Trying to hire candidates manually these days is like solving complex math problems on a chalkboard or keeping track of a hundred employees’ schedules with a pen and paper. It’s time-consuming, prone to errors, and, honestly, a bit outdated.
Thankfully, we’re in the age of automation, and applicant tracking systems (ATS) can help you streamline the recruitment process. Just like calculators and scheduling software have revolutionized their respective tasks, a good ATS can save you time, improve candidate experiences, and provide valuable data analytics to find the best talent for your team.
The right ATS can help businesses of all sizes (yes, even solo teams and startups) elevate their organization’s talent acquisition efforts.
TL;DR — Key Takeaways
- A good ATS improves the candidate experience and makes your HR team more efficient.
- The right ATS should make sense for your hiring process—don’t just pick the most popular option on the market.
- Customizable applicant tracking systems are a must to adapt to your unique recruitment process.
- Schedule a demo of various ATS solutions to evaluate their user interface, features, and integrations.
- Toggl Hire is a great option for teams looking for talent pools, skills tests, and integrated candidate relationship management features.
Do you even need an applicant tracking system?
Great question! Unlike most other software that you might be able to do without, we do believe most businesses can benefit from using ATS software, yes (especially when so many have basic free plans perfect for smaller businesses or solo entrepreneurs making their first hire).
An applicant tracking system is a must-have for most organizations looking to improve their recruitment process. Hiring can be incredibly time-consuming, especially when dealing with a high volume of applications. When you automate repetitive tasks—like resume parsing and scheduling interviews—your HR team can focus on more strategic activities requiring a human touch.
This makes your HR team’s job a bit more enjoyable and your recruiting workflows more efficient. You can pinpoint ideal candidates quicker and ensure every candidate’s experience is professional and consistent.
Top tip:
You definitely need an ATS if you struggle with any of the following:
- Forgetting to follow up with candidates, either due to lack of resources or lack of organization
- Struggling with an excessive amount of manual tasks like setting up interviews
- Failing to employ full-cycle recruiting because you have too many HR tools that don’t integrate
- Feeling overwhelmed by reading and managing a high volume of job applications
- Lacking insights and analytics to improve the hiring process
11 things to consider when choosing the right ATS
Each talent acquisition team or recruitment agency has unique requirements for their ATS software—something we’ve seen firsthand while collaborating with hundreds of companies over the years.
Despite the different use cases that may come up, all businesses need to consider the following 11 points when choosing their ideal ATS.
1. Recruitment volume
Different ATS options cater to varying levels of hiring, from small businesses to enterprise-level corporations. Even if you’re starting at a smaller level, it’s important to look for recruitment software that can scale with your company’s growth.
High-volume hiring software usually comes with features that help you whittle down a candidate pool from hundreds to just a few. These ATS software rely on candidate assessment features like skills tests or knockout questions, giving the best applicants a chance to shine.
2. Budget
Select an ATS that aligns with your organization’s budget but don’t let the price tag be the only deciding factor. Make sure it delivers real value by offering features that’ll reduce your time-to-hire rate and make your HR team more efficient.
Top tip:
When you’re crunching the numbers, remember an ATS is an investment that can pay for itself in the long run if it helps you hire the right talent. Sourcing high-quality talent is the number one priority for recruiters in 2024.
3. Hiring team size
A larger hiring team might look for advanced features that allow customization, collaborations, and many integrations.
But if your team is smaller, user-friendliness and simplicity are probably your top priorities. Most ATS platforms have different plans for different team sizes, but tools like Toggl Hire allow teams of all sizes to access the features they need to succeed.
So, even if your hiring team is only a couple of people, you can still access the advanced features usually reserved for enterprises.
4. Candidate experience
Even if you find the right talent, the hiring experience might make or break their decision to join your team—52% of job seekers reportedly declined an offer based on a subpar recruitment process.
An ATS can elevate candidates’ views of your company and the overall candidate experience. With improved communication, a straightforward application process, and personalized interactions, you can set the stage for a positive employee-employer relationship right from the start.
Top tip:
Organizations love Toggl Hire because their candidates love the experience. They can show off their skills, (rather than just humble bragging to a hiring manager) and receive automated, real-time feedback from skills tests.
5. Assessment tools
You know what sets the best ATS platforms apart? They come with built-in assessment tools, like skills tests and homework assignments, making it super easy to evaluate candidates right within the system.
Most standard ATS don’t offer this and force you to integrate with third-party tools, which can be a hassle. Having everything all in one place makes the hiring process more efficient and ensures a smoother experience for your candidates.
6. Interview scheduling
The constant back-and-forths of interview scheduling can be a headache for both human resources and job seekers. An ATS reduces that administrative burden. Most systems allow candidates to choose a suitable time, whether it’s for a two-way or one-way interview.
The less time spent playing email ping-pong, the more time spent looking for the right talent or job hunting—a win-win for both candidates and recruiters.
7. Talent pools
Sometimes, a great candidate comes along, but you need to have the perfect role for them. That’s where talent pools in your ATS come in handy. Building and maintaining these pools can create a pipeline of qualified candidates for future job openings.
This isn’t a standard ATS feature, but Toggl Hire has it! It means you’re not starting from scratch every time an open position pops up, saving you time and allowing your company to think long-term.
8. Reporting and analytics
Solid reporting and analytics built into your recruitment tool let you look at important metrics—like time-to-hire rates or the source of your best candidates.
Maybe you discover that some job boards or social media platforms, like LinkedIn, work better than others. Or the job descriptions on your career page need some fine-tuning.
