SeekOut Implementation Guide: Setup to ROI in 30 Days

SeekOut implementation fails when recruitment teams treat it as plug-and-play software. The platform requires structured onboarding (SSO configuration, ATS field mapping, Boolean search training) and a clear plan to assess the candidates you source. Most Early Careers teams discover this gap during deployment when they have sourced profiles but no validated way to screen them fairly. This guide provides an implementation roadmap and explains why leading recruitment operations pair sourcing platforms with assessment tools to build complete, defensible hiring processes.

SeekOut is a talent intelligence platform that provides access to 1B+ candidate profiles from LinkedIn, GitHub, patents, and academic publications. The platform helps you find passive candidates who are not actively applying. However, sourcing candidates is only the first step in volume hiring. Once you source 2,000 profiles for your graduate programme, you need validated assessments to screen them fairly rather than relying on profile data alone (which disadvantages early careers candidates with limited work history).

Why sourcing alone doesn't solve Early Careers hiring

SeekOut's 800 million+ candidate database makes it a powerful talent intelligence and sourcing tool, offering access to public profiles via open web aggregation. This creates fundamental challenges for early careers candidates who have limited professional profiles.

A recent graduate with a 2:1 degree in Economics from a non-Russell Group university may have exceptional analytical reasoning, resilience, and situational judgement (the competencies that predict job success), but their LinkedIn profile shows only one summer internship and a university society role. SeekOut surfaces their profile, but you have no validated data on their actual capability. SeekOut relies on sourcing from public profiles like LinkedIn and GitHub, but these are not validated measures of actual ability or potential.

SeekOut has no assessment tools or proctoring capabilities, as it is not an assessment platform. Whilst it offers strong data security for user accounts and sourcing pipelines, there are no native tools to ensure assessment fairness, integrity, or test security, as these functions are not part of the product. This is not a criticism of SeekOut. It is a clarification of its function: SeekOut finds candidates but does not assess them.

You source 2,000 candidates using SeekOut. Now you need to screen them. If you rely on CV review alone, you perpetuate bias (favouring Russell Group universities, penalising career changers). If you conduct unstructured phone screens, you have no adverse impact data to defend the process in an employment tribunal. For organisations prioritising hiring quality and compliance, validated assessments and legal defensibility go hand in hand.

SeekOut setup checklist: Technical configuration (Days 1–7)

Account provisioning and SSO

Follow the SeekOut SAML SSO setup guide, where SeekOut acts as the Service Provider and your organisation as the Identity Provide. Setting up SeekOut's own SSO requires a SAML IdP metadata file, while the Greenhouse integration uses API credentials configured through Greenhouse's Dev Center. Configure Single Sign-On by generating SAML metadata from your identity provider (Azure AD, Okta, OneLogin), submitting the file to SeekOut support, and testing SSO login with 3–5 pilot users before rolling out company-wide.

New users start as trial users by default. Your company administrators then assign non-trial licenses through the Team Administration menu. Designate multiple users from your organisation as SeekOut license administrators to distribute provisioning responsibilities.

User management and license types

SeekOut Premium plan features include access to 441M+ candidates and 500 contact info credits per month. Premium Tech adds Coder Score rankings and GitHub search for engineering roles. Map license tiers to hiring needs: graduate recruiters need Premium for general sourcing, whilst technical recruiters require Premium Tech for developer hiring.

Configuring workspaces

Use Workspaces as collaborative project folders where your recruiters share candidate profiles, search strings, and sourcing notes. Structure Workspaces by role or campaign rather than by recruiter to enable smooth handoffs when team members are on leave or transition roles:

• Graduate Programme 2026: All candidates for annual graduate intake
• Apprenticeship Scheme: Technical apprentice candidates
• Internship Summer 2026: Short-term placement candidates
• Diversity Outreach: Candidates sourced through inclusive search filters

Integrating SeekOut with your ATS (Greenhouse, Workday, Workable)

Once you have configured SSO and assigned licenses, connect SeekOut to your ATS to enable one-click candidate export.

Greenhouse integration

SeekOut offers two Greenhouse integration methods: Partner API (2–3 minute setup, basic data export) and Harvest API (10-minute setup, comprehensive data export). Generate your API key from Greenhouse Dev Center (Configuration → Dev Center → API Credential Management → Create New API Key), paste it into SeekOut's Integrations panel, and verify the connection by exporting a test candidate. Sync takes up to four hours during peak times, so test your integration with 10 candidates before scaling to 200.

SeekOut will verify your connection automatically when you first set it up by exporting a test candidate as a prospect or to a job. Choose either Export as Prospect or select a job from the jobs list and click Verify. When the "All Good" message appears, click Finish.

Workday integration

Workday Recruiting Module required to integrate with SeekOut. Create a dedicated integration account, configure your service endpoint and tenant name in SeekOut's Integrations panel (locate Workday One-Way Export, enter credentials including username@tenantname format), and test by exporting one profile. Verify it appears in Workday within 4 hours before scaling.

