AI Recruiting Glossary
Key terms and definitions for AI-powered recruiting, staffing automation, and talent acquisition technology.
Agentic AI
A type of artificial intelligence that can autonomously plan, reason, and take actions to achieve goals without constant human supervision. In recruiting, agentic AI handles end-to-end workflows like sourcing, screening, and scheduling without manual intervention.
AI Recruiter
An artificial intelligence system that performs recruiting tasks traditionally handled by human recruiters, including candidate sourcing, screening calls, interview scheduling, and follow-up communications.
AI Phone Screening
The use of conversational AI to conduct phone-based candidate screening calls. The AI agent asks qualifying questions, evaluates responses, and scores candidates based on predefined criteria.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
Software used by recruiters and employers to manage the hiring process, track candidates through each stage, and store applicant data. Common ATS platforms include Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, iCIMS, and BambooHR.
Automated Candidate Screening
The process of using AI or software to evaluate job applicants against predefined criteria without manual recruiter review. This includes resume parsing, phone screenings, and skills assessments conducted by AI agents.
Bias-Free Screening
An approach to candidate evaluation that uses objective, standardized criteria to minimize unconscious human biases related to gender, ethnicity, age, or background. AI screening systems apply the same questions and scoring rubrics to every candidate.
Candidate Engagement
The practice of maintaining communication and building relationships with job candidates throughout the hiring process. AI-powered engagement includes automated follow-ups, status updates, and personalized outreach at scale.
Candidate Experience
The overall perception a job applicant has of an employer's recruiting process, from initial contact through onboarding. AI voice agents improve candidate experience by providing immediate responses, flexible scheduling, and consistent communication.
Conversational AI
Technology that enables machines to engage in human-like dialogue using natural language processing (NLP) and speech recognition. In recruiting, conversational AI powers voice agents that conduct screening calls and answer candidate questions.
Cost Per Hire
A recruiting metric that measures the total cost associated with filling a job position, including advertising, recruiter time, technology, and onboarding expenses. AI recruiting platforms reduce cost per hire by automating high-volume manual tasks.
High-Volume Hiring
A recruitment strategy focused on filling a large number of positions in a short timeframe, common in staffing agencies, retail, healthcare, and logistics. AI voice agents enable high-volume hiring by conducting thousands of screening calls simultaneously.
Interview Scheduling Automation
The use of software or AI to automatically coordinate interview times between candidates and interviewers by checking calendar availability, sending invitations, and handling rescheduling without manual coordination.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
A branch of artificial intelligence that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. In AI recruiting, NLP powers voice agents that comprehend candidate responses and extract meaningful information from conversations.
Passive Candidate
A professional who is not actively seeking a new job but may be open to the right opportunity. AI recruiting agents can re-engage passive candidates in a talent database through personalized outreach calls at scale.
Recruitment Automation
The use of technology to automate repetitive recruiting tasks such as job posting, resume screening, candidate communication, interview scheduling, and follow-ups. AI-powered recruitment automation goes beyond rule-based workflows by using intelligent agents that adapt to each interaction.
Sentiment Analysis
The use of AI to analyze the emotional tone and attitude expressed in text or speech. In recruiting, sentiment analysis evaluates candidate enthusiasm, confidence, and engagement during screening calls to provide richer candidate insights.
Speech Synthesis
The artificial production of human-like speech from text, also known as text-to-speech (TTS). Modern speech synthesis used in AI recruiting produces natural-sounding voices that are nearly indistinguishable from human speech.
Staffing Agency
A company that matches employers with qualified workers for temporary, contract, or permanent positions. Staffing agencies use AI recruiting platforms to scale candidate screening and placement across multiple clients and job orders simultaneously.
Talent Database Reactivation
The process of reaching out to previously sourced or placed candidates in a recruiter's existing database to fill new openings. AI voice agents automate reactivation by calling candidates at scale to check availability and interest.
Time to Fill
A recruiting metric measuring the number of days between opening a job requisition and a candidate accepting an offer. AI recruiting platforms reduce time to fill by automating screening and scheduling, often cutting the metric by 50% or more.
Time to Submit
In staffing, the time between receiving a job order from a client and submitting qualified candidates. AI screening dramatically reduces time to submit by instantly qualifying candidates from a talent database.
Voice AI
Artificial intelligence technology that enables machines to understand and produce spoken language in real-time conversations. Voice AI in recruiting conducts phone calls with candidates for screening, scheduling, and follow-up, delivering a human-like conversational experience.
WebRTC
Web Real-Time Communication — an open-source technology that enables real-time audio, video, and data communication directly in web browsers without plugins. Recruiting platforms use WebRTC for browser-based voice calls between AI agents and candidates.
Workflow Automation
The design and execution of automated sequences of tasks triggered by specific events or conditions. In recruiting, workflow automation connects screening, scoring, scheduling, and ATS updates into a seamless pipeline that runs without manual steps.