Best Applicant Tracking Systems
Buyer's Guide
Unless you're an octopus with eight limbs, sifting through stacks of resumes, cover letters and applicant profiles every time a role opens is a nightmare. Adding fuel to the fire, competition is fierce, and if you’re not quick enough, you’ll lose top talent to your rivals. But all hope isn’t lost. An applicant tracking system, also known as ATS software, can quickly, automatically and easily fix these problems.
Keep reading to find out what an ATS is and how it can benefit your recruitment cycles. We’ll spotlight popular deployment methods, pricing considerations, top-rated vendors and industry trends you need to consider. We’ll also provide tools and resources that you can use to compare the best ATS and make informed software selections. Let’s get started!
Executive Summary
- The best ATS software inherently automates talent sourcing, manages job requisitions and reconnects with past applicants.
- Hiring teams can publish job posts with ATS software, create career sites, compare resumes and store applicant data in bulk within databases.
- ATS software integrates with office applications, social media and job boards with complete access to past data to create a powerhouse of functions.
- ATS software allows managers to focus on people-oriented activities since automated features complete repetitive tasks like candidate screening and applicant tracking.
- Asking the right questions internally and to ATS software vendors is key to conducting a guided software selection process.
- What Is ATS Software?
- Deployment Methods
- Primary Benefits
- Implementation Goals
- Basic Features & Functionality
- Advanced Features to Consider
- Upcoming Trends
- Software Comparison Strategy
- Cost & Pricing Considerations
- The Best ATS Software
- Questions To Ask Yourself
- Questions To Ask Vendors
- In Conclusion
- Product Comparisons
- Additional Resources
What Is ATS Software?
Applicant tracking systems, or ATS, are a set of tools that facilitate better control over applicant status by using technology to manage applicant pipelines. The best ATS software offers recruiting teams the tools to oversee and manage every step of the recruitment process.
The system collects and stores everything from screening tests and interviewer notes to critical information about potential hires in databases. It combs through multiple resumes, cover letters and references to present the top candidate quickly and automatically.
Deployment Methods
Choosing a suitable software model is just like finding new talent for a job. It all depends on what’s most important to the company. Multiple factors like speed, scale, style, spending and security come into play. Your choice depends on how well a system aligns with your existing IT infrastructure.
A cloud-based system brings its fair share of advantages, such as accessibility to shared online resources, universal layouts and automatic upgrades. It’s easier to integrate productivity apps with an online ATS and, as a result, expedites response time. It also allows on-demand scalability and lowers maintenance costs.
On the other hand, on-premise software resides on local computers and runs entirely on-site. Maintaining locally-installed systems requires solid in-house IT backed up with secure networks and robust hardware.
Since data protection depends on existing security protocols for an on-premise system, a cloud-based system is the preferred option.
Primary Benefits
As long as you continue to manage recruitment cycles without technological tools, human error will continue to threaten hiring success. Adding andy of the best ATS software to your existing human resource information system (HRIS) allows you to leverage tools designed to reduce easily avoidable oversights and organize hundreds of applicant pipelines without hassle.
Built-in functionalities ensure smooth administrative functions and company-wide efficiency. With that in mind, look at how ATS software can support these initiatives:
- Background Check
- Benefits Administration
- Call Center Workforce Management
- Compensation Management
- Corporate LMS
- Direct Deposit Payroll
- Employee Engagement
- Employee Feedback
- Employee Pulse Survey Tools
- Employee Scheduling
- Enterprise LMS
- HR Case Management
- HR
- HR Software For Nonprofits
- Human Services
- Interview Scheduling
- Job Board
- LMS
- Mobile Workforce Scheduling
- Onboarding
- Online HR
- Online Training
- Payroll
- Performance Management
- Pre-Employment Assessment
- Recruiting CRM
- Recruitment
- Restaurant Scheduling
- Sales Commission
- Talent Acquisition
- Talent Management
- Time and Attendance
- Video Interview
- Workforce Management
Unifies Recruiting Activities
It can take a little over two seconds to reorient yourself after toggling between two systems. You might think that’s not too bad. However, according to recent data published by the Harvard Business Review, users switch between apps nearly 1,200 times per day.
