AI in Marketing Recruitment: A Powerful Tool or a Risky Gamble?

04 Mar 2025

AI is everywhere. From generating content to predicting trends, it’s transforming industries—including recruitment. AI-powered hiring tools promise to streamline processes, reduce bias, and speed up shortlisting. Sounds great, right? But there’s a big question looming over all of this: 
 

Can AI really replace human recruiters? 

At Stopgap, we believe AI has a place in recruitment, but it’s just that—a place, not a replacement. When it comes to marketing recruitment, where creativity, cultural fit, and personality matter just as much as skills and experience, there’s no substitute for human expertise. 
 

Let’s take a deep dive into AI’s role in hiring, where it works, where it doesn’t, and why partnering with a specialist recruiter like Stopgap will always be the smarter choice. 
 

 

What AI Brings to the Table 

There’s no denying that AI has transformed aspects of the hiring process. Used correctly, it can be a powerful tool to make recruitment more efficient. Here’s where it shines: 
 

1. Speeding Up CV Screening 

AI can scan hundreds of CVs in seconds, picking out keywords and matching candidates to job descriptions based on specific criteria. This is great for high-volume recruitment, where hiring managers don’t have the time to sift through endless applications. 
 

2. Enhancing Job Advertisements 

AI-powered platforms like LinkedIn and programmatic job advertising tools can optimise job postings, helping them reach the right candidates at the right time. 
 

3. Reducing Administrative Tasks 

AI tools can automate tasks like scheduling interviews, following up with candidates, and even taking notes during meetings—freeing up recruiters and hiring managers to focus on people. 

However, while AI can assist with recruitment, it’s not without its flaws—and this is where it becomes risky to rely on it too much. 
 

Where AI Falls Short (and Why It Could Be Costing You the Best Candidates) 

1. Screening Out the Wrong Candidates 

AI only sees what it’s told to look for. If a job description asks for ‘Google Analytics experience’, an AI tool might reject a brilliant candidate who’s proficient in a different analytics platform but has all the transferable skills. 

This isn’t just theoretical—we’ve seen it happen. One of our best marketing candidates was screened out by AI because their CV didn’t contain the exact buzzwords the system was trained to look for. They ended up securing the role only because we intervened, spoke with them directly, and presented their real value to the client. 

AI might be efficient, but it’s not intuitive. It won’t recognise potential, ambition, or cultural fit—and that means great candidates slip through the cracks. 
 

2. The Risk of Bias and Legal Implications 

One of AI’s biggest selling points is that it reduces bias—but that’s not always the case. AI systems are only as fair as the data they are trained on, and if historical hiring data reflects biases, AI can unintentionally reinforce them. 
 

Although there is currently no legislation dealing specifically with AI in the UK, the use of AI in the employment context falls within the scope of existing laws. For example, the use of AI tools in recruitment could lead to discrimination claims if algorithms favour certain groups and reject others. As such, companies will need to take care when purchasing technological solutions, which, while “legal” per se, may produce outcomes which are not. 
 

Similarly, this is a rapidly evolving space, and businesses will need to ensure that they keep abreast of any new legislation being introduced to ensure that they do not invest heavily in AI solutions that are likely to be prohibited in the future. 
 

This means that while AI can be a useful tool, it still requires human oversight to ensure fair, compliant, and ethical hiring practices. 
 

3. AI-Generated Applications: Spotting the Fakes 

AI isn’t just being used by hiring managers—it’s also being used by candidates. ChatGPT and other tools are helping job seekers write CVs, cover letters, and even interview responses. 
 

We can spot an AI-generated cover letter a mile off, and so can our clients. One recent example? A candidate submitted a presentation for a senior content role, and it was clear AI had written it—the formatting was off, the language was overly polished, and it used American spellings throughout. This was a deal-breaker for the hiring manager, as attention to detail was a key part of the role. 
 

AI can help candidates structure their applications, but if they rely on it too much, it raises questions: 

• Do they have the originality to create their own work? 
• Do they pay attention to detail? 
• Can they think critically, or are they just feeding prompts into ChatGPT? 
   

And most importantly—if they don’t take the time to tailor their application, will they take the time to do the job well? 
 

4. The Missing Piece: The Human Connection 
 

Recruitment isn’t just about matching skills to job descriptions—it’s about matching people to companies. Culture fit, working styles, personality—all of these factors play a huge role in hiring the right person, and AI simply doesn’t have the emotional intelligence to assess them. 
 

At Stopgap, we have conversations that go beyond “Do you have the right skills?” We ask: 

• What motivates you? 
• Where do you see your career going? 
• What kind of company culture will help you thrive? 
   

Candidates tell us all the time how refreshing it is to have a real conversation with a recruiter. Whether it’s over a coffee, a Teams call, or a quick chat, speaking to a person—not an algorithm—makes all the difference. 

Why a Specialist Marketing Recruiter Will Always Beat AI 

At Stopgap, we embrace AI where it makes sense—but we never rely on it alone. Here’s why partnering with us gives you an edge: 

1. We Know the People Behind the CVs 

AI sees words on a page. We see people. 
 

A CV tells you what a candidate has done, but it doesn’t tell you what they can do next. Many of the best marketing professionals have transferable skills that AI would overlook—our job is to spot them and connect them to the right opportunities. 

2. We Save You Time (and Headaches) 

Hiring managers are busy. Sorting through hundreds of CVs, coordinating interviews, and managing negotiations takes time—time that could be better spent on strategic priorities. 
 

We do the heavy lifting for you. We don’t just send a pile of CVs—we send the right ones, pre-vetted and fully briefed, so you only meet candidates who are truly suited to the role. 
 

3. We’re Consultants, Not Just Recruiters 

Hiring isn’t just about filling vacancies—it’s about building teams. We don’t just place candidates; we advise on market trends, salary benchmarks, and the best hiring strategies for your business. 
 

Need help refining a job description? Wondering whether a candidate is worth stretching your budget for? We’re here to guide you, not just push CVs your way. 
 

4. We Build Relationships That Last 

Hiring should never be transactional. The best recruitment happens when there’s a genuine partnership between recruiters, clients, and candidates.

We invest in long-term relationships, meaning that when you need to hire, we already know your business, your culture, and the kind of people who will thrive in your team. 
 

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The Verdict: AI Supports Recruitment, But It Doesn’t Replace It 

AI can be a useful tool for recruitment, but it will never replace the human expertise, intuition, and relationship-building that make great hires possible. 
 

At Stopgap, we believe in striking the right balance—using AI to enhance efficiency while keeping people at the heart of everything we do. 
 

So, if you’re looking for a recruitment partner who understands both marketing and people, let’s talk. Whether you need one key hire or are building a full marketing team, we’ll help you find the talent that truly fits your business. 
 

Get in touch today and let’s make your next hire your best one yet!