// Recruitment Technology

Top 10 Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Features You Need in 2025

Recruiting in 2025 is faster, more competitive, and more complex than ever. Clients want results yesterday, candidates expect a seamless experience, and agency recruiters are stuck juggling it all—often with tools that weren’t built for today’s demands.

That’s where your applicant tracking system (ATS) can make or break your workflow.

The best ATS platforms don’t just help you track applicants. They automate admin, surface the right candidates faster, and give you the visibility to scale smarter. Whether you’re upgrading your tech stack or comparing systems for the first time, knowing what features to look for is critical.

In this article, we’ll walk through the top ATS features every agency recruiter should prioritise—so your hiring team can spend less time on admin and more time making placements.

Top 10 features for your applicant tracking system (ATS) in 2025

1. Automation agents that eliminate admin work
2. Business development that uncovers new revenue opportunities 
3. Resume parsing that saves hours of manual data entry
4. Competency scoring that pinpoints the right talent
5. Interview scheduling that works while you sleep
6. AI note taker that captures key insights automatically
7. Customisable dashboards that keep your pipeline in focus
8. Personalised candidate outreach that boosts response rates
9. Careers site integration that turns visits into placements
10. Customisable executive search reports that impress clients

1. Automation agents that eliminate admin work

Automation agents are AI-powered workflows that handle repetitive tasks like data entry, follow-ups, status updates, and email nudges without any manual input. In a modern applicant tracking system, these agents act as behind-the-scenes assistants that keep your recruitment pipeline moving, even when you’re not at your desk.

Instead of relying on recruiters to remember every update or chase to-dos, automation agents take over the admin. This frees up time to focus on high-value tasks like candidate engagement and client relationships. The best ATS platforms come with flexible automation that adapts to how your agency works, not the other way around.

Why are automation agents a game-changer for recruiters?

They reduce manual effort across the board, saving recruiters hours each week and ensuring nothing slips through the cracks.

Quick automation wins

Maya, a senior recruiter managing 25 open roles, sets up an automation that instantly moves candidates to “Interview Scheduled” once a calendar invite is accepted. No manual updates, no missed steps—just a faster, cleaner pipeline that keeps her focused on closing.

2. Business development that uncovers new revenue opportunities 

With built-in CRM features and reporting tools, recruiters can identify which clients are growing, which accounts are stalling, and where to focus outreach for the best return. A modern applicant tracking system should do more than just manage candidates. 

The best ATS platforms help recruiters uncover business opportunities by tracking client activity, surfacing warm leads, and providing visibility into hiring trends across industries. Instead of juggling separate systems for sales and delivery, recruiters can manage both in one place—making it easier to nurture relationships and close more deals with less effort.

Why is AI-powered business development a game-changer for recruiters?

It transforms your ATS into a proactive growth tool, helping you spot and act on revenue opportunities before your competitors do.

Quick business development wins

Tom, a billing manager, notices a surge in job postings from a past client flagged by his ATS. He reaches out with a shortlist of pre-qualified candidates before the competition gets wind. Within days, he secures an exclusive agreement and fills two roles by the end of the week.

3. Resume parsing that saves hours of manual data entry

Resume parsing technology automatically extracts key details from CVs—such as name, contact information, work history, education, and skills—and converts them into structured candidate profiles. A good ATS with resume parsing can process dozens or even hundreds of CVs in seconds, eliminating the need for recruiters to copy and paste data manually.

This means you can keep your talent database up to date without sacrificing hours of admin time. It also makes searching and filtering candidates much more effective, since all relevant data is standardised and searchable from the start.

Why is resume parsing a game-changer for recruiters?

It removes one of the most time-consuming parts of candidate intake, so you can spend more time on screening and outreach.

Quick resume parsing wins

Jess, a delivery consultant, receives 80 resumes from a weekend campaign. Instead of spending half her Monday entering data, she uploads them into her ATS and has fully searchable candidate records in under five minutes—ready to shortlist and call.

4. Competency scoring that pinpoints the right talent

Competency scoring helps recruiters quickly assess how well a candidate aligns with a specific role by evaluating skills, experience, qualifications, and even soft factors like communication or cultural fit. In many applicant tracking systems, this feature is powered by AI that compares candidate data against job requirements to generate a score or match rating.

Instead of scanning every resume manually, recruiters can instantly identify top candidates and focus their attention where it matters. It’s a smarter, faster way to prioritise talent without relying on gut instinct alone.

Why is competency scoring a game-changer for recruiters?

It gives recruiters a data-backed way to focus on the most qualified candidates first, reducing time-to-shortlist and improving match quality.

Quick competency scoring wins

Amir, a recruiter juggling multiple roles, uses his ATS to instantly score 150 applicants for a technical sales position. Within minutes, he has a ranked shortlist based on real role requirements and gets the top three candidates in front of the client that same afternoon.

