Talent Summit insights: How CodeSignal uses AI to reimagine skills assessment

At Gem's Talent Summit, Katie Fairbank from CodeSignal shared insights into how AI can transform the skills assessment process, demonstrating real solutions recruiting teams can implement today.

The challenge: Mass applications meet resource constraints

CodeSignal's hiring experience illustrates a challenge many talent acquisition teams face today. When hiring for customer success manager roles, critical customer-facing positions requiring genuine skills beyond resume polish, they encountered a familiar problem.

This scenario reflects broader market dynamics where TA teams handle significantly more applications while working with constrained resources — a perfect storm that demands innovative solutions.

Three pillars of AI integration

Rather than overwhelming teams with complex AI implementations, CodeSignal focuses on three practical opportunities for AI integration:

1. Automate key process steps - Remove manual clicks and tasks so recruiters can focus on human-centered activities

2. Scale analysis capabilities - Deliver stronger insights to help teams make better, faster decisions

3. AI as a thought partner - Provide brainstorming support and practice opportunities

Skills-first assessment

CodeSignal's approach to hiring its customer success manager demonstrates these principles. Instead of traditional resume screening, they integrated skills assessment directly into their workflow through Gem's platform.

The process works seamlessly. Recruiters can select multiple candidates in Gem and send them CodeSignal skills assessments with a bulk action. However, the real innovation lies in the assessment design itself.

Realistic job simulations

For customer success roles, CodeSignal created a three-part assessment that mirrors actual job responsibilities:

1. Written response to a customer support email

2. Live conversation with an AI-powered "difficult customer" 

3. Internal communication task to relay customer feedback to product teams

The live conversation component is particularly innovative. Candidates engage with an AI customer who responds dynamically, not from a script, creating realistic pressure and allowing authentic skill demonstration.

Expanding interview excellence

Beyond candidate assessment, CodeSignal leverages AI to improve interviewer performance through realistic practice scenarios. Their AI tutor "Cosmo" provides targeted feedback on interview techniques, helping organizations scale interviewer training without requiring extensive recruiter time for shadowing and coaching.

This approach addresses a critical but often overlooked aspect of hiring quality: ensuring interviewers have the skills to evaluate candidates and accurately provide positive candidate experiences.

Key benefits for recruiting teams

The integration delivers measurable advantages:

• Automated skills validation early in the process reduces time spent on unqualified candidates

• Objective scoring based on talent science best practices eliminates subjective bias

• Consolidated reporting provides clear insights without requiring deep analysis from recruiters

• Seamless workflow keeps all information within the existing ATS environment

Practical AI adoption for long-term success

CodeSignal's approach offers a blueprint for organizations wondering where to start with AI in recruiting. They demonstrate how targeted automation and enhanced analysis can deliver immediate value while building toward more sophisticated implementations.

For recruiting teams feeling overwhelmed by AI possibilities, CodeSignal's partnership with Gem shows how integrated solutions can make advanced capabilities accessible and immediately actionable within existing workflows.