Choosing an ATS for the First Time? Here’s a 7-Step Buyer’s Framework

Finding the right people for the right roles has always been the foundation of a growing business. However, as hiring needs expand, managing resumes, interviews, and feedback without the right system can slow everything down. That’s where an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) makes a real difference.

An ATS is a software tool that helps businesses organize and streamline every step of the hiring process — from posting job openings to tracking applicants and scheduling interviews — all in one place. It’s no longer a luxury reserved for big corporations. Today, even small businesses and first-time users can benefit from having a strong system in place.

What This Blog Includes

This guide is designed to make your first ATS buying decision clear, structured, and confident. Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• A clear explanation of what an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is and why it benefits all company sizes.
• A step-by-step framework to simplify the ATS selection process for first-time buyers.
• Practical advice on mapping your hiring workflow before exploring software options.
• Tips for prioritizing critical features based on real hiring challenges, not just trends.
• Guidance on budgeting smartly with room to scale as your hiring grows.
• Key evaluation steps for testing tools through free trials, demos, and real-time feedback.
• A final checklist and FAQs to make your buying decision clear, structured, and action-ready.

This blog is built to help first-time ATS buyers take confident action — without confusion, wasted time, or guesswork.

Buyer’s Framework for Choosing ATS

Define Your Hiring Workflow First

Before comparing different ATS options, it’s important to step back and understand how your team hires today. Every company has its own hiring rhythm. Some move quickly, while others follow a layered approval process.

Start by mapping out your current hiring journey:

• How do you create and post job openings?
• Where do candidate resumes come from?
• Who is responsible for reviewing applications?
• How are interviews scheduled and conducted?
• How are hiring decisions made and communicated?

Once you sketch this out, it becomes easier to spot the areas where an Applicant Tracking System could offer the most help. For example:

• Struggling with interview scheduling? Look for self-scheduling features.
• Difficulty gathering team feedback? Focus on tools with collaborative scorecards.

Understanding your process first ensures that the ATS you select fits your needs, helping you work smarter, not harder.

Prioritize Critical Features Based on Real Problems

With your hiring workflow mapped out, the next step is figuring out exactly what you need from an ATS. Instead of getting distracted by every available feature, focus on solving the real problems your team faces today.

Start by asking simple but important questions:

• Where does our hiring process slow down?
• What tasks take up the most manual effort?
• Where do candidates drop off or lose interest?

Once you spot the challenges, you can prioritize features based on real needs, not just trends. Here’s how to think about it:

• Interview Scheduling Challenges:
  Look for ATS platforms that offer built-in calendar integration and allow candidates to self-schedule interviews.
• Disorganized Candidate Tracking:
  Prioritize visual pipelines that let you move candidates across stages easily and add notes without switching tabs.
• Poor Collaboration Across Hiring Team:
  Choose systems with shared scorecards, real-time feedback tools, and easy commenting features.
• High Volume of Applications:
  Opt for strong resume parsing and filtering capabilities that save time by automatically ranking candidates.
• Need for Faster Job Postings:
  Focus on ATS tools that let you publish openings to multiple job boards with just a few clicks.

By anchoring your ATS search to the problems you are actively trying to solve, you’ll avoid paying for extras you don’t need — and find a system that truly supports your hiring goals.

Create a First Draft Budget (With Flexibility for Scale-Up)

Choosing an ATS isn’t just about finding the right features — it’s also about making sure the investment fits your plans today and in the future. Even if you are a small team now, thinking ahead can save you from switching platforms as you grow.

When setting your first ATS budget, consider these key points:

• Base Subscription Cost:
  What is the monthly or annual cost? Is it charged per user, per job posting, or flat-rate?
• Cost for Additional Users:
  If your hiring team grows, will it be affordable to add more recruiters or hiring managers?
• Limitations on Job Postings or Candidates:
  Some plans have limits — check if you’ll pay extra when you post more roles or receive more applications.
• Setup and Implementation Fees:
  Ask if there are any one-time onboarding fees for setting up your account, integrations, or training your team.
• Cost of Scaling Up:
  If you expect to double your hires in the next year, does the pricing structure support that growth easily?

Here’s a simple way to approach budgeting:

• Set a comfortable budget for your current hiring volume.
• Identify a stretch budget in case your needs expand sooner than planned.
• Look for platforms that offer transparent pricing and flexible upgrade paths.

