring.

Suggest a rating system on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest score. In a separate table, provide 2-3 line descriptions for each rating.

Here's a Job Description: [paste job description here].

Write in a formal tone in a professional writing style.

According to Indeed, an offer letter shall include date and contact information, greeting as opening line, job details, contingencies, compensation, benefits, offer expiration date, closing and disclaimer. Here’s a prompt that you could use.

PROMPT

Act as a HR Expert.

I'd like you to provide me with a set of job offer letters. The candidate's name is [Candidate's Name] and candidate’s email id is [Candidate's Email]. The candidate must confirm their acceptance of the offer letter within [3] days of receiving it. Fee/Salary offered is [salary/fee in currency per unit time] with the following breakdown: [Breakdown details].

Write in a formal tone in a professional writing style.

Here’s the job description: [paste job description here].

QUICK TIP: You can take a screenshot of roles from tender documents, upload it to google keep and grab image text to get the information in an editable format.

Please try out the above prompt and tell us your experience. We’d love to know what kind of results you got, and what changes you made to prompts to get better results.

PS: Don’t forget to add your own work samples as examples in prompts to get results customized to your own style.

As we conclude our discussion on leveraging the power of ChatGPT in the HR and recruitment field, it becomes evident that generative AI, particularly OpenAI's ChatGPT, offers an innovative solution to the labor-intensive and complex problem of recruitment. From drafting job descriptions and shortlisting candidates to engaging potential hires, ChatGPT can be a robust addition to your HR toolkit.

However, it is crucial to remember that while AI can simplify tasks and enhance capabilities, the discerning human touch in choosing the right talent is irreplaceable. You must use ChatGPT with caution as, without the right context, it can provide incorrect information. Always exercise your discretion before relying on ChatGPT outputs, and be sure to complement them with your own expertise in the sector.

PPS: When it comes to deciding whether to use ChatGPT, you have a choice: embrace its time-saving and productivity-boosting potential, or opt for the traditional approach, which may demand more time and effort but could be more accurate (probably). It's all about personal preference. Imagine it like using a washing machine with different modes for specific clothing types. Just like selecting the right mode, crafting the prompt effectively is crucial for desired outcomes. Remember, it's a classic case of GIGO - Garbage In, Garbage Out.

There are many more applications of ChatGPT in HR. Share your ideas for any processes that involve writing, and we'll show you how ChatGPT can help you be more productive and save hours of your time.

If you enjoyed this blog post we have a similar blog post on how recruiters can use ChatGPT: AI for Recruitment.