Bridging Efficiency and Humanity

For PR professionals navigating today’s job market, this new AI-forward reality can feel like we’re all shouting into an algorithmic void. As artificial intelligence reshapes recruiting from both sides of the table, the real question isn’t whether AI will play a role in hiring, but rather how we can harness its efficiency without losing the human judgment that makes great hires possible. 

Candidates vs. AI gatekeepers 

If you’re applying for PR positions today, then yes, your résumé needs to account for an AI gatekeeper. These systems scan for keywords, analyze formatting and rank candidates before human eyes enter the equation. Many well-meaning candidates assume that this means turning their résumé into a keyword soup. Please don’t do this. Your future colleagues will thank you.

AI screeners are excellent at spotting specific technical skills, software proficiencies and quantifiable achievements. When you write “increased media placements by 40%” or “managed crisis communications for Fortune 500 client,” AI systems capture these concrete results beautifully. What they often miss are the nuanced human qualities that make PR professionals exceptional: your relationship-building intuition, your ability to craft messaging that resonates or how you kept your cool when three clients had crises on the same day. 

Lead with clear, keyword-rich descriptions of your technical capabilities and measurable results to get past the AI gate. But once you’re in front of actual human reviewers, those softer skills and contextual stories become prevalent. Your cover letter, often skimmed by AI but read carefully by hiring managers, is where you get to sound like yourself again and showcase the judgment and creativity that an algorithm can’t fully assess.

Here’s another example. Instead of writing “responsible for media relations,” try “secured 30+ national media placements including Forbes and NPR, building lasting relationships with 50+ journalists in tech and healthcare beats.” The first gets you past the AI; the second shows humans what you accomplished and how.

Hiring managers take a ‘second look’ 

On the other side of the equation, PR agencies and communications departments face their own AI challenges. These tools promise to reduce the mountain of applications to a manageable shortlist, processing hundreds of résumés in minutes, flagging candidates with specific experience and even eliminating unconscious bias by focusing on objective criteria.

Unfortunately, AI systems can screen out your next star employee because they don’t fit the pattern. Perhaps they transitioned from journalism to PR without the “traditional” agency background, or maybe they excel at the relationship-building aspects of PR that don’t translate neatly to résumé keywords.  

Hiring teams should be asking themselves, “what uniquely human qualities does this role require, and how do we ensure that our AI systems don’t filter those out?” Smart hiring managers are implementing “second look” protocols, where they manually review a sample of AI-rejected candidates to calibrate their systems. 

They are also adjusting algorithms to value diverse experience and creating pathways for candidates who bring valuable but nontraditional backgrounds. 

What’s next for AI in hiring?

The trajectory of AI in hiring points toward automation in the early stages, but more humanity in the final ones. As AI handles initial screening, scheduling and even basic skills assessment, hiring managers may find themselves with more time for meaningful conversations with top candidates.

Human judgment is still necessary when assessing cultural fit, communication style and strategic thinking. Candidates who understand AI systems without becoming robotic in their applications will stand out. Hiring managers who use AI to augment rather than replace human judgment will build stronger teams. 

When used thoughtfully, AI might free us to focus on the irreplaceable human elements that make someone not just qualified, but exceptional. For a profession built on authentic human connection and communication, it’s an opportunity to get hiring right in ways we couldn’t before.