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What is recruiting software?

Recruiting software is a system that helps organizations hire qualified people in an efficient way. This is a deliberately broad definition – there are various software solutions for this same purpose that have similar functions (such as posting job ads and managing candidates) but differ in features, outlook or complexity.

Nikoletta Bika
Nikoletta Bika

Nikoletta holds an MSc in HR management and has written extensively about all things HR and recruiting.

This type of technology can include an applicant tracking system (ATS), talent acquisition software, recruitment marketing systems, and more. The term “recruiting software” can be considered an umbrella term that covers all the different versions and formats within. This list of best recruitment softwares can help you make a decision when purchasing one.

What does recruitment software do?

The hiring process has many intricate steps, from posting job ads to multiple job boards to screening hundreds of resumes to preparing and sending job offers – managing and tracking the whole process via email and spreadsheets is time-consuming and makes record-keeping or reporting difficult (if not often impossible).

That’s where recruiting software comes in; organizations can have the hiring tools they need gathered in one place, where all the necessary information is organized in a clear way. Also, good systems allow smooth collaboration among various stakeholders (i.e. hiring teams, candidates, recruiters, HR) in that centralized location, eliminating cumbersome back-and-forth emails or needless confusion.

This helps candidates, too: this type of software simplifies the job application process, makes for more informative careers pages and streamlines scheduling and communication between candidates and the company.

More specifically, organizations can use recruiting software for:

  • Automating tasks. This is a big advantage of recruitment technology. Instead of organizations and candidates spending a large amount of time on scheduling interviews, communicating or moving through the steps of the hiring process, the software will take over at least some or much of the burden. By optimizing the hiring process, recruitment software lets organizations hire faster and better.

Want to see how the Workable recruiting software optimizes and improves your hiring process? Get a demo or start a free trial.

  • Finding and attracting candidates. Many hiring software solutions have features to help organizations attract candidates (e.g. job posting or careers pages). For example, Workable, as a talent acquisition software, offers a robust tool to source elusive talent.
  • Evaluating candidates. Some recruiting systems integrate with video interview and assessment providers, and they also have built-in interview questions and scorecards – all of which help great candidates shine and organizations choose the best among them.
  • Reporting. Accurate hiring reports can be generated directly from recruiting software. That way, organizations can see what works and what doesn’t in the way they hire. Some systems have basic reports, while others offer more complex reporting.
  • Powering up recruitment. Most systems have carefully selected integrations that improve the hiring process. Apart from those that help with evaluating candidates as mentioned above, organizations can use software integrations with job boards (for easy job posting and perhaps discounts), background check providers, HRIS systems and more.

Generally, software for recruiting aims to make life easier for hiring teams and offer a better experience to candidates. Beyond that overarching purpose, each recruitment software provider will have a different way to cover the recruiting needs of organizations.

If you like this “what is recruitment software” definition, check out our ATS definition and our other HR terms.

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