HR Unscripted…… With Sharon Benson
How to use AI to excel in work and secure that dream job
In our first “HR Unscripted….” Kerry White, Director at RedGreen Partners is speaking to HR Director and HR Most Influential Practitioner for 2021 AND 2022, Sharon Benson. The topic of conversation was how best to use AI, not only in the workplace but also when searching for your next opportunity.
Sharon, for those who don’t know you, tell us a little about yourself?
Well, where do I start? I’ve been in HR for more years than I care to mention, with the last 17 or 18 spent operating at HRD level across industries such as healthcare, manufacturing and financial services. During this time, I’ve had the privilege of leading some remarkable transformations, whether that’s guiding organisations through challenging periods, embedding meaningful cultural change or driving growth through commercially focused people strategies.
Being named HR Most Influential Practitioner in 2021 and 2022 and subsequently inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023, was an incredibly humbling experience. It means so much to know that my peers recognised my contributions to the profession, I’ll always value that recognition. More recently, I’ve had the opportunity to judge industry awards, which has been inspiring and has given me further insight into how HR continues to evolve.
One area I’m particularly passionate about is the role of technology, especially AI, in enhancing HR processes. While innovation can streamline systems and improve HR and recruitment efficiencies, it’s crucial to balance technology with the Human element that lies at the heart of HR.
You’ve been using AI for a while now haven’t you, both as part of work and more recently during your search for a new role? What’s your take on using AI in both work and job searching?
Absolutely, it’s been a fascinating journey. When a colleague introduced me to ChatGPT back in 2023, it completely changed my perspective on what’s possible. AI has undoubtedly transformed areas like Talent Acquisition by efficiently screening large volumes of applications fairly and consistently. This frees up valuable time for HR teams to focus on the strategic, people-centred aspects of their work.
When I was looking for a role myself late last year, I used AI to compare job descriptions with my CV, identifying gaps and tailoring my applications accordingly. It was a great tool for refining my approach. However, I firmly believe that the human element in HR remains irreplaceable. Some of the best opportunities I’ve secured have come from being a wildcard candidate—someone who didn’t tick every box on the brief but was recognised as the right fit. That’s where judgment, empathy and nuanced decision-making play a role that AI simply can’t replicate.
For me, the key is striking the right balance: using technology to enhance efficiency while staying focused on people and culture, which are the true foundations of HR.
There’s a lot of talk about AI replacing many transactional roles, do you think this will be the case in HR and should it happen?
AI should complement human roles, not replace them. It can free up time from routine, high-volume transactional activity, allowing HR teams to focus on strategic, value-adding work.
HR functions have been automating processes for years through intranets, knowledge banks and clever search tools that enable Colleagues to self-serve for basic queries. AI now enhances this user experience further, but the focus must remain on people. While automation can handle transactional tasks, it cannot replicate the empathy, judgement and creativity that HR brings to organisations.
Aside from your HR career, you’ve also been a judge for Personnel Today, HR Magazine’s HR Excellence, British HR Awards and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). How has AI changed how you consider nominees?
This was a next-level eye-opener for me! While judging the Innovation in Recruitment award for SHRM, I was amazed at the level of sophistication some organisations were implementing.
For example, companies receiving almost a million applications per year were leveraging AI to shortlist candidates against the brief, invite them to recorded interviews and assess their answers and body language before any human intervention. One system even had technology to detect whether candidates were using AI to answer questions, effectively eliminating cheating!
This approach allowed resourcing teams to spend more dedicated time with candidates during face-to-face interviews and focus on the candidate experience through to their first day. Organisations using this technology saw retention levels improve significantly at 3, 6 and 12 months.
From a DEI perspective, AI can reduce bias when programmed correctly but someone still must set the criteria. For example, neurodiverse colleagues may not thrive in highly AI-driven processes, so it’s vital to avoid inadvertently excluding any group. This is still a work in progress.
In your recent search for your next opportunity, talk us through in a bit more detail how you used AI to aid your search?
As mentioned earlier, AI became my go-to assistant, not only for comparing job descriptions with my CV but it also helped me ensure my applications were tailored to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the role. Given that Search Firms and organisations often use AI-driven applicant tracking systems, this level of personalisation ensured my applications stood out.
Whilst using AI has its positives and can save time and (some) effort in your search, I’d also say that nothing beats having a great network of Recruiters, such as RedGreen Partners, that you regularly stay in touch with even when you’re not looking for a role! Comment on their posts for reach, recommend someone in your network who you think would be ideal. Passing it forward means your likely to have that support reciprocated when you need it.
You mentioned organisations (and Recruitment Agencies) using AI to filter and screen applications. What advice would you give on how to stand out?
Having judged awards and attended Talent Acquisition workshops, it’s clear that AI and applicant tracking systems are integral to streamlining recruitment processes. These tools allow organisations to quickly filter applications and prioritise the best candidates without manually reviewing every CV.
However, there’s a balance to strike. For clients, too many upfront filtering questions may put candidates off applying, while too few may result in unqualified applications. It’s a classic chicken-and-egg scenario.
My advice is:
Carefully review the job description and requirements.
Use AI to assess your CV against the role brief. Ask if AI would shortlist you, if not, identify the gaps.
Tailor your CV for each role. Personalisation is crucial – gone are the days of sending out one generic CV for multiple roles.
But make sure you have some of the “key criteria words” in your CV just in case they are filtering via AI.
And finally… what advice can you offer on the dos and don’ts of using AI?
Do:
Use AI to enhance productivity, whether in HR processes or personal job searches.
Leverage AI to identify gaps in your applications and prepare for interviews.
Stay informed about AI advancements and their ethical implications.
Check and validate any information and statistics taken from AI, it’s not 100% accurate.
Don’t:
Don’t rely solely on AI – human judgement and creativity remain irreplaceable.
Avoid over-automation, which can lead to impersonal interactions – having your CV rejected after 10 minutes of sending it won’t make the candidate feel great and will be obvious that a person hasn’t looked at it!
Be cautious with data privacy and ensure AI tools are used ethically.
Forget to check for grammar, spelling and punctuation. A comma before an “and” or a “but” is a real giveaway for AI written material.
Closing Note: Reflecting on my use of AI in both work and personal contexts, I’d sum it up with this phrase: "authored by me, edited by ChatGPT." It highlights how AI complements human creativity and expertise rather than replacing it – a concept I believe is central to its role in transforming the workplace.
Whether you’re looking for that next career move or recruiting into your HR team, who you partner with can make all the difference. RedGreen Partners was founded on doing the right thing and treating everyone we partner with as equals. We support, counsel and guide our candidates on their goals, aspirations and progression through every step of their professional journey. Our clients trust us and our ability to attract, engage and secure top talent (and we don’t fully rely on AI to search and select!).
To have a confidential chat with Kerry White, Director at RedGreen Partners, please email kerry.white@redgreenpartners.co.uk or call 07831464981