Beyond the Algorithm:
Recruiting Success
Comes From People, Not AI

Call Centers Still Need Human Recruiters

Call center and sales leaders are asking the same question right now: How should we be using AI in our recruiting process?

It’s a fair question. Search interest in “AI recruiting” has skyrocketed over the last couple of years. And terms like “AI recruiting software” have a massive click-through rate, which means leaders are actively looking for answers, not hype.

But here’s the truth most staffing firms won’t say out loud: “AI is not replacing recruiters. It’s replacing the recruiters who don’t know how to use it.”

And in call centers, where performance depends on tone, empathy, pressure handling, and real human consistency, that difference matters more than ever.

Everyone Is Using AI.
Very Few Are Using It Well.

AI can sift through resumes in seconds. It can rank candidates. It can surface patterns. It can support high-volume sourcing. It can even help predict certain performance attributes.

What it cannot do is understand people.

  • It cannot tell you if a candidate will handle 80+ calls a day with patience.
  • It cannot sense hesitation or coachability.
  • It cannot detect resume inflation disguised by AI writing tools.
  • It cannot see how someone reacts when they’re asked a hard follow-up question.
  • It cannot tell the difference between someone who will stay six months and someone who will stay six years.
The Hidden Cost of Hiring In House Hiregy Call Center Staffing Experts

Leaders are seeing this firsthand. Candidate volume is high, but candidate quality is inconsistent. AI is pulling in more noise, not more clarity. Which is why the real competitive edge comes from what happens next.

AI Makes Recruiting Faster.
Humans Make It Accurate.

AI has completely transformed speed. It can scan thousands of resumes, tag skills, group candidates, automate outreach, and organize data instantly. In other words, AI handles the volume so your team can focus on decisions that actually matter.

But speed is not accuracy. And in recruiting, accuracy is everything. Some agencies hide behind AI and hope automation will replace judgment. Others avoid AI entirely and slow themselves down.

Neither approach works. Hiring is moving toward a hybrid model, and agencies that can’t blend technology with human expertise are falling behind.

This is where the human side becomes non-negotiable. Hiregy’s very own Victoria Eannuzzi, VP of Client Services, reiterates this very point. “Recruiters evaluate behavior, not just keywords. They listen for tone, consistency, confidence, and coachability.”

Human recruiters spot red flags that AI misses, like overly polished AI-written resumes or memorized answers. They understand whether someone can thrive in a high-volume call center based on communication style, attitude, and motivation.

In a 2024 SHRM survey, nearly 90 % of organizations using AI in recruiting said it improved efficiency, yet only 24 % reported that it improved their ability to identify top candidates. That gap is exactly why human judgment still matters.

AI Recruting

See the Real Impact of Hiring Accuracy for Yourself

AI has changed how fast teams can source candidates. It has not changed the financial reality of an empty seat. Every week without the right person in a call center or sales role comes with a measurable hit to revenue and performance.

That is why we created the Cost of an Empty Seat Worksheet. This simple tool shows how much each role contributes to your business and how much is lost when positions stay open too long.

With a few quick inputs like call volume, conversion rate, and revenue per interaction, you get a clear calculation of the Contribution Value of that role. It gives leaders a real way to quantify the impact of hiring delays, especially in a world where AI creates more applicant volume but not more certainty.

Leaders nationwide have used this tool to:

  • Make the case for faster, smarter hiring

  • Show executives the real cost of prolonged vacancies

  • Strengthen staffing strategies with data they can trust

Open seats are not just staffing issues. They are revenue issues. This worksheet helps you see the true financial impact so you can protect your team, your customer experience, and your outcomes.

Cost of an Empty Seat Worksheet Pen snd Paper V2
Download the Worksheet Now

AI Didn’t Break Recruiting. It Exposed Who Wasn’t Good At It.

AI gets a lot of credit and a lot of blame, but the truth is simpler: AI didn’t break recruiting. It just exposed who was never strong at it in the first place.

Call centers have always needed experienced recruiters who understand the realities of high-volume work, not order takers,  and definitely not resume collectors. You need people who can tell the difference between a candidate who can handle the pace and one who will walk out in a week.

AI does not have the ability to read beyond job history and actually interpret behavior, motivation, communication style, and professionalism. That’s the difference, AI can’t see humans, and that still determines who succeeds in a call center environment.

Strong recruiters know:

  • Who thrives in a high-volume, high-pressure environment
  • Who is likely to burn out
  • Who adapts quickly when processes change
  • Who respects structure and follows procedure
  • Who can de-escalate difficult conversations
  • Who communicates with clarity, empathy, and consistency
  • Who can actually do the job, not just describe it

AI doesn’t replace any of these needs. In fact, it makes them more important. With AI-generated resumes becoming more polished and harder to evaluate, recruiters must now be even sharper at asking the right questions, probing deeper, noticing hesitation, and validating real experience.

AI makes every candidate look prepared. Recruiters determine who actually is prepared.

Leaders Aren’t Looking for More Technology.
They’re Looking for Better Outcomes.

When you look at current search behavior, the message is hard to ignore. Keyword data from Google Insights shows:

  • Searches for ‘AI recruiting’ are growing steadily
  • Searches for ‘AI recruiting software’ have an extremely high click-through rate of 97%, meaning leaders are actively trying to understand these tools
  • Searches for ‘AI hiring tools’ remain almost nonexistent

This pattern tells us something important. Leaders aren’t trying to add more software to their tech stack. They’re trying to solve real hiring problems. And broader market data backs this up.

According to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting Report:

  • 75% of recruiting teams are using or planning to use AI for sourcing and screening
  • But only 26% say AI meaningfully improves their ability to assess soft skills and job fit
  • And 44% of talent leaders say the biggest risk with AI is “missing important human signals during screening”

Leaders want outcomes, not just automation.

They want:

  • Candidates who actually fit the role, not just scan well
  • Screening that goes deeper than keywords
  • Fewer surprises in week one
  • Lower turnover and stronger performance
  • Faster hiring without lowering the bar

AI creates efficiency, but efficiency without accuracy still costs a business money.

Recruiters interpret what AI can’t see. They validate the truth behind the resume. They catch the inconsistencies AI ignores and notice the behavioral cues AI never will. They protect the quality of every hire, not just the speed of the process.

And that is the real story of 2025. AI accelerates the process. Recruiters protect the outcome. That outcome is ultimately what call center leaders care about: building a quality team that performs quickly, stays, and supports the business when the stakes are high.

What This Means for Your 2026 Hiring Strategy

AI will continue to shape how teams hire, but no tool can replace a clear, confident strategy. The leaders who will win in 2026 will be the ones who pair technology with the right partners, protect their hiring standards, and move quickly when great talent appears.

Hiregy works alongside call center and sales leaders to support the entire hiring process, from identifying gaps to screening candidates to helping you stay ahead of demand. We don’t replace what you’re already doing. We strengthen it.

We give leaders more reach, more clarity, and more confidence. Especially when the stakes are high and the pace is fast.

If you want a recruiting partner that feels like part of your team and helps you hire stronger in 2026, let’s talk.

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