How to choose the right ATS?

Are you looking for a recruitment software adapted to your needs but you don't know where to start? Don't worry, it's normal. With all the tools available on the market, you can quickly feel lost. In this article, I will guide you step by step to choose the ATS that will really suit you, based on your needs, your way of recruiting and your goals.

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Why use an ATS?

If you are still recruiting with scattered emails, Excel files that are multiplying, and post-its stuck everywhere, rest assured: you are not alone. But you will see, there is a world of difference when you switch to a real tool designed for recruitment. The ATS, or Applicant Tracking System, is precisely there to save you a lot of time and simplify your life.

Recruiting better, faster

First, it allows you to recruit better and above all much faster. No more ads forgotten on a jobboard or CVs lying dormant in a mailbox. An ATS centralizes everything: your job offers are posted in a few clicks on several sites, applications automatically arrive in your interface, and you can follow each file without missing a beat. You spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time talking to really interesting candidates.

And it's not just about volume! Thanks to features like multicasting, you certainly receive more applications, but above all of better quality. ATS allows you to publish your ads on specialized sites, in addition to the main traditional platforms. The result: you attract more targeted profiles, more relevant to your needs, and you avoid wasting time with applications that are out of date.

Manage recruitments collaboratively

If you recruit with several people, you know how complicated it is to communicate well. Who saw this resume? Who called this candidate? Who validated this profile?

With an ATS, everyone sees the same thing at the same time. You can leave comments, assign candidates to colleagues, share profiles in one click. It's immediately more fluid, simpler and frankly less complicated.

Track and analyze your recruitments

And most importantly, you can finally follow and analyze your recruitments like a pro. How many applications did you receive? How long does it take to recruit for this position? What channels work best? An ATS gives you all this data in real time. You know what works, what blocks it, and you can improve your recruitment processes after recruitment.

An ATS is a real boost to recruit effectively, calmly and with a lot of time.

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The recruitment process with an ATS

The recruitment process is often quite an obstacle course. But with an ATS, everything becomes more fluid, simpler and, frankly, more pleasant. A good recruitment software accompanies you from the start, step by step. It does not write for you, but it guides you from A to Z to perfectly structure your job offer. You follow a clear path, with precise steps that remind you what to write, what information is essential and how to make your ad more attractive. Result: your offers are always complete, well presented, and above all more visible on job sites thanks to good referencing. No more botched ads that go unnoticed!

Then, he takes care of the broadcast, and not only a little bit! Your ad appears on a multitude of job sites, from the biggest generalists to specialized job boards according to your sector. You reach more people, but especially the right people. And if you do a bit of direct sourcing, ATS also allows you to centralize all that. You can import LinkedIn profiles, add spontaneous applications, everything arrives in one place, organized and ready to be processed. No more wasting time juggling ten tools, everything is centralized.

Finally, ATS makes everything else easier: collaborating with colleagues, evaluating candidates, making final decisions. You can personalize your process, define your recruitment stages, and move candidates forward in a real visual pipeline. No more endless meetings just to find out the status of a case. You follow everything in real time, you comment, you share, you decide. And all without drowning in emails or shared files. The result: you recruit more quickly, but above all much better.

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The 12 steps to choosing the right ATS

1. Define your needs and goals

Before going headlong into ATS demos or comparisons, take a moment to think about what you really want from your future tool. Why do you want to change your habits? What are you missing today?

Maybe you're wasting too much time sorting through applications, you lack visibility on your hires, or you need to recruit more quickly for certain positions. List your goals very simply, black and white. Above all, do you want to save time? Collaborate better with your teams? Improving the quality of applications? Having a clear idea of your priorities will help you sort things out more easily later, without being seduced by gadgetry features.

2. List the essential (and secondary) functionalities

Once you have set your goals, it is time to list your concrete expectations. What functionalities do you think are really essential to work in good conditions? For example, the multicast ads, the monitoring of pipeline applications, the centralization of applications or even detailed statistics.

The idea is not to get lost in endless comparisons: you will quickly know if a tool ticks the boxes that are most important to you.

3. Evaluate ease of use

An ATS can be very complete, but if it gives you a headache the first time you connect, it's no!

Ease of use is a real criterion that should not be underestimated. The aim is for you and your colleagues to be able to get started with the tool quickly, without the need for a three-day training course.

4. Analyze the integration with your existing tools (HRIS, payroll, tests, agenda...)

A good ATS is also an ATS that fits into your work environment. There's no question of having to copy and paste or re-enter information by hand.

Check from the start whether the tool can easily connect to your existing software: HRIS, payroll software, Outlook or Google Calendar agenda, skills testing tools, or even internal messaging.

The more your ATS knows how to interface with the rest of your organization, the more you will save time and avoid mistakes. A tool that can be adapted is always a good investment in the long term.

5. Verify GDPR compliance and data security

The ATS you choose must absolutely comply with the General Data Protection Regulation.

This means that it should allow you to collect the consent of candidates, manage retention periods, and delete or anonymize data easily.

