15 Types of Recruiting Software
There’s no shortage of recruiting software solutions out there to help organizations hire better talent more efficiently.
Here I outline all the different types of recruiting software to help you make an informed decision.
What is Recruiting Software?
Recruiting/recruitment software is a type of HR software designed to facilitate and streamline the recruitment and hiring process for organizations. The primary goal of recruiting software is to help the organization achieve its goals by making the hiring process more efficient, effective, and scalable.
Benefits of Using Recruiting Software
Recruitment software helps organizations attract and hire the right talent more efficiently. Specific recruitment software benefits include:
- Efficiency: Automates repetitive and time-sensitive tasks to streamline the hiring process.
- Improved candidate experience: Helps improve communication and application processes for candidates.
- Enhanced collaboration: Allows multiple team members to collaborate on candidate evaluations, share feedback, and make collective decisions more efficiently.
- Data-driven decisions: Collects data and helps represent it in a useful manner to optimize recruitment strategies.
- Scalability: Be able to more easily handle varying recruitment volumes and high-volume recruiting.
- Compliance: In-built tools help ensure adherence to legal requirements.
- Cost Savings: Reduces hiring costs through automation and efficiency.
15 Types of Recruitment Software
Recruiting software comes in many different flavors and can be either a standalone tool or a feature of another application such as an HRMS.
There's also the option of native or cloud-based recruiting software.
Here are the different types of recruiting software:
1. ATS (Application Tracking System)
ATSs are the undisputed champions of recruiting software. Fundamentally, they act as central candidate databases with tools to receive applications and manage candidates through the process.
They can also help with creating and posting job ads and careers pages and use automation to communicate with candidates and schedule interviews.
For more, check out our article on applicant tracking system features and best applicant tracking systems.
2. Staffing software
Staffing software is a specialized tool designed to assist staffing agencies and HR departments in efficiently managing the recruitment and placement of employees. It streamlines processes such as job posting, candidate sourcing, screening, interviewing, and onboarding.
Key features of staffing software include automated job posting and candidate sourcing, efficient resume screening and applicant tracking, streamlined interview scheduling, integrated payroll and billing systems, compliance management with labor laws, robust reporting and analytics, and effective communication tools for interaction with candidates and clients.
For more, check out our choice of the best staffing software.
3. Recruiting CRM software
Recruiting CRM (candidate relationship management) software is used by recruiters to manage and nurture relationships with potential candidates. It helps in organizing and tracking interactions with candidates, building talent pools, and engaging with passive job seekers.
By leveraging CRM software, organizations can maintain ongoing communication with potential hires, personalize candidate experiences, and enhance their employer brand.
For more, check out our shortlist of the best recruiting CRM software.
4. Recruitment automation software
Recruitment automation software uses advanced algorithms and AI to streamline repetitive tasks such as resume screening, interview scheduling, and candidate follow-ups.
This software reduces the time spent on manual processes and helps recruiters focus on high-value activities like engaging with top candidates. It also provides data insights to improve hiring decisions and enhance the candidate experience.
For more, check out our list of the best recruitment automation software.
5. Recruitment analytics software
Recruitment analytics software helps organizations to analyze and improve the hiring process.
HR professionals and recruitment teams use these tools to gain insights into their recruitment strategies and make data-driven decisions. The software assists in identifying trends, measuring the effectiveness of recruitment channels, and optimizing the hiring lifecycle.
Recruitment analytics software comprises data collection, analysis algorithms, and reporting tools (normally recruiting dashboards).
It collects data from various stages of the recruitment process, applies analytical techniques to interpret this data, and provides actionable reports that help make informed recruitment decisions.
For more, check out our shortlist of the best recruiting analytics software.
6. Recruitment marketing software
Recruitment marketing software helps organizations attract and engage potential candidates by promoting their employer brand and job openings.
The software helps create and manage job advertisements, track recruitment marketing campaign effectiveness, and build talent pools, ultimately enhancing the organization's ability to attract top talent.
For more, check out our shortlist of the best recruitment marketing software.
7. Candidate assessment tools
Candidate assessment tools are used by hiring teams to evaluate a candidate’s skills, abilities, and personality.
These tools include various tests, such as cognitive ability tests, personality assessments, technical skills evaluations, and situational judgment tests.
They help employers make more informed hiring decisions by providing objective recruitment data on a candidate's suitability for a specific role.
For more, check out our pick of the best candidate assessment tools.
8. Video interviewing software
Video interviewing software is a tool that allows employers and recruiters to conduct interviews with candidates remotely using video technology.
