How Applicant Tracking Has Evolved Over the Last 40 Years [Infographic]

a young woman desperately in office between many file folders and crumpled papier.symbolfoto for str

Back in 1976, the best way to find talent was to publish an ad in the newspaper classifieds, wait for people to mail their resumes, and hope that one of those resumes belonged to someone was a good enough fit.

Thankfully, times have changed: Advances in technology have made it easier to advertise jobs, find candidates, screen candidates, and make the right hires. And candidates, too, have benefitted: Google is much more efficient than a newspaper, and one-click applications are much less of a hassle than trekking to the nearest mailbox is.

And regardless of how you might feel about it, you have to admit: The applicant tracking system (ATS) has played a major role in bringing recruiting and hiring into the digital age.

In a new infographic, the folks at Jobscan trace the evolution of the oft-maligned ATS from its humble origins to its tricked-out present day incarnations. Take a look below: