Q: What is a prompt-a-thon and how did Zillow use it? A: A prompt-a-thon is a team-led event where recruiters list their biggest pain points and co-create prompts and workflows to address them. Zillow used prompt-a-thons to develop practical solutions—like coaching prompts for difficult manager conversations—and to surface recruiter-driven ideas that led to six new AI recruitment tools. Prompt-a-thons are a practical first step in how to adopt AI recruiting tools because they boost buy-in and produce fast, usable wins. Q: What guardrails should teams set before deploying AI recruiting tools? A: Bring in legal, IT, security, and DEI partners—Zillow called this group the “cavalry”—to assess tools, document data flows and retention, and run bias and accuracy checks. Also avoid decision-making engines, block personal identifiers from prompts and files, and train teams on safe prompt patterns and when to escalate. Q: Which recruiting tasks are ideal first targets for automation? A: Focus on repetitive, rule-based tasks such as scheduling, sourcing, interview prep, feedback summaries, and hiring-manager coaching. These tasks tend to produce quick wins and are safer for initial pilots because they assist recruiters rather than making hiring decisions. Q: How did Zillow’s AI scheduler change interview scheduling time? A: Zillow’s AI-powered interview scheduler cut coordination from more than a week to about 30 minutes, a 97% reduction. That saved recruiters roughly 450 hours per month and allowed many former coordinators to move into higher-value roles managing tools or supporting other teams. Q: How can companies ease recruiters’ fear of being replaced by AI? A: Involve recruiters in designing AI through prompt-a-thons, keep humans responsible for final decisions, and steer clear of tools that automate hiring decisions. Publish reskilling paths and redeploy staff when possible, as Zillow did by moving coordinators into program roles, executive support, and tool-admin positions. Q: What metrics should recruiting teams track to prove AI’s impact? A: Track measures like time-to-schedule, hours saved, candidate response speed, pipeline quality, and geographic reach to demonstrate value. Zillow used that set of metrics to show outcomes such as a 97% scheduling reduction and increased hires from new markets. Q: What is a simple 30-day rollout plan for testing AI recruiting tools? A: Week 1: host a 2-hour prompt-a-thon, capture top pain points, and shortlist two tools (scheduler and sourcing) with quick security reviews. Week 2 pilots the scheduler on a high-volume role and tests sourcing on select reqs, Week 3 focuses on training on prompts, privacy, and bias checks, and Week 4 publishes metrics, decides on scale, and assigns owners and reskilling paths. This 30-day plan is a practical template for how to adopt AI recruiting tools because it prioritizes visible wins and governance before scaling. Q: How can AI help expand hiring reach in a remote-first model? A: Use targeted newsletters, programmatic ads like Appcast, and LinkedIn Recruiter to drive applications and build awareness in cities where your brand is less known. Zillow credited those channels with 558 hires in 2025 through mid-December and said AI helped build reputation in new markets.