When it comes to finding the best applicant tracking system for UK businesses, there are many factors to consider. Applicant tracking systems can vary greatly in terms of features, flexibility and price. It's important to find a product that will meet your specific needs and help you achieve your hiring goals. In this blog post, we'll discuss 10 features that you should look for when choosing an ATS.

1. Ease of use: A good ATS should be easy to use, both for the hiring manager, recruiter and job seeker. The user interface should be intuitive and straightforward. You want your candidates to buy into your brand and the application process is the first step in building that affinity. A tool that offers engaging hiring flows and easy to use application forms will get you off on the right foot to securing that next star hire.

2. Flexibility: A good ATS should be flexible enough to meet the changing needs of your business. It should be able to scale up or down as needed, and it should be easy to customise. Talk to your potential provider to understand how they develop the platform, do they engage with customers to give them the opportunity to 'up vote' on proposed features, if they do this is a great sign that the ATS can flex as your needs change.

3. Reporting: A good ATS should provide detailed reports on your hiring process, find out what data points the platform can report on and if a metric is missing don't be afraid to ask the supplier if the data you are looking for could be made available. This information can help you optimise your hiring process and make better decisions about where to allocate your resources.

4. Job board integration: A good ATS should allow you to post jobs to multiple job boards with just a few clicks. This can save you a lot of time and help you reach a wider audience.

5. Social media integration: Make sure the platform allows you to connect your social channels to allow for easy sharing of jobs to your social pages. You should check if the ATS reports on source of application to help you understand which social channel delivers the best level of ROI for your business.

6. Direct sourcing: Unique to only a few applicant tracking systems, having the ability to source candidates from a growing talent pool is a lucrative tool to have at your finger tips. Find out if the ATS you are considering has the ability to reach out to candidates directly to promote your open position, it can be a real game changer when trying to find the right person for your role.

7. LinkedIn Integration: Being able to connect with candidates on LinkedIn without ever leaving your ATS can save you a whole load of time. Top applicant tracking systems will even allow you to do this on mass, complete with bespoke messaging to raise those engagement levels.

8. User management: When selecting an ATS you will to check that the platform allows you to create different user types for people within your business. Having profiles that restrict what information is made available helps keep your data secure and improve diversity in the hiring process.

9. Branding: You will want to be sure that your ATS covers all of your branding needs. Does the platform allow for custom branding? Does it come with your own careers site? All questions you should cover off with your supplier before signing on the dotted line.

10. Pricing: Of course the final check point in any new SaaS purchase is the pricing. Applicant tracking systems vary wildly in cost, so really what it comes down to is the previous nine points above. Does the platform do everything that you need it to? If the answer is yes and you are trying to make a decision between 2 or 3 providers then it comes to cost and trust. Do you feel that the business you are talking with can deliver what you need and scale with you as you grow.

When it comes to choosing an ATS, there are many factors to consider. These are just a few of the most important features to look for. By finding an ATS that has all of these features, you can be sure that you're getting a quality product that will help you achieve your hiring goals.

Stryve are among the fastest growing applicant tracking systems in the UK and we are always happy to talk to businesses that are looking for help and advice when it comes to scaling their teams. Book a time with the team that works for you here to see what we can do to help.