Zoho Recruit Hiring Software Review for 2024
Zoho Recruit separates itself from competing applicant tracking systems with its seamless integration into the Zoho software ecosystem and highly customizable tools at an affordable price point.
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In this review, I'm going to share my analysis and evaluation of my hands-on experience with Zoho Recruit. But first, if you're just beginning your search for the best recruiting software, check out my picks of the best recruiting software.
You probably already know Zoho Recruit is among the most popular recruiting software, but you need to understand better what's good and not so good about it. This in-depth Zoho Recruit review will walk you through the pros and cons, features, and functionality, to help guide you better to understand its capabilities and suitability for your scenario.
Summary: Zoho Recruit
Zoho Recruit is a cloud-based applicant tracking system and recruiting software that helps companies automate and manage their hiring process. It’s commonly used by industries and businesses of all sizes to efficiently source, engage, and hire top talent.
Zoho Recruit addresses common pain points like manual data entry, disorganized applicant information, inefficient communication, and lack of visibility. Its best features are job postings on multiple boards, candidate sourcing, applicant tracking, interview scheduling, customizable workflows, team collaboration tools, and analytics.
Zoho Recruit Pros
- Customization: Zoho Recruit offers extensive customization options to tailor the software to your recruiting needs and workflows.
- Automation: The software includes automated email and SMS notifications, candidate screening, and task assignments to save time on manual processes.
- Reporting: Zoho Recruit provides detailed reports and analytics on key recruiting metrics to track and improve hiring performance.
Zoho Recruit Cons
- Limited templates: The software has a limited selection of built-in job descriptions and email templates compared to some competitors.
- Dated interface: Zoho Recruit's user interface is less modern and intuitive than other leading recruitment tools.
- Learning curve: The extensive features and customization options can require more time for users to learn the system.
Zoho Recruit Expert Opinion
In my opinion, Zoho Recruit is a solid choice for small to mid-sized companies looking for an affordable, user-friendly option with a strong feature set. The intuitive interface makes it easy to learn and navigate, while the mobile app allows recruiters to stay productive on the go.
Although Zoho Recruit handles core recruiting tasks well, it may not have all the advanced features that large corporate HR teams need, such as in-depth data analytics and report generation. Additionally, the software’s integrations with third-party software are limited outside of Zoho Suite.
As such, Zoho Recruit is best suited for businesses with straightforward hiring workflows and limited budgets. With its remote tools, customizable services, and its relatively low cost, Zoho Recruit delivers the right balance of price and performance to help teams meet their recruiting needs.
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Are You A Good Fit For Zoho Recruit?
Who Would Be a Good Fit for Zoho Recruit?
Zoho Recruit is a good fit for small and mid-sized companies that need a low-cost applicant tracking system with basic features. It's especially well-suited for companies already using other Zoho products, as it integrates seamlessly with their CRM, projects, and other business apps. Zoho Recruit has an intuitive interface and covers the core ATS functionality well, making it ideal for companies that don't need advanced recruiting features and want an easy-to-use system.
Who Would Be a Bad Fit for Zoho Recruit?
Large enterprises or companies with high-volume recruiting needs would likely find Zoho Recruit too basic for their requirements. It lacks some advanced features found in enterprise ATS solutions, such as complex workflows, sourcing tools, skills assessments, and onboarding. The software's reporting features are also fairly simple compared to more advanced solutions. Additionally, companies not using other Zoho products would miss out on extended capabilities, as Zoho Recruit connects seamlessly with other Zoho software.
Best Use Cases for Zoho Recruit
- SMBs: Zoho Recruit is a good fit for small and mid-sized businesses that need an affordable, easy-to-use recruiting solution.
- Tech companies: Many IT and technology companies successfully use Zoho Recruit to hire for a variety of technical roles.
- Staffing agencies: Staffing and recruiting firms find Zoho Recruit works well to manage high-volume recruiting for multiple clients.
- Mixed roles: Companies hiring a blend of technical and non-technical positions can address their diverse hiring needs with Zoho Recruit.
- Newer recruiters: Recruitment agencies new to using an ATS often find Zoho Recruit intuitive to learn and adopt.
- Collaboration: Hiring managers and interviewers can easily provide feedback through Zoho Recruit's collaboration tools.
Worst Use Cases for Zoho Recruit
- Enterprise organizations: Some large enterprise companies may find Zoho Recruit lacks advanced features in enterprise applicant tracking systems.
- Executive search: Boutique firms filling highly specialized executive roles may need more advanced search and pipeline management tools.
- High compliance: Organizations with strict compliance requirements could require an ATS with more granular access controls and audit capabilities.
