SeekOut Versus the Competition

With an incredibly wide-reaching search function, Seekout can streamline and accelerate your hiring efforts, even for hard-to-find, industry-specific talent. Their tool sources from an ever-growing list of over 780M candidates, while leveraging their contributions to GitHub, academic papers, conferences, and more.

If you're ready to get a SeekOut demo, we suggest getting in touch for a look at the product and quote. Otherwise, read on!

Ratings

4.5

Ease of Use

Best For

Key Differentiator

Price

Start at $3,500/yr

Free Trial

Yes

PROS

  • Sources from tons of external databases; over 780M candidate profiles and growing
  • Can find talent also among your existing team.
  • Truly tech-powered and search engine-like platform.
  • Presents very complete candidate profiles, sometimes going through their code contributions, participation in conferences, academic papers, and more, in order to present top experts for certain skills or topics.

CONS

  • While they're always expanding their candidate list, they have been mainly oriented towards the US and Canada for years. Hence, companies outside those geographies might find that their searches are still somewhat limited when it comes to local talent. Such is the case of some users writing from Europe, for instance.
  • Several users have complained about lags or glitches between the candidate’s info from the source and how/when it appears within the platform.

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SeekOut Review

As one of the longest-standing candidate sourcing tools, Seekout helps organizations search for talent the way they want, leveraging the latest in AI and open web data to give — in the words of one customer — “more search capability than LinkedIn.”

Whether you use PowerFilters, build customized Boolean searches, or use the AI Robot, Seekout can search over 500 million detailed and up-to-date candidate profiles, sorting them based on education, experience, skills, and more. Plus, with their free Chrome extension, you can bring the power of Seekout wherever you search for talent to source, organize, enrich, and export candidate profiles.

As one of the experts we talked to in order to put together this review told us, some of the vendors in the candidate sourcing space are tech in the front end, people in the back end. You can set up certain parameters and perform searches, but behind the scenes it’s people doing the work. SeekOut, on the other hand, is able to source candidates in seconds because it’s all tech-powered.

Another notable thing about SeekOut is that they rely on several external databases, as well as your own. Hence, the tool is able to present you with the best-possible candidates for a job while scouring externally and internally.

It doesn’t stop there. A thing we like is not only the multi-platform sourcing but how SeekOut’s tech interacts with all this data to provide a 360-degree view of each candidate. For example, when looking at GitHub profiles, it actually reviews their code contributions and gives them a Coder Score within their profile.

Similarly, their tool can review over 96 million academic papers, as well as patents, and list candidates. From this data, it’s able to categorize candidates based on areas of expertise and show you the relevant profiles.

Lastly, while most of their plans are custom-priced, including their blind hiring module and advanced filtering capabilities, they do offer a free Chrome extension. This is called SeekOut Sourcing Assistant. This part of SeekOut’s offering can extract rich information directly from the same databases as the paid tool and allow you to organize, enrich and export candidate profiles.

What users think of SeekOut

Reviewer's Rating
6/10

We used SeekOut strictly as a sourcing platform. When we faced challenges attracting candidates to apply to posted roles, it provided a reliable pipeline for current and future openings. We also used the platform to present data to hiring managers who were unsatisfied with the number or quality of applicants. It served as evidence that we were recruiting across all possible channels. SeekOut was integrated into our main ATS, Taleo.

What do you like about SeekOut?

We used the basic plan, which made it very cost-effective. It was a great place to store warm candidates who were actively seeking new opportunities. It was compatible with Taleo.

Why did your organization buy SeekOut, and how long have you used it for?

We used SeekOut strictly as a sourcing platform. It does offer a full ATS and CRM, but for our purposes, we only used the CRM since we already had another major ATS in place. We implemented this to reduce the need for human sourcers and to support our recruiting team with hard-to-fill roles.

We wanted a CRM that would maintain a candidate pipeline we could tap into when new job openings became available. We used SeekOut for about two years after transitioning from Visage.

What do you dislike about SeekOut?

You couldn’t tell if you were the only recruiter contacting a specific candidate, which was problematic since many recruiters worked on similar roles. This created confusion among candidates, who were sometimes approached multiple times for the same position. While it helped grow a talent community, the quality of candidates was not always high.

How is SeekOut different than their competitors?

Personally, I preferred Visage. It was similar but included human support overseas in India, allowing for real-time feedback and adjustments to sourcing parameters. SeekOut is more automated by comparison.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

The cost is justified, especially for a smaller company or firm. It's important to assess whether the tool is necessary—do you consistently have hard-to-fill roles, or do you receive strong organic applicant flow? Check whether your current ATS includes a talent community feature to avoid paying for redundant services.

How has SeekOut changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

It has become more AI-driven, making it faster and easier to use. The talent analytics have also improved, especially with the inclusion of diversity data, which allows for deeper exploration of different talent pools.

