Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) is also called candidate management system. This type of solution helps enterprises to recruit staff members more efficiently. ATS is typically used to post job openings on company website and job boards, browse resumes, and send interview requests to candidates by email. Show moreOther key features include: multilingual capabilities, pre-screening questions, response tracking, customized input forms, automated resume tracking, requisition tracking, and applicant tracking. ATS is heavily used by medium-sized and large companies that hire a steady stream of employees for their different departments throughout the year. Start by checking our leader BambooHR, and other recommended solutions in this category. Show less
To devise this list of best applicant tracking software we have analyzed 253 popular apps currently present on the market, comparing their features, how easy are they are to learn, customer support, offered integrations as well as mobile support with our unique SmartScoreTM rating algorithm. This list has been created by Nestor Gilbert, our software expert dedicated to the applicant tracking software category.
CloudRank™ system is a unique algorithm that our research team uses to evaluate Applicant Tracking Systems solutions in a detailed and accurate way. The Winter 2022 edition of the ranking was prepared by Nestor Gilbert, our leading expert in the field of Applicant Tracking Systems, who has authored 1380+ product reviews in this category. The goal of CloudRank™ is to present an unbiased, multi-layered perspective on Applicant Tracking Systems, considering a wide range of metrics and factors, and educating potential customers about both opportunities and challenges associated with each piece of software.
In order to achieve full objectivity the position in our CloudRank™ is based on:
We’ve calculated a score for each product based on the average experience shared by our users in their product reviews and arranged the list in three tiers. You can see the methodology below on how the calculations were made.
Regardless of their tier, all products included in our CloudRank™ are popular, quality products considered top-performers by our team of experts. Make sure you read a more detailed review of each solution to find one that will work best for your specific needs and budget.
Show lessMARKET POSITION
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
TOTAL score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
Market Position
A score between 1 and 10 based on popularity and market reach of each product.
Total Score
A score between 1 and 10 based on the average of our Expert Score and User Score.
CloudRank™ tier
Based on product's total score.
Rising Star
Contender
Front Runners
Here is a list of all 25 Applicant Tracking Systems solutions evaluated with our CloudRank™ analysis. We have compared their features, user satisfaction, market presence and other key factors in an in-depth analysis you can find below:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
No. of employees:
Our report covered 25 most popular products from the Applicant Tracking Systems category. We’ve analyzed their features, performance, integration, customer support, pricing, and several other key buying factors and combined it with feedback from user reviews to come up with the current list of best solutions:
Snagging the top spot in our CloudRank Applicant Tracking Software 2022 Report is BambooHR. The company boasts of being the number one HR platform for small and medium businesses, and user reviewers from these companies certainly agree.
Bamboo HR equips recruiters and hiring managers with tools that help them stay on top of the competitive hiring environment. Recruiters can cast their nets wide by posting on multiple job platforms and social media, a feature that earned high marks from its users. With its robust reporting features, teams can analyze the applicant funnel, applicant sources, and applicants by gender and ethnicity to support continuous improvement and compliance efforts. On the other hand, it also makes the candidate experience a positive one with desktop- and mobile-optimized job postings, automatic alerts, and electronic offer letter signatures. It even goes a step further by allowing hiring managers to make custom new hire packets for onboarding, which is something that other vendors don’t usually incorporate in an applicant tracking software (ATS).
Bamboo HR prides itself on designing software that people like to use, which is reflected in its high ease-of-use ratings. In addition, reviewers gave it high marks across all features evaluated in the category, especially in its interview scheduling and email integration capabilities.
Most users of Applicant Tracking Systems solutions confirm that in most cases these tools allow them to reach the following business goals:
The Winter 2022 version of the report includes a total of 25 Applicant Tracking Systems products that were compared and analyzed by our team. We selected them based on the following factors:
As more and more people embrace video, its adoption is spilling into the realm of recruiting as well. Recruiters can use it as a tool to choose only candidates whose qualifications fit the description and reserve face-to-face interviews with shortlisted applicants. It can also save them from travel expenses for meeting candidates that are not local to where their company is based. For this reason, video interviewing is becoming more popular for remote positions. As a result, video interviewing can broaden an organization’s talent pool. They can hire a candidate regardless of geography, helping avoid locational mismatching which is one of the top career trends for 2020/2021.