- Global hiring: Companies hiring globally in many countries may need a system that better supports regional hiring workflows and localizations.
- Candidate experience: Firms intensely focused on employer brand could want an ATS with a more modern, branded candidate portal.
- AI recruiting: Zoho Recruit offers limited AI/automation features compared to ATS leaders investing heavily in AI and machine learning.
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Zoho Recruit Evaluation Summary
- Core Functionality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Standout Features: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Ease of Use: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Onboarding: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Customer Support: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Integrations: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Customer Reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Value for Money: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review Methodology
We're a team of software experts who obsess about the features and functionality of different platforms. We know how critical—yet difficult and confusing—software selection can be. We test and score software to find the best solutions, whatever the use case may be.
Using our objective, data-driven testing methodology, we've tested 300+ software. We dedicate ourselves to being objective in fully and fairly testing software, to get beyond the marketing fluff and truly understand the platform.
We've developed robust testing scenarios to use the software in the same way you will. We leverage our own first-hand, practical experience of the tools, complemented by interviews with users, experts, and software vendors.
How We Test & Score Recruiting Software
We've spent years building, refining, and improving our software testing and scoring system for recruiting software. The rubric is designed to capture the nuances of software selection, and what makes recruiting software effective, focusing on critical aspects of the decision-making process.
Below, you can see exactly how our testing and scoring work across eight criteria. It allows us to provide an unbiased evaluation of the software based on core functionality, standout features, ease of use, onboarding, customer support, integrations, customer reviews, and value for money.
Core Functionality (20% of final scoring)
For recruiting software, the core functionality we test and evaluate are:
- Job posting: Easily create and publish job postings to multiple job boards and the company website.
- Applicant tracking: Manage and track applicants throughout the entire hiring process.
- Resume parsing: Automatically extract key information from resumes and populate applicant profiles.
- Candidate screening: Filter and screen candidates based on customizable criteria.
- Interview scheduling: Schedule and manage interviews with candidates and hiring teams.
- Reporting and analytics: Generate reports and analytics on hiring metrics and recruiting performance.
Standout Features (20% of final scoring)
We evaluate uncommon, standout features that go above and beyond the core functionality defined and typically found in recruiting software. A high score reflects specialized or unique features that make the product faster, more efficient, or offer additional value to the user.
Ease of Use (10% of final scoring)
We consider how quick and easy it is to execute the tasks defined in the core functionality using the recruiting software. High-scoring software is well designed, intuitive to use, offers mobile apps, provides templates, and makes relatively complex tasks seem simple.
Onboarding (10% of final scoring)
We know how important rapid team adoption is for a new platform, so we evaluate how easy it is to learn and use the recruiting software with minimal training. We evaluate how quickly a team member can get set up and start using the software with no experience. High-scoring software indicates little or no support is required.
Customer Support (10% of final scoring)
We review how quick and easy it is to get unstuck and find help by phone, live chat, or knowledge base. Recruiting software that provides real-time support scores best, while chatbots score worst.
Integrations (10% of final scoring)
We evaluate how easy it is to integrate with other tools typically found in the tech stack to expand the functionality and utility of the software. Recruiting software offering plentiful native integrations, 3rd party connections, and API access to build custom integrations score best.
Customer Reviews (10% of final scoring)
Beyond our own testing and evaluation, we consider the net promoter score from current and past customers. We review their likelihood, given the option, to choose the recruiting software again for the core functionality. A high-scoring software reflects a high net promoter score from current or past customers.
Value for Money (10% of final scoring)
Lastly, in consideration of all the other criteria, we review the average price of entry-level plans against the core features and consider the value of the other evaluation criteria. Software that delivers more, for less, will score higher.
Through this comprehensive approach, I aim to identify recruiting software that not only meets but exceeds expectations, ensuring teams have the tools they need to succeed.
Zoho Recruit Review
Core Recruiting Software Functionality
Candidate sourcing: Zoho Recruit offers tools to find and engage candidates across job boards, social media, and talent pools. It includes a Chrome extension that allows users to easily add prospects from LinkedIn and other sites.
Application tracking: Zoho Recruit automatically parses resumes and adds the extracted information directly into your candidate database. You can also create customizable application forms and efficiently track candidates through every stage of the hiring process.
Interview scheduling: Zoho Recruit integrates with calendar tools to easily schedule interviews. It sends automatic reminders to interviewers and candidates when your meeting is coming up to ensure streamlined modes of communication.
Hiring pipeline management: You can define your hiring stages and drag and drop candidates through the pipeline in Zoho Recruit. The platform also includes collaboration tools that allow your hiring team to leave feedback on each applicant.
