The Expensive Art of Missing Good People

Why DE&I Is a Big Deal in 2025

We all have heard about the terms diversity, equity and inclusion, but what does it really mean in recruitment? It is about making sure every individual gets a fair chance to redeem themselves for getting hired, growth opportunities and staying in the company, no matter where they come from, their gender or where they have studied.

Taking care of the candidate experience matters more than ever in the modern digital era because of a simple reason - one bad interview experience can show up on LinkedIn the same day and damage your reputation. Candidates notice when a process feels unfair or biased, and they talk about it online on different forums like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Reddit, Quora, etc. 

As for bias during hiring, it is not shown through loud actions, but they are often quiet; it shows up in small actions, which could be as minor as words that incline more towards male candidates in the job description and accidentally discourage women from applying. These small things quietly push great candidates from even showing up as applicants. 

When that happens, companies pay the price. Literally. According to a study, unfilled roles cost organisations an average of $500 per day in lost productivity and hiring expenses. Multiply that across weeks and multiple roles, and it becomes a real drain on the business.

This is not just about numbers. It is about missed chances for talented people and missed opportunities for companies that could have hired them.

How AI Can Actually Help With Fair Hiring

To maintain diversity and eliminate any form of bias, it is important to bring a solution which keeps an eye and flags the unconscious bias which sneaks into the hiring process without notice. This is exactly where artificial intelligence plays its role.

AI isn’t perfect, but it gives us tools to fix the parts that humans often miss. Here’s how it works, and why it matters for equity, diversity, and inclusion:

1. Making interviews fair for everyone

When it comes to interviews, here’s the tricky part: Two recruiters can meet the exact same candidate and still walk away with totally different opinions. And that’s really where bias quietly creeps in. 

However, this is the scenario where AI uses its “Lagic” ( Logic + Magic ), it reengineers the most important aspect of assessing a candidate, “Interview questions” – gone are those days when generic questions used to analyse a candidate's skill set.

With skills requirements changing every quarter, and strategies like skills ontologies ruling the hiring strategies.  We cannot just rely on a job-specific interview, but rather a skill-based interview, so as a company, you are aware of what your candidate is capable of, in case that skill is required. 

AI hiring platforms like Recruitment Smart look at what the job really needs and match that with the candidate’s profile. Then, it suggests the right set of questions, the kind that reveals complete strengths and weaknesses around the skills of the candidate. 

The reason behind this is simple: when everyone is asked the same questions and measured against the same criteria, the outcome isn’t about who clicked with the interviewer that day. Thereafter, decisions are based on skills, not gut feeling.

And that’s exactly how equity gets built at scale; it no longer matters who happens to be interviewing you, your chance is fair every single time.

2. Finding hidden skills

When we discuss hiring most of us are already aware of how recruiters skim the CV under a limited time  to understand if this person actually fits the job role, and that becomes the biggest cause why some of the almost perfect candidates for the role gets rejected – the reasons could be, they didn’t know how to write a perfect CV or have not mentioned all the skills on a one page CV.

However, this is exactly where AI changes the game. Instead of just reading the CV, it looks for patterns, matches, and even transferable skills that the candidate might not have mentioned but are still relevant for the job.

Thereafter, what happens is that recruiters end up seeing talent they might have completely overlooked otherwise. The reason behind this is simple: AI is not just looking for the “right words,” it’s looking for real capability.

And if we think about diversity and inclusion, this is one of the easiest ways to actually make progress. It makes the shortlist fairer, because it’s no longer just about who writes the most polished CV; it’s about who can truly do the job. 

3. Showing where bias happens

If we talk about bias, it’s not always obvious when it creeps in. That explains why so many hiring teams think their process is fair until they really look at the data.

When we say AI solves these problems for you, here is how exactly – AI like Recruitment Smart looks at the hiring patterns and quietly tracks in the background about what’s happening, who’s getting shortlisted, who’s getting rejected, and at what stage. Thereafter, it can show patterns you might not notice yourself.

The reason behind this is to help recruiters see the bigger picture. Once you know where the problem is, you can actually do something about it instead of just guessing where the issue is occurring. 

And this is what makes it powerful for diversity and inclusion, because it’s not just about hiring more people from different backgrounds, it’s about fixing the process so everyone has a genuinely equal chance from the start.

 4. Helping candidates feel seen

Considering the candidate’s side of things, this is where a lot of companies drop the ball. People apply, and then… silence. No updates, no idea what’s next, and that explains why so many candidates lose interest halfway through the process.

However, AI tools can change that. They can answer simple questions, guide someone on what to expect, and even give small nudges when there’s a delay. Thereafter, candidates stop feeling ignored and start feeling like the company actually respects their time.

We all hate the feeling of being ignored, and it's more frustrating when candidates are waiting for a response to know what the next steps are. This is exactly where AI made by Recruitment Smart, JeevesAI, fulfils the requirements as a smart ally. It can answer FAQs, keep the candidate engaged and updated completely about the next steps and set up the interview.

The reason behind this is simple: when people feel guided and informed, they stay engaged. It also means good candidates don’t slip away just because they felt the process was too slow or unclear.

And in terms of equity, this matters a lot. Everyone gets the same level of communication, not just the ones who shout the loudest or chase the recruiter for updates.

5. Making decisions easier to understand

Regarding the decision-making part, this is where things usually get a bit blurry. Why one person got selected and another didn’t often feels like a mystery, even to the hiring team sometimes.

