Applicant Tracking Systems for Employers

What Is an Applicant Tracking System?

An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is software that helps employers organize job applications and track candidates through the hiring process.

Hiring managers, HR teams, and recruiters use an ATS to keep resumes, interview notes, and hiring updates in one place. Features vary by system, but the main purpose is to help your team manage the search.

How Hiring Teams Use an ATS

An ATS can help your team:

Collect applications for open positions.
Store resumes and candidate contact details.
Track who needs a review, interview, or follow-up.
Share interview feedback with other team members.
Record hiring decisions and candidate communications.
Review reports on hiring activity.

Some platforms also offer job posting, interview scheduling, offer letters, and connections to other HR tools. Check which features are included in the plan you are considering.

Does an ATS Screen or Rank Candidates?

Some systems offer filters, application questions, matching tools, or automated rules. How those features work depends on the software and the employer’s settings.

Resume parsing is a separate function. It extracts information from a resume and places it into candidate fields. It does not, by itself, determine whether someone is qualified.

Your hiring team still needs to review relevant experience, ask questions, and decide whether a candidate meets the position’s requirements.

For example, two CAD candidates may both list AutoCAD. One may have worked on survey plats, while the other has mainly produced mechanical drawings. The software name alone does not tell you which person has the experience your team needs.

What to Look for When Choosing an ATS

Start with the tasks your team needs help managing. Use these questions when comparing systems or requesting a demonstration.

Is It Easy for Your Team to Use?

Can hiring managers find applications, review resumes, and leave feedback without a complicated process? Ask the provider to walk through a sample opening from application to offer.

Does It Fit Your Hiring Process?

Check whether you can set up the stages, interview steps, and approvals your team uses. Consider both your current openings and any planned hiring growth.

Does It Connect With Your Other Tools?

Confirm compatibility with your email, calendar, careers page, job boards, and HR software. Ask whether those connections are included or cost extra.

Can You Control Access to Candidate Information?

Check who can view resumes, notes, and other candidate details. Ask about access settings, data export, and options for retaining or deleting records.

What Is the Total Cost?

Ask for a written quote that covers the features you need. Check for setup charges, training costs, add-ons, usage limits, and renewal terms.

Pricing and features can change, so confirm details directly with the provider.

How to Use an ATS for Technical Hiring

Start with a clear job description and agreed hiring requirements. Separate essential skills from preferences so your team knows what to look for.

For IT support positions, record the systems supported, types of issues handled, and experience working with end users.

For CAD and engineering positions, record the software used, project types, and the candidate’s responsibilities on those projects.

Use consistent interview questions and record examples from each candidate’s answers. Review any automated filters carefully so they reflect the actual needs of the position.

View Interview Questions & Answers

How an ATS and a Staffing Agency Work Together

An ATS helps organize hiring activity. A staffing agency provides recruiting support, including finding candidates, discussing the opportunity with them, and conducting preliminary screening.

If your company already uses an ATS, you can still work with a recruiting agency. Agree on how candidates will be submitted, how duplicate records will be handled, and where interview feedback will be shared.

Tier2Tek Staffing works alongside hiring managers, HR teams, and talent acquisition teams to recruit permanent IT support, engineering, and CAD professionals nationwide.

Learn How We Screen Candidates