What specific type of user or organization is SeekOut very good for?

A small company, particularly one that hires for the same roles repeatedly will find SeekOut helpful. It’s useful for building and reusing a talent community instead of starting each search from scratch.

What specific type of user or organization would SeekOut not be a good fit for?

Large companies with a robust ATS likely already have similar talent community features. In such cases, SeekOut would be an unnecessary expense, even though the cost is relatively low.

Reviewer's Rating
10/10

I used SeekOut in my recruitment process. I used it daily to source candidates for various roles across different departments, as well as to source diverse candidates. One of the key workflows I relied on was the advanced search feature, which allowed me to filter candidates based on specific criteria such as skills, experience, location, and diversity attributes. This helped me identify potential candidates who were the best fit for our open positions. In my role as a recruiter, SeekOut's candidate profiles were invaluable. They provided deep insights into candidates' backgrounds and experiences, allowing me to effectively customize my outreach and interview approaches. Lastly, SeekOut's AI-driven algorithms kept me updated on market trends and competitive intelligence, enabling me to base my decisions on solid data throughout every step of the recruitment process.

What do you like about SeekOut?

One of the things I really enjoy about SeekOut is its user-friendly interface, making it a breeze to find top-notch candidates. The platform's extensive talent pool ensures I have plenty of options to choose from. Plus, SeekOut's insights into market trends and competitor intelligence give me a strategic edge in my recruitment efforts, helping me stay ahead of the curve. Another aspect of SeekOut that I find incredibly helpful is its robust search functionality. It's like having a powerful magnifying glass for talent, allowing me to hone in on exactly what I'm looking for.

Why did your organization buy SeekOut, and how long have you used it for?

Our organization decided to invest in SeekOut to address the challenge of sourcing diverse candidates and filling hard-to-fill roles efficiently. Prior to using SeekOut, recruiters faced difficulties identifying candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and those with niche skill sets. SeekOut has been a game-changer for us. With its advanced search tools and extensive database of candidates, it has made finding the right candidates for various jobs much easier. I used to spend ages sifting through resumes, but now, thanks to SeekOut, I can pinpoint exactly who I need in no time. I have used SeekOut for a little over a year while working at my organization.

What do you dislike about SeekOut?

One aspect of SeekOut that I found challenging is that the search results could sometimes be overwhelming, making it difficult to sift through and identify the most relevant candidates. Additionally, I've encountered occasional discrepancies in the candidate profiles, which led to a few inaccuracies in my sourcing efforts. There have also been instances where I experienced delays in receiving updates or notifications about new candidates or changes in the market, which hindered my recruitment process.

How is SeekOut different than their competitors?

From my perspective, SeekOut stands out from its competitors in a few ways. Its interface is very easy to use, making my job simpler when searching for candidates. Additionally, SeekOut has a large pool of candidates to choose from, so I could usually find someone who's a good fit for the role I was hiring for. The insights it provides about the job market and what other companies are doing are really helpful for making smart decisions in my recruitment process. Overall, SeekOut is a tool I relied on because it made finding and hiring great people much easier.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

There are several key criteria to consider when purchasing a tool like SeekOut. First and foremost, usability is critical. A platform that's intuitive and easy to navigate allows recruiters to quickly find and engage with candidates. Functionality is also crucial, so look for features like advanced search capabilities, candidate insights, and AI-driven algorithms to enhance your sourcing efforts.

How has SeekOut changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?

SeekOut has grown its candidate database and upgraded search algorithms, making it easier for recruiters to find the right candidates. They've also added AI-driven insights and analytics features, empowering recruiters to make smarter decisions.

What specific type of user or organization is SeekOut very good for?

It's ideal for recruiters who need to quickly identify and engage with top talent across various industries and job roles. SeekOut is especially beneficial for organizations that value diversity and inclusion, as it provides access to a diverse pool of candidates and offers insights to support diversity initiatives.

What specific type of user or organization would SeekOut not be a good fit for?

SeekOut might not be the best choice for smaller businesses or startups with limited hiring needs and budgets. If an organization doesn't do a lot of hiring or needs very niche talent, they might find SeekOut's features to be more than they need. Additionally, recruiters who prefer simpler, more straightforward tools might find SeekOut's advanced features to be a bit overwhelming.

