Top FAQs answered - Getting started with an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

To help you get a better understanding, we’ve got the answers to frequently asked questions about ATS platforms and where to begin if you are evaluating ATS options.

Blog highlights:

• Why you should use an ATS.
• What benefits an ATS brings to organisations of all sizes.
• What’s the difference between an ATS and CRM?
• How do I select the best recruitment system for my needs?

Why use an Applicant Tracking system?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a powerful recruitment tool designed for in-house recruitment and talent acquisition teams. Using an ATS helps talent acquisition teams streamline the entire hiring process - from attracting top talent and managing candidates, to collaborating with hiring managers, successfully onboarding new hires, and tracking recruitment KPIs to further optimise the hiring process.

Applicant tracking software enables recruiters to automate otherwise manual tasks and centralise recruitment efforts, rather than having to switch between spreadsheets and different systems. This not only improves efficiency, saves your organisation time and money, but also enhances candidate engagement, as recruiters have more capacity to communicate with candidates. Overall, an ATS helps you improve consistency throughout the full hiring process, helping you build stronger and more effective teams.

Is an Applicant Tracking System applicable to all sizes of organisation?

Yes! Organisations of any size, from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to large enterprise corporations, can gain great benefits from using an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), regardless of industry. Here’s how.

Due to an ATS’s ability to streamline and automate recruitment processes, Talent Acquisition teams of all sizes gain an easier way to attract, engage, hire and onboard candidates efficiently. It also helps manage relationships with candidates, hiring managers, and other relevant stakeholders more effectively, since any required information can be accessed in one modern platform.

A best-of-breed ATS can support complex recruitment needs, including multiple brands within a business, varied recruitment workflows, and global hiring requirements. It also covers the basics such as CV parsing, interview scheduling, posting to multiple job boards and managing the candidate journey. When evaluating the options, be sure to look at how the ATS can scale and grow with your organisation.

To learn about organisations of different sizes successfully implementing an Applicant Tracking System to improve hiring processes, visit our case studies page.

Is an ATS and CRM the same?

Not quite. While an ATS and CRM are both essential recruitment tools, they both serve different, yet uniquely significant purposes in the hiring process.

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is used by in-house recruitment and talent acquisition teams to manage the end-to-end hiring process. It helps you attract candidates, streamline workflows, collaborate with hiring managers, onboard new hires, and measure recruitment performance. This allows recruiters to ensure candidates have a positive experience throughout the recruitment process, as well as use recruitment data insights to continuously improve and optimise the approach to filling future vacancies.

Recruitment CRM tools focus on building and nurturing talent pipelines. A CRM supports proactive recruitment by engaging candidates through job alerts, email outreach, and SMS campaigns - enhancing your employer brand, while keeping top talent interested and informed. Not all ATS platforms have CRM tools built in, so evaluate how improved CRM can boost your outreach to candidates and improve your employer brand engagement.

Deeper Dive: Learn more about Eploy’s approach to combining the power of ATS, recruitment CRM, onboarding, and analytics into a single web-based platform.

How do I select the best ATS?

With so many Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) on the market, finding the right solution for your organisation can be challenging. Though it’s easy to get lost in the shiny features offered by different vendors, the best ATS for your business will depend on your unique recruitment needs, goals, and processes.

Start by identifying your key requirements. Consider the challenges you face in your current recruitment process and create a clear list of features you need, such as candidate engagement tools, onboarding capabilities, analytics, and integration options. It's also important to evaluate the total cost of ownership, including implementation, training, support, and ongoing maintenance.

Scalability matters too. Choose an ATS that can grow with your organisation and adapt to evolving recruitment strategies. Integration with your existing HR tech stack, such as job boards, CRMs, and HRIS, should be seamless and cost-effective.

To compare top ATS platforms, review credible sources like G2, which feature real user reviews and ratings across features like usability, support, and ROI.

If you're exploring ATS options but aren’t sure where to start, it’s worth downloading this free guide - The Complete ATS Buyers Guide. It offers insights and tips into the whole ATS buying process. From vendor research, feature comparisons, demonstration stages and what you need to look out for, all the way to the implementation of your chosen system and how to make sure it’s successful, the resource will guide you through all you need to know. You can download your free copy of The Complete ATS Buyers Guide here. 

Can I integrate an ATS with other recruitment systems and tools?

Most modern Applicant Tracking Systems offer integrations with a variety of vendors, such as Right to Work and background checking platforms, candidate assessment tools, DE&I and Accessibility vendors and many more, depending on your unique hiring needs. The integration capability should be investigated. Is the ATS designed to integrate seamlessly with other tools in your recruitment tech stack? Does the vendor have examples of smooth data flow across platforms?

To give you an example of what is possible, Eploy has a Partner Marketplace where you can learn more about integration capability. Visit Eploy’s Partner Marketplace to learn more about our integrations. There are instances of the Eploy RESTful API to build powerful, custom integrations that enable two-way data syncing between Eploy and third-party systems such as HR software, payroll platforms, assessment tools, background checking services, and more.

For more Applicant Tracking System tips, FAQ’s and tools for evaluation, access the ATS Buyers Guide.