Common integration bottlenecks

Users report data lag issues between the source and how information appears within the platform. Some latency in syncing information can occur, with candidates taking a few hours to port into your Greenhouse instance. Candidate data can be outdated, and ATS integration may lag by several hours during peak usage.

Verify email addresses before bulk outreach, test ATS integration with a small pilot group before scaling to full volume, and establish regular Workspace reviews to prevent duplicate candidate outreach.

SeekOut training for recruiters: Building proficiency (Days 8–14)

With integration tested and your team onboarded, launch recruiter training on Boolean search and outreach capabilities.

Boolean search basics

Use OR, AND, and NOT operators (entered in all caps) as detailed in the SeekOut Boolean search operators guide. Quotation marks indicate a multi-word phrase. Use the structure fieldname:searchterm to find words in a specific part of the candidate's profile. Boolean field search operators refine results further.

Mastering SeekOut Assist

SeekOut Assist search generation works automatically from job descriptions and creates personalised outreach messages based on candidate skills and interests. Schedule two 90-minute training sessions in Week 2 covering Boolean search operators, AI-assisted search, diversity filters, and outreach sequencing. Advanced features have a learning curve and users will need time and effort to learn how to use everything fully.

Have recruiters bring real job descriptions to the sessions and practice building search strings live. Your CSM will guide your team through Boolean search fundamentals and SeekOut Assist AI features.

Diversity sourcing and outreach sequences

Anonymised sourcing removes bias signals like names and university affiliations, making it straightforward and easy to use. However, profile-based diversity signals (inferred from names, university affiliations, or voluntary profile data) are not a substitute for fair assessment processes that evaluate actual capability.

The platform offers real-time tracking of outreach campaigns, allowing users to monitor open rates, responses, and overall effectiveness. Outreach sequences require training sessions to master the process flow (but SeekOut's CSM team is effective, and once they teach you, the process becomes clear).

Setting up your first SeekOut campaign (Days 15–30)

Defining audience and goals

Set clear targets for your first campaign. Example: "Source 50 qualified finalists for our graduate analyst programme within 2 weeks." Track key ROI-driven hiring metrics such as time-to-fill, cost-per-hire, application completion rate, stage-to-stage conversion, offer acceptance rate, and reapplication/referral behaviour.

Campaign volume goal example: 200 sourced profiles → 50 candidates invited to assessment → 20 finalists.

Tracking engagement

SeekOut Pipeline Insights features help teams prioritise tasks that drive immediate and lasting impact. Response rates and engagement metrics from multi-touch sequences are critical early indicators. Clear communication reduces drop-offs and shortens hiring cycles. When fewer candidates fall out of the process due to silence or confusion, recruiting teams spend less time re-sourcing.

Monitor sourcing efficiency metrics weekly in your first 30 days to demonstrate value. Use analytics for pipeline and DEI to quantify progress and ROI for stakeholders.

SeekOut pricing and plan structures

Official pricing

SeekOut pricing from $799 per seat is billed on an annual basis. The average SeekOut annual cost is approximately $27,000, based on Vendr's internal transaction data, with maximum prices reaching up to $90,000. SeekOut uses a per-seat annual license model, with different prices negotiated for every company through market and account-based pricing strategies.

Hidden costs

Contact credit limits apply on SeekOut, and these credits do not roll over to the next period. This limitation can be restrictive for recruiters who need to contact a large number of candidates. Training is offered by SeekOut but is charged for additionally. According to high-volume hiring cost analysis, the per-hire cost of SeekOut drops to reasonable levels when hiring 50+ engineers annually or filling multiple specialised roles continuously.

In contrast, Sova's success-aligned pricing model is designed to align with your hiring success rather than creating fixed capacity constraints. Engagement starts with a baseline estimation and scales dynamically based on actual hiring volume and candidate pool size, ensuring you pay for delivered value rather than predetermined seat limits.

Sova vs. SeekOut: Optimising the full funnel

The sourcing vs. selection distinction

SeekOut finds candidates (top of funnel). Sova assesses candidates (middle of funnel). SeekOut is not an ATS. It integrates with ATS platforms and improves sourcing and evaluation before candidates enter the formal pipeline.

Why you need both (or when to choose Sova)

If your problem is "I cannot find enough qualified candidates," use SeekOut. If your problem is "I have 2,000 applicants and cannot identify the best ones fairly," use Sova. If you are running volume Early Careers hiring, you need both.