However, when AI steps in, it brings a lot more clarity. It shows which roles take longer to fill, where bias might be creeping in, and whether the company’s DE&I efforts are actually working. Thereafter, hiring stops being a guessing game and starts feeling like something you can measure and improve.

The reason behind this is that AI can pick up patterns humans might completely miss. For example, if certain groups keep getting filtered out early, it flags that so the team can take a closer look before it becomes a bigger problem.

And here’s where it ties back to equity: decisions aren’t just “because we felt like it,” they’re backed by data that everyone can see and understand.

How Recruitment Smart Actually Helps

So here’s the thing. Knowing bias exists is one thing. Doing something about it is another. And that’s where having the right tools quietly makes a huge difference.

VScreen – Making Interviews Simple and Fair

When we think about interviews, most of us know how random they can feel sometimes. Two recruiters can meet the same person and walk away with two completely different impressions; that’s where a lot of unfairness starts.

This is where  VScreen quietly fixes things. It doesn’t just record interviews; it actually guides you on what to ask. It takes the job description, looks at the candidate’s profile, and then suggests questions so everyone is being measured on the same things.

The reason behind this is simple: when every candidate gets asked the same set of fair, relevant questions, you start comparing skills, not personalities or who “clicked” better with the interviewer. Thereafter, it even scores answers in a consistent way, so two different people reviewing the same interview won’t disagree completely.

And here’s the result: companies using VScreen have seen interview-to-offer time drop by nearly 40%, and the shortlist they send to hiring managers is much more consistent.

SniperAI – Finding the Talent You Didn’t Even Know Was There

In terms of  how most CV screening works, it’s usually just job titles and keywords. That means a lot of great candidates get missed simply because they didn’t use the exact words in their resume.

That’s where SniperAI steps in. It doesn’t just match the obvious skills; it maps related and hidden skills too. The reason behind this is that people often have abilities they never list, or their job title doesn’t tell the full story.

This way, recruiters start spotting people who might not look like the “perfect fit” on paper but could actually be exactly what the team needs. And that explains why teams using SniperAI report 20–30% more high-potential candidates showing up in their shortlist, the kind they would have missed with old-school screening.

It also helps recruiters see potential, not just experience. Thereafter, hiring becomes more about what someone can do, not just what they’ve already done.

JeevesAI – Your Quiet Co-Pilot

Talking about candidate experience, the small things matter the most. A delayed email, confusing instructions, or a recruiter being unavailable for a quick question can make candidates feel ignored.

That’s where JeevesAI quietly steps in. It answers questions instantly, guides candidates through each step, and makes sure no one feels lost in the process. The reason behind this is simple: when people know what’s happening, they stick around and trust the process.

On the recruiter side, it’s just as helpful. JeevesAI can pull up policy details, candidate history, or even skills insights right when you need them. This means fewer back-and-forths, less guesswork, and faster responses.

Companies using JeevesAI often report fewer drop-offs and noticeably happier candidates. And if we think about it, that directly means a stronger employer brand without adding more work to the team.

Why This Actually Matters

On the topic of hiring today, it’s no longer just about filling roles. It’s about building teams that stay, grow, and do good work together. And that’s hard to do if decisions are made on gut feeling or if bias keeps slipping in without anyone noticing.

These tools, VScreen, SniperAI, and JeevesAI, don’t replace recruiters. The reason behind using them is to give you a clearer picture. They show you where bias creeps in, where you’re missing good candidates, and where the process is slowing down.

Thereafter, it becomes less about guessing and more about actually knowing why you’re hiring someone. You start spotting people you might have overlooked before. You start seeing patterns that were invisible.

And here’s the part we don’t say enough: a fairer process isn’t just good for candidates. It’s good for the business. Better hires mean stronger teams, lower turnover, and, ultimately, better results.

This is why all of this matters. It’s not a tech upgrade for the sake of it. It’s giving every candidate a fair shot and giving every recruiter the confidence that they’re making the right call.

How Small Changes Make a Big Difference

When we think about DE&I, it’s not just ticking a box. That explains why so many companies think they’re doing enough when, in reality, some talented candidates still get overlooked. The reason behind this is simple: even small things, like missing a skill on a CV or asking inconsistent questions, can completely change someone’s chances.

AI doesn’t replace recruiters. However, it quietly makes hiring simpler, fairer, and more transparent. Thereafter, recruiters can focus on decisions that matter while the tools handle the details that often introduce bias or inefficiency.

Here’s what that looks like in real terms:

• Faster hiring: VScreen helps cut interview-to-offer time by up to 45%
  
  
• Better skills match: SniperAI uncovers 25–35% more high-potential candidates that might have been missed
  
  
• Improved candidate experience: JeevesAI reduces drop-offs by 30–40%
  
  
• Bias detection: Subtle patterns caught early before they affect 1 in 5 candidates
  
  
• Recruiter efficiency: Teams spend up to 50% less time on repetitive screening tasks
  
  

Even these small improvements add up. That’s why tools like VScreen, SniperAI, and JeevesAI make such a difference; they make gaps visible and actionable.

As far as DE&I goes, rethinking your hiring process is more than just efficiency. It’s about fairness, spotting hidden potential, and giving everyone an equal chance. Start exploring structured interviews, skills mapping, and smart candidate support today, and see how much difference small changes can make.