Introduction: Solving a Recruitment Bottleneck
The Motley Fool, a leading financial services company known for providing investment guidance to millions, is no stranger to hiring challenges. With a strong reputation and a wide reach, the company attracts hundreds of applicants for each open position. But as Sarah Donovan, Contract Workforce Recruiter, and Constance Gabriel, Senior People Partner, knew all too well, quantity doesn’t always equal quality.
“We were spending so much time sifting through fake or unqualified applicants,” Sarah explained. “Our job is already hard enough. We don’t need to be social media sleuthing for candidate legitimacy; we need to focus on finding the right fit.”
The Motley Fool’s recruitment process was bogged down with manual tasks: reviewing resumes, verifying legitimacy, stack ranking candidates, and scheduling interviews. Each new hire represented weeks of work, leaving the talent acquisition team overwhelmed.
The team needed a solution—and fast. That’s where Braintrust AIR entered the picture.
The Challenge: Noise at the Top of the Funnel
The Motley Fool faced significant challenges in their hiring process:
- High Applicant Volume: Hundreds of applications for every position, many of which were fake.
- Manual Screening: Hours spent verifying LinkedIn profiles and resumes for legitimacy.
- Disconnected Process: Lack of alignment between interview rounds, with each stage starting anew.
“We were drowning in noise," Constance shared. "We knew AI could help, but it had to be the right tool. That’s why we embarked on a comprehensive review of over 30 AI recruiting tools."
The Motley Fool had a long-standing relationship with Braintrust and decided to give Braintrust AIR a try.
The Braintrust AIR Solution: Human AI
What set Braintrust AIR apart from other solutions? According to Sarah and Constance, it was a combination of cutting-edge technology and a highly collaborative approach:
"The Braintrust team listens to recruiters’ needs," Constance explained. "We feel like part of the team and have a hand in building the perfect tool."
Unlike competitors, Braintrust AIR offered The Motley Fool a free pilot to prove its value. They started with one role; a Senior Software Developer position, where they were staring down a tunnel of 455+ applications.
They handed the role over to Braintrust AIR just before the Thanksgiving break. Sarah and Constance enjoyed time with their families, and returned to a reduced pool of 17 highly qualified candidates, stack ranked, with zero human intervention. This is a savings of approximately 45 human hours.
Best of all, they found their perfect candidate in record time, going from posting to offer accepted in 18 business days.
"We piloted the tool for about a month and made a hire. Right there, we had ROI," Sarah said. "When I had to manually reject 450 candidates for another role, I went straight to my manager and asked to please use Braintrust AIR. Within a week, we filled the position."
The Results: Faster, Better, Cheaper Hiring
The Motley Fool’s experience with Braintrust AIR delivered results across several key areas:
Faster Screening and Enhanced Efficiency
Braintrust AIR reduced the time to hire by 7X, cutting the process from 21 days to just 3 days for initial screenings.
- 57% of candidates completed interviews within 48 hours of receiving an invite.
- 33% of candidates interviewed outside of traditional working hours.
Cost Savings
By saving 45 recruiter hours on a single role, The Motley Fool cut costs by approximately $3,412.50. Over 10 roles, this translates to $34,125 in savings, alongside significant reductions in recruiter burnout.
Improved Candidate Quality
"Braintrust AIR doesn’t just save time; it’s finding us the caliber of candidates we need," Sarah said. "The people we hired were buried in a sea of hundreds of fake applicants. We might have never found them without Braintrust AIR."
The Impact: Alignment and Positive Feedback
Braintrust AIR didn’t just streamline processes; it improved alignment between recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates.
"Phase 1 of the value is weeding out unqualified candidates. Phase 2 is alignment,” Constance explained. "We’re all on the same page because we watch the same candidate videos. It’s made the process so much easier."
Hiring managers praised the reduced workload and appreciated the ability to refer back to recorded interviews for alignment. Candidates, too, responded positively:
"It was really a seamless process," one candidate shared.
Constance summarized it best: "I started out thinking it was just a cool time-saver for vetting fake candidates. Now I see it as a tool that aligns our team and helps us make better hires."
Conclusion: Braintrust AIR’s Transformative Power
The Motley Fool’s partnership with Braintrust AIR has fundamentally changed how they approach tech hiring. By cutting through the noise, automating manual processes, and delivering top-tier candidates quickly, Braintrust AIR helped The Motley Fool start 2025 on a strong note.
"With Braintrust AIR, we’re not just saving time and money; we’re hiring the right people faster," Sarah said. "It’s hard to deny that the tool is working."
For companies looking to scale their teams efficiently, Braintrust AIR offers an unmatched combination of speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness.
Ready to revolutionize your hiring process? Contact Braintrust today to learn more about AIR.