Choosing the perfect ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for your organisation seems to be becoming an increasingly complex task. Internally, your business is working to tight deadlines and against stiff industry competition. And externally the market is noisy and congested of endless vendors, who all promise to be the ‘perfect fit’ for you. Quickly, the process can turn into an uphill battle to find the light.
In order to enhance your ATS search and ensure you grab the best results, we have 6 key factors that you must consider. By simplifying the process down you can rest easy in the fact that critical points are not missed and your organisation can find the best solution to make way for success.
Assess your current situation and needs.
Before even thinking about solution options, spend some time evaluating your current processes. Notice areas of your operations that experience bottlenecks or inefficiencies and note them down. By looking inwards we are able to begin to curate a list of priorities that you want to be remedied by your ATS.
Don’t stop here however, we suggest adding other things to this list that might be important to you. The sort of things not identified by simply observing your current situation. This could be enhanced security or the amount of support the vendor offers. Remember, the perfect ATS should work hard for your exact needs and wants, so it is critical that you have the strongest grasp of what these needs look like.
Ease of use
This sounds obvious but it’s something that still gets forgotten about.
A strong ATS ensures that tasks like reviewing applications, scheduling interviews, and generating reports are straightforward, reducing the time spent on training or figuring out complex features. The platform should be simple to navigate and should almost complete time consuming tasks without you even noticing.
Most providers will happily supply you with demos or trials and you should lap them up. Spend some good time testing out a selection of vendors and ensure that you and your team find them simple and effective to use.
What support is offered?
The ATS market is flooded with options. To cut through the clutter and find the right fit, it’s crucial to focus on the quality of support you’re getting from the vendor. Look for a partner who is not just selling you a product but is genuinely invested in helping your team succeed. A reliable, supportive vendor will work alongside you to make sure the system fits your unique needs and delivers results.Avoid getting caught up in aggressive sales tactics. Instead, pay attention to how the vendor will be there for you long-term. Are they offering ongoing support, listening to your feedback, and continuously improving their system based on your needs? A great vendor should make you feel valued and offer guidance at every step of the way, ensuring your ATS works for your team.
Some strong pillars of support include
Implementation Managers who can guide and support the initial process. They should share best practices and offer recommendations to ensure your ATS suits your specific needs and enhances your processes from the get go.
Account Managers who continue to build a strong relationship with your business by regularly checking in and ensuring your requirements are met.
Think about the future
We all aim for our business to grow and, with this, our companies often change – your ATS needs to be able to do the same. Look for vendors that offer flexible configurations that simply strengthens your recruitment process. It should in no way control it.
The right system will evolve with your team, ensuring that you don’t outgrow it or feel the need to switch providers down the line. You don’t want to put in all this hard work and then find ourselves back at square one – searching for another vendor.
Look for recommendations
In the same way you might search for a tradesperson to fix your home, you may want to look at your network and ask them if they have any insights or recommendations. We suggest doing this when you have whittled down your choices to a few preferences and if at this point you’re still struggling to decide then ask a friend if they can assist in suggesting the best option.
Your peers’ experiences, whether they be good or bad ones, can be the key to unlocking your perfect ATS.
Leverage Rectec Compare
Rectec Compare ticks off all of the points listed above in a matter of minutes.You just fill out a simple form with your business needs, and the platform’s smart algorithm does the hard work. It cross-checks thousands of vendor data points to quickly and accurately suggest the best ATS options for you. Rectec Compare also gives you everything you need to make a confident choice—vendor profiles, feature lists, customer reviews, and demo videos, all in one place. You can rate and compare ATS options as you go, making the whole process smooth and stress-free.
Final Thoughts
Selecting the ideal Applicant Tracking System for your organisation doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
By focusing on key factors such as assessing your needs, ease of use, vendor support, future scalability, and seeking recommendations, you can streamline the process and make an informed decision.
Furthermore, utilising Rectec Compare simplifies this journey, providing valuable insights and a clear path forward. With careful consideration and the right support, you can ensure your ATS choice aligns with your long-term recruitment goals and sets your organisation up for success.
A quick, responsive process is what you need to attract and engage the best talent.
At Rectec we help organisations to find the best Applicant Tracking System, best Recruitment CRM, or best HRIS to suit your needs, accompanied by our unique complementary technology marketplace, to help you build the perfect recruitment tech stack for your business.