A Glossary of Key Terms in Webhooks and Automation for HR & Recruiting

In today’s fast-paced HR and recruiting landscape, leveraging automation and integration technologies is no longer optional—it’s essential for efficiency, accuracy, and competitive advantage. Understanding the core concepts behind these tools, particularly webhooks, can empower HR and recruiting professionals to streamline processes, reduce manual effort, and enhance the candidate experience. This glossary defines key terms to help you navigate the world of automated recruiting with confidence.

Webhook

A webhook is an automated message sent from apps when something happens. It’s an “event-driven” communication method where an application sends a notification to a pre-configured URL whenever a specific event occurs. Unlike traditional APIs where you have to constantly poll for data, a webhook pushes data to you in real-time. In HR, a webhook could notify your applicant tracking system (ATS) instantly when a new resume is uploaded to a job board, or trigger an interview scheduling workflow when a candidate reaches a certain stage. This real-time data flow significantly reduces delays and manual data entry, ensuring your recruitment processes are always working with the most current information.

API (Application Programming Interface)

An API defines the methods of communication between various software components. It’s a set of rules and protocols that allows different applications to talk to each other and exchange data. Think of it as a menu in a restaurant: you don’t need to know how the food is cooked, just how to order it. For HR and recruiting, APIs enable your ATS to integrate with assessment tools, background check services, or HRIS platforms, allowing seamless data transfer without manual intervention. This interoperability is crucial for building a cohesive HR tech stack and eliminating data silos, ensuring candidate information flows smoothly across all stages of the hiring process.

Integration

Integration refers to the process of connecting disparate systems and applications so they can work together and share data. In the context of HR and recruiting, integration is about creating a unified ecosystem where your ATS, CRM, HRIS, payroll, and other tools communicate effectively. This eliminates the need for manual data transfer, reduces errors, and ensures consistency across all platforms. A well-integrated HR tech stack can automate tasks like onboarding paperwork, candidate feedback collection, and performance management data updates, freeing up HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives rather than administrative burdens.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation involves using technology to automate a series of tasks or steps in a business process. It’s about defining rules and sequences so that once a trigger event occurs, subsequent actions are automatically executed without human intervention. For recruiting, this could mean automatically sending a confirmation email when a candidate applies, scheduling an initial screening call when they pass a certain assessment score, or moving a candidate to the “hired” status in the ATS once the offer letter is signed. Implementing workflow automation leads to significant time savings, reduces human error, and ensures a consistent candidate experience by standardizing communication and processes.

CRM (Candidate Relationship Management / Customer Relationship Management)

While traditionally known as Customer Relationship Management, in recruiting, CRM often refers to Candidate Relationship Management systems. These platforms are designed to manage and nurture relationships with potential candidates, much like a sales CRM manages customer leads. A recruiting CRM helps HR teams build talent pipelines, engage with passive candidates, track interactions, and manage communication. Integrating a CRM with an ATS and other automation tools allows for seamless candidate progression, from initial engagement and talent pooling through to application and hiring, ensuring a personalized and positive candidate journey even before they apply for a specific role.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

JSON is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate. It is widely used for transmitting data between a server and web application, and is the standard format for most webhooks and APIs. When a webhook sends data, it’s usually packaged as a JSON object containing key-value pairs representing the event details (e.g., `{“candidateName”: “Jane Doe”, “status”: “Applied”}`). Understanding JSON basics is helpful for HR professionals configuring automation tools, as it allows for precise data mapping and ensures the correct information is extracted and used across different systems.

Payload

In the context of webhooks and APIs, the “payload” refers to the actual data being sent in a request or response. It’s the body of the message that contains the relevant information. For example, when a webhook notifies your system about a new job application, the payload would be a JSON object containing all the candidate’s details—name, contact information, resume link, applied position, etc. Understanding the structure of a webhook’s payload is critical for configuring automation tools like Make.com to correctly extract, transform, and use that data in subsequent steps, such as updating a CRM or triggering an email sequence.

