Streamlining Talent Acquisition With AI

Steve Curran is a seasoned business development executive with a demonstrated history of working across multiple verticals in the human capital industry. As the strategic head of talent acquisition, he manages the talent acquisition infrastructure for ATI Restoration and over 19 acquisitions. His role involves integrating acquired companies, managing the recruiting teams’ KPIs, providing reporting to the board and private equity group and strategically filling key leadership positions.

In an interview with Construction Business Review, Curran shares his insights on how adopting everadvancing technologies like AI can help talent acquisition professionals streamline their workload and drive immense success.

The Art Of Identifying Top Talent

I jumped on the talent acquisition bandwagon with ATI Restoration in 2019. From the beginning, I knew I was joining a company on the brink of transformation. I was initially brought into the company as an executive recruiter. At the time, we had 23 offices, 1,200 employees and $300 million in revenue. Fast forward to today, and those numbers have nearly tripled. Beyond the figures, what truly defines this journey is the evolution of recruitment in an industry that often struggles to attract and retain top talent.

A year into my tenure, I was formally promoted to talent acquisition manager. I indulged in extensive learning and created internal processes that streamlined talent acquisition. The priority was diving into our cultural aspects, from training and development to creating career paths and promotional opportunities.

Navigating hypergrowth in any industry is challenging, but in restoration, it comes with distinct hurdles. When ATI began expanding organically through acquisitions, it became clear that recruitment entails more than just filling roles. It demands integrating cultures, building leadership pipelines and creating scalable hiring processes.

Of all the strategies I’ve implemented at ATI, a regionalized recruitment model is by far the most effective. By dividing the company into four distinct regions, each overseen by a senior recruiter, we’ve tailored our hiring approach to local market conditions. This has allowed us to build strong candidate pipelines, identify top performers and ensure that our hiring teams genuinely understand the workforce dynamics in each territory.

Leveraging industry relationships has also been a game-changer. With over 30,000 LinkedIn connections, I’ve been able to tap into a deep talent pool, fostering connections that go beyond transactional hiring. The LinkedIn network became more abundant with my selection as a conference speaker at the Restoration Industry Association and the Contractor Connection.

AI In Hiring—A Tool, Not A Replacement

AI has become a hot topic in recruitment, and while it offers incredible efficiencies, it’s not a substitute for human intuition. Nothing can replace the human element of talent acquisition, but staying on top of technological advancements and actively adopting them is just as crucial. I do not see AI as a replacement for qualified professionals but as a powerful tool to help them streamline the intricate acquisition process.

While AI can surface candidates based on keywords and experience, it cannot assess cultural fit, leadership qualities or a person’s long-term growth potential within an organization. At ATI, we integrate AI-driven sourcing and applicant tracking to streamline candidate identification. Final hiring decisions always involve in-depth, human-led evaluations.

Bridging the Generational Gap

The aging workforce has created a significant industry challenge. Most skilled professionals are approaching retirement, and there aren’t enough younger workers stepping in to fill the gap. The reality is that most young professionals overlook restoration as a career path, often due to misconceptions about the trade.

To address this, we actively engage with high schools, colleges and trade programs, emphasizing that restoration is a long-term career with stability and upward mobility. People entering the industry quickly realize the financial and career growth potential. Many production professionals earn well into six figures, with performance-based incentives creating limitless earning potential. Educating the next generation about these opportunities is crucial for sustaining the industry’s future.

A Peek into the Next Era of Talent Acquisition

The restoration sector is undergoing significant change, with private equity investments driving consolidation and competition. As companies grow, talent acquisition will be the key differentiator between businesses that scale successfully and those that struggle.

From a technological standpoint, our world is more connected than ever before. While technology will continue to shape recruitment, the fundamentals of hiring remain unchanged. A strong company culture, a compelling employer brand and word-of-mouth referrals will always be more powerful than any AI tool.