Introduction

Recruitment has changed. The tools have too. But some fundamentals remain unchanged.

In the age of artificial intelligence and video interviews, it’s time to separate passing trends from lasting, effective tools. The goal? Avoid falling for the hype, without missing the real tech opportunities.

A number of these contradictions are explored by Grégoire Depeursinge and Olivier Legrand, Partners at numaH.world.

They share practical insights on how to boost productivity while improving quality and relevance. A compelling take on substance, humanity, expertise, and discernment, all your best allies in making a difference.

Going Digital Without Losing the Human Touch

Digital tools are everywhere. But at numaH, they’re never meant to create distance between recruiter and candidate, they’re a way to do things better. So, how do you stay connected without sacrificing the relationship?

A Custom-Built ATS for Purpose-Driven Recruiting

Bright Future is numaH’s in-house recruitment management tool, built specifically to address three key challenges:

• Flexibility in everyday use
• Transparency with clients
• Independence from major platforms

Their ATS (Applicant Tracking System) was designed with several core ideas in mind:

• Co-creation: Developed with the team, to reflect on-the-ground realities and foster collective creativity.
• Centralised communication: It brings together all candidate interactions (LinkedIn, email, etc.) and gives clients real-time updates, with personalised access coming soon. A step toward transparency, not just a polished façade.

“We wanted to move away from the black box. Too often, clients sign a contract and then hear nothing until the first profiles arrive. We share the progress step by step. It’s about rebuilding trust where there’s often opacity.” – Olivier Legrand

But more than just a tool, it reflects a broader recruitment philosophy. By designing their own ATS, the numaH team isn’t just improving efficiency. The firm is making a clear strategic choice: to reject standardised solutions that force a one-size-fits-all way of recruiting.

Here, the method defines the tool, not the other way around.

And maybe that’s what real HR innovation is: creating your own rules instead of following the crowd. Putting clients and candidates at the centre, using agile tools built by and for experts.

The Candidate Experience: Remote Interviews That Bring Us Closer

For Olivier and Grégoire, 95% of interviews happen remotely. And this was true even before the 2020 pandemic. Digital interviews make sense for many reasons: time, distance, international reach.

And the international context means we constantly need to adapt, different time zones, different languages, different cultures. Digital tools help bridge the gap, but it’s still the recruiter who brings everything together.

On top of being more responsive and reducing the logistics, Grégoire points out another unexpected benefit of video calls.

“Phone calls are more formal, more distant. But video creates a more relaxed, natural, and human exchange. You can catch reactions, body language, even silences. It brings nuance and authenticity.” – Grégoire Depeursinge

Today, video is not just accepted, it’s expected. Less formal than in-person meetings, it helps level the playing field between recruiters and candidates.

In a world where work is increasingly remote, this might be what recruiting in 2025 is all about.

Using AI in Recruitment, But How Far Should You Go?

AI isn’t a threat, or a miracle. It’s a tool to enhance productivity and quality, not a system meant to make final decisions on its own.

AI That Supports, Not Replaces, the Recruiter

AI helps Olivier and Grégoire with daily tasks, but never replaces their judgment.

• Common use cases for AI copilots at numaH include:
• Crafting complex search queries, including multilingual role titles and synonyms
• Targeting profiles using school databases and public data
• Taking notes during interviews – one of Olivier’s favourite features: “Now that’s useful AI! It lets me focus 100% on the person. And as a bonus, the report is twice as detailed.” – Olivier Legrand

Their compass? Save time to reinvest it in what really matters: human connection and quality.

Understanding AI’s Limits in Hiring

At numaH, AI is never used where the stakes are highest, like assessing candidates or making hiring decisions.

“I’m uncompromising here. Only my expertise allows me to evaluate a candidate’s fit. AI can’t capture the subtle nuances.” – Grégoire Depeursinge

Automated candidate screening? For them, that’s a red flag: it reproduces biases, favours standardised profiles, and can’t pick up on crucial cultural or behavioural subtleties, especially vital in executive search.

“It can be useful in some situations, like high-volume recruitment, which isn’t our area of work. But the key is to use it wisely, depending on the context and what’s at stake.” – Olivier Legrand

Test, observe, adjust. Tech is an asset, as long as it remains under human control.

From Social Networks to Tools: Smart Recruiting Starts With Smart Choices

We’ve come a long way from phone directories.

Today it’s Instagram, LinkedIn, Xing, niche forums, local databases, scraping tools, and other ways to find and check contacts.

Everything’s out there. Everything’s possible. But is it all relevant?

While some dive headfirst into TikTok or video CVs to boost their employer brand, Olivier and Grégoire aren’t against new trends – but they believe in being selective. It all depends on the role, the target audience, and the sector. There’s no single “best” recruitment channel. It’s about finding the right ones for each situation, each context, and each strategy.

At numaH, each sourcing mission starts with a tailored strategy:

• Where are the right profiles?
• What tools will help us find, reach, and engage them effectively?

Using social media to attract younger generations can make sense. But sometimes it’s less effective, depending on the role, the region, or the target language. Real expertise means not just knowing the tools, but knowing when and how to use them.

“Recruiting is a science. Out of millions of profiles, you have to pick the right one, so you better be using the right tools.” – Grégoire Depeursinge

Recruitment Is Evolving, but the Fundamentals Still Matter

Technology or not, some essentials never change.

Take interviews, for instance. What makes the difference isn’t the tech, it’s the recruiter’s ability to listen, ask the right questions, observe, and adapt. The human element, in all its richness and complexity, can’t be reduced to data points.

“When a hire doesn’t work out, it’s rarely due to technical skills. It’s usually about personality, cultural fit, or adaptability.” – Olivier Legrand

What really counts often lies in a word, a pause, a gesture. These subtle cues can only be picked up by a trained human eye.

“Sure, AI can be asked to detect signs of proactivity in an interview. But I don’t see how it could ever interpret, cross-reference, and decide like a person can.” – Grégoire Depeursinge

Because beyond skills, there’s also a mindset:

• A recruiter who builds trust, even remotely
• Who listens beyond what’s said out loud
• Who challenges surface-level “matches” to find deeper, more meaningful alignment

Tools help you organise, structure, and save time but things like interpretation, relevance, and the right “fit” are still an art. And that’s not something you can just make up as you go. It’s something that comes from the recruiter – from the human touch.

numaH: Embracing Modern Recruitment Without Losing the Human Core

Between being a forward-thinking company (tech-savvy, remote-friendly, with custom ATS) and a champion of personal recruitment, numaH is above all a team that doesn’t sacrifice human connection for technology.

A firm that creates its own tools to better serve its clients. A firm that thinks carefully before adopting anything new.

It’s not about jumping on every HR trend, but about knowing how to assess them. And if you do choose to adopt something, it should never come at the expense of the basics of recruitment.

So, where do you stand between modern ways and fundamental values?