Career pages: Zoho Recruit allows you to create branded career pages for your job openings. These job listings can be posted on multiple job boards, such as Indeed and Monster.
Reporting and analytics: Customizable reports and dashboards in Zoho Recruit provide insights into key hiring metrics. You can track metrics such as time-to-hire, candidate sources, and the status of your hiring pipeline.
Zoho Recruit Standout Features
Candidate self-service portal: Candidates can log in to view their application status, schedule interviews, upload documents, and complete assessments through Zoho Recruit’s candidate portal. This feature enhances the recruitment process by providing candidates with a centralized platform to manage their applications, which in turn saves time for both recruiters and candidates.
AI resume matching: Zoho Recruit uses artificial intelligence to analyze resumes and match them to job requirements. This helps surface top candidates more quickly than a manual screening process.
Ease of Use
In my opinion, Zoho Recruit is relatively intuitive and easy to use compared to most enterprise recruiting software. It features a clean and user-friendly interface that is logically organized, making it quick to learn.
While some of the advanced customization options might require a bit more effort to master, overall, the software is accessible for recruiters, hiring managers, and even candidates. The self-service portal is particularly appreciated for its role in reducing administrative work, and the platform’s workflow automation further enhances its efficiency.
Onboarding
When implementing Zoho Recruit, customers gain access to various onboarding resources, including online guides and video tutorials. The Zoho team assists with data migration and setup, although the extent of this assistance may vary depending on the plan and services selected.
While there are no specific details about a dedicated success manager being assigned to each customer, Zoho Recruit does offer customer support through various channels, including live training sessions for users who prefer hands-on learning.
Most users find the system intuitive and are able to get up and running relatively quickly, supported by Zoho’s detailed resources and customer service. Compared to some other products on the market, Zoho Recruit provides a strong onboarding experience, especially when integrated with other Zoho tools like Zoho People.
Customer Support
Zoho Recruit provides customer support through multiple channels, including email, live chat, and phone. However, the support is available 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Users generally appreciate the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team.
Additionally, Zoho offers self-service resources, including a knowledge base, how-to guides, and community forums. The software also maintains a status page to communicate any planned maintenance or unexpected downtime.
Integrations
Zoho Recruit integrates natively with Gmail, Outlook, Google Calendar, Microsoft Calendar, Slack, LinkedIn, and various Zoho tools such as Zoho CRM, Zoho People, and Zoho Books. For custom integrations, Zoho Recruit provides an open API.
Additional extensions built by Zoho and third-party developers are available through the Zoho Marketplace.
Value for Money
Zoho Recruit is one of the most affordable applicant tracking systems on the market. Most recruiting software charges between $50-$250/user/month, but Zoho Recruit's pricing plans start much lower.
- Forever Free plan: Free. Supports 1 recruiter, 1 active job, and 1 active candidate.
- Standard plan: From $25/user/month (billed annually). Includes 2 client portals and 5 candidate portal users.
- Professional plan: From $50/user/month (billed annually). Includes 10 client portal and 25 candidate portal users.
- Enterprise plan: From $75/user/month (billed annually). Includes 50 client portal and 50 candidate portal users.
Along with these plans, Zoho Recruit offers a 14-day free trial for all plans, and add-on services, from $6/license/month and $12/license/month. There are no setup or implementation fees mentioned.
Product Specifications
| Feature | Zoho Recruit |
| Applicant Tracking | ✅ |
| Resume Parsing | ✅ |
| Job Posting | ✅ |
| Candidate Management | ✅ |
| Career Page Hosting | ✅ |
| Interview Scheduling | ✅ |
| Reporting & Analytics | ✅ |
| Communication Templates | ✅ |
| Social Media Integration | ✅ |
| Background Screening | ❌ |
| Assessments | ❌ |
| Onboarding | ✅ |
| Employee Referral Management | ❌ |
| Recruiting Firms | ✅ |
| Job Description Management | ✅ |
Zoho Recruit Alternatives
If you're looking for alternative recruiting software options to Zoho Recruit, here are a few worth checking out:
- Workable: Offers more advanced features like AI-powered candidate recommendations and a wider range of integrations compared to Zoho Recruit.
- Breezy HR: Praised for its modern interface and ease of use, while still providing strong features at a lower price point than Zoho Recruit.
- Greenhouse: A more premium and customizable option geared towards mid-market and enterprise companies, with advanced reporting and structured hiring plans.
- JazzHR: Focuses on the essential features most startups and small businesses need at an affordable price, while Zoho Recruit can feel overwhelming for basic use cases.
- SmartRecruiters: A modern, highly configurable enterprise solution with a native CRM, hiring manager app, and next-level reporting and analytics.
