What are the Best Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) for Small Businesses?

If you’re a recruiter at a small business and are struggling with manually posting jobs, sorting different resumes, and keeping track of applications, it's time for an Applicant Tracking System that understands your business and does a lot of work to support you.

An ATS streamlines and automates most of the repetitive and mundane tasks in a typical hiring process and frees up time for you to focus on more human-centric tasks. 

For small businesses without a huge HR team to handle thousands of applications, a simple ATS tailored will come in handy. 

But with so many options, how do you choose the right ATS for your needs? Let’s find out in this post. 

Do You Really Need an ATS?

Studies show that 50% of small businesses complete the hiring process for one full-time employee in one month, while the same study revealed that 40% of small businesses take two months to complete the same process. Clearly, small business recruiters spend a huge amount of time finding, vetting, and interviewing candidates, and the manual processes aren’t working fast enough. 

84% of small businesses claim that finding suitable candidates to hire is the most difficult part of the hiring process. One strategy to curb this is to use multiple hiring resources, such as posting job ads on multiple platforms. However, doing this manually can take hours to weeks. 

An ATS streamlines and simplifies the entire hiring process by posting multiple job ads to different platforms in just a few clicks. This means the software can post your job ads on LinkedIn, Indeed, and other job search platforms in just a few minutes. The software also keeps track of all candidates, screens them based on preset criteria, and allows different key stakeholders to review candidates and leave notes. 

Also, an ATS improves the candidate experience by providing regular updates, letting them answer screening questions, and, in some cases, scheduling and conducting pre-screening interviews. By speeding up the entire hiring process, recruiters and candidates get a better overall experience. 

What ATS Features Do Small Businesses Need?

Modern recruitment doesn’t just end with a job post. It involves many other stages, from resume parsing to interviewing and building a pipeline of qualified passive candidates. Here are the ATS features small businesses need to improve their hiring workflows. 

• Automated job posting

An ATS posts your job ads to multiple platforms in just one click, so you don’t have to do it manually on each platform. 

• Resume Parsing

An ATS automatically extracts key information from resumes, such as skills, experience, and qualifications, helping you quickly identify top candidates.

• Candidate Screening and Filtering

An ATS automatically filters out unqualified candidates by setting specific criteria, such as required skills, experience level, or certifications. 

• Collaboration Tools

ATS with collaboration features allows multiple team members to review applications, leave feedback, and track candidate progress in one central system.

• Automated Interview Scheduling

ATS with interview scheduling features syncs with calendars, sends automated invites, and even offers self-scheduling options for candidates to pick available time slots.

• Candidate Relationship Management (CRM)

ATS keeps track of past applicants, passive candidates, and potential future hires, making it easier to reach out when new positions open.

• Customizable Workflows

An ATS with customizable workflows lets you create tailored hiring stages, ensuring a structured and organized recruitment process that fits your business.

• Analytics and Reporting

To improve hiring efficiency, an ATS provides insights into key metrics, such as time-to-hire, source of applicants, and candidate drop-off rates, to help businesses refine their recruitment strategy and make smart decisions.

• Employee Referral Management

An ATS with employee referral management features makes it easy for employees to submit referrals, track their progress, and even receive incentives. This helps small businesses tap into trusted networks for better hires.

• Hiring Dashboard

A centralized hiring dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of your entire recruitment process. It shows key hiring metrics, candidate statuses, upcoming interviews, and job postings so recruiters can track progress.

5 Best Applicant Tracking Systems for Small Businesses

Some of the best ATS for small businesses are Promap, VIVAHR, Breezy HR, BambooHR, and Zoho Recruit. Let’s explore each software in more detail. 

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1. Promap AI

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Promap is an intuitive and advanced AI hiring tool with an in-built ATS that streamlines the hiring process by helping you source talent and conduct interviews at scale. This tool supports small businesses by slashing time-to-hire by 60%, removing scheduling bottlenecks, and maintaining high talent standards. It also has built-in analytics and reporting features to help companies eliminate hiring bias and make data-driven decisions. The platform also allows easy integration with a wide range of communication and collaborative tools.

Features

• Job post creation
• Job hosting and sharing
• Candidate sourcing
• Applicant screening
• AI interview assistant
• Analytics and Reporting
• Easy integration

Try a Free Demo to see how Promap AI can transform your hiring processes for the better. 

2. BambooHR

BambooHR is an all-in-one HR software designed to manage employee data seamlessly throughout their entire journey with your company. Its applicant tracking system offers comprehensive hiring, onboarding, and offboarding tools. The platform also supports integration with more than 125 third-party apps, ensuring flexibility and compatibility with existing systems. Small businesses can also add optional features like payroll processing, benefits administration, time tracking, and performance management. 

Features

• Hiring and onboarding
• HR Data and Reporting
• Mobile hiring app
• Electronic signatures
• Payroll
• Performance management

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3. VivaHR

VivaHR is a modern recruitment software that equips HR teams with tools to become expert recruitment marketers. It streamlines the hiring process by allowing HR managers to create customized hiring frameworks and automatically post job ads to over 50 job boards. It also has pipeline triggers that automate mundane and repetitive actions depending on what stage the candidate is in the hiring process, such as requesting feedback from the hiring team or sending thank you emails. With VivaHR, recruiters can turn good candidates into great employees in record time while making smart decisions based on data-driven insights. 

