The Google Hire Alternative Backed by Real People

Google is sunsetting Hire by Google on September 1, 2020.

Are you looking for an alternative applicant tracking system?

This article contains an in-depth comparison of ApplicantStack to Google Hire. Both applicant tracking systems are designed for small to mid-size businesses with 1-1000 employees.

If you don’t have time to read an article, consider tryingApplicantStack free for 15 days. Take a test drive and see for yourself.

Carol, Lynn Ann, Ellen, Donna, Ian, and Jeff make sure ApplicantStack customers get the most out of our software. There are many more people behind the scenes. Our developers are continually working to deliver new features—often at the request of our clients. Our security team monitors our customers’ information to prevent data breaches.

Now, let’s compare the two systems.

ApplicantStack as the Top Google Hire Alternative: 7 Key Findings

1. 1. ApplicantStack was launched in 2009 by recruiting professionals. ApplicantStack focuses on applicant tracking and onboarding exclusively.
   2. Hire by Google was launched in July 2017 after Google acquired Bebop for a reported $380 million. (Bebop was started by Diane Greene of VMware. After the acquisition, Green became Google’s Cloud division CEO, but left the post in 2019.)
   3. On Capterra, ApplicantStack has an average user rating of 4.4 out of 5. This is based on 1252 reviews. ApplicantStack reviews date back to 2010.
   4. Hire by Google has an average rating of 4.2 based on 139 reviews.
   5. On G2, ApplicantStack has 535 reviews with an average rating of 4.5.
   6. All Google Hire beta features will be turned off in the next few weeks. Hire By Google iOS and Android apps expire on January 6th, 2020.
   7. In a survey of 139 Google Hire reviews, the top advantages cited are; 1. Ease of use, 2. Integration with other G Suite apps, 3. Value for the price. The top complaints by Google Hire users are numerous bugs, lack of customization, and difficulty in sharing hiring team feedback.

11 ApplicantStack Features Not Provided by Google Hire

For a similar price, ApplicantStack contains features that were not included (or limited) in Google Hire.

1. 1. Candidate scorecards
   2. Job-specific questionnaires with knockout questions
   3. Structured interviews
   4. Premium customization
   5. No contract required
   6. Advanced reporting
   7. Video interviewing integration
   8. Resume parsing
   9. Onboarding
   10. Internal HR
   11. Support by a U.S.-based team who have been with ApplicantStack for years

7 Google Hire Benefits Matched by ApplicantStack (Yes, we do that too!)

ApplicantStack contains the features you love about Google Hire.

1. 1. Intuitive interface
   2. Candidate tracking
   3. Ease-of-use
   4. Affordable price
   5. Ability to handle a large volume of applicants
   6. Cloud-based access
   7. No IT required
   8. ApplicantStack and Google Hire are both Indeed Star partners

8 ApplicantStack Tools and Features

Let’s discuss 8 ApplicantStack features in-depth.

Job Descriptions

It all starts with your job description. A good job description starts the process outright. Here is the template for a job description. Configure each field for each job. Save the templates to your job description library.

Questionnaires with Knockout Questions

When you can eliminate unqualified candidates at the top of the funnel, you save time for best-fit applicants. In ApplicantStack, questionnaires with knockout questions perform this task. The process is simple too but it saves you hundreds of hours:

1. 1. Create a custom questionnaire (application) in ApplicantStack
   2. Determine the scoring system for the questions

The candidate will complete the questionnaire before you decide whether to interview him/her. In the questionnaire form, write a question and answer for each requirement. The question should reveal whether a candidate meets a specific requirement (or set of requirements).

ApplicantStack provides several ways to structure your screening questions:

• • Yes/No answer (binary choice)
  • Multiple Choice
    • Select ONE answer from multiple choices
    • Select MANY answers from multiple choices
  • Open-text
  • Enter Date
  • Choose File Type
    • Allows an applicant to upload a file and designate the file format
  • Electronic Signature

ApplicantStack allows you to create the ideal questionnaire for your hiring needs. Want to create a custom questionnaire today? Sign up for our free 15-day trial.

