Recruiting guides · 6 minutes read
Choosing applicant tracking software: a checklist for SMEs
1. Clarify your own process before comparing products
Applicant tracking software, often called an ATS (applicant tracking system), should support your process, not replace it. Before the first conversation with a vendor, write down how applications arrive today, who reviews them, where follow-up questions get stuck and how decisions are recorded. These points give you your most important requirements.
Also make a rough count of how many positions you fill per year, how many applications arrive per job and how many people are involved. These three numbers decide which plan fits and whether features for high volumes are worth it at all.
2. Sort features into must-have and nice-to-have
For most small and medium-sized businesses these include: a careers page with an application form that needs no account, an overview of all applications per job, notes and roles for the team, messages to applicants and simple interview scheduling. What matters is that documents, communication and decisions are attached to the same application.
Additional features such as AI-assisted CV analysis, Google for Jobs, multiposting or reports can save a lot of time. With AI, check exactly what it does: does it show evidence from the CV, or does it only give a score? Decisions about people should remain traceable.
3. Check data protection and AI rules
Applicant data is personal data. Ask for a data processing agreement under Art. 28 GDPR, the service providers used, retention periods and how you can fulfil access and deletion requests. Exporting your data should be possible at any time.
If the software uses AI in selection, the EU AI Act also applies. It treats such systems as high-risk applications. Make sure that people make the decision, that results can be explained and that the vendor openly describes which data is processed. Involve your works council early if needed.
4. Compare costs over a whole year
Do not compare the monthly price alone. Add up set-up fees, prices per user or per job, add-on modules and minimum terms over twelve months. For AI features, look at the included quota and at what happens when it is exceeded.
A free trial with a real job shows faster than any presentation whether the software suits you. Make sure the trial starts without a credit card and does not turn into a subscription automatically.
5. Test with a real job
During the trial, publish a real or realistic job, apply to it yourselves and go through the process up to booking an interview. You will see how the process feels for applicants and whether your team can manage without training.
Reclyra offers a 30-day pilot for €0 and a personal demo in which we show the process using your jobs. Only decide once the process works in everyday use.
Your checklist
- Positions per year, applications per job and people involved are known.
- Must-have and nice-to-have features are defined.
- Data processing agreement, service providers and retention periods are checked.
- AI results are traceable and decisions stay with the team.
- Costs are compared over twelve months.
- A real job has been run through in the trial.