Either way, these insights ensure you get better at hiring (and avoid any common hiring mistakes). The bottom line: Data-driven decision-making is better than going off a gut feeling.
9. Ease of use
An ATS is supposed to make your life easier, but a steep learning curve can have the opposite effect. Not every team includes tech pros, which is why your hiring system must have an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
When everyone’s comfortable using the system, work flows smoothly, and the whole team performs (and hires) better.
10. Integrations
Chances are you already have some HR and recruitment tools in place. If you’re adding an ATS to the mix, it should easily integrate with your current processes rather than disrupt them. A good fit means less manual data entry, smoother workflows, and more time to focus on what really matters—finding and hiring top talent.
Top tip:
If an ATS doesn’t gel with your existing setup, it’s probably not the right fit. There’s usually a small learning curve with any new software. But if an ATS complicates rather than complements things, you probably need a different solution.
11. Does it make sense for your hiring process?
Only you know which ATS makes sense for your recruitment process and hiring team. Take a step back and look at things with a holistic approach. How well does the ATS align with your specific recruitment goals? What features are non-negotiables for your team?
Maybe it’s the ability to automatically post on job boards, or perhaps it’s robust onboarding features for new hires. Don’t just go for the shiniest or most popular option—really think about how the ATS integrates with your existing processes and makes life easier.
The best ATS is the one that feels tailor-made for your team.
Our talent team’s tips for choosing ATS software
Even though you, and only you, know what’s best for your team, we’ve been helping businesses hire since 2017. We’ve picked up lots of valuable wisdom along the way, so here are our talent acquisition team’s tips for choosing your ATS software.
🎈 Opt for customizable applicant tracking software
You know what’s really frustrating? Getting stuck with software that forces you to conform to its rigid processes rather than the other way around. That’s why finding an ATS that can be customized to suit your specific recruitment processes is so important.
Unfortunately, many of our competitors don’t offer this level of customization, which can be a real pain point for users. However, our candidate pipeline is fully customizable based on your needs and hiring role. You can use our drag-and-drop editor to build your unique pipeline and implement custom templates in your communications.
💰 Consider pricing in relation to value and time saved
If your ideal ATS has a higher price point, don’t let that immediately scare you off. Evaluate the value and efficiencies it could bring to your organization. How much time will automating manual tasks save your team? How will it improve your workflow and the overall hiring process?
These factors can translate into significant long-term savings and increased productivity. A higher upfront cost might provide better value if it means a more efficient and strong system. So, instead of just looking at the price tag, think about the return on investment.
Top tip:
Check out our ATS price guide to see how much these systems typically cost depending on the features you need and your team size.
😺 Choose CRM features to boost the candidate experience
Instead of clicking between multiple tools, imagine you have an ATS that integrates candidate relationship management (CRM) features. With all your candidate information in one place, you can easily track interactions, shortlist candidates, and send personalized emails.
This increases candidate engagement and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. When only 20% of hiring managers are reportedly not ghosting candidates, clear communication is one way to cultivate the best hiring experience.
🧲 Think long-term about your employer brand
First impressions do matter, and the hiring journey is likely the first interaction a candidate has with your organization. If it’s clunky, impersonal, and unorganized, odds are candidates won’t give you a referral to fellow job seekers. Leaving a good impression creates a positive brand image, which will benefit you long-term.
Many small businesses overlook this detail, but getting it right from the start is important. A well-chosen ATS can enhance your professional image and help you stand out, attracting new hires from the get-go.
🦾 Automate recruitment tasks to save a lot of time
An average HR manager has 51% more responsibilities than they can effectively manage, according to Gartner. Recruiting teams are clearly under a lot of stress with plenty of expectations to fulfill.
An ATS is one way to take some manual tasks off their plate via automation. When done right, this expedites the entire recruitment process and frees their time for more strategic activities.
💻 Schedule demos of various ATS solutions
Before buying a new car, you’d take it for a spin, right? The same goes for a new ATS system. Schedule a demo to make sure you’re choosing an ATS that meets all your organizational needs.
Look out for these key things (and ask yourself these relevant questions) during each demo process.
- Assess user interface: Make sure the UI is easy to navigate and provides an optimal user experience.
- Are there options to customize it?
- Can all team members quickly find the features they need?
- Evaluate the features set: Determine if the ATS has all the core functionality you’re looking for.
- Are there any advanced features that could be of extra value?
- Can the software scale with you and adapt to your future hiring needs?
- Check integration capabilities: Verify the ATS is compatible with all your current tools and systems.
- Does it have API support?
- What about services to help you migrate data from your current systems?
- Look at support options: Interact with the ATS provider and evaluate how robust their customer support options are.
- Are they able to answer all your questions?
- Do they respond timely?
- Compare various demos: After you’ve demoed a few ATS solutions, review your notes and feedback with key stakeholders to determine which system is the right fit.
Improve your recruitment process with Toggl Hire
The right ATS can revolutionize your recruitment process, improving the quality of your hires while creating a positive candidate experience.
Toggl Hire is equipped with all the customization and candidate assessment tools you need to streamline your hiring. Plus, it has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to keep track of all your processes. No more juggling spreadsheets or losing track of candidates!
Create a free account and start hiring with confidence.
Michelle is an experienced freelance writer who loves applying research and creative storytelling to the content she creates. She writes about B2B SaaS software while also participating in conversations about other industries, such as the digital publishing landscape, sports, and travel.
