Artificial intelligence in the hiring process

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Use of artificial intelligence by hiring managers in the hiring process
• Use of artificial intelligence by candidates during the hiring process
• Key takeaways
• Frequently asked questions
• Additional resources

Introduction

Using artificial intelligence (AI) during the hiring process can open up many possibilities for hiring managers and candidates, but it also raises some important considerations.

This guide is intended to equip hiring managers to use AI in the hiring process within the framework established by their deputy head, who remains accountable for all hiring within their organization.

The guide provides context on how requirements in the Public Service Commission’s Appointment Framework and in other applicable instruments, such as the Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision-Making and the Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) Guide on the use of generative artificial intelligence, apply when using AI in the hiring process.

Use of artificial intelligence by hiring managers in the hiring process

As a hiring manager, you’re accountable for all decisions made during an appointment process. You’re also responsible for ensuring that subdelegated appointment and appointment-related authorities are respected.

If you choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the hiring process, remember that you must:

• understand the AI systems you plan to use
• be able to explain the decisions you’ve made throughout the appointment process
  • especially for informal discussions or for recourse purposes
• validate AI-generated ideas and suggestions to ensure that the AI-generated content is accurate and relevant
  • this includes reviewing and adapting AI input to more accurately reflect hiring needs, and to remove biases and barriers or mitigate their impact
• ensure that the information conveyed in English and in French is the same throughout the hiring process because AI tools can produce translation errors
• this will ensure that candidates are not disadvantaged based on their first official language or the official language in which they choose to be assessed during the hiring process
• comply with the security, confidentiality, data protection and intellectual property requirements related to AI tools

Establishing qualifications

Green checkmark You can use AI to help establish the qualifications required for a position.

Considerations

• You’re responsible for the qualifications established, and you must ensure that they align with the position’s requirements
• AI tools can:
  • help you think through qualifications for your position, thereby reducing time during this step of the process
  • misinterpret specific job requirements
  • introduce or create biases and barriers that could disadvantage equity-seeking groups (for example, by requiring consecutive years of experience or recent experience)
  • fail to consider the organizational context

Job advertisements and communication with candidates

Green checkmark You can use AI to develop job advertisements and communication products for candidates (invitations to tests and interviews) and to interact with candidates in an automated way (chatbots or virtual assistants).

Considerations

• Using AI to create invitations and messages can help you manage communications with candidates efficiently while tailoring messages to the recipient, creating a more personalized, engaging and inclusive experience
• Whichever AI tool you use, you’re responsible for the accuracy and quality of communications
  • You must tell candidates when they are interacting with a chatbot or a virtual assistant
• AI can overlook contextual and cultural nuances
  • Consider using a collaborative review process that involves hiring managers and diversity and inclusion specialists
    • This helps you adapt AI-generated content and ensure that communications are appropriate and attuned to cultural and contextual nuances

It’s strongly recommended that you indicate in the job advertisement whether candidates can use AI when applying for the job (for example, to generate answers to screening questions, to write a cover letter). This is particularly important if written communication will be assessed during the screening stage.

Developing assessment materials

Green checkmark You can use AI to develop assessment materials (for example, interview questions or scenarios).

Important

Before using any assessment method, you must identify any biases and barriers^{Footnote 1} and implement strategies to remove them or mitigate their impact.

Considerations

• Use of AI may reduce the time required to develop assessment material
• You’re responsible for using tools that provide for fair assessment and accurately measure the position’s qualifications
• Candidates could use AI tools to predict test or interview questions and prepare answers
  • Check whether AI can be easily used to obtain the expected answers and adjust, if necessary

Assessing candidates

Important

Before using any assessment method, you must identify any biases and barriers and implement strategies to remove them or mitigate their impact.

Before the assessment(s), you must let candidates know which methods or tools will be used and advise them of the opportunity and process to request accommodation measures.