Apply Scoring Criteria For Job Applications

In ApplicantStack, you create scoring rules for resumes, applications, and questionnaires. There are two ways to score each question:

1. 1. Assign a numeric point value or
   2. Designate it as a knockout question

You can also apply scoring rules to keywords in resumes.

When the applications start coming in, ApplicantStack will score them automatically using your rules. It will calculate a total score for each applicant. This is a first pass filter of the candidate’s match to the position. It eliminates applicants with knockout questions.

Questionnaires and scoring in ApplicantStack make it easier for you to focus on top-scoring candidates.

4 benefits of questionnaires with knockout questions:

1. 1. ApplicantStack automatically scores questionnaires
   2. ApplicantStack eliminates unqualified candidates before you spend time on them
   3. By automating the scoring process, you can spend your time focusing on the top-scoring candidates
   4. ApplicantStack questionnaires help create an ideal applicant journey

Posting to Job Boards

Posting jobs manually is a long, tedious process. Just like Google Hire, ApplicantStack automates and streamlines. You can post to all of your favorite job boards at once. This includes your public and internal job boards. ApplicantStack manages your logins so you don’t have to log in and out every time. Single sign-on is a huge timesaver when posting jobs to job boards.

Which Job Boards Does ApplicantStack Post To?

• • Indeed
  • Glassdoor
  • Google for Jobs
  • Juju
  • LinkedIn Limited Postings
  • CareerBuilder
  • Monster
  • Dice
  • ZipRecruiter
  • Niche sites

Note that the paid sites are enabled by inputting your account information. ApplicantStack will also post to your company career page and social media sites as well.

7 Key Advantages of ApplicantStack Job Posting

1. 1. ApplicantStack Supports Niche Sites and Emailed Job Postings: In ApplicantStack, manual posting links allow you to post jobs to niche sites like Craigslist. You can also email a job posting from the system.
   2. ApplicantStack Supports Internal Recruiting: Internal recruiting provides many hiring benefits. In ApplicantStack, you can set the job to post internally first. Choose the number of days. After this period, the job will post to the 3rd party job boards you’ve chosen.
   3. Multiple Application Options: When someone visits your job posting, they can apply, refer a friend or apply using their LinkedIn profile.
   4. ApplicantStack Makes It Easy For Applicants To Upload Resumes: Candidates are prompted to upload their resume via a local drive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Many job candidates will view your posting on a mobile device. The resume upload options make ApplicantStack mobile-friendly. Mobile support is an important element in the ideal applicant journey.
   5. ApplicantStack Pulls Contact Details From Resumes: Contact details are parsed from the resume and input into contact data fields in ApplicantStack. You won’t ever need to manually input contact information again.
   6. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Questions: If you choose, ApplicantStack presents EEOC questions. Answers remain private and only accessible via a summary report and not by the individual candidate.
   7. ApplicantStack Notifies Both The Candidate And The Hiring Team: Upon application, the candidate will receive an email acknowledging receipt of the application. The software also notifies the internal team that a new candidate is ready for review.

ApplicantStack Simplifies Job Posting

• • Post to chosen job boards at the same time
  • Organic and paid postings
  • Use a single signon for multiple job board accounts
  • Applications from all sites flow into ApplicantStack for centralized management
  • Automated applicant notifications
  • Automated hiring team notifications
  • The system parses candidate contact information from the application—no manual data entry
  • Supports internal recruiting

Collecting Hiring Team Feedback

Difficulty collecting feedback is a common bottleneck. Does this sound like your hiring team?

• • Conversations dispersed among disparate channels
  • No formal scoring system
  • Team members waste time duplicating processes
  • You lose track of applications
  • General confusion
  • Poor hiring outcomes

Collecting feedback is critical to making a good selection. But it’s impossible to do it well without capable applicant tracking software like ApplicantStack.

ApplicantStack Creates a Consolidated Rating

ApplicantStack sends each hiring team member an evaluation form. In the form, there are links to the candidate’s resume and completed questionnaire. Each team member completes the form during or after the interview. ApplicantStack combines the forms and calculates an average rating.