Reviewer's Rating
6/10
  • I don’t use Seekout very often (monthly).
  • When I’m looking for very senior profiles who will be working on some innovative segment of the business, I would find a few more than on Linkedin.
  • Another sourcing workflow when I need an additional sourcing tool, like Seekout, is when I’m looking for Engineer profiles.
  • I would also use it when creating a sourcing strategy, since it can generate useful reports about diversity.
  • I also like to experiment with the AI matching feature SeekOut offers, which approximately works in 30% cases.
What do you like about SeekOut?
  • SeekOut can potentially improve DEI in a few ways. It has a feature Bias reducer, that hides some unnecessary details that could imply ethnicity or gender. There are also Diversity Filters when the goal is to find more underrepresented candidates
  • What is quite a rare benefit to find elsewhere, is that SeekOut shows information of somebody’s scientific work: Publications and Patents, which is amazing when we look for experts in the field.
  • These specifics of SeekOut also can be used to present the candidate in an even better light.
  • SeekOut also enables us to see the email address and telephone number of some profiles.
Why did your organization buy SeekOut, and how long have you used it for?

I’ve been using SeekOut for less than 1 year. My organization bought SeekOut to try an additional sourcing platform besides Linkedin Recruiter.

For our big organization, it was important to try to find as many profiles who are not necessarily present or active on Linkedin, or leave their profile quite empty. It was also necessary for us to have the talent pool be filtered with US specific filters. Moreover, SeekOut has been especially used for sourcing technical profiles, as well as for international recruiting.

What do you dislike about SeekOut?
  • At the first glimpse the search results provide too many details about the education and less about the work experience.
  • I am mostly sourcing for the Europe talent market so actually it doesn't provide a significantly higher number of profiles than Linkedin.
  • The filter about Location is in miles only, not kilometers.
How is SeekOut different than their competitors?

It seems especially good for the US talent market, because it also generates results with work authorization, or clearance.

What Instructions should people think about when buying this type of tool?

 Key buying criteria could be:

  • would you source talent in US
  • how difficult to find are the profiles you are looking for

How has SeekOut changed or evolved over time to meet users needs?
  • I think that Seekout improved its user-friendly interface.
  • There are so many details and options but not overwhelmingly visible at the first glance.
What specific type of user or organization is SeekOut very good for?

It could be very good for big organizations which have many recruiters and niche positions to recruit for.

What specific type of user or organization would SeekOut not be a good fit for?

I assume that it wouldn’t be a fit for start-ups who don’t have many open positions.

SeekOut Alternatives:

Gem

Gem can be used as a standalone tool for outbound sourcing, complementing your ATS, or as part of Gem’s all-in-one platform, which includes its CRM, ATS, scheduling, and analytics. The AI sourcing agents scan a massive database of 800M+ profiles while also rediscovering candidates in your ATS and CRM, then present results with transparent scoring criteria that can be tuned to fit hiring manager preferences. For teams that want everything under one roof, Gem now also includes its own ATS and recruiting CRM, making it a full-scale recruiting platform.
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5
Visit Website

Gem

Gem can be used as a standalone tool for outbound sourcing, complementing your ATS, or as part of Gem’s all-in-one platform, which includes its CRM, ATS, scheduling, and analytics. The AI sourcing agents scan a massive database of 800M+ profiles while also rediscovering candidates in your ATS and CRM, then present results with transparent scoring criteria that can be tuned to fit hiring manager preferences. For teams that want everything under one roof, Gem now also includes its own ATS and recruiting CRM, making it a full-scale recruiting platform.
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.8 / 5
Product Score
4.6 / 5
Learn More

Manatal

Manatal’s sourcing capabilities are superior to most. Besides budget-friendly ATS features, the platform offers a LinkedIn extension and AI-powered sourcing for advanced candidate recommendations and filtering—at an unbeatable price.
Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5
Visit Website

Manatal

Manatal’s sourcing capabilities are superior to most. Besides budget-friendly ATS features, the platform offers a LinkedIn extension and AI-powered sourcing for advanced candidate recommendations and filtering—at an unbeatable price.
Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5
Learn More

Humanly

Humanly is a top-tier AI recruitment platform. Since their acquisition of Teamable, they’ve put out a solid candidate sourcing tool that stands out for its AI recruiting features and automation of candidate touchpoints. You can sync all its workflows with your ATS and look for specialized talent with surgical-like precision.
Popularity Score
4.4 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5
Visit Website

Humanly

Humanly is a top-tier AI recruitment platform. Since their acquisition of Teamable, they’ve put out a solid candidate sourcing tool that stands out for its AI recruiting features and automation of candidate touchpoints. You can sync all its workflows with your ATS and look for specialized talent with surgical-like precision.
Popularity Score
4.4 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.3 / 5
Learn More

Hirefly

What we loved most about Hirefly was how it takes sourcing and outreach tasks that usually eat up hours, and makes them almost hands-free. The Autopilot feature acted as a virtual sourcer, finding the right candidates, crafting personalized outreach, and delivering warm leads straight to our inbox. Plus, FastTrack’s ability to pre-sort applications into meaningful categories meant we could focus on the best candidates right away.
Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5
Visit Website