Quick math shows that the average user spends four hours a week regaining their bearings when they switch to a new application, spreadsheet or website. Constantly toggling from one datasheet to the next adds to overall stress.
An all-around applicant tracking software can save time and energy by providing a universal view of all your recruiting activities from start to finish.
Improves Recruiter Productivity
Leaving the repetitive tasks to the system frees your team to focus on hiring top talent. Features like internal social spaces, sequenced workflows, automatic task reminders, update alerts and other customizable tools specially designed to reduce manual effort.
If you’re looking to take things up a notch from there, creating a high-functioning ecosystem with the right browser plug-ins and third-party solutions to aid company support even further is simple and easy.
Enhances Outreach
The interconnectedness of global online communities means easy access to larger, more diverse talent pools.
By connecting with multiple job boards and social networks, the best ATS software increases job posts’ reach and visibility to a larger talent pool. You’ll increase the chances of quality candidates applying for jobs in your company through a broad deployment of job posts.
Some intuitive applicant tracking systems monitor campaigns and apply the insight to prioritize only high-performing channels.
Conveys Employer Branding
Just as you evaluate your applicants based on how they communicate and present themselves, your candidates also develop perceptions of your company and culture during the process.
Ensuring that your applicants’ opinions are positive is vital to make a lasting impression. Applicant tracking software helps you make an excellent first impression by incorporating company logos, color palettes and aesthetics into communication channels like career sites and emails.
Using brand elements to convey your company’s tone is instrumental in establishing authenticity and recognition in the eyes of potential hires.
Enables Equitable Hiring
Unconscious bias can work its way into hiring despite the best intentions. We’re only human, and slip-ups can happen. However, by leveraging today's technology, you can ensure that the hiring process is as equitable as possible.
Pew Research Center cites that job seekers want real change, and in their search for greener pastures, they specifically look for workplaces where they’ll feel valued and respected.
Any of the best applicant tracking systems help you take tangible actions to hire people of different ages, ethnicities, genders, cultures and sexual orientations. Developing formal DEI policies that enable impactful decisions is a step in the right direction. According to Culture Amp’s 2022 DEI Workplace report, 41% of companies are already developing such policies to drive real change.
The system lets you source diverse candidates, identify areas of improvement at key stages and take action when DEI metrics drop below the required level.
Many vendors also go the extra mile to empower underrepresented talent groups with unique targeting tools.
Limitations
A comprehensive applicant tracking software is a valuable tool to reduce your workload and achieve your hiring goals. However, no technology is perfect, and ATS is no exception. Losing out on great potential hires because of technology designed to optimize the recruiting process diminishes its overall value.
An informed software selection process is incomplete if you don’t consider the pros and cons of that software.
With that in mind, consider the following ways applicant tracking software falls short:
1. Overlooks Potential Applicants
An ATS will likely overlook great potential hires due to an incorrect choice of keywords. Like most software, ATS heavily relies on data to source talent. In other words, the systems categorically comb through applications based on inputs, and any discrepancies in terms will omit candidates from the race before it’s even begun.
2. Eliminates Unreadable Resumes
While automation is a nifty tool in your tech stack, it can backfire quickly. If applicant tracking software comes across a resume format that it doesn’t recognize, it chooses to eliminate the application from the process. Common unreadable formats include specific document formats, fonts and most, if not all, images.
For that reason, implementing an ATS comes with an opportunity cost: invest more time and effort to scan resumes or save time and effort manually but risk missing out on potential talent.
3. Risks Manipulation
No matter how robust the filtering and scanning technology of the applicant tracking software is, there’ll always be a certain number of sneaky applicants who know how to get past the system. Job seekers optimize their resumes with the right amount of keywords, so their applications appear on shortlists, whether they’re qualified or not.
