Why AI Interviews Can’t Replace Human Judgement in Hiring PAs and EAs

Unfortunately, this is what recruitment is starting to look like.

In a rush to be “efficient”, too many companies, and increasingly recruitment agencies, are shortcutting the process - using AI interviews, pre-recorded video assessments, and even bypassing meeting their candidates or clients face-to-face. But while cutting corners in recruitment might save a few hours and pounds upfront, it comes with a much bigger bill down the line - in mis-hires, missed talent, and a cultural mis-match which can have serious repercussions to a company’s success ... and stability.

At Knightsbridge Recruitment, we’ve never believed in shortcutting excellence. We’re don’t ping a few CVs over to our clients after a two minute phone call with a new candidate and hope for the best. We invest the time in meeting every single candidate – properly – and every client too. Because when it comes to placing exceptional Personal Assistants (PAs) and Executive Assistants (EAs), nuance matters. And no AI or automated process can replicate the intuition and expertise of a human being who really knows what they are looking for.

AI interviews are now being sold as the future of recruitment. Video submissions, personality algorithms, and voice analysis software are all promising to deliver better hires, faster. But for us, and for the world of PAs, EAs, and high-end support staff, it’s a solution that completely misses the point.

Because placing an exceptional PA or EA isn’t a transactional exercise. It’s personal, it’s instinctive, and it’s nuanced. The success of a PA or EA depends on chemistry – it’s the special connection between them and their Boss or their Team that allows the working relationship to thrive. No software or algorithm can measure that. How indispensable a PA or EA is, shouldn’t be measured by how they answer a set of standard questions. It’s how they manage pressure, how they read a room, how they understand what their principal needs before it’s been said and their instinct and attitude to get ‘stuck in’.

Additionally, the candidates who rise to the top of these ‘systems’ tend to be the ones who interview well on camera, not necessarily the ones who can handle the intensity and pace of a high-level EA or PA role. They tick the digital boxes but they don’t always bring the sharp instincts or adaptability and flexibility that every EA or PA needs.

And the irony is, the very candidates you want to hire – the experienced, emotionally intelligent, thoughtful EAs and PAs – are often put off by AI-led hiring processes. They don’t want to record answers to scripted questions. They want to have a proper human conversation. They want to understand the Team they’re joining, the Director they’ll be supporting, the environment they’ll be navigating. In short, they want to be treated like humans, not data.

It’s not that we’re anti-technology. But technology should support good recruitment, not replace it. It can handle admin and speed up background checks. But it should never replace face-to-face human judgement - the kind that our consultants apply every single day.

Knightsbridge Recruitment does things differently – deliberately and with conviction. While others are leaning into automation, streamlining, and shortcuts, we are doubling down on our human insight. We prioritise meeting every candidate we represent – properly, and in person – whether they are looking for a permanent position or a one-day temp role.

When we meet a PA or EA, we are paying attention to how they listen, how they carry themselves, how they manage pressure. We’re looking for poise, emotional intelligence, and that blend of professionalism and instinct that is required to support a high-level Executive.  You only recognise these things when you’ve taken the time to properly look.

And we do take the time – because we’re not AI or bots. Our consultants are experienced, knowledgeable, emotionally intelligent professionals. They know what excellence looks like, and they know how to spot it – even when it doesn’t announce itself. We know when someone is saying all the right things but doesn’t mean them. We know when someone is quietly brilliant but too modest to sell themselves. And we know when someone is technically perfect – but completely wrong for your team.

That’s why our approach works. It’s why our clients trust us. And it’s how we achieve a 98% success rate – through care, judgement, and the kind of intelligent attention to detail that simply cannot be automated.

At Knightsbridge Recruitment, we make it a priority to meet every client in person, and whenever possible, to visit their offices too. Because to place an exceptional PA or EA, we need to understand the full picture. The working environment and culture. The feel of the office. The pace, the personalities, the tone of communication – all the subtle elements that influence whether a candidate is the right fit for a particular company.

We want to get a sense of the principal, how they work, what they value, where the pressure falls in their day. Those details really matter, and they help us to make placements that genuinely make a difference.

Great recruitment is about playing the long game – building trust and getting it right the first time. That’s why our clients come back to us year after year. They know we put in the hard work upfront – meeting our candidates, understanding every brief, asking the right and sometimes difficult questions - so they don’t find themselves paying for it later with a mis-hire or a poor fit.

Our candidates trust us, too. Because we take the time to listen, we understand their ambitions, and we don’t waste their time with roles that aren’t right for them. That’s why we attract and retain the best PAs and EAs in the market. Because they know we take them seriously. And when you treat people with that level of care and respect, the results quite simply speak for themselves.