At asUgo, we use AI in our recruitment process. Genuinely. And we believe in it for certain things.
But we have made a conscious choice: it stays a support tool. Never a main actor. Never the one who decides who deserves to be met.
Why? Because we are convinced that AI still cannot see two essential things.
The first one is raw potential. And it starts with the CV.
These days, CVs tend to look more and more alike. Identical layouts. Similar keywords. Structures copied from the same templates. Sometimes, it feels like we’re facing an army of nearly identical CVs. That’s why we pay attention to the small things.
An unexpected hobby. An unusual detour in someone’s journey. A personal project. An experience that stands out. The details that reveal something about the person behind the profile.
Of course, there are also candidates whose backgrounds align perfectly with a Salesforce consulting role, and we recognise that too. It is not a question of linear versus non-linear careers, or conventional versus unconventional paths.
Every profile deserves careful consideration. What matters is not how closely someone matches a template, but what their story tells us about who they are and who they could become.
And this is a promise we make at asUgo: every CV received is read. Every profile we headhunt is reviewed. By a human. Not an algorithm. That is not nothing in a world where most applications are filtered automatically before a human eye ever lands on them. And yes, sometimes it takes a little longer. But the wait is worth it.
But there is something that increasingly concerns us: today, most CVs are built with AI. Candidates ask for an “ATS proof” CV, optimised to pass automated filters. Which means AI is producing CVs… to fool AI. And at the end of that chain, we no longer really know who the person behind the document actually is.
That is exactly why we refuse to let an algorithm decide alone.
The second one is the DNA fit. At asUgo, we talk about it a lot. It is hard to define but very easy to feel when it is there. An energy in the exchange. A way of asking questions as much as answering them. It happens in conversation, in interviews, sometimes even in the silences. It is what makes us think “this person is asUgo”. Or not. That cannot be delegated.
And we have a lot of proof of this at asUgo. But let me introduce one as an example.
Some time ago, several asUgoers were coming back from a project by train. They were talking about work, talking about asUgo, with that energy you have when you love what you do. A stranger overheard them. He listened. And at some point, he got up and came to talk to them. What he had heard had drawn him in. He wanted to know more.
The profile? A philosophy degree. Zero “developer” experience on the CV. A classic ATS would never have surfaced that profile. Never.
When the story reached me, I wanted to dig deeper. I took the time to listen to his background, to understand who he really was.
And honestly, during the interview, it was obvious. He was curious, sharp, and able to connect ideas from completely different fields with surprising ease. What looked like a huge leap from philosophy to development wasn’t a gap at all. It was proof of his ability to learn, adapt, and think differently. In many ways, he was already living two of our values before we had even talked about them.
Today that person is a developer at asUgo.
An algorithm would never have made that encounter possible.
So, what do we actually use AI for in recruitment? Writing clearer, more compelling job descriptions. Helping us prepare for interviews. Summarising meetings, drafting reports, and handling many of the repetitive tasks that sit around the recruitment process but are not the process itself. The productivity gains are real, and today we would not want to work without them.
Is it the easiest path? No. It takes time, real conversations, and genuine listening. But when you see what it produces in terms of team, energy, and stories… the return on investment is simply incredible!
Author: Maïté Delabye, HR Partner, asUgo
