Where AI contributes 10x and where it contributes 10%: How to prioritize impact in your selection process

Not all AI in recruiting moves the needle equally; there are sections of the process with a 10x potential and others where the actual impact is 10%.
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At Mainder, we recommend starting with the 10x stages, because AI-powered recruiting frees up hours and improves results from the first week. The 10x stage appears in high volume and high repetition: initial screening of hundreds of CVs, standardization of profiles with different formats, detection of duplicates and homonyms, data enrichment, matching requirements with skills, candidate prioritization, and schedule coordination.
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It's also 10x faster than programmatic searches in talent pools, reactivating former candidates, and detecting affinity with similar vacancies. AI in recruitment does what it does best: massive, consistent, and fast work. In contrast, the 10% is usually involved in tasks that require fine-tuned interpretation and confidence: final interviews, assessing cultural fit, reading motivations, negotiating offers, and managing expectations.

AI in HR provides support—scripts, suggestions, summaries, reminders—but the decision remains human and the incremental impact is more limited.
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If you're short on time or budget, prioritize 10x areas and precisely define what you expect from the AI ​​and what the human will validate. Establish simple rules: if a vacancy generates more than 50 applications, the AI ​​begins the screening; if the ranking exceeds a confidence threshold, it moves to an interview; if there are contradictory signals, a human review decides and documents the results.
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This way, you avoid false expectations, maintain transparency with the candidate, and improve quality without losing humanity. With greater maturity, you can push some 10% milestones toward 30–40% with better data, metrics, and feedback; but even then, the goal remains the same: AI-powered recruitment to save time, AI in selection to make better decisions, and human teams to create long-term relationships with talent.