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Zillow Recruits Smarter: AI Revolutionizes Hiring
7 Jan
Summary
- Zillow's AI recruitment tools automate roughly 80% of recruiter tasks.
- Prompt-a-thons empower recruiters to devise AI solutions themselves.
- AI interview scheduling cut coordination time by 97%, saving 450 hours monthly.
Recruiting teams are experiencing profound disruption from AI technology. Zillow, a leader in real estate tech, has been at the forefront, experimenting with and launching several AI tools for recruitment since late 2023. Roz Harris, Zillow's VP of talent acquisition, shared that about 80% of a recruiter's job involves tasks now replaceable by AI, prompting a proactive approach to adoption.
To mitigate fears of job displacement and foster innovation, Zillow utilized 'prompt-a-thons,' adapting hackathon practices. This initiative allowed recruiters to identify challenges, such as conducting difficult conversations with hiring managers, and develop AI prompts for solutions like ChatGPT. These recruiter-generated solutions were then vetted by legal, tech, and HR teams before implementation, resulting in six AI recruitment tools, many from vendors.
The implemented AI tools focus on both recruiter assistance and candidate experience. For job seekers, AI aids in finding roles, applying, and preparing for interviews. For recruiters, tools enhance candidate sourcing and provide interview feedback. Notably, Zillow's AI-powered interview scheduler reduced coordination time from over a week to just 30 minutes, a 97% improvement that has upskilled former coordinators into new roles. Furthermore, AI has enabled Zillow to expand its hiring reach under its remote-first "Cloud HQ" model, building employer reputation in new regions and facilitating 558 hires in 2025.