The software enables live interviews or pre-recorded responses to set questions, making it convenient for both parties, especially when distance or scheduling conflicts are issues.
It also allows for recording and sharing interviews with other team members, facilitating a more collaborative hiring process.
For more, check out our pick of the best video interviewing software.
9. Candidate sourcing tools
Candidate sourcing tools are used by recruiters to identify, attract, and engage potential job candidates.
These tools streamline the process of finding talent by automating searches, managing candidate information, and using AI to suggest the best fit for open positions.
For more, see our pick of the best candidate sourcing tools.
10. AI recruiting tools
AI recruiting software is any tool that uses artificial intelligence to enhance various aspects of the recruitment process.
They can automate tasks like resume screening, candidate sourcing, and communication, and use algorithms to match candidates with job requirements more effectively. This software can also assist in analyzing data to provide insights into hiring trends and candidate behavior.
Their capabilities can extend to predictive analytics for assessing candidate fit and future performance.
For more, see our shortlist of the best AI recruiting software.
11. Interview scheduling tools
Interview scheduling tools help streamline the process of arranging interviews between recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates.
These tools facilitate scheduling by offering features like calendar integration, automatic time slot suggestions, and reminders.
They can also coordinate multiple participants and handle rescheduling, making the interview process more efficient and reducing the likelihood of scheduling conflicts.
For more, check out our pick of the best interview scheduling tools.
12. Background check software
Background check software is used by employers to verify the credentials, history, and background of job candidates.
This software automates the process of checking criminal records, employment history, education, credit reports, and other relevant information to ensure that candidates meet the organization's standards and legal requirements.
By streamlining and enhancing the accuracy of background checks, this software helps organizations make more informed hiring decisions and maintain workplace safety and compliance.
For more, see our shortlist of the best background check software.
13. Job board software
Job board software helps organizations to create, manage, and operate online job boards where employers can post job openings and job seekers can search for and apply for jobs.
This software typically includes features for job posting, resume database access, candidate management, and search engine optimization to attract more applicants.
It helps streamline the recruitment process by providing a centralized platform for connecting employers with potential candidates.
For more, check out our shortlist of the best job board software.
14. Employee referral software
Employee referral software is designed to streamline and manage employee referral programs.
It allows employees to refer potential candidates for job openings easily and tracks the referral process from submission to hiring.
This software often includes features such as automated communication, reward tracking, and integration with other recruiting software to make the referral process efficient and effective, ultimately helping companies leverage their existing workforce to find and hire top talent.
For more, see our shortlist of the best employee referral software.
15. Reference check software
Reference check software automates the process of gathering and verifying references for job candidates. It facilitates collecting feedback from a candidate's previous employers, colleagues, or other references by sending out standardized questionnaires or surveys.
This software helps streamline the reference-checking process, ensuring consistency, reducing time and effort, and providing valuable insights into a candidate's past performance and suitability for a role.
For more, see our pick of the best reference check software.
16. Recruiting database software
Recruiting database software stores candidates in talent pools for open roles or future positions. Recruiters can use them to search for qualified candidates based on their experience, skill sets, location, and more.
For more, see our pick of the best recruitment database software.
Finding the Right Fit for Your Business Size
It’s important to remember that within each category of recruiting software, solutions exist that are tailored to businesses of different sizes, from small startups to large enterprises.
This flexibility ensures that every company can find a tool that fits their unique needs.
- Small Businesses: Recruiting software for small businesses are designed with simplicity and budget in mind. They focus on core features like job posting, candidate tracking, and basic analytics, offering small teams an efficient and affordable way to manage their hiring process without overwhelming them with unnecessary complexity.
- Midsize Businesses: As companies grow, so do their hiring needs. Mid-tier recruiting solutions provide more advanced features such as team collaboration, deeper integration with HR tools, and stronger reporting capabilities. These systems help growing companies scale their recruitment efforts while maintaining efficiency and consistency.
- Enterprise Organizations: Larger organizations often have more sophisticated needs such as higher volumes of applications across numerous locations and teams which are better managed by enterprise-level recruitment software. These systems offer extensive customization options, global compliance management, and advanced analytics to meet the needs of departments across multiple locations and business units.
Choosing recruiting software that matches your business size is key to ensuring a smooth and scalable hiring process. For more guidance on how the pricing works, check our guide to recruitment software pricing.
Whether you’re just starting out or managing recruitment on a global scale, there’s a solution that fits your unique requirements and helps you attract and hire top talent.
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