Features

• Candidate sourcing
• Automatic job posting
• Candidate evaluation
• Insights and analytics
• Custom questionnaire builder
• Data migration
• Offer letters
• Team collaboration

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4. Breezy HR

Breezy HR is an Applicant Tracking System that will put your job ads in front of millions of candidates with a single click. This tool allows recruiters to find the most qualified candidates while automating tedious tasks like pre-screening candidates, scheduling interviews, sending follow-up emails, and collecting valuable feedback from necessary stakeholders. Breezy HR also has an offer management feature with vital HRIS integration to help turn qualified candidates into long-lasting employees. The tool handles end-to-end hiring so that you can focus on other tasks. 

Features

• Candidate sourcing
• Customized job advertisement
• Candidate management
• Interview tools
• Offer management
• Reporting and analytics
• Compliance

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5. Zoho Recruit

Need a tool with an ATS and CRM in one platform? Zoho Recruit transforms hiring and candidate relationship management with an all-inclusive tool that helps you source the best candidates and keep them engaged throughout the hiring process. This tool has a wide range of automation tools that handle mundane tasks such as job posting, communication, etc., and push candidates to the next stage of the hiring process. It also has customizable templates that help recruiters create custom career pages for each role. Zoho Recruit also has a mobile app that allows recruiters to find and hire talent from anywhere in the world on their phones. 

Features

• Job posting
• Candidate sourcing
• Employee referral
• Video interview
• Background Screening
• Analytics
• AI recruitment
• Offer letter

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Benefits of ATS for Small Businesses

94% of recruiters credit ATS for having a positive impact on their organization’s existing hiring processes. This shows how beneficial ATS is for small businesses. Let’s explore more benefits below. 

Automates repetitive hiring tasks

Manually posting job ads, sorting resumes, and scheduling interviews can be incredibly time-consuming. An ATS eliminates these bottlenecks by automating key recruitment steps. For example, instead of manually posting a job listing on multiple platforms, an ATS allows for one-click job distribution across job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor. It can also filter resumes based on keywords, skills, and qualifications, saving recruiters hours of screening time.

Improves candidate experience and employer brand

A slow or disorganized hiring process can frustrate applicants and harm your company’s reputation. With an ATS, small businesses can ensure clear and timely communication with candidates, sending automatic updates on application status and next steps. Features like self-scheduling interviews allow candidates to choose convenient time slots, and chatbots keep them informed throughout the process.

Provides a centralized hiring dashboard

Small teams struggle with scattered hiring data, like resumes in email inboxes, interview notes in spreadsheets, and feedback in Slack messages. An ATS centralizes all recruitment activities into a single dashboard, making it easy to track applicants and review feedback. For instance, if multiple candidates are stuck in the interview phase for too long, the system can highlight the delay, prompting hiring managers to act quickly and keep the process moving.

Enables data-driven decision-making

Without data, hiring decisions are often based on guesswork. An ATS tracks key hiring metrics like time-to-fill, source of hire, and candidate drop-off rates. For example, if data shows that a high percentage of applicants abandon the process after the initial application, it may indicate that the form is too long or complicated. With these insights, small businesses can improve their hiring approach to be more efficient.

Builds a talent pipeline for future hiring

Small businesses often hire for the same or similar roles repeatedly. Instead of starting from scratch every time, an ATS helps businesses build and maintain a talent pool of qualified candidates. This way, even if an applicant isn’t the right fit for a current opening, their profile remains in the system for future roles. When a new position arises, hiring managers can reach out to pre-screened candidates instead of waiting for fresh applications. 

Tips on Choosing the Best ATS for Your Small Business

Shopping for the right ATS can be difficult. Here are some tips to help you narrow your options and choose the best fit for your business. 

• Understand your current hiring process

Assess your existing hiring process and identify bottlenecks. This will provide a clear idea of what features you need in an ATS, which should be able to fix all existing issues. 

• Talk to multiple vendors

Vet different companies yourself and have a list of important questions you need to tick off. It’s easy to choose the right fit when you know exactly what you want. 

• Ask unbiased sources

Reddit forums, social media groups, and other such sites are great sources for getting unbiased opinions of different ATS from fellow small business owners. When shopping for an ATS, real user experience is everything.

• Evaluate user experience

You want an ATS that is ready to go as soon as it is installed. Losing valuable hours to a steep learning curve defies the need to get an ATS in the first place. Find a tool that is easy to learn and use so your team can get onboarded as soon as possible. 

• Prioritize integrations

ATS does not exist in a vacuum. Choose a tool that allows easy integration with your collaborative tools like Slack and other HR systems like performance management, HRIS, etc. 

How Promap AI Transforms Hiring for Small Businesses

Promap AI streamlines recruitment, making it faster, fairer, and more cost-effective. Whether you’re a startup making your first hires or a growing company looking to scale efficiently, Promap AI automates and optimizes every stage of the hiring process.

For Employers: Smarter, More Efficient Hiring

• AI-Powered Talent Matching: Instantly identifies the best-fit candidates based on skills, experience, and company culture.
• Unbiased Candidate Screening: Eliminates unconscious bias by assessing applicants purely on qualifications and potential.
• Automated Interviews at Scale: AI interviewers evaluate both hard and soft skills, allowing you to screen hundreds of candidates without human intervention.
• Faster, Data-Driven Decisions: Get actionable insights on applicants
• Cost Savings: Reduce expenses associated with traditional hiring while improving workforce quality.

For Candidates: A Fair and Transparent Process

• Fewer, More Impactful Interviews: Candidates only interview when they match the job criteria.
• Skills-Based Assessments: AI-driven evaluations focus on abilities, not just resumes.
• Clear Hiring Process: Real-time updates keep candidates informed throughout the process. 

Promap AI is a game-changer for small businesses looking to build high-performing teams without stress. Get started today with a FREE DEMO and experience the future of hiring.

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