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Can a Prompt Really Replace a Week of Recruiting?
Talent acquisition leaders argue that hiring success depends on human insight, nuance, and relationships
David Manaster
July 23, 2025
This week, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas set off a wave of debate in the recruiting world. On the Decoder podcast, he said:
I’m betting on the fact that in the right environment... a recruiter’s work worth one week is just one prompt: sourcing and reach outs.
It’s a sentiment that’s common in the tech world, where talent acquisition is often viewed as a necessary evil by the very people recruiters are asked to hire.
Recruiters, unsurprisingly, see things differently. When I shared Srinivas’ comment on LinkedIn, a who’s who of the talent acquisition profession weighed in to push back. Many of the comments were really thoughtful, so here’s a few that struck a chord with me.
Rob McIntosh put it bluntly:
In answer to the question of will AI replace all recruiters. Nope. Will the job [of] a recruiter/sourcer/coordinator and what they do today change? Absolutely yes, and quicker than most of you realize.
Greg Fischer added a pointed question of his own:
I wonder how the 8 members of Perplexity's Talent Acquisition Team feel about this. Must be a tad awkward day at the office.
Surosh Sabeti added:
Saying that one simple prompt could replace a whole week of recruiting really misses the bigger picture. Sure, AI can help with the easy stuff like finding candidates and sending messages, but recruiting is so much more than that… AI can pull up Python developer resumes all day, but it won’t know the hiring manager really wants someone with grit and adaptability, not just tech skills… Recruiting is messy, human, and full of nuance. That’s where good recruiters add real value, and no prompt can replace that.
Heather Bice struck a balanced view:
AI definitely has the potential to dramatically streamline sourcing… But recruitment isn’t just about efficiency: It’s about nuance, empathy, timing, and relationship-building. A hybrid future seems more realistic—where recruiters become prompt engineers, curating talent pipelines and guiding AI systems, rather than manually sifting through profiles.
The future of recruiting will absolutely be shaped by AI, but it won’t be defined by it alone. Hiring decisions are complex, and nuance and adaptability are key.
That’s why AI and the future of recruiting are front and center at the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit, on November 4–5 in San Diego. From real-world AI use cases to hands-on workshops, we’re digging deep into how AI is transforming talent acquisition at every stage of the hiring journey.
The full agenda is dropping soon, but our special preview pricing ends July 31. Register now to reserve your spot!
— David
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Featured Story
Biased by Design: How AI Reinforces Hiring Discrimination
Raghav Singh has been exploring how AI can introduce unconscious bias into the hiring process, particularly for people with disabilities. In his latest article, he takes a closer look at how AI-driven recruiting tools can discriminate against this group—often as a result of biased training data and the amplification of negative stereotypes online. (ERE)
Recruiting Insights
Software Engineering Job Openings Hit Five-Year Low. Software engineering job postings have dropped to a five-year low, according to Indeed data analyzed by Pragmatic Engineer. Despite strong interest from job seekers, the number of available roles has declined sharply since 2022, reflecting a market correction driven by overhiring during the tech boom and increased caution around headcount growth. (The Pragmatic Engineer)
Rising graduate joblessness is mainly affecting men. Will that last? We’ve been covering the decline in opportunities for recent college graduates, but this article highlights an unexpected (to me) twist in the data—young men are being disproportionately affected, with the unemployment rate for that group rising from 5% to 7% while the rate for young women was unchanged. (The Financial Times)
Want higher pay? Don’t change jobs. For the first time in 15 years, data shows that U.S. workers who stay in their current jobs are now seeing faster wage growth than those who switch roles. The shift reflects a cooling labor market where employers are less aggressive in luring talent, and where job-hopping no longer guarantees a bigger paycheck. (The Economist)
Ashby’s $50 Million Series D. Ashby has raised a $50 million Series D to scale its recruiting platform, with plans to grow their AI capabilities. Products that will be launched later this year include an AI notetaker and a tool that will use AI to uncover existing candidates in the ATS that are a fit for new roles. (Ashby)
HR Tech Isn’t Dead—You’re Just Building It Wrong. Matt Charney can always be counted on for insightful dives into recruiting. Here, he analyzes the Ashby fund raise and dissects what they got right. It’s worth a read. (Snark Attack)
Companies are struggling to comply with pay transparency laws. Currently, 12 states and six jurisdictions have pay transparency laws go into effect and a further 12 have laws either winding through their state legislatures or set to take effect later this year. An analysis of 13,000+ U.S. job posts by beqom found that while pay transparency legislation is spreading, more than half of posts fail to comply with the existing laws. (beqom)
Bold has winning bid for CareerBuilder + Monster in bankruptcy proceeding. Bold Holdings outbid stalking-horse bidder JobGet for the company’s job board assets with a $28.4 million cash offer and offered to keep no less than 350 CareerBuilder + Monster employees on staff. This is good news for many on the C + M team, who appeared likely to lose their jobs. Bold has not responded to an inquiry for more information. (SIA)
Conferences
ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit
San Diego, CA
November 4-5, 2025
The ERE Recruiting Conference is the premier independent, practitioner-led event designed to deliver actionable insights for talent acquisition professionals. Join your peers to explore practical ideas, proven best practices, and case study solutions from leaders who’ve tackled the same recruiting challenges you face.
Register now and save $400 with preview pricing — available only until July 31.
Webinars
AI, Refined: Moving Beyond Prompts with Context Engineering
August 5, 2025 | 2:00 PM EDT | 1 Hour
The most powerful applications of AI rely on a thoughtfully engineered context—one that includes the right tools, data, history, and memory to guide the AI toward useful, reliable outcomes. Marc Hamel will break down the shift from prompt engineering to context engineering, offering a practical framework to understand when each applies and how they work together. (ERE)
Scaling Smarter: Maximizing Talent Acquisition Efficiency with Limited Resources
August 14, 2025 | 2:00 PM EDT | 1 Hour
Learn how top talent acquisition leaders can scale hiring efforts without burning out their teams or going over budget. We’ll discuss practical strategies companies are using to fill roles faster, elevate candidate experience, improve candidate quality, and simplify hiring workflows — all while keeping the experience human. You’ll hear how modern TA teams are using smart tools, streamlined processes, and focused engagement to reduce manual work and quickly connect with the right candidates. (ERE)