How do I Choose the Right ATS for My Company?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a recruitment system that streamlines the hiring process by automating repetitive tasks and simplifying complex processes to make it easier and faster. Companies invest in ATS to support recruiters and hiring teams while they focus on other, more important tasks. 

But with so many ATS solutions available in the market, how do you choose the right one for your company? In this post, we will guide you through a typical ATS selection process to help you make the right decision. 

Why Do You Need an ATS?

An ATS simplifies the entire hiring process for both recruiters and candidates. The modern hiring process involves many repetitive tasks, from job posting on multiple sites to candidate screening and interview scheduling. Manually doing this for multiple jobs can be draining and take a very long time. This leads to financial losses for companies and strain on existing teams, especially if they are understaffed. An ATS can automate certain tasks, such as job posting on different platforms in one click, candidate pre-screening, and even interview scheduling. 

ATS also improves the candidate experience, as applicants are moved along the process faster and can receive quicker updates on their applications. 

Here are more benefits of an ATS for businesses. 

• Reduces time-to-hire: Automates repetitive tasks so recruiters can hire and onboard faster..
• Automated job posting: Automatically posts job listings across multiple platforms with one click.
• Better quality-of-hire: Uses AI-driven screening and data analytics to match the best candidates to roles.
• Faster screening process: Filters applications based on already set criteria so only qualified candidates move forward.
• Easily schedule interviews: Easily integrate with scheduling tools to set interviews with multiple candidates.
• Improved candidate experience: Provides automated updates to candidates and communicates with them using chatbots to keep them engaged throughout.
• Ensures fair hiring: Reduces hiring bias by standardizing evaluation criteria.
• A more efficient recruitment process: Candidate data is centralized, and all communications, collaborations, reviews, and updates are done on a single platform.
• Improve employer branding: Creates a professional hiring experience that reflects positively on the company.
• Ensure compliance with hiring laws: Tracks and stores hiring records to meet legal and industry requirements in different countries.
• Enhance scalability: Adapts to more hiring needs as the company grows or expands globally.

How to Choose the Right ATS?

The right ATS will adapt to your company’s hiring needs, streamline the process, and help your hiring team focus on more valuable tasks. Here’s how to ensure you hit the mark when choosing an ATS for your company. 

Consider social media recruiting

With 86% of job applicants confirming that they use social media when searching for job openings, it is clear that social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter garner a bulk of the attention of job seekers. Individuals who are actively or passively looking for new jobs stay updated on different social media platforms for new opportunities, so recruiters and hiring teams must capitalize on these numbers. Ensure you choose an ATS that supports social media recruitment so you don’t lose out on great talent. 

Test for accuracy

It’s important to test how accurate the ATS you are considering is, especially when it comes to resume parsing. For example, you can set your ATS to recognize ‘Human Resources,’ but it completely ignores ‘HR,’ causing you to miss out on tons of highly qualified candidates. In this report, 88% of employers shared that their ATS often failed to detect relevant resumes. This was because the information in those resumes didn’t match the set job description exactly, so the ATS failed to screen the resumes efficiently. So, to avoid missing out on great candidates, you should test your chosen ATS for resume parsing accuracy before heavily investing in it. 

Evaluate the key features

Every ATS comes with a unique set of features, and you should choose the one that has all the features you need for a business of your size. For example, suppose you are a mid to large-size company that hires frequently. In that case, you need a robust ATS with features like AI-powered resume screening, automated job posting, interview scheduling, candidate tracking, integration with existing HR tools, etc. It should also have resume storage features so you always have a library of qualified candidates to use whenever you want to hire instead of always looking for new ones. Figure out what features matter to your business needs and choose an ATS that has them. 

Check for flexibility and scalability

Your business needs will not remain the same each year. They will keep evolving as you grow, so it’s important to choose an ATS that is flexible enough to adapt to these changes. This could mean having a mobile app so you can hire on the go or handle an increased volume of candidates without shutting down. An ATS is cost-intensive, and you don’t want to have to get a new one anytime your business reaches a new growth milestone. The perfect ATS should be able to grow with your business. 

Assess processing speed

An ATS that is slow to load will discourage potential applicants and make them abandon the process. When shopping for an ATS, check that it has an optimized processing speed and it loads properly. A sluggish ATS can cause delays in posting job openings, screening applications, and communicating with candidates. To avoid losing qualified candidates, ensure the ATS you choose has an optimized processing speed for quick data retrieval, seamless navigation, and real-time updates. A fast and responsive system makes it easy for recruiters to be productive, and it keeps candidates engaged throughout the hiring journey.

Is it mobile-friendly?

More people are applying for opportunities on their phones than ever, with 58% of candidates looking for jobs on their phones. Choosing a mobile-friendly ATS also allows recruiters to complete tasks on the go, speeding up the entire hiring process. You want an ATS that is 100% mobile-friendly and that candidates can easily access on the go. 