Green checkmark You can use AI to administer assessments (for example, platforms allowing for remote supervision, asynchronous interview tools).

You can use AI tools to assess candidates (for example, automated ranking or sorting of candidates during screening, or automated scoring of tests or interviews) only if you can clearly explain the following: 

1. The role the AI tool played in your decision process
2. The criteria, data or mechanisms that the AI tool used to assess the candidates’ answers
3. The assessment performed or individual feedback provided by the AI tool for each candidate
4. The way you interpreted and used AI-generated information when making decisions about candidates

Considerations

• Using AI tools to assess candidates poses a risk because these tools can be complex
• Regardless of the AI tool used, you’re accountable for the decisions made during the hiring process and for the final decision about candidates
• You must document the required information in accordance with Annex B of the Appointment Policy
• Transparency is essential when using AI tools to assess candidates because it increases candidates’ confidence in the fairness and integrity of the process
  • It’s strongly recommended that before the assessment is conducted candidates be informed of the use of any AI tool for assessment
• The requirements in the Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision-Making apply
  • This includes the requirements of the TBS Algorithmic Impact Assessment Tool, a mandatory tool that assesses the risks posed by automated decision systems in order to ensure that the use of AI is ethical and transparent
  • Different requirements apply, depending on the impact level

Icon of a red ”x” Inappropriate use of AI to assess candidates

Example 1: An AI tool is used to rank and sort applications based on the information contained in resumés.

The tool uses non-transparent criteria, such as specific keywords or biased historical data models.

Each candidate receives a score based on unknown parameters, making it difficult to understand the scoring.

Recruiters interpret the scores without understanding the underlying mechanisms, which can lead to biased or unfair decisions.

Example 2: An AI tool is used to conduct video interviews with candidates. AI analyzes candidates’ verbal answers, non-verbal communication and appearance to assign scores and provide recommendations to hiring managers.

Candidates or hiring managers don’t fully understand the impact of AI on final decisions. The assessment criteria, the data used (for example, facial expressions or tone of voice) and AI mechanisms are not transparent.

Candidates receive AI-generated scores or comments, but these assessments are not clearly explained. For example, a candidate might be told that they have a low communication score without being told which specific aspects of their performance impacted their score.

When making decisions, hiring managers will take AI recommendations into account, but they won’t always understand how these recommendations were produced. This can lead to biased or misinformed decisions.

Use of artificial intelligence by candidates during the hiring process

Green checkmark You can allow candidates to use AI throughout the hiring process.

The use of AI could be relevant if access to these tools is part of the job. Allowing candidates to use AI tools during the hiring process can:

• simulate a realistic work environment
• better reflect the professional context in which these tools are integrated
• allow you to assess their ability to use them effectively

Whether you choose to allow or prohibit the use of AI by candidates, you should:  

1. Develop the assessment strategy, methods and tools, remembering that candidates have easy access to AI
2. Give candidates clear rules and communicate the possible consequences of breaking these rules (invalidation of test results, elimination from the hiring process, possibility of an investigation, etc.)
3. Ask candidates to confirm in writing that they have read and understood the rules and consequences

Allowing candidates to use AI 

• Specify which types of resources and tools candidates are allowed to use and the stage(s) of the hiring process during which they can use them (for example, when answering screening questions, writing cover letters, completing unsupervised tests)
  • Various factors can create unequal access to AI tools during the hiring process: access to paid versions, the language of the tool, candidates’ technical knowledge and the available computer equipment
• Clearly state that candidates must cite any AI tool used by identifying the AI-generated content and its source
• Explain the requirements for protected material (specify that candidates are not allowed to share secure test material or to submit content to unsecured AI tools)