When each applicant has a consolidated rating, it’s easy to compare candidates. The process is also less likely to be influenced by unconscious bias.

Auto Reminders Reduce Hiring Delays

Do you have a team member who habitually forgets to send interviewing feedback? ApplicantStack helps with that as well. If someone forgets to turn in their evaluation form, ApplicantStack nudges them with a reminder email. This takes the pressure off the hiring manager.

Centralized Applicant Management

The evaluation forms and candidate ratings are stored and managed in ApplicantStack. Forget printing evaluation forms. And nobody has to maintain applicant files or log ratings into spreadsheets.

6 Benefits of ApplicantStack Candidate Scoring

1. 1. Electronic evaluation forms are stored and managed in the system
   2. Create custom scoring criteria for each job posting
   3. Team members rate candidates with the same scoring criteria
   4. The evaluation form links to the applicant’s resume and questionnaire
   5. ApplicantStack calculates an average rating from the collective scores
   6. Easily compare candidates with formalized scoring criteria

Want to test-drive our applicant candidate scoring? Sign up for our free 15-day trial.

Self-Service Interview Scheduling With Google Calendar

Google Hire users love how it integrates with Google Calendar to streamline interview scheduling. ApplicantStack also integrates with Google Calendar. (FYI, we also integrate with Microsoft Office 365.)

If you enable applicant self-scheduling, the candidate will be emailed a link to your scheduling calendar. When they follow the link, they will see your interview calendar. They can only schedule during a slot your hiring team has already designated.

4 Benefits of Google Calendar Interview Scheduling:

1. 1. Improves the applicant experience by allowing self-scheduling from a connected device
   2. Decreases time-to-hire by eliminating back-and-forth calls and emails
   3. Reduces abandoned applications due to schedule confusion
   4. Allows your hiring team to focus on top candidates instead of manually scheduling interviews

It’s getting tougher and tougher to find quality employees in today’s labor market. To be competitive, you need to provide an exceptional applicant journey. Confusing interview scheduling downgrades the applicant’s journey quickly.

Background and Reference Checks

ApplicantStack integrates with the leading background check companies. (Note that this is a paid integration.)

Background checks are generally performed following the review process before an offer is extended. In ApplicantStack, you can move this action to any point in the process based on triggers. When the background check step is triggered, an email is automatically sent to candidates asking them to complete the screening process.

For reference checks, the applicant provides the references on the questionnaire during the application process. Emails are sent directly to references. All feedback is imported into the candidate profile.

ApplicantStack Automation and Customization

Intelligent automation and the ability to customize prevent logjams. This is true for the background and reference checking stages as well as the other workflows.

• • Background screening
    • This workflow can be triggered at any stage in the hiring process
    • The applicant is automatically sent a screening email
  • Reference checks
    • This workflow can be triggered at any stage in the hiring process
    • Auto emails are sent to the applicant’s references
    • Responses are imported into the candidate feedback tab

Does ApplicantStack Integrate With Background Screening Companies?

ApplicantStack integrates with several background screening companies and we’re adding more all the time. Our current background screening partners are Accurate Now, Amerisearch, CareerBuilder Employment Screening, DISA, and Trak-1.

ApplicantStack Helps You Use Best Practices For Hiring

In this article, we have described some of the key features in ApplicantStack. You can learn more in our How to Hire Your Next Employee series. It describes how our software enables you to use best practices for hiring. The guide is invaluable for both recruiting professionals and Human Resources generalists.

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We’ll close with a message from one of our valued customers:

“The best ATS I have ever worked with. There is an amazing team at ApplicantStack that is very willing to work with us on any product enhancements that we’d like to see, or assist with minor projects as needed as well. They know what they are doing and are quick to help. With the ever-changing world of recruitment, I find that the flexibility is key because you never know what may be needed next! They are also always improving items I hadn’t even thought of, which is wonderful!” Ettel F., Recruitment & Engagement Specialist (Education Management, 201-500 employees.)

By Liz Strikwerda (I’m another real person at ApplicantStack. I enjoy writing about how HR technology can help you improve your hiring outcomes.)