5. Interview scheduling that works while you sleep

With automated scheduling, recruiters can send a single link and have the system handle the rest. It’s one of the most repetitive and time-consuming tasks in recruitment. Thankfully, many applicant tracking systems now come with built-in calendar tools that let candidates self-book interview slots based on recruiter availability. 

Native meeting scheduling syncs with calendars, updates candidate statuses, and even sends reminders—giving recruiters one less thing to worry about while keeping the process smooth for everyone involved. No back-and-forth emails, no missed time zones, no double bookings.

Why is interview scheduling a game-changer for recruiters?

It removes the constant admin of coordinating calendars, so recruiters can keep interviews moving without lifting a finger.

Quick interview scheduling wins

Hannah finishes her day by sending scheduling links to three final-round candidates. By the next morning, her ATS has automatically locked in times, sent calendar invites, and updated her pipeline. She didn’t have to touch a thing.

6. AI note taker that captures key insights automatically

An AI note taker records and transcribes calls or video interviews, then summarises key points like candidate motivations, role preferences, and relevant experience. Some systems even tag this information directly to the candidate profile, making it easy for recruiters to review or share with clients.

Instead of trying to take notes while leading a conversation, recruiters can stay fully present—knowing the AI is capturing every detail. It reduces context-switching, improves documentation, and makes follow-up conversations more effective.

Why is an AI note taker a game-changer for recruiters?

It helps recruiters stay focused on candidates while automatically creating structured, searchable notes for later use.

Quick AI note taker wins

During a client intake call, Jason lets the AI note taker run in the background. It captures the role requirements and hiring manager preferences, which he reviews minutes later to update the job brief and brief his delivery team—no manual notes required.

7. Customisable dashboards that keep your pipeline in focus

Dashboards in modern ATS platforms give recruiters real-time visibility into their activity, pipeline stages, performance metrics, and client progress—all in one place. The best systems let you customise what you see, so whether you’re focused on candidate outreach, client submissions, or revenue tracking, you can prioritise the data that matters most.

Instead of jumping between tabs or spreadsheets, recruiters can manage their day from a single screen. It’s a faster, more focused way to stay on top of goals and identify blockers before they slow things down.

Why are customisable dashboards a game-changer for recruiters?

They turn scattered data into actionable insights, helping recruiters stay organised, hit targets, and move faster.

Quick dashboard wins

Chloe, a team lead, builds a custom dashboard to track live vacancies, interviews booked, and top-performing sources. With everything visible at a glance, she quickly identifies which jobs need attention and reallocates effort without needing a status meeting.

8. Personalised candidate outreach that boosts response rates

The best applicant tracking systems come with built-in tools that let recruiters personalise messages at scale using dynamic fields like name, role, location, and experience. Some even provide insights into candidate behaviour or engagement history to help you time and tailor your outreach more strategically.

Candidate outreach is only effective when it feels tailored and relevant. With the right setup, recruiters can create automated sequences that still feel human—improving response rates while saving time on manual follow-ups.

Why is personalised outreach a game-changer for recruiters?

It helps recruiters stand out in crowded inboxes and engage top talent without sacrificing speed or scale.

Quick outreach wins

Liam sets up an outreach sequence for 40 engineering candidates, each email customised with the candidate’s last role and a reference to a recent project. Within hours, he’s booking screening calls from highly engaged prospects who appreciated the personal touch.

9. Careers site integration that turns visits into placements

An ATS with seamless career site integration allows job descriptions and listings, applications, and candidate data to flow directly between your website and your recruitment system. That means every application is captured instantly, and every job seeker profile is created automatically—no manual data entry, no lag between interest and action, and cleaner data management.

With the right setup, candidates can browse, apply, and engage from any device, while recruiters get a steady stream of qualified leads directly into their pipeline. It’s the easiest way to run recruitment marketing and turn passive interest into active candidates.

Why is careers site integration a game-changer for recruiters?

It transforms your overall recruitment process and website from a static brochure into a high-performing lead funnel that captures and converts talent efficiently.

Quick careers site wins

Sophie updates a high-volume hiring role on her ATS, and it instantly goes live on her agency’s website. A candidate sees the post, applies from their phone, and lands in the pipeline—screened and ready—by the time Sophie logs in the next morning.

10. Customisable executive search reports that impress clients

Many applicant tracking systems now offer customisable reporting features that let you generate clean, branded reports showing candidate progress, market insights, outreach activity, and more. These candidate search reports can be shared live or exported for presentations and updates.

Executive search clients expect visibility into your process, not just results. Instead of manually pulling data or building decks, recruiters can keep clients informed and confident with consistent, data-backed reporting that highlights their value at every stage.

Why are customisable executive search reports a game-changer for recruiters?

