Best AI Staffing Agency Software Solutions in 2024

These AI-powered staffing software solutions assist recruitment service providers and staffing agencies in working more efficiently, finding top talent in less time, and enhancing their stakeholder management, thereby driving business growth.

As the landscape of AI recruitment tools is relatively new, we decided to compile a roundup article to bring you the best tools for recruitment agencies and service providers in 2024.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Candidate & client management tools

We open the list of tools for staffing firms with CRM software, as agencies deal with both candidates and clients, and have to keep both parties engaged and happy. From a software point of view, this adds a bit of complexity, as relationship management systems need to do more than applicant tracking systems do.

While both CRM and ATS tools play a crucial role in optimizing relationships and workflows within the recruitment process, they have distinct purposes and features. CRM tools help staffing agencies manage relationships with clients and candidates throughout the recruitment process, from initial contact to placement and beyond, while ATS tools focus on managing candidates throughout the recruitment process.

In these recruiting platforms, AI can personalize communication, recommend relevant job opportunities, and predict candidate behavior.

Key features of candidate management software include:

• Recruitment marketing: Creating targeted marketing campaigns to attract job seekers and personalizing communication with candidates in and outside the pipeline.
• Job posting and distribution: An effective CRM should integrate with job boards such as Indeed and social media platforms like LinkedIn, making it easy to post job openings and distribute them to relevant channels.
• Candidate sourcing and engaging: Identifying and engaging passive candidates, and keeping records of past interactions and preferences.
• Candidate management: A robust recruitment CRM should allow you to efficiently manage candidate profiles, track their progress through the recruitment pipeline, and maintain a comprehensive database of top candidates and potential hires.
• Customer relationship management: Managing client relationships and job orders, and providing insights into candidate placement and market trends. Look for features that facilitate communication with clients, including client profiles and onboarding, interaction history, invoicing, and tools for managing client requirements and preferences.

Here are our top 3 recommendations for staffing agency CRM.

Bullhorn Automation (formerly Herefish)

Bullhorn Automation (formerly Herefish) offers a CRM platform infused with AI for staffing and recruiting agencies. It automates various tasks, such as candidate follow-ups, communication, and interview scheduling, and nurturing campaigns.

The AI-driven features help agencies optimize their workflows, increase efficiency, and improve the overall candidate experience. Herefish makes it easy for modern staffing firms to automate workflows, processes, and communication throughout the entire recruiting cycle.

What customers appreciate the most:

• Its automation functionalities that facilitate the connection of all stakeholders involved in the recruiting process. Customers mention using it to alert different parts of the organization during the hiring of an employee.
• The capability to connect the dots, automate the lead distribution model, and reduce manual interactions with candidates, freeing up several man-hours per day for other marketing-oriented activities.

Crelate

Crelate is a CRM and applicant tracking system (ATS) that incorporates AI capabilities to enhance candidate sourcing and matching. It uses intelligent algorithms to analyze candidate data, improving the quality of matches and reducing manual efforts. Crelate Talent is known for its user-friendly interface and AI-driven features.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The fact that it keeps track of everything a recruiter is working on, reducing the risk of forgetting information or falling behind in the recruiting process.
• Users appreciate that Crelate makes hiring metrics easy to track and log, and makes it easy to move candidates through a process and keep things organized.

Sense

Sense is an all-in-one business communication and engagement solution for modern recruiting companies to accelerate their growth. It uses machine learning to enhance the candidate experience and engagement by automating communication, providing personalized interactions, and predicting candidate preferences. Sense aims to streamline the recruitment process through intelligent automation and data-driven insights.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ease of use. Sense is accessible on mobile, desktop, and laptop platforms. When you wish to send a text message to a candidate, a simple click on the number, facilitated by the connection with your ATS, ensures a smooth procedure.
• The fact that Sense offers the ability to send messages to multiple users, schedule messages ahead of time, and forward calls to desk line phone numbers.

2. Applicant tracking systems (ATS)

We’ve already covered the definition of applicant tracking software above, but the distinction between traditional and AI-powered applicant tracking systems is that the AI-powered software offers more than candidate tracking.

It can automate tasks like job posting and resume screening, improve candidate matching based on job openings, and provide data-driven insights, with no human intervention.

