How AI can empower candidates to master their skills w/ guest Laurens Waling (8vance) [Ep. 15]

In the 15th episode of AI in Recruitment, hosts Jasper Spanjaart and Martijn Hemminga sat down with Laurens Waling, Chief Evangelist at 8vance, to discuss how technology is reshaping the way companies approach hiring. Waling’s company, 8vance, specialises in using algorithms to match candidates with jobs. Watch or listen to the full episode.

Rethinking recruitment

“We’re still not using AI to its full potential”, Waling said early in the episode, setting the tone for the conversation. Founded in 2013, 8vance has been pioneering the use of data and algorithms to connect candidates and employers in new ways. But Waling noted that the industry has been slow to adapt to these changes.

“When you ask a candidate to list their skills, they might give you 10 or 20. But our algorithms can identify up to 200 skills that candidates don’t even realise they have.”

The traditional model of recruitment — focused on reviewing CVs and job descriptions — has room for improvement, according to Waling. “When you ask a candidate to list their skills, they might give you 10 or 20. But our algorithms can identify up to 200 skills that candidates don’t even realise they have. This gives recruiters a deeper and more accurate understanding of a candidate’s abilities.”

Bridging skills gaps

Part of 8vance’s business case is being able to identify transferable skills in surprising places. For example, 8vance has worked with companies that need skilled labor, such as solar panel installers. “We found people working in bakeries who have the precision and hygiene skills to transition into solar panel installation”, Waling said. “This kind of skill mapping allows companies to broaden their talent pool and recruit from industries they might never have considered.”

“We want to make the labour market more transparent and accessible for everyone.”

“This approach isn’t just about filling roles—it’s also about offering candidates opportunities they might not have realised were available to them. We want to make the labour market more transparent and accessible for everyone.”

The future of internal mobility

Beyond external recruitment, Waling sees enormous potential for AI in managing internal talent. Many companies are now using AI to help employees advance within the organisation by analysing their skills and matching them with internal opportunities. At Schiphol Airport, where 8vance is involved in a large-scale project, Waling explained how AI is being used to create career paths across multiple companies operating at the airport.

“Many companies are now using AI to help employees advance within the organisation by analysing their skills and matching them with internal opportunities.”

“Instead of just having people work in one job, we’re helping them move between different tasks and roles based on their skill set. This fluid approach helps companies retain staff and gives employees more diverse career opportunities.”

‘It’s about changing the way companies view the hiring process’

While the potential of AI is clear, Waling acknowledged that it hasn’t been easy to implement. “Recruiters and HR departments often resist change, and this technology requires a real shift in thinking The challenge isn’t just about introducing new tools — it’s about changing the way companies view the hiring process.”

Despite these hurdles, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “Once companies see how much time they can save and how accurate the matches are, they understand the value. AI can handle the more mundane tasks in recruitment, like screening resumes or scheduling interviews, freeing up recruiters to focus on more strategic work.”

‘We just need data’

As the conversation turned to regulations, particularly the upcoming EU AI Act, Waling expressed both optimism and caution. “It’s good to have regulation, but it also creates barriers, especially for smaller companies”, he said. “The new laws, which aim to ensure transparency and fairness in AI systems, could slow down adoption for some organisations. However, I believe that governments should push AI technology forward, especially since it can help solve critical issues like diversity and inclusion in hiring. But it’s important to realise: we’re not going to need CVs or job descriptions in the future. We just need the data.”

Listen to the full episode

For those keen on delving into the complete discussion, the full episode is available for listening on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or through the link below.