If your hiring process still involves overflowing inboxes and scattered spreadsheets, it’s time to make a change.
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) helps you take control of recruitment by keeping everything in one place, from job ads and candidate notes to interview feedback and signed offer letters. But not all ATS platforms are the same, and the best one for your small business depends on your size, setup, and hiring needs.
Here’s what to look for when choosing an ATS
1. Match your system to your business size
If you’re a small or medium sized business, you don’t need enterprise software that takes three months to set up or costs more than your hiring budget.
Look for an ATS that’s built for growing teams (around 20-500 employees). It should be simple to use, quick to roll out, and flexible enough to grow with you – without forcing you into complex features you’ll never touch.
Tip: Cloud-based systems with transparent, month-to-month pricing are ideal for small and medium-sized businesses.
2. Make sure it suits your hiring process
Every organization hires differently. You might rely on job boards, referrals, or a steady flow of applications through your website.
Your ATS should support your process, not dictate it. The best applicant tracking systems let you:
- Customize your hiring stages (e.g., screening → interview → offer)
- Post jobs to multiple boards in one click
- Communicate with candidates directly from the platform
- Collaborate with hiring managers through shared notes
That means fewer spreadsheets, fewer missed emails, and a lot less admin.
3. Look for seamless integrations
An ATS shouldn’t live in isolation. The real power comes when it connects with the rest of your HR tools.
Check whether it integrates with:
- Your HRIS (so successful candidates flow straight into your employee records)
- Your calendar or email tools (for scheduling interviews)
- Your payroll or onboarding checklists
Pro tip: HR Partner’s built-in ATS links directly to onboarding, eSignatures, and employee records, so every step from hire to start date happens in one system.
4. Prioritize the candidate experience
A great ATS makes things easier for your team and smoother for your applicants.
Look for systems that offer:
- Simple, mobile-friendly application forms
- Automated emails that keep candidates updated
- Branded pages that reflect your organization’s personality
A poor candidate experience can cost you great talent, long before the interview stage.
5. Keep usability front and center
If your team avoids using it, the technology won’t help you.
Pick an ATS with:
- A clean, intuitive interface
- Clear workflows your hiring managers will actually follow
- Helpful customer support (ideally from real people, not bots)
A short learning curve means faster adoption and faster hires.
6. Understand the pricing and support
Beware of long-term contracts, per-user fees, or hidden extras.
Small businesses need flexibility, so look for transparent pricing that scales with you. You shouldn’t need an enterprise budget to get great features and human-led support.
Good to know: HR Partner offers all-in-one HR features (including ATS) on a monthly plan – no lock-ins, no hidden fees, just support from real people with HR backgrounds.
7. Try before you buy
An ATS might look perfect on paper but feel clunky in practice. That’s why a free trial is essential.
Test drive it by:
- Creating a mock job ad (make it clear it’s not real though)
- Submitting and reviewing mock candidate submissions
- Inviting your hiring managers to leave feedback
You’ll quickly see what’s intuitive and what’s not.
The best Applicant Tracking System for your small business is one that makes hiring easier, not harder. It should save time, keep everyone organized, and help you deliver a great candidate experience – without the complexity or cost of enterprise systems.
If that sounds like what you need, HR Partner’s all-in-one HR system includes a powerful, easy-to-use ATS that integrates seamlessly with the rest of your HR tools.
Book a Demo or Start Your Free Trial today to see how simple recruitment can be.