Since even the best applicant tracking systems can’t identify exaggerated resumes, it’s easier for under qualified candidates to make it through the initial screening, which can ultimately be a waste of time.
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
Implementation Goals
|
Goal 1 Increase Quality Hires |
At its core, ATS software uses essential requirements from open posts to classify thousands of resumes to find the most suitable candidate. Adding critical search filters lets you shortlist prospective hires to advance to the next step. |
|---|---|
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Goal 2 Boost Collaboration |
Peak hiring seasons result in overlapping departmental hiring initiatives. Real-time processing and updates keep your team members in the loop throughout the recruitment cycle. Access shared databases, reports, calendars and schedules to track the process with full context. |
|
Goal 3 Automate Workflows |
Like many functions in business, the hiring process benefits from specialized technology designed to automate. Free your hiring team from repetitive tasks like recording data. Instead, rely on workflows to reduce human errors and save time. |
|
Goal 4 Improve Employee Retention |
Recruitment efforts pay off when employees remain a part of the organization for the long haul. Equip your talent acquisition team to manage retention better and prevent turnover. Source relevant leads and state job requirements while pushing recently opened positions for urgent hiring. |
|
Goal 5 Better Candidate Experience |
During the recruiting process, job-seekers will likely develop strong opinions about an organization. A 2021 survey by CareerPlug found that 58% of candidates declined an offer due to poor experience. The best ATS assists you in adopting improved hiring techniques that leave a lasting positive impression on job seekers. |
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Goal 6 Improve ROI |
Screening leads, generating job descriptions, interviewing shortlisted candidates and onboarding new hires are time-intensive and costly activities. Applicant tracking software provides ROI calculations to reduce bad hires, cut external costs, minimize time to fill and increase team efficiency. You can optimize results by measuring the performance of specific sources and devising marketing tactics for high-yielding platforms. |
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
Basic Features & Functionality
| Keyword Search |
Keyword search tools locate particular terms within profiles. Using target keywords adds prerequisites to your searches and targets only the prospects with elements required for the open role. Your quest for an ideal candidate will be accurate and far-ranging. |
|---|---|
| Job Posting |
With an ATS, you can develop and optimize job posts from templates, while automation lets you publish them across job boards, career sites and social media. You can create job posts, spread the word about placement opportunities and measure campaign performance with just a click of a button. |
| Resume Parsing |
The resume parsing tool extracts data on skill sets, qualifications, professional experiences and contact information from various sources and converts it into readable, comparable formats. |
| API Integration |
Managing every integrated application is challenging, even when a single suite supports numerous integrations like office productivity apps, browser plug-ins, and social media. With APIs, all systems co-exist on a standard interface and function with full context. |
| Scheduling Interviews |
Schedule interviews at your convenience with features to adjust and sync planners and calendars with full or varying access to multiple users. Certain vendors also allow integration with third-party interview scheduling software, so your team can continue organizing interviews on a familiar dashboard. |
| Resume Database |
Rely on libraries to store thousands of resumes and candidate profiles. Think of internal databases as digital vaults containing information on every past and present applicant. Allow team members with admin permissions to retrieve relevant documents. |
| In-depth Analytics |
Gain deep insights into applicants' career expertise, demographics and personality. Track and measure the performance of job posts and campaigns to support internal processes. |
| Security Policies |
With great data comes great responsibility. System security is essential when you have access to libraries of sensitive information. Safeguard sensitive information with firewalls, authorization protocols and security practices. |
| Mobile Functionality |
Mobile capabilities benefit candidates and HR teams alike. Hiring managers can keep track of progress and connect with teams from anywhere. Alerts, notifications and text features engage candidates with updates on recruitment status. |
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
Advanced Features & Functionality
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) |
With the advancement of AI over the years, an intelligent applicant tracking software modernizes HR by using predictive models and algorithms to establish lean recruiting tactics. AI improves candidate searches, ensures smart evaluation, ranks prospective hires and provides job-success data to support hiring decisions. |
|---|---|
| Video Interview Integration |
Audio-visual cues speak volumes compared to text. You can share video responses with teams to assess candidates' attitudes and personalities. Video solutions, like live and pre-recorded interviews, increase authenticity, resolve misinterpretations and break geographical barriers. |
| Recruitment CRM |
Hiring doesn’t always go according to plan. Just because applicants are a good fit doesn’t guarantee success. Candidate relationship management tools focus on building and nurturing relationships, so when a position is available in the future, you can peer into candidate databases and handpick past applicants who made a mark. |
| Preboarding Tools |
Preboarding is the liminal period before new hires start their first day at the organization. Some of the best ATS vendors provide tools to send offer letters, deploy email reminders and digitally sign documents to facilitate seamless transitions. |
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
Upcoming Trends
AI Recruiting
AI takes the burden of routine tasks and analytics off recruiters' plates. However, identifying patterns from thousands of input data units, learning from findings and adjusting workflows are powerful abilities that shouldn’t be limited to task automation.
