AI Recruitment Workflow with n8n – From CV Overload to Clear Hiring Decisions

Weekdays shouldn’t feel like a marathon through a pile of resumes—but for most HR teams, they do. Your inbox overflows with 50 new job applications, each CV demanding careful review, data extraction, and evaluation against your job requirements. By Thursday, you’re exhausted, and your other HR responsibilities are still waiting.

The reality is, endless administrative tasks are slowing you down. Sorting, scanning, and scoring candidates manually not only eats up your time but also risks inconsistency and human error. Valuable hours that could be spent building your team, improving processes, or connecting with top talent slip away.

This is where automation changes the game. With this n8n workflow, CVs are processed instantly: relevant details are extracted, candidates are evaluated against your criteria, and clear, objective scores are delivered. You save time, reduce bias, and can finally focus on the people, not the paperwork.

What You'll Need Before Getting Started

Before diving into this automated hiring machine, make sure you have these prerequisites ready:

• n8n Platform Access: Either cloud version or self-hosted instance
• OpenAI API Key: For the GPT-4.1 model that powers the intelligent analysis
• Google Drive API: To store and organize incoming CVs automatically
• Google Sheets API: For maintaining your candidate database and tracking

The beauty of this setup is that once configured, it runs completely hands-free. No manual interventions, no forgotten applications, no inconsistent evaluations.

Key Components That Make the Magic Happen

This workflow leverages several powerful n8n nodes working in perfect harmony:

• Form Trigger: Creates a professional application portal
• File Extraction: Converts PDF CVs into readable text
• Information Extractor: Uses AI to pull specific data points
• Summarization Chain: Creates concise candidate profiles
• LLM Chain: Acts as your AI HR expert for evaluations
• Google Drive & Sheets: Handles storage and data management

Step 1: Create Your Smart Application Gateway

The workflow starts with a form trigger that does more than just collect information. It creates a professional application experience with three essential fields: candidate name, email address, and CV upload (PDF only). This isn't just about data collection; it's about setting professional standards from the first interaction.

The form validation ensures you only receive complete applications with proper file formats. No more chasing candidates for missing information or dealing with incompatible file types that crash your system.

Step 2: Dual-Track Information Extraction

Here's where the workflow gets really clever. Instead of processing everything sequentially, it splits into two parallel tracks for maximum efficiency:

Personal Data Track extracts contact information including phone number, city, and birthdate. Meanwhile, the Qualifications Track focuses on the meaty stuff: educational background, work history, and technical skills.

Both tracks use structured prompts to ensure consistent data extraction. The AI knows exactly what to look for and how to format the results, eliminating the guesswork that plague manual reviews.

Step 3: Smart CV Storage and Organization

While the AI is busy extracting information, the workflow simultaneously uploads each CV to Google Drive with intelligent naming conventions. Files get labeled with timestamps and original filenames, making future reference effortless.

This isn't just about storage; it's about creating a searchable, organized library of all applications that your team can access whenever needed.

Step 4: AI-Powered Candidate Evaluation

This is where the workflow truly shines. After merging all extracted data, the system creates a concise 100-word candidate summary. But it doesn't stop there.

The AI HR expert compares each candidate against your predefined job requirements (in this case, a web agency seeking full-stack developers with PHP, Python, and JavaScript skills in Northern Italy). Every candidate receives a score from 1 to 10 with detailed reasoning explaining the evaluation.

The system doesn't just score; it explains its reasoning, giving you insights into why a candidate might be perfect for the role or where they might fall short.

Step 5: Comprehensive Data Management

The final step populates a Google Sheets database with everything: submission date, contact details, qualifications, skills, summary, score, and evaluation reasoning. This creates a comprehensive candidate pipeline that your entire team can access and analyze.

No more scattered emails, lost CVs, or inconsistent evaluation criteria. Everything lives in one organized, searchable location.

Real-World Benefits That Transform Your Hiring

This workflow solves multiple pain points that plague modern recruitment:

• Speed: Process applications in minutes, not hours
• Consistency: Every candidate gets evaluated using the same criteria
• Organization: No more lost applications or scattered data
• Objectivity: Remove unconscious bias from initial screenings
• Scalability: Handle 5 applications or 500 with equal ease

Beyond Basic Screening: Advanced Use Cases

While designed for developer recruitment, this workflow adapts to virtually any role. Marketing agencies can screen for creative skills and campaign experience. Financial firms can evaluate analytical backgrounds and compliance knowledge. Healthcare organizations can assess clinical experience and certifications.

The modular design means you can easily adjust evaluation criteria, add new data extraction fields, or integrate additional assessment tools. Want to include personality assessments? Add a node. Need technical skill verification? Integrate with coding challenge platforms.

Your Next Steps to Automated Hiring Success

Ready to revolutionize your recruitment process? This n8n workflow represents more than just automation; it's a complete paradigm shift toward intelligent, efficient hiring.

Start by setting up your API connections and customizing the job requirements to match your specific needs. Test the workflow with a few sample CVs to ensure everything works smoothly. Then watch as your hiring process transforms from chaotic manual work into a streamlined, professional operation.

The best part? Once it's running, you can focus on what really matters: having meaningful conversations with the top candidates the system identifies for you. Because at the end of the day, great hiring isn't about processing more applications faster; it's about finding the right people and giving them the attention they deserve.