They build client trust, showcase your work, and make your recruiting process look as strategic as it is.

Quick reporting wins

Danielle is preparing for a client update call. In two clicks, she generates a live report from her ATS showing outreach volume, candidate funnel status, and feedback summaries—ready to share and impress without lifting a spreadsheet.

What is an applicant tracking system (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is recruitment software that helps agencies manage the entire hiring process, from job posting and candidate sourcing to interview scheduling and placement. At its core, an ATS acts as a central database for candidate information, but modern systems offer far more.

Today’s applicant tracking systems include features like resume parsing, automated outreach, interview scheduling, and live reporting. These tools are designed to streamline workflows, reduce admin, and give agency recruiters more time to focus on client delivery and relationship building.

The right ATS systems allow recruiters to operate with more speed, structure, and scalability—without increasing manual effort.

Why do you need an applicant tracking system software?

An ATS is essential for any agency that wants to scale efficiently, reduce manual admin, and deliver a better experience for both clients and candidates. With so many moving parts in the recruitment process, relying on spreadsheets, inboxes, or outdated systems quickly leads to delays, missed opportunities, and communication breakdowns.

The right applicant tracking system centralises your operations and helps recruiters focus on high-impact work with valuable insights instead of chasing non-automated tasks.

Key perks of agency recruiters using an ATS

• Centralises client and candidate database in one easily searchable system
• Reduces admin time with automation tools and intelligent workflows
• Improves candidate experience with faster response times and clear communication
• Supports business development with built-in CRM and reporting features
• Enhances team collaboration by keeping everyone aligned in real time
• Accelerates time-to-fill by surfacing top talent faster

What are the must-have ATS integrations? 

Integrations are what transform an ATS from a standalone system into the operational heart of a recruitment business. They connect your ATS with tools you already use every day—saving time, improving visibility, and keeping candidate journeys smooth from first contact to placement.

Here are the core integrations every modern applicant tracking system should support:

Email and calendar integration

An ATS provider that lets you sync your email and calendar platforms—like Gmail, Outlook, or Office 365—makes it easy to manage communications and schedule interviews without switching tools. Messages, replies, and meetings are automatically linked to candidate profiles, reducing admin and avoiding missed updates.

Phone and messaging integration

Phone, SMS, and WhatsApp integrations allow recruiters to manage candidate communication within the ATS. Every call or message is captured and centralised, making it easier to track conversations, follow up quickly, and maintain a complete communication history.

Video interview integration

Integrating video tools like Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet enables seamless interview scheduling and execution. Recruiters can launch or join video calls directly from the ATS and track outcomes without needing to log activity separately.

Browser extensions and productivity tools

Browser plugins and integrations with sourcing tools help recruiters add candidates to their ATS from social media or job boards with a single click. This keeps pipelines full while reducing the friction of switching between tabs and apps.

What’s the best ATS for your recruitment agency?

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to applicant tracking systems. The best ATS solutions for your agency depend on your workflows, team size, client demands, and growth goals. Rather than chasing the latest trends, it’s smarter to start by asking the right questions.

Use this mini checklist to pinpoint the features that matter most to your business:

Do you spend too much time on admin?

Look for ATS platforms with robust automation and key features like resume parsing, candidate screening, status updates, and email follow-ups that reduce manual tasks. Platforms like Atlas.

Is client communication a core part of your process?

Choose a system that supports customisable application process reporting, talent analytics, and integrates with calendars, email, and modern CRM features to keep clients informed and impressed.

Are you working across multiple roles and industries?

You’ll need flexible filtering for potential candidates, smart search, and custom fields to manage different workflows and verticals without breaking your process.

Do you rely heavily on outbound sourcing?

To make sure the applicant tracking system works for you, look for browser extensions, outreach automation, and integrations with job boards and email tools to streamline engagement.

Are you trying to scale your agency?

Choose a platform that can grow with you—offering custom dashboards, integrations with your full tech stack, and the ability to manage both recruitment and business development in one place.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the best ATS features

Recruit with the best applicant tracking system in your tech stack

Choosing the best applicant tracking system is one of the most impactful decisions you can make for your agency’s productivity, candidate experience, and growth. The applicant tracking system features we’ve covered aren’t just nice-to-haves. They’re critical to helping recruiters move faster, work smarter, and place the best candidates more conveniently than ever.

Take the time to explore your options. Speaking with sales reps, watching demos, and comparing feature sets will give you a clearer picture of which platforms align with your goals. Many ATS vendors also offer free trials or sandboxes, which can be incredibly useful for seeing how the system fits into your workflow in practice.

If you’re ready to explore how a modern recruitment platform could work for your agency, it’s time to discover what Atlas can do. Built for agency recruiters, Atlas combines automation, personalisation, and performance-driven insights—all in one system designed to grow with you. Start here >>