Clearly ask the publishers the question: does the platform comply with European regulations? Where is the data stored? Who can access it? It is also a question of trust with your candidates, and a way to sleep peacefully in case of an inspection by the CNIL.

6. Look at the customization possibilities

Each company has its own habits, its internal processes, its way of doing things. A good ATS should be able to adapt to you, not the other way around. Rigid software that forces you to change your entire organization can quickly become frustrating. On the contrary, a flexible tool that adapts to your needs will allow you to remain effective and better involve your teams.

7. Request a personalized demo

Before taking out the bank card, always ask for a personalized demo. Not just a quick tour of the tool, but a real presentation adapted to your context. Explain how you recruit, your challenges, your concrete cases. A good salesperson will take the time to show you how ATS can meet your specific needs.

It is also an opportunity to ask all your questions, to test the responsiveness of customer service, and to check if the team behind the product is listening to you.

8. Test the tool with a temporary test period

The demo is good, but nothing beats a real test over several weeks or months. Most ATS publishers offer what's called a temporary trial, usually over a short period of 3 to 6 months. It's the perfect opportunity to see the tool in action in your real context. During this period, you can launch some recruitments, involve your teams, see how the tool fits into your daily life.

9. Compare pricing models

ATS don't always display their rates in full on their site, but it's important to understand how billing works. Some offer a monthly subscription, others charge by the year, sometimes with a limited number of recruitments or users. Ask the question carefully: what is included in the basic offer? Are there hidden fees like paid multicasting or optional modules?

The objective is to find a tool that fits within your budget while meeting your needs. A tip: always favor transparency, you will be more serene over time.

10. Consider customer support and support services

Good software is important, but good customer support is even better. You will necessarily have questions, small problems or specific needs. Find out about the quality of the support offered: can you contact a real person easily? By phone, chat or email? Is there a French speaking team available quickly? Some publishers also offer training courses, workshops to get started, or even personalized follow-up at the beginning. This is a real plus for starting off on a good basis and gaining autonomy quickly.

11. Read customer reviews and benchmarks

Before making a final choice, take a look at the feedback from other companies. Customer reviews are a real mine of information: they give you a concrete idea of the quality of the tool on a daily basis. You can look on platforms like CapTERRA or Trustpilot, but also ask for feedback in your network. Also, think of independent benchmarks that compare several ATS, this will help you to compare each solution to the others. The idea is not to buy the most popular one, but to check that the tool keeps its promises in contexts similar to yours.

12. Involve your teams in the final choice

You probably won't be alone using ATS on a daily basis. So you might as well involve your teams in the decision-making process! Have them test the tool during the trial period, get their feedback, and see if it's easy for everyone to get started. This makes it possible to verify that the software is suitable for all those involved in recruitment. And then, let's be honest: when a team participates in the choice of a tool, they are always more motivated to use it afterwards. It's a win-win.

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Alternatives to ATS

Before you start looking for an ATS, you may be wondering if you really need software to manage your recruitments. And you are right to ask the question, because there are several alternatives, especially when you are starting out or when you recruit infrequently.

Recruiting via Excel or Google Sheets: advantages and limitations

Many businesses simply start with Excel or Google Sheets tables. It's practical, easy to set up, and completely free. You can track your candidates, their resumes, where they are in the process. But soon enough, the limits are felt. We spend a lot of time updating everything manually, there are mistakes that creep in, and above all, it is very complicated to collaborate with several people on the same recruitment. Not to mention the waste of time finding out who said what about this candidate... For a few recruitments during the year, why not. But as soon as the volume goes up a bit, it quickly becomes a hassle.

Use simple sourcing solutions

There are also simpler and very accessible solutions, such as job boards or advertising sites. You can broadcast your offer on LinkedIn, Indeed, Pôle Emploi, and receive applications directly in your inbox. It's fast, but again, as soon as you have several hires in progress or several people involved, it gets complicated. You find yourself sorting manually, losing resumes in your email, and juggling between different sites to publish your offers.

When does switching to an ATS become essential?

So when does it really become essential to switch to an ATS? The answer is quite simple: as soon as you feel that your hires are taking up too much of your time, that you lack visibility or that you start to lose applications en route, it is time to take the plunge. An ATS helps you to organize yourself better, to save time, and above all to recruit more effectively. You'll see, it's a real change in comfort.

What to remember

Choosing an ATS is not just ticking boxes on a product sheet, it is above all about finding the tool that will simplify your daily life and help you recruit more effectively. The right method is to start by asking yourself the right questions: what are your needs, your goals, your priorities? Then, take the time to list the essential features, to check the ease of use and to make sure that the tool integrates well with your other software.

Don't forget to look at GDPR compliance, customization options, and ask for a real demo that talks about YOUR context. A temporary test is always a great way to check if the tool lives up to its promises. Compare rates, find out about customer support, read reviews from other users, and above all... involve your team in the final choice.

There is no good or bad ATS in absolute terms, there is one that corresponds to the way you recruit, your challenges and your organization. And when you find the right one, you will see: your recruitments will be simpler, faster and much more pleasant to manage.

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