Are Cheaper Hiring Tools Actually Cheaper?

AI can make recruitment faster. But can it also make hiring more expensive?

AI can make recruitment faster. But can it also make hiring more expensive? AI adoption in HR is growing rapidly. SHRM reports that 43% of organisations used AI in HR in 2025, up from 26% in 2024.

For recruiters, the appeal is obvious: less administration, faster screening and more automation. But there is a catch. AI has also made applying for jobs almost effortless. Candidates can generate CVs, cover letters and applications at scale. The result? More applications — but not necessarily more qualified candidates.

Greenhouse's 2025 AI in Hiring Report found that 34% of recruiters spend up to half their working week filtering spam applications.

So the question for hiring leaders isn't: How much does our recruitment technology cost?

It's: How much does it cost us to find the right person?

By Magnus Bucht

From application volume to talent quality

More applications don't necessarily mean better recruitment.

For organisations hiring specialised talent across countries, cultures and complex operating environments, the real challenge is identifying capability, judgement and potential.

That's where hiring processes need to evolve.

Instead of relying too heavily on increasingly polished CVs and AI-generated applications, consider giving shortlisted candidates a structured opportunity to show how they work.

A short, realistic work sample can reveal far more than another round of application screening:

  • How do they approach a complex problem?

  • Can they make decisions with incomplete information?

  • How do they collaborate?

  • Can they communicate clearly?

  • Do they demonstrate the competencies the role actually requires?

The goal isn't to remove technology from recruitment.

It's to use technology for the tasks machines do well — and give humans more time for the decisions that matter.

Recruit smarter, not just faster

For lean talent teams, this distinction is critical.

AI should reduce administration so recruiters can spend more time:

building talent pipelines. engaging scarce skills. advising hiring managers. assessing capability. and making better hiring decisions.

That also means thinking beyond the vacancy.

Building talent pools and engaging potential candidates before a position opens can reduce the pressure to generate hundreds of applications every time you recruit.

As we explore in our proactive recruitment resources, the future of talent acquisition is increasingly about building relationships before you need to hire.

The bottom line

The cheapest hiring tool isn't necessarily the lowest-priced one.

It's the one that helps your team spend less time processing applications — and more time identifying people who can deliver your mission.

That's the real measure of recruitment efficiency.