Today, AI is more dynamic than ever through solutions like smart matching technology, chatbot assistants, email automation, talent assessments and applicant ranking.
Using AI is an excellent way of maximizing and optimizing the time spent by your overall workforce, all with just a few clicks of a button and minimal stress.
AI also paves the way for new technologies like machine learning in recruitment. Machine learning analyzes data and algorithms to imitate human learning.
Here are some examples of emerging technologies in applicant tracking:
- Automatic candidate matching. Leverage AI-based talent matching algorithms that push the most suitable applicants forward.
- People analytics. Improve decision-making by using key metrics and reduce the tendency to depend solely on intuition when making vital hiring decisions.
- AI-led talent sourcing. Find and screen candidates based on what matters most — their expertise. Evaluate different talent sources based on the quality of hires and identify top-performing channels.
- AI chatbots. Provide better candidate experiences by using AI chatbots to engage applicants and answer frequently asked questions when an HR representative isn’t available.
Smart Recruiter provides a conversational AI feature to guide candidates through the recruitment funnel and answer FAQs. Source
Jobvite’s Job Seeker Nation Report, which focused on candidate experiences interacting with AI, revealed that 63% of candidates agreed that chatbots improved the process or experience.
Thanks to its ability to improve accuracy and learn from collective insights, AI shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon!
Remote Hiring
Many companies already relied on digital onboarding techniques before the pandemic. However, addressing the face-mask-wearing elephant in the room, the need to safely and remotely manage workforces forever changed how businesses operate.
A recent study by Gallup identified that more than 70 million workers are remote-capable employees and can work from home. Acknowledging that employees can work remotely, more and more businesses are adopting new technology to hire remotely. A Talview survey of 145 companies revealed that 80% of employers already rely on a fully remote hiring process.
With help from modern applicant tracking tools, you can quickly and easily access exponential talent pools from anywhere.
ATS software brings video communications to your tech arsenal, a powerful alternative to on-site interviews that keeps you, your workforce and the applicant as safe as possible throughout the process.
Employee Referral Programs
A referral program is an effective recruiting method where you can encourage existing staff to tap into their social circles and recommend prospective hires on an incentive-per-hire basis. Referred profiles are flagged on the dashboard automatically by the applicant tracking software so team members can elevate those candidates in the process.
More and more ATS vendors support referral program integrations, as 82% of employers report that employee referrals emerged as their top source for generating ROI.
Jobvite records referral ownership, adds incentive bonuses and automatically fast-tracks hard-to-fill positions. Source
Moreover, an invoked sense of accountability makes employee referral programs a credible source for high-priority positions.
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
Software Comparison Strategy
You’re in the first steps of starting the search for the best applicant tracking system for your needs, but what’s the most appropriate way to proceed? Here’s a tip: instead of looking for the best product in the market, look for a product that would work best for you.
- Involve Key Stakeholders: Assemble team members by adopting an all-hands-on-deck approach. The solution you implement should benefit those likely to interact with the product extensively.