Zoho Recruit Frequently Asked Questions
What is Zoho Recruit?
Zoho Recruit is a cloud-based applicant tracking system (ATS) and recruitment software platform. It helps companies streamline their end-to-end hiring process, from posting jobs and attracting candidates to reviewing resumes and managing interviews. Zoho Recruit provides tools for collaborating with hiring teams, communicating with candidates, and making data-driven recruiting decisions.
Is there a mobile app for Zoho Recruit?
Yes, Zoho offers a free mobile app for iOS and Android devices as a companion to the web-based Zoho Recruit platform. The mobile app allows recruiters to:
- Access and review candidate resumes and profiles
- Post new jobs and check the status of job openings
- Communicate with candidates via email or phone
- Schedule and manage interviews
- Track the hiring pipeline and candidate progress
The Zoho Recruit mobile app syncs data with the web software so your hiring information is always up to date.
Is Zoho Recruit HIPAA compliant?
Yes, Zoho Recruit is HIPAA-compliant. As a Business Associate, Zoho signs Business Associate Agreements with covered entities and adheres to the regulatory requirements for safeguarding protected health information (PHI). Zoho Recruit uses encryption, access controls, and auditing to maintain the privacy and security of candidate data following HIPAA rules.
Is Zoho Recruit SOC 2 compliant?
Yes, Zoho Recruit is SOC 2 Type II compliant. This means an independent auditor has verified that Zoho’s security practices and controls meet the SOC 2 trust services criteria for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Customers can request Zoho Recruit’s SOC 2 report for details on their information security policies and procedures.
Is Zoho Recruit secure?
Zoho employs robust security measures to protect customer data in Zoho Recruit, such as:
- 256-bit SSL encryption for data in transit
- Encryption for data at rest
- Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) mitigation
- Network intrusion detection
- Multi-factor authentication for user logins
- Detailed access logs and audit trails
Zoho Recruit’s data centers have 24/7 physical and biometric security, video surveillance, and strict access policies. They conduct regular vulnerability scans and penetration tests.
Is Zoho Recruit FedRAMP certified?
Based on my research, Zoho Recruit does not appear to be FedRAMP certified at this time, but some other Zoho products like Zoho Mail and WorkDrive have achieved FedRAMP authorization. However, the software does adhere to other security standards such as SOC 2 and HIPAA.
Is Zoho Recruit GDPR compliant?
Yes, Zoho Recruit is GDPR compliant. Concerning customer data processed within Zoho Recruit, Zoho acts as a data processor and complies with GDPR requirements such as:
- Entering into Data Processing Agreements with customers
- Providing customers tools to fulfill data subject requests
- Ensuring appropriate security for personal data processing
- Notifying customers of data breaches impacting their data
Zoho’s privacy policy and contracts also incorporate the EU Standard Contractual Clauses to ensure lawful cross-border data transfers.
Does Zoho Recruit provide data backup and recovery?
Yes, Zoho Recruit performs automated backups of customer data at a different location from the main data center. The data backup process starts around midnight and the retention period of each backup copy is 30 days. In the event of data loss, customers can contact Zoho support to request restoration from backups, after verifying their identity. Zoho Recruit’s data recovery procedures are tested regularly.
Zoho Recruit Company Overview & History
Zoho Recruit is an applicant tracking system and recruiting software solution offered by Zoho Corporation, a privately held technology company. Zoho Corporation is headquartered in Chennai, India, with additional offices in the United States, China, Japan, and various other global locations.
Founded in 1996, Zoho Corporation has grown significantly, now employing over 12,000 people and serving more than 80 million users across its extensive suite of over 55 productivity, collaboration, and business applications.
In addition to Zoho Recruit, the company offers popular products like Zoho CRM for customer relationship management, Zoho Projects for project management, Zoho Mail for email hosting, and many others.
Zoho Recruit launched in 2009 and provides tools to help companies post jobs, source candidates, screen resumes, schedule interviews, and extend offers. It integrates with Zoho's other HR software, like Zoho People for employee onboarding and management.
Zoho is a privately held company known for its bootstrapped business model, focusing on organic growth without external funding. The organization's overall annual revenue is estimated to exceed $1 billion, and it has been consistently profitable, continuing its operations without relying on outside investments.
Zoho Recruit Major Milestones
- 1996: Zoho Corporation was founded (initially called AdventNet)
- 2009: Zoho Recruit product launched
- 2017: Zoho reaches 30-40 million users across its applications
- 2019: Zoho opens new US office in Austin, Texas
- 2021: Zoho surpasses 50 million users worldwide
Want to learn more about Zoho Recruit? Check out their site for additional information.
From $25/user/month (billed annually)
15-day free trial + free plan available
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