Written by
Kara Sherrer, Contributing Writer
Read more by Kara →
Reviewed by
Kaiti Norton, Managing Editor
Read more HR content →
Written by
Kara Sherrer, Contributing Writer
Read more by Kara →
Reviewed by
Kaiti Norton, Managing Editor
Read more HR content →
In this article...
Applicant tracking system (ATS) software allows recruitment teams to organize and track candidates for more efficient hiring. ATS software streamlines most recruitment operations, including creating job posts, screening candidates, and scheduling interviews. This results in decreased time-to-fill for open positions.
The best applicant tracking systems also have built-in, automated communication channels to centralize communication between recruiters and candidates. Similarly, most platforms offer internal collaboration features so hiring teams can make faster decisions and avoid bottlenecks.
We reviewed 14 top ATS software solutions and narrowed our list of recommendations to the best of the best:
Sometimes finding the right candidate takes a little extra effort. Read: 6 Creative Ways to Find and Hire Candidates
Candidate relationships are a critical piece of effective hiring. Learn more and check out our top software picks: Top Candidate Relationship Management Software (2023)
Editorial note: As of August 2023, Freshworks’ website indicates that it is reimagining Freshteam. As a result, only existing customers can access Freshteam in its current form. New customer signups are paused until further notice.
We will continue to keep you updated on Freshteam’s redesign and modify our product choices as necessary.
Learn how to combine your HR and recruiting tools under one umbrella: HRIS Integration: Everything You Need to Know
Learn how to eliminate the manual tasks that slow down your hiring team: HR Automation: The HR Processes & Tasks to Automate
Can AI give your recruitment strategy a boost? Read AI Recruiting: Uses, Advantages, & Disadvantages 2023.
ATS platforms can increase recruiting efficiency, improve candidate sourcing and engagement, boost quality of hire metrics, and optimize overall recruitment strategies.
Saving time and increasing efficiency are some of the best advantages of using ATS solutions compared to traditional application and recruitment procedures. With ATS software, recruiters can automate different tasks in hiring processes, including posting job ads, sending emails and reminders, interview scheduling, and onboarding new hires.
The software can help address mission-critical challenges, such as attracting and sourcing top candidates. Many ATS solutions are now enriched with artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to develop a profile of an ideal candidate, assess and identify skills, and predict success factors. As a result, employers can better understand candidate behavior and target specific applicants across various platforms and channels.
ATS software ensures better candidate engagement by promoting greater visibility across the candidate journey. It helps organizations prevent negative experiences — like lack of visibility and inconsistent communication — that can cause candidate frustration and disinterest. An ATS allows reliable communication and faster response times via automation.
Screening candidates standardizes applicant scoring and can help guarantee that hiring managers will only see qualified applicants. Moreover, ATS software maintains a database of people who may be prospects for future job openings.
Read more: How to Measure Quality of Hire
Hiring professionals can clearly and quickly communicate with other team members and candidates through ATS. Hiring teams can collaborate and share résumés securely within the platform, enabling an organized approach to decision-making.
ATS solutions also come with analytic tools to gauge the success of recruiting and hiring strategies. Recruiters can use real-time data to predict staffing needs and build recruiting pipelines. Analytics equips organizations with critical metrics around costs, quality, and time spent on recruiting activities.
Read more: Recruitment Strategies: How to Prepare for the Future
Upgrading your applicant tracking system is not to be taken lightly, and you don’t want to rush into it. Instead, you need to make a deliberate survey of your current ATS capabilities to figure out where it succeeds and where it falls short. If you experience any of the indicators below, then you may want to consider switching platforms.
If you’ve determined that your ATS needs an upgrade, we recommend including these five key features on the checklist for your next platform.
In some cases, your current applicant tracking system isn’t quite adequate, but you can’t replace it wholesale due to budgetary or IT reasons. Fortunately, there are several steps you can take to make the most of your existing ATS without breaking the bank or overwhelming your IT team.
One option is to seek out training resources offered by your current ATS provider to make sure you fully understand the tool and are taking advantage of any recent updates or feature additions. Most cloud-based ATS vendors release updates regularly — sometimes monthly or even weekly — so you might have missed out on some helpful features that recently launched.
Configuring new integrations is also a fantastic way to supercharge the functionality of your current ATS without having to completely replace it. Some key integrations to consider are job boards, HR tools, social media platforms, email, and your content management system (CMS). Check out our roundup of must-have integrations for your ATS if you need some inspiration for how to boost your existing ATS.
The recruitment process can be challenging for hiring teams and job seekers alike. Manual applicant screening delays hiring procedures, increasing cost-to-hire and prolonging time-to-hire. Additionally, manual online job postings can prompt tons of applications from under-qualified job seekers.
The best applicant tracking systems automate and streamline the hiring process from source to hire. It amplifies the capabilities of recruiters, hiring managers, and HR teams with a range of features to boost efficiency while attracting and retaining top talent.
First and foremost, ATS can screen job applications, scan résumés for the right qualifications, and select the qualified candidates to consider for an interview. This can lighten the load for hiring teams and cut down a significant amount of time.
On top of that, ATS platforms can assist recruiters in tracking interview processes, evaluating, making offers to, hiring, and ultimately onboarding new talent. The software promotes a smooth hiring process, enhancing the candidate experience and encouraging more skilled talent to join the organization.
ATS solutions allow organizations to recruit the best people, which is essential to any company’s success.