Applicant tracking system (ATS)
Summary definition: Recruiting software that helps talent management teams collect, organize, and manage applicants throughout the hiring process.
What is an applicant tracking system?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that helps recruiting teams manage the end-to-end hiring process within a single platform.
ATS software centralizes the entire hiring workflow — posting jobs, collecting applications, screening resumes, managing interviews, and updating candidates — helping hiring teams stay aligned and operate more efficiently.
Applicant tracking systems are widely used by organizations of all sizes, from growing businesses building out their first hiring workflows to large enterprises managing high-volume talent acquisition across multiple departments and locations.
Key takeaways
- An applicant tracking system is software that centralizes and streamlines the recruiting process.
- An applicant tracking system for recruiters reduces manual work for talent management teams, improves the candidate experience, and supports compliance with built-in recordkeeping tools.
- The best applicant tracking systems integrate with broader HR and payroll tools, scale with organizational growth, and can be configured to match how hiring teams work.
How does an applicant tracking system work?
Applicant tracking software functions as a centralized information system for the entire recruiting lifecycle:
- Post opening(s): The recruiting team creates and publishes a job post within the application tracking system, which can simultaneously distribute the listing across multiple job boards and career pages.
- Collect applications: As candidates apply, their information is captured and stored in the system, which organizes submissions for potential review.
- Screen applicants: ATS screening filters and ranks said applications based on predefined criteria (e.g., keywords, qualifications, or experience), thus helping recruiters quickly identify the most qualified candidates from large talent pools.
- Manage candidates: As applicants move through the hiring process, the candidate tracking software updates their status at each stage (e.g., applied, phone screen, interview, offer, or hired), giving the recruiting team real-time visibility into the pipeline.
- Schedule interviews: Most ATS recruiting software includes tools for sending automated updates, scheduling interviews, and keeping candidates informed, thereby improving the candidate experience.
- Report hiring data: Finally, ATS tools generate data on recruiting activity, time to hire, source effectiveness, and more, helping talent acquisition leaders make informed decisions and maintain compliant records.
Applicant tracking system benefits
For HR and talent acquisition teams, ATS software delivers significant operational and strategic value:
- Saves time: Automating repetitive tasks (e.g., résumé screening, status updates, interview scheduling) with ATS recruiting tools frees recruiters to focus on larger, more strategic projects.
- Improves candidate experience: Timely, consistent communication through an ATS platform keeps applicants informed and engaged, reducing drop-off and protecting the organization's reputation.
- Reduces hiring bias: Structured screening criteria and standardized evaluation workflows help recruiting teams make more objective, consistent decisions.
- Centralizes data: A unified candidate tracking system eliminates the chaos of
disconnected spreadsheets and email chains, ensuring recruiters and hiring managers are aligned. - Supports compliance: Built-in recordkeeping tools help organizations document their hiring decisions and maintain the records required for EEOC and other regulatory reporting.
- Scales with growth: As hiring volume increases, application tracking systems provide the structure needed to maintain quality and consistency without proportionally increasing recruiting headcount.
How to choose between applicant tracking systems
The best ATS software for an organization depends on its hiring volume, team structure, existing tech stack, and long-term talent acquisition goals.
| Factor | What to look for |
| Ease of Use | Applicant tracking that's difficult to navigate will slow down a recruiting team and reduce adoption among hiring managers. Look for intuitive candidate tracking workflows that require minimal training for both recruiters and interviewers. |
| HR tool integration | The most effective ATS human resources setups connect seamlessly with broader HR and payroll systems, so candidate data flows into onboarding and employee records without manual re-entry. |
| Scalability | Consider future hiring volume and staffing goals. Candidate tracking software should grow with the organization, handling increased job postings, larger candidate pools, and more complex workflows as recruiting processes mature. |
| Customization and Flexibility | Hiring processes vary, so look for ATS recruitment software that allows configurable pipeline stages, screening criteria, and communication templates to match how the team works. |
| Candidate experience features | A strong candidate tracking system should support candidates as much as it supports recruiters, with timely automated communications, mobile-friendly application flows, and clear status updates throughout the process. |
| Reports and analytics | Robust reporting helps talent acquisition leaders track time to hire, source performance, and pipeline health. Prioritize candidate-tracking software that delivers actionable data, not just raw numbers. |
| Compliance capabilities | Ensure the ATS platform supports relevant recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including EEOC data collection and audit trail documentation. |
| Support and implementation | Even the best applicant tracking system software requires thoughtful implementation. Evaluate the vendor's onboarding support, training resources, and ongoing customer service before committing. |
Hire Smarter
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