Recruitment platforms manage all stages of the recruiting process, from initial candidate sourcing to onboarding new employees. These platforms automate talent tasks, including posting jobs, social recruiting, parsing and managing resumes, and tracking application statuses. While other recruiting software may do one or two tasks, the all-inclusive functionality sets recruitment platforms apart. Users can maintain branded career pages, track candidate interactions, nurture interest, and build talent pipelines for open or future roles.
At the beginning of the process, the applicant tracking systems (ATS) functionality screens and sorts candidates based on resume or application data. By centralizing the data involved with recruiting prospective employees, recruitment platforms facilitate more personalized experiences for candidates. These platforms also help recruiters stay organized and more efficiently target and attract applicants who are a good fit for a particular role.
A recruitment platform may be sold as a single compound product or an integrated suite. Many recruitment platforms connect with tools used across the employee lifecycle, like core HR software, payroll software, time & attendance software, and performance management software, facilitating a seamless transfer of data once an employee is hired.
To qualify for inclusion in the Recruitment Platforms category, a product must:
 
Facilitate employee referrals and social recruiting efforts
Organize and track candidates in a customizable workflow
Enable communication between HR personnel, hiring manager, or recruiter, and candidate
Generate analytics dashboards for evaluating the recruiting process
Build talent pipelines for open and future positions
Manage all forms and paperwork needed for the onboarding process
Track tasks for new hire activities or new hire events