Choosing an ATS with the future in mind helps avoid disruptions later and ensures that the platform will keep supporting your success as your business grows.

Build a 3–5 ATS Shortlist Based on Your Hiring Size and Industry

Now that you have a clear idea of your hiring workflow, must-have features, and budget, it’s time to create a focused shortlist. Instead of trying to explore dozens of options, narrowing your choices early makes the evaluation process faster and less stressful.

Start by considering two important filters:

• Company Size:
  Different ATS platforms are designed with different team sizes in mind. Some cater to startups and small businesses, while others are built for large enterprises with complex hiring needs.
• Industry Needs:
  If you’re in tech, healthcare, retail, or education, certain platforms may offer specialized features or integrations that match your industry.

Here’s how to build a strong shortlist:

• Research with Intent:
  Use trusted review sites, software directories, and peer recommendations to find platforms that align with your company size and industry.
• Focus on Fit, Not Fame:
  A well-known name doesn’t always mean the best ATS for your needs. Look for tools praised for usability, flexibility, and service, not just brand recognition.
• Aim for a List of 3 to 5 Options:
  Shortlisting more than five tools can make the decision process overwhelming. Three strong contenders give you enough variety without confusion.
• Verify Core Features and Pricing Early:
  Before booking demos or trials, check that the tools offer the features you prioritized and fit within your draft budget.

Examples of matches based on company type:

• Startups and small teams: Workable, Manatal, Recruitee Lite
• Mid-sized businesses: BreezyHR, JazzHR
• Remote or distributed teams: Ashby, Greenhouse Flex

Building a thoughtful shortlist sets you up for efficient demos and smarter comparisons, saving you time and helping you find an ATS that truly fits your hiring vision.

Test Live: Free Trials, Demos, and Product Walkthroughs

Once you have your shortlist ready, the next move is to get hands-on. Reading about features is helpful, but nothing beats experiencing how the software feels in action. Testing a platform live is the best way to understand if it truly fits your hiring style.

Here’s how to get the most out of your trial or demo:

• Create a Mock Job Posting:
  Set up a fake job opening to see how easy it is to create, publish, and manage postings. Pay attention to the templates, customization options, and how the job is shared across job boards.
• Move Dummy Candidates Across Pipeline Stages:
  Add a few sample candidates and track their journey. Test how smooth it is to move candidates from one stage to another — from screening to interviews and final selection.
• Try Collaboration Features (Notes, Scorecards):
  Collaboration is a key part of efficient hiring. Use the platform’s notes section, rating systems, and feedback forms to check how easy it is for multiple team members to contribute without confusion.

Involving your broader team during this phase is just as important:

• Recruiters:
  Get feedback on ease of posting jobs, screening candidates, and moving applicants through the pipeline.
• Hiring Managers:
  Let managers evaluate the interview scheduling, scorecards, and feedback processes. Their buy-in ensures better adoption later.
• Admin Team (if needed):
  If your admin or HR team handles system setups, make sure they test backend settings, reporting functions, and integration options.

A good ATS should not only have the right features — it should feel natural to use. If your team finds it intuitive during the trial, chances are, it will support a faster and more organized hiring process once you go live.

Review Data, Reporting, and Compliance Capabilities

Choosing an ATS isn’t just about streamlining workflows. It’s also about managing your hiring data responsibly and staying aligned with important legal requirements. As hiring grows, so does the need for clear records, insights, and compliance checks.

Here’s why reviewing these capabilities matters early:

• EEO Compliance (Equal Employment Opportunity):
  If you’re hiring in the United States, maintaining fair hiring practices is not optional. A good ATS should help you collect and report EEO data accurately and easily.
• GDPR and Data Privacy Adherence:
  For companies hiring in the European Union, GDPR compliance is essential. Your ATS should offer features like candidate consent tracking, data deletion options, and clear privacy settings.

When evaluating platforms, look closely at these features:

• Pre-built Reporting Dashboards:
  Can you easily pull reports on time-to-hire, source of candidates, and diversity metrics? Strong dashboards give hiring teams the insights they need to improve decisions.
• Customizable Fields for Diversity Tracking:
  Look for tools that allow you to add and manage fields related to diversity and inclusion initiatives. It’s a practical way to promote fair and equitable hiring practices.
• Audit Trail Logs:
  Systems that track who moved or updated a candidate’s profile help create transparency across the hiring team and strengthen internal accountability.