- Conduct Internal Analysis: Start internal conversations surrounding key features that will benefit your company the most. Look for areas of improvement or weak links in your overall recruitment strategy and use your findings to guide your search.
- Analyze Your Competition: Evaluate your competitors’ tools to address candidate relationship management needs.
- Create a Requirements List: Transform your list of critical components into an actionable plan. Our ATS software requirements template is a quick way to categorize your top features.
- Compare Vendors: Ultimately, your choice must check all the items on your ATS features and requirements list. Evaluating your software prospects can help uncover surprising shortcomings and benefits. If you want to turn it up a notch, consider our ATS comparison matrix developed by our analysts for an in-depth evaluation report adjusted to your business priorities.
Still need more information? Our article Software Evaluation Using the Lean Selection Methodology will help you conduct a guided software selection process in nine steps.
Cost & Pricing Considerations
With abundant features to choose from, it can take time to pick a suitable pricing model. To kick things off, start with an internal gap analysis: consider company size, ROI goals, recruiting styles, business ethos and areas of improvement.
If the software has what you’re looking for and is within your budget, those should immediately jump to the top of your list! The good news is that most software options are priced based on the modules you choose.
Pricing also varies from an on-premise system to a cloud system. Brace yourself for a high initial investment cost for on-premise applicant tracking software since an on-site implementation directly depends on the existing state of technical infrastructure. Installing upgrades typically incurs additional fees.
With a cloud platform, since there’s no need for on-site implementation, you pay a recurring monthly or annual subscription fee with occasional enhancements made by the vendor.
Standard additional costs include:
- Version upgrades
- Add-on capabilities
- Implementation and training, particularly for complex software
- Additional on-site maintenance
Consider the following points when creating a budget for your requirements to identify the best ATS for your needs:
Pay-per-User/Recruiter Model
This pricing model depends on the number of users with access to the data and control over the system. Vendors typically charge less than $100 a month per recruiter.
Pay-per-Job Opening
Most suitable for small businesses, this model charges based on the number of active job openings and applications. Fees are typically between $5-$20 per posting, and vendors usually don’t charge for archived or stored applications.
Pay-per-Employee
Based on the number of employees in your company. Vendors charge between $4-$7 for small and medium companies, but the pricing can drop considerably for enterprises.
Flat Fee
This model is the most upfront of all the pricing models. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll be spending regardless of the number of users, applicants or employees. While costs may fluctuate based on company size, it’ll be a flat rate.
Typically vendors charge around $350 per month or $4,200 per year.
Free and Open Source
Yes, you read that right. There are free applicant tracking systems on the market. Exciting, right? Although this will be the cheapest option available, these systems come with their flaws. What you pay for is what you get. Expect bare-bones features, little tech support and no customization options. Be prepared to invest money into the program to access more features eventually.
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
The Best ATS Software
The best applicant tracking system are versatile but not a one-size-fits-all remedy. With that in mind, a quick overview of the top-rated vendors will help you put things into perspective. Use this list to consider the best ATS software these vendors bring to the table and how they benefit your company.
iCIMS
ICIMS is a dynamic hiring suite that offers applicant tracking, employee onboarding and candidate relationship management capabilities. The platform is scalable, making it suitable for long-term business solutions. White labeling, customized templates and design tools help build on-brand career sites and communications.
It provides AI-based talent-matching technology, actionable insights and DEI tools to address hiring bias.
iCIMS helps manage recruiting tasks on a single interface.
Greenhouse Recruiting
Greenhouse Recruiting provides UI/UX tools for recruiters in addition to basic ATS features like streamlined hiring and automated functions. It provides detailed candidate scorecards highlighting key attributes, personality traits and relevant skills. Localization options like recording name pronunciations, allowing multiple language solutions and adding preferred pronouns to applications facilitate personalized candidate experiences.
