Recruitment Technology Glossary for UK Agencies

Recruitment technology comes with a lot of jargon, especially around AI and data protection. This recruitment technology glossary explains the terms solo and boutique agency recruiters are most likely to meet, in plain English.

Use it as a quick reference when you compare recruiting technology or check what a vendor actually means.

Core Recruitment Technology Terms

1. Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
   Software that manages job adverts, applications and the hiring pipeline.
2. Recruiting CRM
   Software for building candidate relationships and talent pools over time.
3. Talent Acquisition
   The wider process of finding, attracting, assessing and hiring candidates.
4. Talent Management System
   Software covering the employee lifecycle, from hiring and onboarding to development and performance.
5. Recruitment Agency Software
   Tools built around agency workflows such as sourcing, placements and client management.
6. Candidate Sourcing
   Finding potential candidates through databases, searches or outreach, increasingly with AI sourcing tools.
7. CV Screening / Candidate Screening
   Reviewing candidates against the requirements of a role, manually or with software.

AI and Matching Technology Terms

1. AI Recruiter / AI Recruiting Tool / AI Hiring Software
   Software that uses AI to support sourcing, screening or candidate matching.
2. Semantic Search
   Search that matches meaning rather than exact words. Keyword matching, by contrast, can miss candidates who describe the same experience differently.
3. Keyword Matching
   Search based on exact words or phrases. It can miss candidates who describe relevant experience differently.
4. On-Device AI
   AI processing that happens on a phone or computer rather than a remote server. It is one type of edge AI. Cloud AI runs on remote servers, so data may leave the device.
5. Cloud AI
   AI processing that takes place on remote servers, meaning data may leave the recruiter's device.
6. Edge AI
   A broader term for AI processing that happens close to where the data is generated, including on-device AI.
7. Private LLM
   A large language model running in a controlled environment rather than a public cloud AI service.
8. Prompt Injection
   An attack where hidden instructions in content, such as a CV, try to influence an AI system's output.

Privacy and GDPR Terms

Privacy and Data Protection Terms

1. UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018
   The UK's main data protection laws, regulated by the ICO and updated in parts by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. If you place candidates in the EU, the EU GDPR may also apply.
2. Data Controller
   The organisation that decides why and how personal data is used. A recruitment agency is usually the controller for the candidate data it collects.
3. Data Processor
   An organisation that handles personal data on a controller's behalf, such as a software vendor. A sub-processor is a third party the processor uses, such as a cloud provider.
4. Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
   The contract UK GDPR Article 28 requires between a controller and a processor.
5. Data Protection Officer (DPO)
   A role UK GDPR requires in some cases, such as large-scale processing of special category data. Many small agencies do not need one.
6. DPIA (Data Protection Impact Assessment)
   An assessment of data protection risks before processing that is likely to be high risk, such as some AI screening.
7. GDPR Compliant
   A vendor claim, not an official certification.
8. Privacy by Design
   Building data protection into a system from the start.
9. Special Category Data
   Personal data needing extra protection: racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data used for identification, health, and sex life or sexual orientation.
10. Individuals' Rights Under GDPR
    Rights people have over their data, including access, correction and erasure (the right to be forgotten).
11. Automated Decision Making
    Rules on decisions made solely by automated means with legal or similarly significant effects. The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 changed these rules in the UK.
12. Data Residency
    Where data is physically stored. Moving personal data between countries may need specific legal safeguards.
13. Personal Data Breach
    A security incident leading to the loss, destruction, alteration or unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data. Reportable breaches must go to the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware of them.

Compliance and Risk Terms

EU AI Act, High-Risk Classification
AI used in recruitment and candidate evaluation is classed as high-risk under the EU AI Act. The main obligations are now expected to apply from 2 December 2027.

Cyber Essentials
A UK government-backed certification covering five security controls: firewalls, secure configuration, user access control, malware protection and security update management. Cyber Essentials Plus adds hands-on testing.

How EdgeTal Fits Into This Vocabulary

EdgeTal uses on-device AI, a private LLM and semantic search. Candidate data stays on the recruiter's device rather than going to a cloud server for AI processing. In the EICON 2026 study, every pipeline stage ran locally with airplane mode switched on. Read how this works in our privacy and architecture guide.

Recruiters still need the right processes around UK GDPR, human oversight and candidate rights.

Conclusion

Recruitment technology is changing quickly, and understanding the terminology makes it easier to evaluate what a tool actually does. The more familiar you are with these terms, the easier it is to ask the right questions before adopting new software.

FAQs

What is recruitment technology?

Recruitment technology is software used to support tasks such as sourcing, screening, candidate management and hiring.

What is an AI recruiting tool?

An AI recruiting tool uses artificial intelligence to assist with tasks such as candidate sourcing, screening or matching.

What is the difference between an ATS and a recruiting CRM?

An ATS mainly manages active recruitment pipelines, while a recruiting CRM focuses more on maintaining candidate relationships and talent pools.

What is on-device AI?

On-device AI processes data directly on the device instead of sending it to a remote server.

Is GDPR compliant an official certification?

No. "GDPR compliant" is not an official certification, so recruiters should check how a vendor actually handles personal data.