The ability to manage data smartly — and responsibly — builds trust inside and outside the organization. It also positions your company for long-term hiring success, especially as regulations around privacy and diversity continue to evolve.

Finalize with a Scalability + Support Checklist

After narrowing down your options and testing key features, one last step remains before making your final choice: making sure the ATS can grow with your business and offer reliable support when you need it.

Scalability and strong vendor support are just as important as features. As your company hires more people, opens new roles, or expands into different locations, your ATS should keep pace easily, without unexpected costs or growing pains.

When speaking with vendors, ask these essential questions:

• What happens if I double my hiring volume?
  Understand if your current plan will accommodate growth, or if you’ll need to upgrade. Check how seamless scaling up would be in terms of cost and system performance.
• What support is included at each pricing level?
  Some plans include only email support, while others offer live chat, dedicated account managers, or onboarding specialists. Know exactly what type of help you’ll have access to.
• How often do you release new features or updates?
  An active product roadmap shows that the vendor is invested in evolving the platform based on user feedback and new hiring trends.

Also, pay attention to signs that the company will be a long-term partner:

• Knowledge Base and Help Center:
  A detailed, searchable library of articles, guides, and tutorials helps your team solve common questions quickly.
• Live Support Channels:
  Access to real-time support through chat or phone can make a big difference when timing matters during hiring cycles.
• Client Success Teams:
  Vendors that offer client success managers or regular check-ins show a commitment to helping you get lasting value from the platform.

By finalizing your choice with scalability and support in mind, you’ll set up your hiring team for success, not just today, but for every new phase of growth ahead.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with a clear framework, small missteps during the buying process can lead to choosing an ATS that doesn’t fully support your hiring goals. Being aware of common mistakes can help you make a smarter, more confident decision.

Here are a few pitfalls to watch out for:

• Only Comparing Pricing and Not Features:
  While staying within budget matters, focusing only on the cost can lead to missing essential features. The right ATS should not just be affordable — it should actively solve your hiring challenges and add value over time.
• Ignoring the Candidate Experience (Especially Mobile Experience):
  Many applicants apply through their phones. If the application process is slow or clunky on mobile, you risk losing strong candidates early. Always test how the system works from a candidate’s perspective during your trial phase.
• Not Involving Hiring Managers in the Decision:
  Hiring managers are key users of the ATS. If they aren’t part of the evaluation and demo process, you might end up with a tool that recruiters love but managers find hard to adopt. Involving them ensures better collaboration across the team.
• Choosing a System Too Complex for a Small Team:
  Some ATS platforms offer powerful features but may feel overwhelming for smaller teams with simpler needs. A tool that matches your hiring complexity, without unnecessary layers, helps everyone work faster and more confidently.

Avoiding these common mistakes keeps the buying journey focused and ensures the ATS you choose truly fits your team’s way of working.

Quick Buyer’s Final Decision Table

Evaluation Area	Key Question	Go/No-Go
Ease of Use	Can recruiters and hiring managers learn it within 1 hour?	✅ / ❌
Features Fit	Does it solve 80% of our hiring pain points?	✅ / ❌
Pricing Fit	Can we afford it for 12–18 months even if we grow?	✅ / ❌
Support Quality	Can we reach a human if things break?	✅ / ❌
Candidate Experience	Is applying fast and mobile-friendly?	✅ / ❌

Conclusion

Choosing the right Applicant Tracking System for the first time may feel like a big step, but with a clear framework, the decision becomes much easier. By understanding your hiring workflow, prioritizing essential features, setting a flexible budget, shortlisting the right platforms, and thoroughly testing options, you set yourself up for success from the start.

An ATS isn’t just a tool to collect resumes — it’s a foundation for building faster, smarter, and more organized hiring processes. Whether you’re a growing startup, a small business ready to expand, or a team taking hiring into your own hands for the first time, the right system will make your work easier and your candidate experience stronger.

Following this 7-step framework ensures you choose an ATS that fits your needs today and grows with your business tomorrow. Ready to find the perfect fit? Start by mapping your hiring needs and take it one step at a time — the right ATS is closer than you think.

Frequently Asked Questions