Terms

Applicant Tracking System

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that helps recruiters and employers manage candidates throughout the hiring process. These systems act as a centralized database to collect applicant information, organize prospects by experience and skillset, and filter them to find the best fit for open roles. Ultimately, an ATS streamlines recruitment by automating manual tasks and organizing the entire talent pipeline.

Key Features of Applicant Tracking Systems

Modern applicant tracking systems offer a suite of powerful tools designed to streamline every stage of the hiring process. These features help recruiting teams save time, improve collaboration, and make more data-driven decisions. Key functionalities include:

  • Automation: Automates repetitive tasks like resume screening, interview scheduling, and candidate communication.
  • Job Posting: Distributes job openings to multiple career sites and social media platforms with a single click.
  • Analytics: Provides real-time data and reporting to track hiring metrics and make informed decisions.
  • Integrations: Connects with other HR software, such as HRIS and onboarding tools, for a unified workflow.
  • Filtering: Allows recruiters to search and filter candidates based on specific skills, experience, and keywords.

Benefits of Using an Applicant Tracking System

Implementing an ATS transforms a company's recruitment process, making it more efficient and effective. These systems help organizations save time and resources while improving the quality of hires and enhancing the candidate experience.

  • Efficiency: Automates manual tasks and streamlines workflows, significantly reducing the time-to-hire.
  • Quality: Improves candidate quality with data-driven insights and consistent, bias-reducing screening processes.
  • Collaboration: Centralizes communication and feedback, giving hiring teams full visibility into the pipeline.
  • Experience: Enhances the candidate journey with timely communication and a transparent application process.

Applicant Tracking System vs. Human Resource Information System

While both systems manage people data, they serve distinct purposes within the HR technology stack.

  • ATS: This system focuses on the pre-hire lifecycle, streamlining recruitment, candidate tracking, and communication. It excels at managing high applicant volumes and reducing time-to-hire, but implementation can be complex. Enterprises with extensive hiring needs often prefer a dedicated ATS for its specialized talent acquisition features.
  • HRIS: This system manages the entire employee lifecycle, from onboarding to offboarding, handling payroll, benefits, and performance data. It provides a central data repository for all HR functions. An HRIS is essential for companies seeking to consolidate core HR operations beyond just recruitment.

Common Challenges with Applicant Tracking Systems

ATS implementation can be complex and costly, often stretching IT resources thin. Integrating with other HR software like background check services presents another major hurdle. These challenges can create data silos and disrupt workflows, negating the system's efficiency gains.

Many systems suffer from a poor user experience, creating a frustrating process for candidates and recruiters alike. Legacy platforms often lack modern automation and robust filtering, leading to manual work. This inefficiency can cause top talent to drop off or be overlooked.

Future Trends in Applicant Tracking Systems

The future of applicant tracking systems is centered on artificial intelligence and automation. These platforms will become more predictive, using AI to identify top candidates and reduce bias. Expect enhanced mobile-first experiences and deeper integrations with other HR tools to create a seamless, data-driven recruitment ecosystem for both candidates and recruiters.

Frequently Asked Questions about Applicant Tracking System

How does an ATS handle resume parsing and keyword filtering?

ATS software scans resumes for specific keywords, skills, and experience defined by the recruiter. It's crucial to configure filters carefully to avoid accidentally rejecting qualified candidates whose resumes lack specific terminology, though modern AI helps improve accuracy.

Can an ATS integrate with other tools we already use?

Yes, most modern ATS platforms offer integrations with other HR tools like HRIS, background check services, and assessment platforms. However, the quality and ease of integration vary, so it's important to verify compatibility before committing.

Does using an ATS negatively impact the candidate experience?

It depends on the system and its implementation. A well-configured ATS can improve the experience with timely updates and clear communication. However, a clunky or poorly managed system can create a frustrating, impersonal application process for candidates.

Other terms

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Sales Metrics

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Firmographic Data

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Competitive Intelligence (CI)

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SEO

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Sales Operations Analytics

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SFDC

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Sales Automation

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Marketing Operations

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Sales Demo

A sales demo is a presentation where a sales rep shows a prospect how a product or service works and solves their specific problems.

Sales Demo

AI Data Enrichment

AI data enrichment uses artificial intelligence to automatically enhance and update raw data, making it more complete, accurate, and valuable.

AI Data Enrichment

Big Data

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Net New Business

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Net New Business

Canary Releases

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Canary Releases

Point of Contact

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Persona-Based Marketing

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B2B Sales

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System of Record

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No Spam

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No Spam

HubSpot

HubSpot is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform with tools for marketing, sales, and service, all aimed at helping businesses grow.

