Anyone tasked with recruiting talent can tell you that it’s a long, complicated process — one that seems impossible to automate.
Wade & Wendy, an AI-powered conversation platform for recruiting, is challenging that notion. The company’s oxymoron of a tagline — “conversational AI to make hiring more human” — spells out exactly what the machine-learning software does.
Recruiters use Wendy, a recruiting chatbot, for the initial screening process. “She” asks applicants specific questions about job experience, calling out their prior roles and adjusting her follow-up questions accordingly.
“Unlike many other chatbots, both within and outside of the recruiting space, you see very limited chat experiences and low completion rates,” said CEO and founder Drew Austin. “We’re seeing that 95 percent of applicants that begin a chat with Wendy finish.”
The software isn’t meant to replace the human aspect of hiring. Once Wendy’s screening process is complete, relevant information is added to a candidate’s profile and shared with the hiring team. From there, recruiters and hiring managers — real humans — decide who to move through the interview process.
“On the job seeker side, it’s an incredibly engaging experience. With Wendy, no one chat is the same,” said Austin.
So where does Wade, the other half of Wade & Wendy, fall into the mix? “He” is a career advisor who notifies users of new job opportunities relevant to their interests and experience. He works in the same fashion as Wendy, asking tailored questions, adjusting follow-ups accordingly and letting the hiring team know when there’s a new candidate to check out. Together, Wade and Wendy help streamline the qualifying process for recruiters and the job search for applicants.
Originally called WeCrewt, the startup rebranded soon after launching.
“After one too many conversations that started with ‘Wait, what? Recruit?,’ we pivoted to Wade & Wendy,” said Austin. “We have two distinct chatbot personalities and a fondness for alliteration, so we felt this was the right choice.”
The company, which is still in beta, raised $3.9 million in a seed round and is ramping up for a Series A. They’re currently 12 humans strong.
