Enhancing recruitment process for early-graduate employees in business consulting: A BPMN case study with AI-driven To-Be solution

In a world increasingly driven by Industry 5.0 and the forces of globalization, employee volatility is on the rise, creating a pressing need for efficient recruitment processes that can identify the right talent for ever-evolving roles. This study focuses on improving the recruitment process for recent graduates by integrating Artificial Intelligence to enhance efficiency. The research addresses the question: “How can the integration of AI tools transform the recruitment process from its current state (“AS-IS”) to an enhanced Industry 5.0 future state (“TO-BE”)?”. To explore this, the study involved direct observation at a Portuguese office of a consultancy that is one of the largest multinational firms offering consulting services. It also included informal discussions with the human resources teams and a review of existing literature. The current recruitment process was mapped by using BPMN 2.0, followed by the design of an ideal future process, an AI-driven model. The results highlight how AI can streamline recruitment tasks, improve candidate selection, and enable more data-driven decisions, providing insights into the future of recruitment in an increasingly digital world.