HubSpot

Cold Emailing

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Cold Emailing

Sales Intelligence Platform

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Process Builder

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Brag Book

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Sales Coach

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Buyer Intent

Learn about buyer intent, including understanding buyer intent signals, strategies to capture buyer intent, & buyer intent vs. customer interest.

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Lead List

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Sales Methodology

A sales methodology is the framework that guides how your sales team approaches the entire sales process, from prospecting to closing deals.

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X-Sell

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Customer Centricity

Customer centricity is a business approach that puts the customer at the heart of every decision, aiming to build loyalty and long-term value.

Customer Centricity

Sales Funnel

A sales funnel is a model illustrating the customer's journey from initial awareness to the final purchase, narrowing down leads at each stage.

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Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has to their organization, motivating them to contribute to the company's success.

Employee Engagement

Value Statement

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Value Statement

Sales Development Representative (SDR)

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Cross-Site Scripting

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Cross-Site Scripting

Enterprise Resource Planning

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Technographics

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Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface

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Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface

Website Visitor Tracking

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Objection Handling in Sales

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Contact Data

Contact data is the set of details, like names, emails, and phone numbers, used to get in touch with a person or business for outreach.

Contact Data

Sales Enablement Content

Sales enablement content refers to the materials and tools that empower your sales team to engage prospects and close deals more efficiently.

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End of Quarter

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End of Quarter

Buyer’s Remorse

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Buyer’s Remorse

Performance Plan

A performance plan is a formal document outlining an employee's goals, expectations, and metrics for success over a specific period.

Performance Plan

Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)

A Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL) is a prospect who has shown interest based on marketing efforts but isn't yet ready for a sales conversation.

Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL)

Business Development Representative

Learn about business development representative, including skills and qualifications for BDRs, & roles and responsibilities of a BDR.

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Headless CMS

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Headless CMS

Logo Retention

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Logo Retention

Account-Based Marketing

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Cold Email

A cold email is an initial outreach sent to a potential customer with whom you've had no prior contact, aiming to introduce your business.

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Product Recommendations

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Simple Object Access Protocol Application Programming Interface

A Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) API is a web service that uses XML to exchange structured information between different applications.

Simple Object Access Protocol Application Programming Interface

Lead Nurturing

Lead nurturing is the process of developing and reinforcing relationships with buyers at every stage of the sales funnel.

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Buyer Intent Data

Learn about buyer intent data, including sourcing and interpreting buyer intent data, & key metrics in buyer intent analysis.

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Sales Territory

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Account Development Representative

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Event Tracking

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Use Case

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Microservices

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Customer Acquisition Cost

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Closed Won

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Sales Kickoff

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Sales Kickoff

Warm Outbound

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Warm Outbound

Competitive Analysis

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Competitive Analysis

Contact Discovery

Contact discovery is the process of finding accurate contact details for potential leads, including names, emails, phone numbers, and job titles.

Contact Discovery

Scrum

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Cross-Selling

Cross-selling is a sales tactic of encouraging customers to purchase products or services that are related to what they're already buying.

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Content Rights Management

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Content Rights Management

Lead Scoring

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Lead Scoring

Programmatic Advertising

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Programmatic Advertising

FAB Technique

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FAB Technique

B2B Data

Learn about B2B data, including sources and types of B2B data, leveraging B2B data for sales success, & ensuring the accuracy of B2B data.

B2B Data

Workflow Automation

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Workflow Automation

Request for Information

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Request for Information

Digital Advertising

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Digital Advertising

Smile and Dial

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Smile and Dial

Account-Based Everything

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Account-Based Everything

Cold Calling

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Cold Calling

Direct Sales

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Direct Sales

Customer Relationship Management Systems

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Customer Relationship Management Systems

Salesforce Administrator

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Salesforce Administrator

Retargeting Marketing

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Retargeting Marketing

Talk Track

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Talk Track

Content Management System

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Content Management System

Buying Criteria

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GPCTBA/C&I

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GPCTBA/C&I

Inside Sales

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Inside Sales

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)

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Predictive Lead Generation

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Predictive Lead Generation

Sales Engineer

Sales Engineers blend deep technical knowledge with sales acumen, demonstrating a product's value and solving customer problems to drive revenue.

Sales Engineer

Behavioral Analytics

Learn about behavioral analytics, including implementing behavioral analytics successfully, & key metrics in behavioral analytics.

Behavioral Analytics

Webhooks

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Webhooks

Lead Scrape

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Lead Scrape

Consultative Selling

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Voice Broadcasting

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Qualified Lead

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Qualified Lead

SAM

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SAM

Integration Testing

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