Easy integration and data migration

An ATS should work smoothly with your company’s existing tools, such as HR software, payroll systems, and communication platforms. You don’t want your team moving from one platform to another when trying to complete one task, as this leaves room for costly errors and miscommunication. For example, if your HR team uses a payroll system, your ATS should sync candidate data automatically after hiring to avoid manual data entry. Likewise, recruiters and hiring managers need real-time data sharing to collaborate effectively, and candidates should receive timely updates on their application status. Also, if you are switching from an old ATS to a new one, check that the new system fully supports data migration so you don’t lose any vital information during the migration. If an ATS cannot integrate with your existing workflow or lacks essential features like data sharing, it could create unnecessary roadblocks, which are expensive to maneuver. 

Ease of use

Choose an ATS that is easy to use. You don’t want to lose valuable work hours to team members trying to figure out a new tool. There may be a bit of a learning curve, especially for enterprise-level ATS, but it shouldn’t be so steep that employees can’t fully understand it after a few days. A good ATS should come with laid-out steps and even tutorial videos on how to access different tools. They should also have an available customer support expert to help provide more clarity on how to set up and implement the tool. 

Analytics and compliance

Keeping track of your hiring KPIs, such as time-to-fill, application completion rates, cost-per-hire, and team productivity, will help you improve your hiring process. For example, imagine your company is struggling with a high candidate drop-off rate during the application process. An ATS with detailed analytics can identify the exact stage where applicants abandon their applications so you can make tailored improvements. Compliance is also a critical feature every ATS should offer. Hiring laws vary across regions, and an ATS must support Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), GDPR, and other data protection regulations to ensure fair and lawful hiring practices.

Centralization

Not all ATS offer the same features, and one key differentiator is centralized data management. An ATS that groups all candidate information in one place enhances efficiency, collaboration, and transparency in the hiring process. A centralized ATS allows recruiters, hiring managers, and HR teams to access and update candidate profiles in real-time from anywhere. This ensures that everyone involved in the hiring process stays informed about a candidate’s progress at all times. For example, if a recruiter screens a candidate and schedules an interview, the hiring manager can instantly see these updates instead of waiting for email confirmations. On the other hand, if a candidate progresses through multiple interview rounds, the feedback from each stage is stored in one system so everyone is aware. 

A simple checklist for choosing the right ATS

For more clarity, here’s a simple checklist of questions to ask when determining whether a particular ATS is right for your business. 

• Does it support social media recruiting?
• Is it accurate?
• Does it have the important features your business needs?
• Can it handle a high volume of job applications as your company grows?
• Is it fast and responsive?
• Is it mobile-friendly?
• Is it easy to understand and use?
• Does it integrate with your existing tools
• Does it offer analytics and compliance features?
• Does it store all candidate information in one place for better collaboration?

If the answer to all these questions is positive, then you may have found the best ATS for your business.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing an ATS

Many companies make certain mistakes when choosing an ATS,, such as choosing big-name tools that don’t work for their business or simply opting for the most expensive tool. Let’s explore some of these mistakes below. 

Prioritizing cost over functionality

Simply choosing the cheapest ATS without considering its features can lead to poor hiring outcomes. A cheap system may lack essential tools like AI-powered resume screening, automated job postings, or seamless integrations with your existing HR software. Instead of only focusing on price, evaluate whether the ATS provides long-term value and meets your hiring needs.

Ignoring user experience 

An ATS that is difficult to use can slow down your hiring team and frustrate candidates. If recruiters struggle to use the system effectively, candidates are likely to struggle too. Before committing, request a demo or a trial period to assess how intuitive the interface is for both recruiters and applicants.

Overlooking integration capabilities

Your ATS should integrate smoothly with your existing tools. A system that does not support data migration between apps can lead to errors and inefficiencies. Always check whether the ATS integrates with your current tech stack before making a decision.

Failing to test for accuracy 

An ATS that fails to accurately screen resumes can result in missing top talent. Some systems struggle with keyword variations, so before fully adopting an ATS, test for its ability to identify qualified candidates correctly.

Ignoring compliance and data security

Hiring laws vary by region, and an ATS that doesn’t support compliance features could put your company at risk. Look for an ATS that adheres to GDPR, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), and other relevant regulations. It should also offer secure data storage and protection against breaches.

Why Promap AI is the Best ATS for Your Company

Promap AI is the ultimate AI-powered Applicant Tracking System (ATS) designed to streamline hiring, eliminate bias, and improve efficiency for both employers and candidates. Whether you’re a startup making your first hires or a large company scaling your workforce, Promap AI makes recruitment seamless, data-driven, and cost-effective.

Key Features:

• AI-powered automation
• Bias-free screening
• AI-driven interviewing
• Seamless integration
• Transparent hiring process
• Data-driven decision making

With Promap AI, recruiters save time and money while building high-performing teams, and candidates experience a fairer, more transparent hiring process.

Get started with a FREE DEMO today!