Thinking about changing your Applicant Tracking System?

I’ve recently been through the process of assessing and selecting a new ATS, let me tell you, it’s been thorough. This is the first time I’ve done it so I learned a lot about what it takes to make the right choice for a growing business like Stowe. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process so far, and some insights I learned along the way:

1.????? Define the reasons for changing systems.

Start by thoroughly understanding what’s holding your team back with the current system. Are you struggling with analytics and reporting, making it hard to identify bottlenecks or measure performance? Maybe user adoption is low, and key stakeholders aren’t engaged with the system. Are inefficiencies creeping in due to clunky workflows or poor integration with other tools? Whatever the reasons, clearly articulate them so you can focus on finding vendors who can address these specific challenges, avoiding the trap of wasting time on platforms that won’t resolve your pain points.

2.????? Identify what your current system does well

Just as important as articulating what needs improving is identifying what your current platform does well so you’re not taking a step backward in critical areas. For example, improving diversity is high on our recruitment agenda and our current ATS has anonymous cv screening, I demoed several platforms without this feature.

It’s just as important to recognise what your existing ATS does well as it is to pinpoint what needs improvement. This ensures you don’t inadvertently lose critical functionality. For example, if enhancing diversity is a priority and your current ATS supports anonymous resume screening, make sure that any new system you consider includes this feature. I encountered this issue when I demoed several platforms that didn’t offer this capability which would have been a step backward for our diversity initiatives.

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3.????? Anticipate your future needs

Think about how long you expect to use the new ATS and what changes your business might undergo during that time. Are you planning to expand into new global markets? If so, consider compliance with local regulations or multiple languages. If you’re acquiring new brands, you’ll need an ATS that can handle multiple brands with distinct career sites, workflows, and advertising templates. Or, if you’re expecting changes in headcount, this could impact pricing, many ATS systems use a tiered model based on employee numbers. Understanding your business’ trajectory will help you select an ATS that can grow and adapt with you.

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4.????? Align with strategic business objectives

If you’re not already familiar with your company’s strategic objectives, now is the time to get clear on them—especially when selecting an ATS. Align these objectives with your TA goals and choose a vendor that can deliver on them. For instance, while all ATS platforms offer some form of analytics, their capabilities can vary widely. If advanced analytics is a key priority, focus on vendors that excel in this area.

5.????? Timing is everything

Timing your ATS selection process is crucial. We recently developed our five-year plan, set our strategic objectives, and completed our strategic workforce planning which gave us a clear understanding of our future hiring volumes. This helped me make an informed decision about a new ATS. A year ago, we wouldn’t have all the information we need to seriously consider a new vendor. Make sure your timing aligns with your business’ readiness to adopt a new system.

6.????? Engage with ATS vendors

When you’re ready to speak with ATS vendors, provide them with all the necessary information to demonstrate how their system meets your most important needs. This also allows vendors to self-select out if they’re not the right fit, saving both you and them time. For example, three vendors opted out of our RFP process after reviewing our requirements.

Create an RFP document to send out to your selected ATS vendors, mine was a bit of a whopper and covered:

• Vendor company info, financials, their stability and pricing
• Sourcing & advertising, CRM, Recruitment Marketing, Referrals, Careers Pages, Applicant Tracking, Employee Mobility, Interview Management, Offers and Hires
• Mobile Apps, Compliance, Configuration, Security
• Candidate, Recruiter and Hiring Manager Experience, Admin
• AI, Reporting, Analytics, Automation
• Implementation, Integrations, Support

If you need a template, reach out - I adapted mine from one shared with me.

Finally, create a scoring matrix that assigns points to both “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.”

7.????? Question whether a change is needed

As you review vendor responses, take a step back and ask yourself if a change is really needed. It’s easy to get excited about new technology, but could you achieve your goals by optimising your current system instead? This could save both time and money, so weigh up this option carefully.

8.????? Use your network

Don’t be afraid to use your network during this process. I adapted my RFP from one shared by a contact in my network, and we ultimately chose a supplier partnered with (TTC) The Talent Community , which gave us a 10% discount. Instead of relying solely on vendor-provided references, I did my own research and reached out to peers. Shout out to David Nottage and Jonny Hiles for their demos, and to others who offered candid feedback like:

“Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not get XYZ,”

or

“You’ll find XYZ clunky as f#@%, talk to [name], who’s using it now.”

?9.????? Allow more time than you think you’ll need

No matter how much time you allocate, it will likely take longer. I doubled my timeframe and still ended up a week behind schedule. Recruitment happens, that’s the nature of our role, and can easily push out timelines, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Also, be mindful of the vendors’ time—they’re investing significant time and effort into your process.

10.? Give Feedback to vendors

?Just like you would with candidates after an interview, it’s important to keep vendors updated and offer feedback on why you did or didn’t choose their platform. Vendors put a lot of effort into your selection process, so it’s only fair to provide them with proper feedback.

Final Thoughts

While I haven’t covered the demo and evaluation process here (that’s a whole other blog post!), these steps should give you a solid foundation for selecting a new ATS.

What other tips would you offer when choosing an ATS?