Key features include:

• Automated resume parsing: Utilizing AI to automate the initial screening of resumes, saving time and ensuring that only the most relevant candidates move forward in the recruitment process.
• Automated scheduling: Scheduling interviews based on candidate and interviewer availability, and keeping the calendars of the talent acquisition team in sync across geographies, in real time.
• Chatbots and virtual assistants: Using AI-driven chatbots or virtual assistants to engage with candidates, answer queries, and assisting in the application process, enhancing the overall candidate experience. Sending interview reminders, rejection notifications, and offer letters automatically.
• Semantic search: Enabling semantic search capabilities to enhance the accuracy of keyword searches, allowing recruiters to find candidates with specific skills or experiences more effectively.

See below our top 3 ATS recommendations for staffing industry.

Bullhorn

Bullhorn is a popular CRM platform in the staffing industry. It provides tools for applicant tracking and candidate management, job posting, client communication, and reporting. Bullhorn’s user-friendly interface and customizable workflows make it a favorite among recruiters.

What customers appreciate the most:

• Its intuitive interface makes it a breeze to navigate. Additionally, its seamless integration between applicant tracking and customer relationship management helps simplify the recruitment processes from end to end.
• Bullhorn boasts robust features for candidate management, encompassing resume parsing and pipeline tracking. It facilitates easy input of candidates, note-taking, scheduling follow-ups, and offers numerous ready-to-use integrations.

TalentReef

TalentReef stands out in the realm of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) by providing a comprehensive suite of features specifically tailored for the staffing industry. Known for its robust functionality, TalentReef combines the power of advanced technology and AI-driven capabilities to streamline the recruitment process.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ability to repost jobs within minutes, ensuring their refresh on job boards, and an interview scheduling interface that is easy to use.
• Additionally, the scalability of user activity is notable, providing options for low-level managers up to administrators.

Manatal

Manatal is a versatile Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that stands out for its customizable and adaptable approach to recruitment. With a focus on optimizing the recruitment workflow, Manatal offers unique features that cater to the specific needs of staffing agencies.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ability to automate the entire hiring process, coupled with the ease of contacting candidates and engaging with them.
• The user-friendly and clean UI, featuring drag-and-drop candidate funnels. The robust reporting functionality saves recruiters hours of work. Manatal allows TA teams to build their dashboards with just a few clicks.

3. Candidate sourcing and screening tools  

This category of recruiting software helps staffing agencies and recruitment service providers find and qualify candidates from a variety of sources, including job boards, social media, and professional networks.

AI can be used to read resumes, identify the best candidates based on specific criteria and skills, so most of these tools will offer AI matching functionalities, and some might do background checks and candidate scoring too.

Key features:

• Automated resume screening: Using AI to automatically filter and categorize resumes based on predefined criteria such as qualifications, experience, and keywords. Flagging resumes that meet pre-defined criteria.
• Skills and behavioral assessments: Implementing AI-driven assessments, including tests and simulations, to evaluate candidates' technical skills and behavioral competencies. Assessing candidates' personality traits, work styles, and cultural fit, contributing to more holistic candidate evaluations.
• Social media recruiting: Leveraging AI algorithms to identify and engage passive candidates on various social media platforms, expanding the talent pool beyond traditional job boards.
• Skills-based search: Using AI to enhance search capabilities through semantic analysis, allowing recruiters to find candidates based on specific skills, experiences, and industry-related terms.
• Customizable workflows: Allowing staffing agencies to define and customize recruitment workflows to align with their unique processes and specific industry requirements.

Our selection of best staffing agency software for sourcing is below.

Fetcher

Fetcher is known for its powerful passive candidate identification and engagement capabilities. It utilizes AI to find talent across various platforms, automates outreach, and offers features like chatbots for screening and scheduling. It's particularly suitable for agencies dealing with high-volume hiring or in tech fields.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ability to configure numerous searches that align with specific job requirements, along with the option to train the AI for ongoing refinement of the search queries.
• Customers appreciate that the candidates sourced and shortlisted by Fetcher are the right fit. The email automation functionality, which simplifies tasks and saves recruiters’ time, is also a highlight.