The system also leverages key metrics from candidate surveys to help you implement data-driven improvement tactics. Other notable features are @mentions, a centralized communication platform, shared application reviews and API integrations.
Greenhouse manages multiple applicant pipelines with access to various analytics.
Zoho Recruit
Zoho Recruit is a cloud-based recruitment suite. It provides advanced search functions, background verification, customized branded resume templates and proactive talent assessments that let you structure the hiring processes from start to finish. You can integrate the platform with third-party applications and other Zoho solutions.
Zoho’s mobile-first approach allows your team to access candidate and client information from mobile devices and schedule interviews on the go. Some notable features are built-in automation, resume parsing, interactive graphs and analytical reports.
Zoho Recruit provides interview tool kits that include candidate information, prescreening assessment scores and interview details. Source
Taleo
A part of the Oracle family of software, Taleo focuses on collecting data and providing practical insights. It offers two software versions with a versatile market in mind: one designed for SMBs and one for large enterprises. Tools like candidate questionnaires, pre-hire assessment tests, background check searches and offer tracking guide your team through the next recruitment steps.
Tailored career sites, multi-channel campaigns and smart capabilities significantly expedite hiring.
Taleo manages applications for each open role.
Jobvite
Jobvite combines ATS with candidate relationship management to offer a strong talent acquisition system. With access to over 300 social platforms, it assists with a robust social recruiting strategy. Notable features include advanced talent growth through employee referral, SMS and email capabilities, and mobile-friendly candidate selection tools.
The system also lets you autopilot workflows and configure applicant paths to streamline hiring.
Jobvites helps track talent pipelines with quick access to applicant information, embedded analytics and hiring workflows.
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
Questions To Ask Yourself
Asking questions can help you uncover software requirements from which your company will benefit. Use the following questions as a starting point to drive internal conversations during your software search:
- What integrations do you require to optimize workflows?
- What are your storage requirements?
- Do you have any specific requirements for talent sourcing?
- What is the geographic scope of your talent hunt?
- What customizable features would your team require to increase synergy and productivity?
Questions To Ask Vendors
It’s vital to know the pros and cons of every potential provider. Use these questions as a starting point for conversations with vendors:
About the Software
- How well does the ATS integrate into existing systems?
- Does the software offer branded career pages?
- What are the different plans? Do they differ based on on-premise and cloud deployment?
- Which add-on functions require additional payments?
- Does the ATS include diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) tools?
- How often is the dashboard updated? Would it lead to downtime?
- Which features use AI?
- What are the administrative control policies?
- How long do resume parsing and data migration take?
- Are there any limitations to mobile functionality?
About the Vendor
- How comprehensive does this vendor offer the maintenance and support resources?
- For a SaaS ATS provider, how and where is the data secured? Do they have any security protocols and SSL encryption certificates to prove?
- Does this vendor specialize in serving small, medium or large organizations?
- Are there any customer success testimonies associated with this vendor?
Expert recommendations and analysis on the top Applicant Tracking System
In Conclusion
With ATS implementation, you don’t have to worry about being overwhelmed with tedious responsibilities. You can choose the best ATS software from a diverse selection of vendors that match your budget and specifications. The right system can make a huge difference in your recruiting efforts and empower your team to overcome unique hiring challenges.
Moving forward, consider the following articles to learn more about recruiting top talent.
Product Comparisons
- Taleo vs. iCIMs vs. Jobvite vs. iSmartRecruit vs. Bullhorn
- iCIMS vs. Greenhouse Recruiting
- iCIMS vs. Zoho Recruit
- iCIMS vs. Taleo
- iCIMS vs. Jobvite
- Jobvite vs. Greenhouse Recruiting
- Jobvite vs. Zoho Recruit
- Jobvite vs. Taleo
- Taleo vs. Greenhouse Recruiting
- Taleo vs. Zoho Recruit
- Zoho Recruit vs. Greenhouse Recruiting
Additional Resources
Top 10 Applicant Tracking Systems Leaders by Analyst Rating (of 298 products)
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