Why Is the Future of Hiring High-Tech and High-Touch?
Imagine Sarah.
She’s a brilliant Marketing Manager with a decade of experience, a portfolio that speaks for itself, and a drive to innovate. She applies for a dream role at a Fortune 500 company. Within seconds, an automated system scans her resume, checks for specific keywords, because she used the word "Growth" instead of "Scaled" and rejects her.
Sarah is lost in the "recruitment black hole." No feedback, no human contact, just a cold, automated notification.
At Moonshot Consulting, we believe recruitment is at a crossroads. As AI reshapes the landscape, we’re seeing a dangerous trend toward over-automation. But when we look more closely at the Moonshot mission, one thing becomes clear: the future isn’t just about faster algorithms; it’s about deeper human connections.
The Doorman Fallacy in Recruiting
In one of David’s writings, he references the "Doorman Fallacy,” which holds that if you automate a role's functional tasks (like a doorman opening a door), you lose the intangible value (the "Good morning," the sense of security, the personal greeting).
In recruitment, the "functional task" is matching a resume to a job description. AI is incredibly good at this. But the "intangible value" is understanding
1) if a candidate will thrive in your culture,
2) if they have the grit to solve your specific problems, and
3) if they actually *want* to be there.
The future of recruitment isn’t about replacing recruiters; it’s about freeing them from the "door-opening" so they can focus on the "hospitality."
High-Tech, High-Touch: The Moonshot Model
We advocate for a "High-Tech, High-Touch" approach. This means using cutting-edge tools to enhance, not replace, the human experience.
1. AI as a Co-Pilot, Not an Auto-Pilot: Use AI to draft better job descriptions, summarize interviews, or even build "Interview Coaches" for candidates. But the final decision—and the "sell" of the company vision—must be human.
2. Moving Beyond LinkedIn: The future is niche. We’re looking toward Slack communities, Discord servers, and specialized platforms like Teal or Huntr. These "hidden gems" are where the most engaged talent lives.
3. Radical Personalization: In a world of automated "spray and pray" outreach, a personalized video or a thoughtful, human-written note stands out more than ever.
The Path Forward
The recruiters who win in 2026 and beyond will be those who master the tech stack but never lose sight of the human at the other end of the screen. We’re moving toward a world of Semi-Autonomous Agents that AI can coordinate schedules and answer basic FAQs. And also allowing recruiters to spend their time building relationships.
At Moonshot, we’re not just watching the future; we’re building it.
Interested in modernizing your hiring strategy?
Please, reach out to us at hello@gomoonshot.biz
Further Reading:
This article was inspired by David Oliver's piece: [Why AI Won't Replace Your Doorman (And What That Means for Hiring)](https://davidoliver112.substack.com/p/why-ai-wont-replace-your-doorman).
To explore more of David Oliver’s insights on the future of work and recruitment, please visit his Substack: [davidoliver112.substack.com].
