In a world where SaaS platforms often promise the moon, then bury users under a mountain of features they’ll never use, Just Recruit stands out by doing the opposite. It’s a streamlined, intuitive CRM and ATS software solution designed for recruitment agencies that are tired of being overwhelmed by clunky, over-engineered tools.
As founder, Erika Clifford puts it: “We are refreshingly uncomplicated.”
Just Recruit provides exactly what recruiters need, and nothing they don’t. Built with growing teams in mind, particularly those who don’t require features aimed at temporary placement agencies, Just Recruit offers an alternative to the complexity that dominates the recruitment tech space.
Solving Her Pain Point and a Market’s
Erika didn’t stumble into building recruitment software by accident. She felt the pain firsthand.
“When I started a recruitment agency in 2012 and went looking for a CRM, everything was over-complicated, over-engineered, and over-priced.”
Rather than settle for something that didn’t work, Erika created her platform. It wasn’t about reinventing the wheel; it was about making the wheel roll properly for once. Over the next few years, that internal tool evolved, and in 2018, Erika took the bold step of bringing it to market as its product.
“I decided to create my streamlined platform that focused on all the functionality that mattered and dialed down all the noise of the stuff that didn’t.”
What makes Just Recruit unique is that it was never about following tech trends. It was about solving a real problem that Erika knew others were experiencing, too. That authenticity and clarity of vision have helped the platform cut through the noise in a crowded industry.
Going Against the Trend and Growing Organically
While competitors in the recruitment tech space seem focused on who can stack the most features into a dashboard, Just Recruit took a different approach. Erika built the platform around what recruiters actually use, not what looks impressive in a demo.
“Our competitors are all trying to add as much functionality, bells, whistles, plugins, integrations, and bits of AI as possible.”
“We are the alternative simplistic solution to the explosion of over-use of recruitment technology that doesn't deliver the results it promises to.”
Erika has resisted the pressure to add more features for the sake of keeping up. Instead, she’s stayed true to the original mission: creating useful software that supports recruiters without replacing them. That’s earned her not only loyal customers but a sustainable business model.
And that sustainability matters.
“We are a completely bootstrapped business and have grown organically without ever having so much as an overdraft.”
Just Recruit isn’t VC-backed or built for a quick exit. It’s a practical solution built by someone who knows the space, and it continues to grow without taking shortcuts. Erika’s leadership, particularly as a woman of colour in the tech space, is a powerful part of the story.
“Our founder is the sole director and is a woman of colour – something quite unusual in the technology space.”
Facing a Shifting Market with Grit and Focus
The current landscape hasn’t been easy. The recruitment industry has faced major headwinds, with many agencies folding or downsizing. That kind of uncertainty has a ripple effect on all suppliers, including CRM platforms.
“The recruitment industry has been through a tough time, which has seen a lot of businesses fold and many others contract…the sustained challenging time that's been faced by the industry can also cause decision-makers to freeze.”
Yet there’s a silver lining. When budgets get tight, companies start looking for better value. And Just Recruit, being cost-effective and refreshingly no-fuss, becomes an even more attractive option. In lean times, recruiters have more capacity to consider changing systems. Erika sees that moment as a real opportunity.
Still, she’s learned the hard way that saying “yes” to every customer request can be a trap.
“You can't give customers everything they want and stay viable.”
It’s a powerful insight, especially for bootstrapped founders. Protecting the product's simplicity means saying "no" sometimes, so it can keep working well for the people who need it most.
Looking Ahead: Where to Find Just Recruit
Erika’s approach proves that you don’t need to build the biggest product to make the biggest difference. Just Recruit continues to grow by staying clear on its mission: keep things simple, human, and useful.
If you're part of a recruitment agency looking for a CRM that’s actually built for how you work, not how software vendors think you should work, Just Recruit might be the solution you've been waiting for.
You can learn more at www.justrecruit.co, or connect with Erika directly on LinkedIn or via email at [email protected]. When you’re ready to cut the clunk and focus on recruiting again, Just Recruit is ready for you.