Endpoint

An endpoint is a specific URL where an API or webhook can be accessed. It’s the exact location where an external application sends or receives data. For example, your ATS might have an API endpoint like `https://myats.com/api/v1/candidates` for submitting new candidate profiles. When you set up a webhook, you provide a specific URL (your endpoint) where the sending application should deliver its payload. In HR automation, configuring the correct endpoints is crucial for ensuring that data flows to the intended destination, whether it’s updating a candidate record or triggering an automated communication.

HTTP Request

HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) requests are the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web, and thus for APIs and webhooks. An HTTP request is essentially a message sent by a client (e.g., your browser, an automation platform) to a server to request an action. Common types include GET (to retrieve data), POST (to send new data), PUT (to update existing data), and DELETE (to remove data). When your automation platform “listens” for a webhook, it’s typically awaiting an HTTP POST request containing a payload. Understanding these methods helps in debugging integrations and ensuring data is correctly handled.

Authentication

Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user or system attempting to access a resource. For APIs and webhooks, this typically involves proving that the system making a request is authorized. Common authentication methods include API keys (a unique string of characters), OAuth (a secure delegation protocol), or basic username/password credentials. Proper authentication is vital for data security, ensuring that only authorized applications can send or receive sensitive HR data. Without robust authentication, your confidential candidate and employee information could be vulnerable to unauthorized access.

Low-Code/No-Code

Low-code and no-code platforms are development environments that allow users to create applications and automate workflows with minimal or no traditional programming. Low-code platforms use visual interfaces with pre-built components and drag-and-drop functionality, still offering flexibility for custom code when needed. No-code platforms take this a step further, enabling non-technical users to build functional applications entirely through graphical interfaces. For HR and recruiting, these platforms (like Make.com) democratize automation, allowing professionals to build sophisticated integrations and workflows without needing to be software developers, accelerating digital transformation initiatives.

Data Mapping

Data mapping is the process of matching data fields from one system to corresponding data fields in another system. It’s about translating data so that information from source A (e.g., a job board application) can be correctly understood and stored by destination B (e.g., your ATS). For example, mapping “Applicant Name” from a webhook payload to “Candidate First Name” and “Candidate Last Name” fields in your CRM. Accurate data mapping is crucial for the success of any automation or integration project, preventing data loss, errors, and ensuring that all necessary information is correctly transferred and utilized across your HR tech stack.

Parsing

Parsing is the process of analyzing a string of symbols or data, often structured data like JSON, to extract meaningful components. When your automation platform receives a webhook payload, it needs to parse that data to identify specific pieces of information, such as the candidate’s email address, the job ID, or the application date. Effective parsing allows you to break down complex data structures into individual, usable data points that can then be used in subsequent automation steps, like populating fields in a database or personalizing an email template. This ensures that only relevant information is processed and acted upon.

Trigger

In automation, a “trigger” is the event that initiates a workflow or a sequence of actions. It’s the “if this happens, then that” part of the logic. For a webhook, the trigger is the specific event that causes the sending application to push a payload. Examples in HR include a new candidate applying for a job, a candidate’s status changing in the ATS, a form submission for onboarding, or an interview being scheduled. Identifying and configuring the right triggers is fundamental to building effective automated workflows, ensuring that your systems react promptly and appropriately to key events in the recruiting lifecycle.

Action

An “action” in an automation workflow is the task or operation that is performed in response to a trigger. It’s the “then that” part of the logic. After a trigger occurs and data is received (e.g., via a webhook), an automation platform will execute one or more predefined actions. Examples in HR include creating a new candidate record in your CRM, sending an automated email to the candidate, updating a spreadsheet, adding an event to a calendar, or initiating a background check request. Actions are the operational steps that transform data and drive processes forward, allowing for hands-free execution of routine HR and recruiting tasks.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Automating Your Recruiting Workflow: The Power of Webhooks and APIs