While real-time video interviews are more common, some companies have also started using asynchronous or pre-recorded video interviewing. Some of the benefits of asynchronous video interviews include the ability to replay the video and share it with other people for feedback.
Source: RecRight 2020 Candidate Survey
Recruiters constantly grapple with the lack of skilled candidates and increasing hiring costs. One way to get more qualified applicants is by developing a solid employer brand. Employer branding efforts include maintaining a career site where you share your company’s mission and vision, showcase employee testimonials, and post other similar content. Nowadays, applicants research potential employers online, making a good reputation key to attracting top talent. By making this information easier to find, you can have an avenue to strengthen your employer value proposition (EVP). Employer branding takes a lot of effort but it pays off. According to LinkedIn’s list of employer brand statistics, great employer branding reduces turnover by 28% and cost-per-hire by 50%.
Source: RallyFwdEVP Usage Within Companies
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the recruiting workflow to drive efficiencies and provide better outcomes. Though it can be deployed at various stages, recent HR statistics show that the stage where the most impact will be at the sourcing and outreach stage.
With resume screening capabilities and keyword-based resume searches, recruiters don’t have to manually sort through thousands of resumes to find qualified candidates. They can perform standardized job matching to determine if a candidate is a good fit for the role. AI-powered software can also scour through candidates’ social media profiles and get publicly available information about an applicant’s past employers. As the candidate moves through the pipeline, AI technology can be deployed in the interview process to analyze applicant sentiment through speech and facial expression.
Source: Korn Ferry Global SurveyHow AI Helps Talent Acquisition Professionals
Applicant tracking system (ATS) is a valuable resource for companies that need to hire employees on a regular basis throughout the year. However, selecting the best applicant tracking systems may be a difficult task as there are a number of quality ATS platforms in the market. This article will help you learn what is applicant tracking software as we detail the crucial factors and features that separate the wheat from the chaff.
A great way to start your search for the best applicant tracking tools is to sign up for the free trials or demo offered by leading applicant tracking systems providers. This way, you can do a comparison and find out if the features match your needs. We recommend you check out the following applications that have the highest rankings in our applicant tracking tools reviews: Zoho Recruit, BambooHR, softgarden, CEIPAL, and Workday.
Small businesses. These companies normally have between 1-50 employees but are usually without a dedicated hiring department.
Midsize businesses. These enterprises typically have between 51-500 employees and if they are growing quickly, they need to hire a dedicated recruiter.
Large enterprises. These big corporations have more than 500 employees, a dedicated IT unit, and many recruiters for their different departments.
The following types of software are closely related to ATS in their functions:
Detailed comparisons show that the best applicant tracking systems solutions offer the following benefits:
Employee diversity is important
Diversity is not just for the sake of public image. It also offers tangible business results. A Gallup report reveals that companies that have an almost equal number of men and women employees enjoy greater profits. Plus, a Glassdoor survey shows that two-thirds of applicants consider diversity to be a key factor while evaluating job offers and companies. Top enterprises such as Microsoft and Apple are actively embracing diversity and small companies need to follow their example to stay competitive.
Mobile applying is becoming popular
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center shows that 28% of American candidates have utilized a smartphone to search for jobs. This rises to 53% for candidates between 18 to 29 years of age. They are going beyond reading information on job openings and even applying for positions from their mobile phone. Therefore, it has become imperative for companies to optimize their application process for mobile users so that they don’t miss out on tech-savvy candidates.
You can miss good candidates
ATS systems are designed to evaluate resumes that meet exact criteria. The drawback is they may not consider some types of candidates such as those who have good experience in a different field and are now looking to switch careers. The software may end up ignoring such valuable applicants.
Unreliable and inaccurate
Sometimes, the ATS may reject resumes for reasons such as inability of the scanner to read the information properly or if a resume is designed in a slightly complex manner. This drawback affects both candidates as well as businesses as they miss out on the chance to establish a mutually beneficial relationship.
