Recruitment has changed more in the last 15 years than in the last fifty. Driven by digital transformation, growing talent shortages, and the demand for faster, more intelligent hiring, recruiters have had to step up their game, and so has their software.
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) began as little more than a digital filing cabinet have grown into the backbone of agency and in-house hiring teams alike. At Eclipse, we’ve spent over 30 years helping recruitment agencies to improve their processes and access the most efficient hiring processes to stay ahead.
Why Applicant Tracking Software Matters
Recruitment is no longer a linear, paper-based process. In today’s market, speed, experience and compliance are non-negotiable.
Candidates expect speed and responsiveness. Qualified candidates are often off the market in 10 days or less. Slow processes can lead to missed opportunities.
Clients expect better service. Agencies must provide timely shortlists of top candidates, better reporting and clear evidence of value.
Competition is fierce. With hundreds of agencies chasing the same talent pools, differentiation comes down to process efficiency and candidate experience.
Compliance is critical. GDPR and other data regulations have added layers of responsibility and liability for every agency managing candidate data.
An Applicant Tracking System is no longer a ‘nice to have’, it’s a vital part of the recruitment engine, enabling faster decisions, better communication and a consistent, compliant experience for everyone involved.
The Recruitment Challenges That Drove Innovation
The evolution of Applicant Tracking Systems didn’t happen overnight. It’s been shaped directly by the daily challenges faced by recruitment professionals, such as:
Manual processes that waste time. Before automation, recruiters had to manually track every CV received from multiple job boards, send every follow-up email and maintain spreadsheets for candidate stages.
Inconsistent candidate experiences. Without a centralised ATS system, communication gaps led to lost talent and a poor reputation.
Lack of data insight. Agencies couldn’t easily track which hiring workflows delivered the best hires or which consultants were performing well.
Scaling difficulties. As agencies grew, existing tools often couldn’t keep up with increasing complexity.
These pain points sparked the need for smarter technology with centralised information, and improved productivity, decision-making, and outcomes.
The Early ATS Landscape
In the earliest days, recruiters relied on paper files and Excel spreadsheets. CVs came in by post, were manually logged and stored for future reference. While it worked in low-volume environments, it was inefficient, prone to error and offered little room for collaboration or analysis.
By the early 2000s, the first generation of ATS platforms emerged. These digital tools allowed recruiters to log CVs, tag basic information and search their growing databases. It was a significant step forward, but systems were clunky, locally installed and inflexible.
The Rise of Integration and Automation
As job boards like Reed, Monster and Indeed became dominant, recruitment processes became more complex. Recruiters now had to advertise job descriptions across multiple platforms, track incoming applications and manage high volumes of candidate data.
To meet these demands, the second generation of ATS platforms introduced key features:
Multi-channel job posting: Push jobs to several boards simultaneously
Email templates and follow-ups: Save time on repetitive communication
Basic CV screening tools: Use keywords and filters to identify good-fit candidates
Interview scheduling: Reduce friction in managing bookings
While these improvements enhanced productivity, many systems were still generic and not built with agency-specific workflows in mind.
The Modern ATS Systems
Fast forward to today, and applicant tracking systems have become much more than databases. A modern Applicant Tracking System can streamline many processes for your recruitment team, not only the candidate journey but also client engagement, internal reporting and strategic decision-making with just a few clicks.
Eclipse Applicant Tracking System
At Eclipse, we’ve designed our platform to be the best applicant tracking system specifically for recruitment agencies, offering flexibility, power and control all in one intuitive system. Our key features include:
Custom Workflow Design
Configure every step of your recruitment process from dynamic job descriptions to placement, to enhance candidate tracking and workflows in a way that will match your agency’s methodology.
Candidate Search and Filtering
Advanced tools including Boolean search, CV parsing, skills tagging and automated shortlist creation. Take away some of the administrative tasks of the initial candidate assessment and find the best candidates quickly.
Job Distribution and Application Tracking
Post job openings to your website and integrated job boards. Track where each candidate has come from in regards to each specific job and monitor performance from the start.
Built-in CRM
Manage client companies, contacts, calls and notes in one place, alongside candidate profiles and job activity. Make it easy to track candidates and maintain relationships with both clients and candidates.
Real-Time Reporting
Visual dashboards give directors and consultants instant insights into KPIs, including time-to-fill, conversion rates, and source effectiveness to improve both candidate management and workflows.
GDPR and Compliance Support
From automated data retention policies to candidate consent tracking, Eclipse makes compliance straightforward. Keep track of up to date candidate information and automate reminders when a new document is required.
Cloud-Based Access
Work securely from any device, so that your potential candidate relationships don’t have to suffer if your team work remotely or are on the move.
Our software doesn’t force your team to fit into someone else’s process. It’s flexible by design so that your software works for you, not the other way around.
The Future of Applicant Tracking Systems
With rapid advancements in AI, machine learning and data science, we’re now entering the next phase in ATS development. Future-focused platforms like Eclipse are already laying the groundwork for:
Predictive hiring analytics: Forecast specific candidate success and placement likelihood based on historical data.
AI-powered candidate engagement: Chatbots, real-time messaging and personalised communication.
Deeper client insights: Tools to help recruiters understand and anticipate client needs and individual job requirements.
Candidate benchmarking and skills testing: Integrated assessments for more informed shortlisting and more effective candidate screening.
Candidate Sourcing Made Simple
Applicant tracking systems have evolved as the recruitment industry has. When teams rely on speed, insight and relationships, their ATS needs to be able to keep up.
Our ATS software has been helping recruitment agencies of all sizes to modernise their operations, improve client and candidate relationships, enhance reporting capabilities and ultimately help agencies secure the best talent for each client.
Book a free demo today or get in touch with our team to learn more.
