Hire Hopkins | July 2025

New Rules. Smarter Tools. The AI Shift in Talent Acquisition

The Panel Everyone in TA Should’ve Watched

Dear reader,

I’m honored to write this month’s Director’s Note. My name is Jess, and I serve as the Director of Employer Engagement, supporting undergraduate and graduate students from the Whiting School of Engineering, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, and Applied Academic Programs. 

At the end of June, Hire Hopkins hosted a panel discussion titled, “The New AI Rules in Recruiting.” As we know, Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming how organizations approach hiring. From resume screening to initial outreach, AI tools can streamline administrative tasks, reduce time-to-hire, and even help predict candidate success using advanced data models. 

As AI becomes more embedded in recruiting processes, it is critical to remain intentional about maintaining human-centered and equitable hiring practices. While automation can reduce certain biases, it can also reinforce historical inequities if not designed and implemented thoughtfully. As the panelists emphasized, biased inputs lead to biased outcomes. When utilizing AI, organizations should: 

  • Limit AI tools to only relevant candidate information 
  • Exclude data markers tied to race, gender, or age 
  • Focus prompts on behaviors and measurable outcomes—not vague traits like “culture fit” 

Events like Future Fest, Hopkins’ largest recruiting fair of the year, offer a valuable counterbalance to AI-driven hiring. Our fairs provide opportunities to meet candidates face-to-face, network with diverse student leaders, and conduct “Fast Track Chats” which can serve as screening interviews. For students juggling heavy course loads and demanding extracurriculars, in-person events like these offer a more equitable way to connect with multiple employers in one setting. 

Even as AI continues to be the future, your recruiting strategy can remain intentional and aligned with your values through participation Industry In-Person Fairs. We hope you’ll join us. 

Go Hop!

Jess Dress
Director of Employer Engagement @ Life Design Lab
Jharlee2@jhu.edu  

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Events Coming Up…

What We’ve Been Celebrating

  • A strong start for the first-ever Doctoral Life Design Studio Employer Expo! With 15 organizations across 11 industries, the event helped 65% of attendees discover new career paths — and 75% made connections they plan to apply to. A big step forward in strengthening the JHU talent pipeline.
  • SAIS students explored tech and energy careers in the Bay Area during the 2025 Tech & Energy Career Trek. With site visits to top employers like Apple, Google, and Tesla, plus a fireside chat with alumni, the week offered hands-on insights and meaningful networking across the industry.

Warmly,
Alia

Alia Poonawala
Executive Director @ Hire Hopkins
Connect with me on LinkedIn | hirehopkins@jhu.edu

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