What it means
Candidate matching is the process of comparing candidate profiles, skills, experience, preferences, availability, or other signals with role requirements. In software, matching may surface candidates for recruiters, rank applicants, recommend internal mobility options, or rediscover past candidates.
Why buyers should care
Matching can save recruiter time, but it can also hide assumptions if the criteria, data sources, or model behavior are unclear. A recommendation is only useful if recruiters understand why a candidate appeared, what evidence supports the match, and what information may be missing.
Evaluation checks
Review whether matching criteria are visible, configurable, and tied to job-relevant requirements. Inspect how the system handles incomplete profiles, inferred skills, duplicate records, bias monitoring, and human override. Buyers should also check CRM and ATS handoff, audit logs, privacy controls, and reporting that separates recommendation activity from final hiring decisions.
This glossary entry is buyer-oriented guidance, not legal, compliance, or financial advice.