HireEZ (formerly Hiretual)

HireEz focuses on talent insights and sourcing from various online sources. Its AI analyzes resumes, skills, and social media profiles to identify strong candidates, provides predictive ranking, and integrates with popular ATS systems. It excels in sourcing for diverse, niche, or niche skillsets.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ease of use and finding contact information, the connection with the calendar, and the email functionality that increases response rates.
• The sourcing filters and the integrations with Chrome and many ATS platforms streamline workflows and speed up the sourcing process.

SeekOut

SeekOut emphasizes data-driven sourcing and building talent pools. Its AI uses data aggregation and analysis to find relevant candidates, predict skills, and identify potential risks/fits. It's a good choice for agencies looking for more in-depth talent intelligence and strategic sourcing.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ability to remove bias and focus on candidate skills and credentials, along with the ease of use. Customers also appreciate the seamless integrations with applicant tracking systems.
• The possibility to easily review resumes and screen candidates globally, along with candidate engagement functionalities, from obtaining contact details of passive job seekers to emailing candidates.

4. AI interview tools

AI interviewing tools are designed to help recruiters conduct interviews more efficiently. They utilize natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to analyze candidates’ responses and provide real-time feedback to recruiters.

Key features:

• Interview prep: AI-led interview preparation, including debriefing calls with hiring managers, writing job requirements and job descriptions, and creating interview questions based on the role and candidate profile.
• Video interviewing: AI-powered video interviews allow candidates to record responses to pre-selected questions at their convenience, reducing logistical hurdles and bias.
• Smart screening: These tools use AI algorithms to analyze candidate responses, helping you filter out the best fits.
• Sentiment analysis: AI can analyze facial expressions, tone of voice, and language to provide insights into a candidate's soft skills and cultural fit. Uncover deeper insights into candidate communication skills and cultural alignment through advanced language processing.
• Interview follow-ups: Debriefing candidate interviews, creating candidate profiles and motivation letters to hiring managers, following up with candidates and hiring managers.

Our top 3 recommended AI interviewing tools for staffing agencies are below.

Carv

Carv’s AI recruiting platform focuses on human-AI collaboration and reimagines a recruiter’s day-to-day, taking over all the administrative work related to interviews and intake calls.

Before an interview, Carv’s AI recruiter supports debriefing intake calls with hiring managers, writing job requirements and descriptions, and gathering key information about a candidate in a concise form.

During interviews, Carv listens in and takes notes, freeing up recruiters to focus on candidates and providing a perfect meeting memory. After interviews, Carv’s AI recruiting tool assists in writing candidate profiles and motivation letters to hiring managers, as well as with follow-ups.

Carv’s AI recruiter can be used by companies of all sizes, from small to large, as it behaves as an addition to the recruitment team.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ease of use and the automation of interview-related administrative tasks, giving recruiters up to 30% of their weekly time back. Additionally, customers appreciate the platform’s ability to generate one-click outputs, from job descriptions to interview questions and motivation letters to hiring managers.
• Another appreciated functionality is the interview library that stores all candidate interviews and manager intake calls, along with other sources of candidate information. This ensures recruiters and hiring managers use the same source of truth, don’t overlook important candidate details, and remain aligned throughout the entire recruitment process.

HireVue

HireVue is a talent acquisition software company specializing in video-based recruiting and assessments. They offer a range of tools designed to help businesses streamline their hiring process, including pre-recorded and live video interviews, skills assessments, and data-driven insights.

Some of HireVue's tools leverage AI for tasks like sentiment analysis in interviews, automated transcription, and candidate matching.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The scheduling flexibility and availability of interview recordings that recruiters can use for making hiring decisions or training other staff members.
• The possibility to include anyone involved in the interview in an email chain, keeping communication streamlined, as well as the ability to dial in and join conversations via voice or video.

Metaview

Metaview generates detailed interview notes with sentiment analysis. Highlights key candidate responses, identifies strengths and weaknesses, and helps recruiters gain valuable insights to inform hiring decisions. Metaview empowers you to understand your candidates better and make data-driven choices, making it a valuable tool for agencies of all sizes.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The impartial, specific, and actionable feedback helps recruiters improve the way they interview candidates and brings data-driven decisions to the interview process.
• The platform helps speed up the process, preventing the dilution of talent when staffing teams need to hire many people in a short amount of time.

5. Skills assessments powered by AI

These tools assess a candidate’s skills, knowledge, and personality fit for a specific role. AI algorithms score assessments, provide feedback, and identify candidates with the most potential.