Complete workflow:

1. Recruiters source candidates using SeekOut's 1B+ profile database (Days 1–14)
2. Export candidate data from SeekOut directly to your ATS (Workday, Greenhouse, iCIMS)
3. Sova's ATS integration guide shows how assessment steps are added to your job's interview plan, automatically inviting candidates to complete psychometric tests
4. Assessment scores update candidate profiles in your ATS automatically, triggering workflows that advance top performers and send feedback to others
5. Hiring managers review ranked candidates with clear reports showing cognitive ability, personality fit, and situational judgement scores

"Sova was an excellent platform to utilise for our graduate recruitment volume hiring. The team were excellent in their delivery and I thoroughly trusted the partnership." - Verified user on G2

Sova's ATS integrations overview lets you send assessment invitations, track candidate progress, view results and automate hiring stages without leaving your ATS. For volume hiring, consult our Early Careers hiring stack guide: SeekOut to expand your candidate pool beyond active applicants and Sova to assess that pool fairly using validated psychometric instruments.

Choose Sova when you need to:

• Assess candidates with limited work history (graduates, apprentices, career changers) where profile data is insufficient
• Defend your selection process in an employment tribunal with validation studies and adverse impact reports
• Screen high volumes (500+ candidates per role) without per-candidate cost barriers
• Predict job performance using validated assessments demonstrating meaningful relationships with performance outcomes through peer-reviewed methodologies
• Consolidate tools (assessments, video interviews, virtual centres) in one platform with unified pricing

"I really appreciate how Sova's talent assessment platform has helped our organisation to streamline our recruitment process and identify the best candidates for our team. The platform's skills testing, psychometric testing, and video interviewing capabilities have been particularly useful." - faraz a on G2

"The relationship Sova build with their clients is fantastic. The level of support and interaction is perfect. Sova are always available when needed and keep on top of projects and timelines. The Admin UI platform is easy to use and very intuitive." - Hannah P. on G2

Measuring ROI in your first 30 days

Track sourcing efficiency to demonstrate SeekOut's value and identify where assessment tools are needed:

Sourcing metrics:

• Time-to-source: Average days from search initiation to qualified profile identified
• Profiles sourced per hour: Number of qualified profiles added to Workspaces per recruiter hour
• Cost per sourced candidate: Total SeekOut spend divided by number of profiles exported to ATS
• Response rate: Percentage of outreach recipients who reply

Pipeline quality (where gaps emerge):

• ATS application rate: Percentage of sourced candidates who complete formal application
• Screen-to-interview conversion: Percentage of sourced candidates who pass initial screening
• Offer acceptance rate: Percentage of finalists who accept offers

If your screen-to-interview conversion is low, you lack validated screening data. Profile-based sourcing alone cannot predict job performance. Assessment patterns may correlate with workplace behaviours, though individual outcomes vary significantly based on role requirements, organisational culture, and development support.

Use SeekOut's Pipeline Insights to track sourcing metrics. Use your ATS to track screening and selection metrics. If you identify a bottleneck at the screening stage, you need assessment capability.

SeekOut solves the sourcing problem by expanding your candidate pool beyond active job seekers. However, sourcing 2,000 profiles creates a new problem: screening them fairly without relying on CV credentials that perpetuate bias. The most defensible Early Careers hiring processes use SeekOut to find candidates and validated assessment platforms to select from those candidates based on actual cognitive ability, personality fit, and situational judgement rather than profile data alone. Your Legal team will thank you for the adverse impact reports when they need to defend your selection process.

Book a demo with the Sova team to see how validated assessments integrate with your sourcing workflows to predict candidate success, or review our integration documentation to understand how Sova works with your existing ATS and sourcing tools.

Frequently asked questions

How long does SeekOut implementation typically take?
Implementation timelines vary based on ATS integration complexity and team size, with quick onboarding for all businesses being a common outcome. SSO configuration requires several days, ATS integration testing requires additional time for field mapping verification, and recruiter training on Boolean search and outreach sequences requires approximately two weeks.

Does SeekOut replace my ATS?
No, SeekOut feeds your ATS by exporting sourced candidate profiles. Sova integrates with both your ATS and SeekOut's exported candidates to assess them once they are in your hiring pipeline.

Can SeekOut assess candidate cognitive ability or personality?
No, SeekOut relies on public profile data from LinkedIn, GitHub, and academic publications. For validated psychometric assessment of cognitive ability, personality traits, or situational judgement, you need a research-backed assessment platform like Sova.

What is the difference between Partner API and Harvest API for Greenhouse integration?
Partner API takes approximately 2–3 minutes to set up and exports basic candidate data. Harvest API takes approximately 10 minutes to set up but allows you to export more comprehensive data fields. Choose based on your data requirements.

How many contact credits do I need per recruiter?
SeekOut Premium includes 500 contact credits per user per month. Credits don't roll over to the next period, which can be restrictive for recruiters who need to contact a large number of candidates.

Can I use SeekOut for Early Careers hiring?
SeekOut can help you find graduate candidates, but profile-based data disadvantages early careers candidates with limited work history. Pair SeekOut with validated assessments that measure cognitive ability, personality, and potential rather than relying solely on LinkedIn profiles.