How can you choose the right ATS vendor for your unique sourcing strategy?

1 Assess your current situation

Before you start looking for an ATS vendor, you need to have a clear understanding of your current sourcing strategy and its strengths and weaknesses. What are your main sources of candidates, how do you manage them, and what are the challenges or gaps you face? How do you measure the effectiveness and efficiency of your sourcing efforts, and what are your key performance indicators (KPIs)? How do you communicate and collaborate with your hiring managers and candidates, and what tools do you use? By answering these questions, you can identify your pain points and priorities, and set realistic expectations and goals for your future ATS.

2 Define your requirements and criteria

Based on your assessment, you can define your specific requirements and criteria for your ideal ATS vendor. What are the must-have features and functionalities that you need to support your sourcing strategy, such as resume parsing, job posting, candidate screening, workflow automation, reporting, etc.? What are the nice-to-have features that you would like to have, but are not essential, such as integration with other platforms, social media sourcing, video interviewing, etc.? How much budget do you have, and what are the pricing models and contract terms that you prefer? How much customization and flexibility do you need, and how easy is it to implement and use the ATS? How reliable and secure is the ATS vendor, and what kind of support and service do they offer?

3 Research and compare your options

Once you have your requirements and criteria, you can start researching and comparing your potential ATS vendors. You can use online directories, reviews, ratings, testimonials, case studies, and demos to gather information and feedback about different vendors. You can also ask for referrals and recommendations from your network, peers, or industry associations. You can create a shortlist of vendors that meet your minimum requirements, and then compare them based on your criteria. You can use a scorecard or a matrix to rank them according to their features, benefits, costs, risks, and customer satisfaction.

4 Test and evaluate your finalists

After you have narrowed down your options to a few finalists, you can test and evaluate them more thoroughly. You can request a free trial or a pilot project to see how the ATS works in practice, and how well it fits your sourcing strategy. You can involve your hiring managers and other stakeholders in the testing process, and solicit their feedback and opinions. You can also ask the vendors to provide references or testimonials from their existing or past clients, and contact them to verify their claims and experiences. You can also check the vendors' reputation, credentials, certifications, awards, and accreditations.

5 Make your final decision

Finally, you can make your final decision based on your testing and evaluation results. You can weigh the pros and cons of each vendor, and consider their value proposition, return on investment, and potential impact on your sourcing strategy. You can also negotiate the best deal and terms with your chosen vendor, and ensure that you have a clear and detailed contract that covers all the aspects of the partnership. You can also plan your implementation and transition strategy, and communicate your expectations and goals to the vendor and your team.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?