Applicant tracking tools don’t come cheap. That said, it is important that you thoroughly assess your prospective platforms before you commit to a particular subscription plan. To help you out, here are some questions that you might want to ask as you evaluate the applicant tracking platforms you’re interested in:
In an increasingly digital world, companies need to explore new technologies to remain competitive. As you have read above, one aspect in which this could be applied is applicant tracking. By adopting a software solution to reinforce this process, you can accelerate job posting tasks, simplify the way you keep tabs on applicants and improve the overall hiring process. What’s more, these tools can help you make your recruitment efforts more data-driven by providing you with tools that can generate reports and give you insights into your day-to-day processes.
But of course, it is good to note that to reap the benefits of ATS, you must also do your part in learning how you can make it work for you. This means understanding what it can and can’t do and figuring out how you can configure it according to your needs. More importantly, you must take the time to guide your employees on how to use it so that you may make the most out of its functionalities.
Hopefully, with this article, you were able to kickstart your research on ATS and get a better grasp of how you can leverage it to your advantage.
Order by:
To select an appropriate SaaS vendor you need to consider vital criteria such as privacy and security, support and service, and transparency.
Find out if the provider can be trusted with data security and privacy. Do they have procedures in place to protect your confidential information and data? Find about the security procedures they use. This is an important feature of a SaaS application that cannot be over-emphasized.
It is important that the vendor offers consistent support to resolve any issues quickly. Ask your potential vendors the following questions: Do they offer consulting and training services to help your employees to use the solution competently? Do they have an online support center that has helpful articles and training resources? What channels of support do they offer? Do they monitor problems till they are resolved? Is customer satisfaction measured?
Does the SaaS vendor conduct their business in a transparent and open manner? You can find out by requesting them for references you can contact. Talk to existing customers of the system to learn about the quality of service provided. Does the vendor make public the algorithms they use in the program? Ask these queries to find a SaaS provider whom you can trust with your sensitive customer and business data.
BambooHR is an end-to-end online human resource management solution built to cater to companies of different sizes. As a fully-integrated system, it comes with a robust applicant tracking module, which makes it one of the best options on the market. Through this, you can keep tabs on your job openings, process applications, and review applicant leads all in one place. What’s more, it comes with tools that let you sift through applications as soon as they enter your system so that you can quickly zero in on candidates who are ideal for the positions you are offering.
Another great thing about this platform is that it comes with a job posting tool where you can provide the relevant details of your company’s job openings and easily share them on social media networks and job boards. In this way, you can more efficiently tap the right talent pools and accelerate your recruitment process.
Of course, as a full-fledged HR tool, this platform is not limited to ATS functions. That said, it is a great option for companies who want to use one platform for all their recruitment and workforce management processes.
Companies can reap plenty of benefits by using applicant tracking systems. These include:
Here are some critical applicant tracking features that you should look for in an ATS:
There are plenty of great applicant tracking systems out there. However, while they are built to make your day-to-day operations more convenient, not all of them will be simple enough to implement. If your team members are not particularly tech-savvy, you might want to check out some of these easy-to-use solutions:
Getting a good applicant tracking system for your business doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, there are a few best-in-class providers out there that offer a basic version of their software solutions free of charge. This makes it highly ideal for small businesses as well as larger companies with minimal applicant tracking needs. One such example of this is Freshteam.
A product from Freshworks, this platform provides intuitive applicant tracking tools and recruitment management functionalities to help you tap top-notch talents for your company. It currently offers a free Sprout plan which is inclusive of ATS, support for up to three published job postings, referral management features, and team collaboration tools. With this, you can easily perform basic applicant tracking processes, making it great for growing businesses.
What’s more, as your requirements change, you can easily scale up to their more advanced plans to get access to tools such as recruitment CRM, feedback collection, and employee onboarding.
Updated
FinancesOnline is available for free for all business professionals interested in an efficient way to find top-notch SaaS solutions. We are able to keep our service free of charge thanks to cooperation with some of the vendors, who are willing to pay us for traffic and sales opportunities provided by our website. Please note, that FinancesOnline lists all vendors, we’re not limited only to the ones that pay us, and all software providers have an equal opportunity to get featured in our rankings and comparisons, win awards, gather user reviews, all in our effort to give you reliable advice that will enable you to make well-informed purchase decisions.