Key features:

• AI-powered skills assessments: These tests go beyond traditional multiple-choice formats, often using gamified simulations, situational judgment tests, and other engaging methods to assess skills and problem-solving ability.
• Personality tests and cultural fit assessments: AI can analyze responses to measure personality traits, work styles, and cultural fit through questionnaires or implicit association tests.
• Reporting and analytics: Detailed reports provide insights into strengths, weaknesses, and potential for each candidate compared to the ideal profile.

Our top 3 recommended AI skill assessment tools for staffing agencies are below.

Harver

Harver offers a wide range of skills assessments, including gamified tests, coding challenges, and situational judgment tests. Employs games and simulations to assess cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence, and personality traits.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ease of use of the assessments, which are easy to send to candidates and easy for the candidate to complete on any device, and the fact that they provide insights into how an individual will fit into a position.
• Customers also appreciate that the platform provides interview guides that can help recruiters focus on the candidate's potential weaknesses. The pre-recorded interviews take the work out of phone interviews, enabling TA teams to reach more candidates with minimum effort.

Criteria Corp

Criteria Corp offers AI-powered personality assessments and cultural fit tools tailored for recruitment. Their solutions leverage artificial intelligence to provide accurate insights into candidates' personalities, aiding organizations in making informed hiring decisions.

The platform is designed to enhance the efficiency of the recruitment process, offering customizable tools to meet the specific needs of different businesses.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The fact that the assessments help narrow down the talent pool and provide insights into candidates’ profiles. The platform enables TA teams to build multiple assessments depending on the role.
• In addition, customers appreciate the platform’s ease of use and the helpful attitude of the customer support team.

Codility

Codility focuses on assessing and evaluating technical skills, particularly in the field of software development and coding. Using AI technology, Codility offers coding challenges and assessments to help organizations identify and hire top technical talent. The platform assesses candidates based on their coding proficiency, problem-solving skills, and ability to write efficient and effective code.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The ease of use and wide variety of tasks for selection, as well as the fact that the same criteria are used for all candidates, standardizing the process and removing bias from technical interviews.

• The platform is customizable to a business’ needs, with plenty of options to set up an environment that offers a great user experience.

6. Background check software

Background check software helps verify a candidate’s credentials, employment history, and criminal record. AI-powered background check software takes the hassle out of this process, providing you with accurate and timely information.

Key features:

• Automated searches: AI automates searches across various databases, including criminal records, education verification, and employment history. Ensure the identity of your candidates with advanced verification processes powered by artificial intelligence and identify potential red flags with AI-driven analysis, enhancing your due diligence.
• Global compliance: Tools can handle international background checks while adhering to local regulations and data privacy laws.
• Real-time reporting: Streamlined reporting and updates ensure timely access to crucial information for informed hiring decisions.

Our top 3 recommended background checking solutions for staffing agencies are below.

Checkr

Leveraging advanced technology, Checkr automates and accelerates background checks, ensuring that agencies receive accurate and timely information to make informed hiring decisions. Its key features include automation, real-time updates, compliance with various regulations, data security.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The efficiency in checking candidate backgrounds, along with a mobile-friendly approach to moving applicants through the hiring process.
• The numerous customization options and the possibility to create a uniform checking process across departments and geographies.

Turn.ai

Turn is designed for high-volume recruiting, helping companies screen hourly, salaried, shift-based, or independently contracted workers across 30+ industries in the US and Canada. The platform is optimized for speed and accuracy and seamlessly connects with HR tech tools through REST APIs.

What customers appreciate the most:

• The fact that applicants can be processed in less than 48 hours and move swiftly through their application process with a company, along with the comprehensive information provided for every candidate.
• The ease of use, fast implementation, and integrations into applicant tracking systems.

Over to you

The influx of AI in recruitment software opens doors to a transformed staffing ecosystem. These innovative solutions offer immense potential for agencies to not only enhance efficiency and effectiveness, but also foster a more positive experience for both clients and candidates.

Whether your focus lies in improved process effectiveness, faster talent acquisition, or better stakeholder engagement, embracing these intelligent tools paves the way for sustainable growth and success in the evolving market.

By remaining at the forefront of intelligent recruitment technology, you can empower your agency to thrive in the competitive landscape and create a truly future-proof recruitment model.