Hirefly

What we loved most about Hirefly was how it takes sourcing and outreach tasks that usually eat up hours, and makes them almost hands-free. The Autopilot feature acted as a virtual sourcer, finding the right candidates, crafting personalized outreach, and delivering warm leads straight to our inbox. Plus, FastTrack’s ability to pre-sort applications into meaningful categories meant we could focus on the best candidates right away.
Popularity Score
4.2 / 5
User Score
4.6 / 5
Product Score
4.1 / 5
Learn More

AmazingHiring

AmazingHiring is hyper-focused on sourcing technical candidates. The sourcing platform comes with advanced technology that supplies a database of over 600 million engineering talent profiles, a free Chrome extension, and a robust data enrichment tool that offers 150 free credits.
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5
Visit Website

AmazingHiring

AmazingHiring is hyper-focused on sourcing technical candidates. The sourcing platform comes with advanced technology that supplies a database of over 600 million engineering talent profiles, a free Chrome extension, and a robust data enrichment tool that offers 150 free credits.
Popularity Score
4 / 5
User Score
4.7 / 5
Product Score
4.2 / 5
Learn More

Who shouldn't buy SeekOut

While SeekOut is one of the best talent intelligence tools out there, it most certainly needs to work along an ATS. For instance, you can’t perform interviews, hire, or onboard employees within the platform. Hence, teams looking for a one-stop-shop for their recruiting needs would need to find a more comprehensive tool, although they might be sacrificing when it comes to candidate search quality and ease.

SeekOut Customers

SeekOut is used by enterprise customers such as VMware, Salesforce, Merck, UiPath, and Anaplan.

SeekOut: Excellent search capability
visit SeekOut

SeekOut Key Features

  • Customizable Boolean strings: You can set parameters for these searches within the platform, or even have SeekOut’s customer success team assist you with building them. This ensures that you’ll get candidate search results that are more likely to be excellent fits.
  • Clone searches: This feature is quite particular, as it allows you to find candidates similar to a given profile. If you ever had that feeling of finding a candidate that was perfect, safe for one deal-breaking detail, you’d want to check this out.

The SeekOut platform can also handle:

  • Unified candidate profiles
  • AI search
  • Diversity hiring
  • Talent analytics
  • Candidate engagement
  • Candidate clearance

SeekOut Key Integrations

SeekOut integrates with other recruiting and HR tools like Avature, Beamery, Bullhorn, Greenhouse, Lever, SmartRecruiters, Gem, Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Jobvite, Ashby, and many more.

SeekOut Pricing

Seekout has a few different plans:

  • Premium: Access to 441M+ candidates, diversity sourcing and hiring tools, people insights, contact info for 500 candidates per month and exporting of 5,000 profiles per month.
  • Premium Tech: All of Premium, plus specific tools for sourcing tech talent. These include Coder Score rankings, GitHub search tool, direct access to candidate's code, and tailored insights.
  • SeekOut Expert: Designed specifically for Engineering and Life Sciences hiring.

The actual pricing of SeekOut’s plans and services isn’t disclosed on their website. You would have to contact their sales team for a custom price quote.

Seekout also provides a free Chrome extension for sourcing, SeekOut Sourcing Assistant. It’s free to use but with a limit of getting verified social links and emails for 10 candidates per month.

SeekOut is Best For

Seekout has segmented pricing plans for different industries. While there is a general plan for most businesses, Tech, Engineering, and Life Sciences hiring managers get the most functionality from Seekout. The tool can be used by companies with large in-house recruiting teams as well as small agencies looking for a user-friendly tool to reach a diverse pool of talent.

How has SeekOut Changed Over Time?

SeekOut Implementation

SeekOut’s implementation process will vary depending on the type of plan you choose and the scope of your project. What is certain is that they work with implementation consultants. Before and after you sign up for the tool, your team would work closely with such a consultant in order to assure a good execution and adoption of the tool.

SeekOut Customer Success

SeekOut has a knowledge base with articles for customers to self-serve. Customers can also contact SeekOut's support team if further help is needed. For instance, if you find a candidate profile with wrong contact information, it’s very straightforward to reach out and let them know so they can fix it.

About SeekOut

SeekOut was founded by Anoop Gupta (current CEO) and Aravind Bala (present CTO). Their vision has always been to provide companies with a holistic view of both internal employees and external talent when it comes to finding the right candidates. The company has experienced tremendous growth since their inception and noteworthy adoption in the US, Canada, and Europe.

Company HQ

Bellevue, Washington, United States

Number of Employees

250~

Year Founded

2017

Amount Raised

Last raised $115M USD in Series C funding.

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SeekOut Alternatives

Gem

Best for AI-first sourcing with unlimited outreach

Popularity score
4.8 / 5
user score
4.8 / 5
Product score
4.6 / 5
Manatal

Best for low-budget inbound applicant sourcing

Popularity score
4.4 / 5
user score
4.7 / 5
Product score
4.2 / 5

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