Operator is an AI tool which actually clicks, scrolls, types, and navigates the web like a digital assistant with initiative. Sounds like my sort of sci-fi? Maybe also like a horror film as you watch your cursor move on its own.
It’s an agentic AI system, which basically means it can do things. It can use web apps, fill out forms, search sites, and help automate workflows. For independent recruiters and small teams, that could mean serious efficiency gains.
BUT
According to different measures, it is between 38% to 54% accurate with complex tasks. Filling out an online form is a simple task. Reviewing a resume for a match against a role and then parsing the right ones into your ATS is complex. Eek.
What Can Operator Do for You?
Candidate Sourcing: Scouring LinkedIn, Indeed, Apollo, and Twitter for matching candidates can be an enormous part of our day. Operator can do that.
BUT- You will need to login, prompt, and do not expect it do more than one website at a time. You know our GPT where you give it the job description, your notes, and a candidate profile, and it helps decide if the person is a match? It does that for you by opening the profiles, deciding who is a match, and adding them to your ATS. Set it up at its own workstation and it can act as a low-level sourcer.
Resume Screening: Operator can sort through resumes and even rank candidates based on how well they align with your role. Many of you have used GPTs which do the same, and Operator could automate the process of screening received resumes or scouring the ATS.
BUT- Only the speed of this is new. So far, an AI is deciding who is being added to your Applicant Tracking System, and tomorrow’s call list. Are you okay with that?
Interview Scheduling: While it won’t make phone calls or send emails without your say-so, it can generate links (Calendly-style), draft invites, and tee everything up so you just hit send.
BUT- Again, Calendly and free GPT can do this. Since it needs to be webmail, Gemini can do this inside of gmail products.
Market Research: Want a pulse check on salaries, hot job titles, or what your competitors are hiring for? Operator can trawl through the data, synthesize it, and give you a high-level snapshot with sources.
BUT- Seriously, why not use Gemini Deep Research with better reach?
While it’s promising, you’ll still need to babysit the junior intern. The more complicated the task, the more likely you will reach a point of mistakes. This intern will not send messages until you okay each one and this person needs lots of approvals. (How needy!)
ChatGPT Operator CAN take busywork off your plate. It’s a glimpse into where AI recruiting is headed: tools that do. It is early for this technology, and you can be using it to do many recruiting tasks.
BUUUUUUT- My background in lean manufacturing would be kicking me if I didn’t point out the process flow. If these are the things that are holding up your business, then absolutely, pay $200 a month for an assistant to source, compare candidates, fill your ATS, and draft messages (not all in one prompt, too complex!)
For most tech-savvy recruiters, getting people to respond takes more time than finding them and crafting emails. Phone tag takes more time. Deciding if a candidate is a fit? I bet you can do it faster than you can write a prompt.
Read More by Jason Thibeault
