Albania 
Czech Republic 
Deutschland 
Greece 
Ireland 
Italy 
Luxembourg 
Netherlands 
Portugal 
Romania 
Spain 
United Kingdom 
Asia-Pac Middle East 
Turkey 
DR Congo 
Egypt 
Ghana 
Kenya 
Lesotho 
Mozambique 
Nigeria 
South Africa 
Tanzania 29th September 2025
How our AI in Hiring Project is helping candidates and hiring managers to be at their best
Our internal and external research tells us that candidates increasingly see AI as a good way to prepare, save time, and perform at their best. It also gives them a more positive impression of organisations, seeing those with clear AI principles and guidelines as more progressive. Therefore, we realised how valuable developing a framework with clear principles and guidance on AI usage in recruitment at Vodafone would be.
With this project, we’re giving candidates confidence to use AI when applying for roles with us, while ensuring that fairness and human judgement remain central to hiring. We believe that by encouraging this balanced approach, we will enhance the recruitment experience for both candidates and hiring managers, and foster trust and efficiency.
AI is becoming more frequently used within hiring processes, but at Vodafone, we value authenticity, integrity and fairness, so it’s important to remind candidates that we aren’t looking for the perfect AI generated CV or interview answer, but instead are looking for potential, passion and real people. Creating a space on our careers site to provide clear guidance and top tips, allows us to demonstrate to candidates how they can use AI to support them, and not speak for them.
Working with such a talented group of Graduates made this project even more enjoyable and I’m always in awe of the passion and enthusiasm of our fantastic early careers talent – I'm proud of what we have achieved all together.
- Sian
Working with such a talented group of Graduates made this project even more enjoyable and I’m always in awe of the passion and enthusiasm of our fantastic early careers talent – I'm proud of what we have achieved all together.
- Sian
As a graduate, it's rare to find opportunities to lead a project and create something entirely from scratch. I really enjoyed it. We started only with a vague idea of what we wanted to achieve but no clear plan. Then, through ongoing discussions and thorough research, we transformed our initial concept into a clear and structured project.
I conducted comprehensive research, from industry insights and competitor practices to exploring candidates' perceptions of AI: how they feel about using it in applications, and their views on organisations' use of AI in hiring processes. This informed the team's understanding of the current landscape and helped shape the project's direction and outcomes.
I also played a key role in developing video guides that empower candidates with the practical knowledge and confidence to use AI throughout their application journey. This included designing content structure, scriptwriting, and ensuring the guides addressed common questions and challenges.
One of the most exciting parts of the project has been witnessing the far-reaching impact of our project. It has been rewarding to see our work deliver value both within and beyond the company. We’re helping candidates present their best selves while maintaining authenticity, and giving hiring managers and recruiters the confidence and tools to incorporate AI effectively in their day-to-day roles. Above all, we’re ensuring AI is used consistently and fairly across the recruitment process, and reassuring candidates that it’s being utilised transparently and ethically.
I started out by gathering research into the effects of rising AI usage in Talent Acquisition functions. Then we brainstormed what we can do to encourage candidates to use AI in the best, most responsible way. After that, I spoke to other organisations to sense-check what their stances and actions were on this topic.
Once that was complete, I created a brand new page on our careers site called the Candidate Preparation Hub. This is a one-stop-shop for candidates for clear guidance on where AI is going to help them be their best and where it won’t and should not be used. There are tips for preparing for each stage of the recruitment process, including where and how to use AI effectively (e.g. practising interviews, collating research on a company) and writing effective prompts.
I think the most enjoyable part of this project has been showcasing the work that we have done to leaders across the organisation and seeing a real spark of interest and engagement from them. It really shows us how important and unique this project has been.
I have also loved collaborating with my project group and sharing creative ideas throughout it all, and putting candidates and hiring managers at the heart of the project.
I took this on as a stretch project during my graduate scheme. Everyone I worked with was incredibly supportive and welcoming, which made the experience both productive and enjoyable. I also loved stepping outside my day-to-day role to work on something that had a real impact on the company as a whole.
My primary focus was developing an AI Hiring Manager Agent - a chatbot designed to streamline the creation of recruitment materials. Through a simple conversational interface, hiring managers can generate a full suite of on-brand resources within minutes including job descriptions and adverts, LinkedIn posts, interview guides, and assessment exercises. Managers can spend more time interviewing and engaging with top talent, it promotes more candidate-friendly hiring, and it helps Vodafone reach strong candidates sooner and make better-informed decisions.
The tool has received highly positive feedback from hiring managers and key stakeholders and showed a steady increase in adoption across the business.
The combination of building meaningful connections, gaining new capabilities, and contributing to an innovative initiative that benefits Vodafone globally made this project truly rewarding.