Prohibiting candidates from using AI

• When assessments are administered in an unsupervised environment, the risk of a candidate using unauthorized resources, including generative AI tools, increases significantly
  • Consider remote supervision (monitoring assessments online through video, audio, and/or screen sharing to ensure integrity) in order to encourage candidates to use their own skills and to increase fairness
  • Consider using a range of assessment methods (such as structured interviews and reference checks) and approaches (for example, unsupervised followed by supervised) to provide a more comprehensive view of candidates’ qualifications, reduce reliance on AI, and minimize potential biases and barriers.
• Using tools to detect whether candidates have used AI is discouraged
  • These tools are not reliable; their use would be considered an automated assessment of the candidate, which would be subject to the requirements of the Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision-Making
  • You would need to explain to the candidate the factors that led to the use of the tool to determine whether the content was generated by AI
  • A false positive could lead to serious consequences for the candidate, who would have little recourse; it would be more prudent to reassess the candidate

Sample statement: The use of AI is prohibited

You must complete the assessment independently without external help, including unauthorized internet resources or Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (for example, Copilot, ChatGPT or any other form of AI). You may be asked to explain or elaborate on your answers in a follow-up interview. Any violation may be investigated and result in serious consequences, including the rejection of your application.

*By submitting this assessment, I acknowledge that I have read, understood and accept the confidentiality and integrity terms outlined above. I certify that I have completed this assessment independently without external assistance, and that I have neither plagiarized nor used AI. I understand the potential consequences to my application if I fail to comply with these requirements.

Sample statement: The use of AI is permitted

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools (for example, Copilot, ChatGPT or any other form of AI) is permitted. However, you must explicitly disclose when you use such tools in your answers by identifying the AI-generated content and its source. You may be asked to explain or elaborate on your answers in a follow-up interview. If you fail to disclose your use of AI tools or if you use AI tools inappropriately, it may result in an investigation and serious consequences, including the rejection of your application.

*By submitting this assessment, I acknowledge that I have read, understood and accept the integrity terms outlined above. I certify that I have clearly disclosed any use of AI and identified the AI-generated content and its source. I understand the potential consequences that failing to meet these requirements may have on my application.

Key takeaways

• AI has the potential to make the hiring process more effective and efficient
• AI tools can be helpful resources, but they should be used with caution and diligence
  • Their features and capabilities vary
  • The choice of tool will affect the results’ validity and accuracy
• Using AI tools to assess candidates poses a risk because these tools may be opaque and complex; only use them if you can clearly explain your decisions
  • If you choose to use AI tools to assess candidates, you must comply with the requirements of the Treasury Board Directive on Automated Decision-Making
• Transparency is essential when AI tools are used to assess candidates because transparency increases candidates’ confidence in the fairness and integrity of the process
  • Before the assessment, inform candidates of the use of any AI tool for assessment
• Before using any assessment method, you must identify any biases and barriers and implement strategies to remove them or mitigate their impact
• Whether or not you choose to allow candidates to use AI, be sure to give them clear rules and communicate the possible consequences of breaking these rules
  • For example, invalidation of test results, elimination from the hiring process, possibility of an investigation
  • You can also ask candidates to confirm in writing that they have read and understood the rules and consequences

This guide is evergreen and will be updated to respond to changes in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, and as new tools are developed and used in the hiring process.

Frequently asked questions

Additional resources

Support

Hiring managers can contact their human resources department to discuss how certain issues are handled within their organization.

The Public Service Commission provides support through staffing support advisors designated for each department and agency.

Training

The Canada School of Public Service offers a variety of courses to help you learn about AI. Explore the school’s learning catalogue for courses, events, programs and other learning tools, as well as more information on their products and services.

Useful links

• Directive on Automated Decision-Making (Treasury Board)
• Guide on the Scope of the Directive on Automated Decision-Making (TBS)
• Generative AI in your daily work (TBS)
• Responsible use of artificial intelligence in government (TBS)
• Guide on the use of generative artificial intelligence (TBS)
• The Future of Generative AI
• Best practices for unsupervised testing
• Public service hiring guides
• Guide to Mitigating Biases and Barriers in Assessment (accessible only on the Government of Canada network)