Job Crystal, a Cape Town-based technology start-up, has developed software that uses advanced artificial intelligence to match recruiters with job seekers with much greater accuracy.

The company, which is headed by CEO Sasha Knott, said the platform has been designed to help businesses hire faster and smarter.

The software, simply called Crystal, can review up to 34 million job applications and find the top 10 applicants that would suit the job on offer within an hour.

Job Crystal created the software when it noticed the recruitment industry was ready for technology-led disruption. Knott said her background in software programming and her own struggles with recruitment inspired her to create the system. Job Crystal is her third start-up.

The software is designed both to make it easier for job seekers to find employment and for clients (employers) to find suitable candidates more easily.

Using machine learning, the team at Job Crystal was able to create software that can search through 34 million applicants in seconds across a wide number of databases and find the 10 best candidates within 60 minutes. If more suitable candidates become available through the various databases that Job Crystal has access to, then companies will receive an e-mail with these details as they become available.

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Crystal was created mainly to serve start-ups and small businesses. Because of this, the company charges per search conducted using the software. However, subscriptions are also available for larger companies.

The software will also pull through data from other sources, including social media platforms, so employers have a wider view of any candidates they are considering.

An app for Crystal is in the works, though Knott said she can’t say yet when it will be ready.