Guide: Applications from social ads
into your ATS. Here's how it works.
The job lives in your ATS, the ad runs on social media, and the application needs to land back in your ATS. With HiCandidate™ that happens automatically: jobs arrive via feed or API, ads are created from the job data, the sync runs at least three times a day, and applications flow back into your ATS.
The journey
From the ATS into the ad.
And back.
| Step | What happens | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jobs arrive | New and changed jobs, status and application links are detected and added to the active campaigns without an upload. | Feed (XML or JSON) or REST API from your ATS, career site or job board |
| 2. A job becomes a campaign | Creatives, audience and budget are created from the job data. The sync runs at least three times a day. | HiCandidate™ |
| 3. The ad runs | Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Google and Programmatic, depending on your plan and your selection. | Social media, Google, publisher networks |
| 4. The application comes back | The application and screening answers flow back into your ATS, and with Lead Ads also by e-mail. | Your ATS |
Integration
Which integration
fits you?
| Integration | When it fits | What HiCandidate™ does with it |
|---|---|---|
| XML or JSON feed | Your ATS, job board or career site delivers a feed. | New and changed jobs are detected and added. Filter rules by location, department or job type decide what gets promoted. |
| REST API with token | You want to sync jobs, campaigns and performance data with your own systems, such as BI, ATS or CRM. | Access to job, campaign and performance data, updates for jobs and campaigns, and documented endpoints for your dev team. |
| Career site or job board without an ATS feed | You don't have a feed from an ATS. | Jobs can also come from your career site or a job board. |
Changes
What happens
when something changes?
New and changed jobs are detected and added to the active campaigns without an upload. No CSV export, no copy-paste, no Monday spent catching up.
Filled jobs stop running: when a job goes offline in your ATS, ads and costs stop automatically.
You decide which jobs run with filter rules by location, department or job type.
The application stays where you process it: applications and screening answers land in your ATS, and with Lead Ads the data goes to your ATS automatically or to you by e-mail.
Before you start
Five questions
to answer up front.
- Does your system deliver an XML or JSON feed? If so, that's the shortest path. If not, we'll check whether the jobs can come from your career site or a job board.
- Which jobs should run? All of them, or only certain locations, departments or job types?
- Where should applications go? To your ATS, by e-mail, or both, depending on the path after the click (job ad, Lead Ad, landing page).
- Do you have screening questions in your ATS? HiCandidate™ can take over existing questions, and for new jobs questions can be generated by AI (Performance Plus).
- Who signs off internally? Setup usually takes about two weeks, depending on approvals and on how quickly ATS vendors, your agency or IT get involved.
What else to look for when choosing a vendor: Choosing social recruiting software.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about
ATS integration.
How do applications from social media ads get into the ATS?
Applications and screening answers flow back into your ATS. With Lead Ads on Facebook and Instagram the application stays entirely inside the platform, and the data goes to your ATS automatically or to you by email. With landing pages and screening questions, the answers arrive in your ATS together with the application.
Which social recruiting software has an ATS integration?
HiCandidate™ connects to virtually any ATS that delivers an XML or JSON feed. There's also a REST API with token authentication for job, campaign and performance data.
How often are jobs synced between the ATS and social recruiting software?
With HiCandidate™, at least three times a day. New or changed jobs are added to the active campaigns without an upload, and job status and application links stay up to date.
What happens when a job is filled in the ATS?
When a job goes offline in your ATS, HiCandidate™ stops the ads and the costs automatically. The next sync picks up the change.
Does social recruiting work without an ATS feed?
Yes. With HiCandidate™, jobs can also come from your career site or a job board.
Can I choose which jobs from the ATS get promoted?
Yes. With HiCandidate™, filter rules by location, department or job type decide which jobs from your feed get promoted.
How long does the integration take?
With HiCandidate™, setup usually takes about two weeks. It depends on internal approvals and how quickly partners such as ATS vendors, your agency or IT get involved.
Demo
Does your ATS fit?
Let's check in the demo.
In a 30-minute online call, we'll go through how your ATS gets connected.
Book a demo →