How to Set Up Your First Webhook: Automating New Applicant Notifications in Your ATS
In the fast-paced world of talent acquisition, speed and efficiency are paramount. Manually tracking every new applicant can lead to delays, missed opportunities, and an overwhelming administrative burden. This is where the power of automation through webhooks comes into play. By integrating your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) with a low-code automation platform, you can set up instant notifications for new applicants, ensuring your team is always in the loop without constant manual checks. This guide will walk you through the practical steps to configure your first webhook, transforming your reactive processes into proactive, real-time alerts. Let’s unlock a new level of operational efficiency and responsiveness in your recruiting workflow.
Step 1: Understand Webhooks and Your ATS Capabilities
Before diving into configuration, it’s crucial to grasp what a webhook is and how your specific ATS interacts with them. A webhook is essentially an automated message sent from one application to another when a specific event occurs. Think of it as a push notification for data. In the context of an ATS, the “event” would be a new applicant submission. Most modern ATS platforms, especially those designed for scalability, offer native webhook support or integrations through their API. Consult your ATS documentation or support resources to confirm its webhook capabilities, identify the specific events it can trigger (e.g., “new applicant submitted”), and understand any security protocols or authentication methods required. This foundational understanding will save you significant time during the setup process.
Step 2: Identify Your Notification Goal and Trigger Event
With an understanding of webhooks in hand, the next critical step is to clearly define what you want to achieve with this automation. For new applicant notifications, your primary goal is likely to alert a specific team, channel, or individual immediately upon a candidate’s application. Consider questions like: Where should the notification go (Slack, email, SMS, internal dashboard)? What specific information from the applicant’s profile do you need in the notification? The trigger event is straightforward: “New Applicant Submitted.” However, some ATS systems might differentiate between initial application, status changes, or specific job postings. Pinpoint the exact event that signifies a *new* application that requires immediate attention, ensuring your automation fires precisely when intended and avoids unnecessary alerts.
Step 3: Locate Webhook Settings in Your ATS
Every ATS has its own interface and terminology, but the process of finding webhook settings generally follows a similar path. You’ll typically find this under “Integrations,” “API Settings,” “Developer Tools,” or “Automation” sections within your ATS’s administrative settings. Look for an option to “Add Webhook,” “Create Webhook,” or “API Endpoint.” Once found, the ATS will usually ask for a “Webhook URL” or “Callback URL.” This is the unique address where your ATS will send the data when the trigger event occurs. At this stage, you won’t have this URL yet, so you might need to leave this tab open or make a note to return to it after setting up your automation platform in the next step. Familiarize yourself with any available fields for custom headers or authentication tokens.
Step 4: Choose and Set Up Your Automation Platform
To effectively catch and process the data sent by your ATS webhook, you need an intermediary automation platform. Tools like Make.com (formerly Integromat) or Zapier are excellent choices, offering intuitive visual builders for creating complex workflows without coding. For this guide, we’ll assume you’re using a low-code platform. Your first action in this platform will be to create a new “scenario” or “zap” and select a “Webhook” or “Catch Hook” module as your initial trigger. This module will generate the unique Webhook URL you need. Copy this URL carefully. This is the destination your ATS will send the applicant data to, and it’s essential for the next step of configuring your ATS to send the data there.
Step 5: Configure the Webhook in Your ATS and Map Data
Now, return to your ATS’s webhook settings (from Step 3) and paste the unique Webhook URL obtained from your automation platform into the designated field. Save or activate the webhook. To ensure it’s working correctly and to understand the data structure, create a test applicant in your ATS (if possible) or submit a real test application. This action will trigger the webhook, sending data to your automation platform. In your platform, the webhook module should now “catch” the data. Review the incoming data (often presented as JSON) to identify key fields like applicant name, email, job applied for, and application date. This data mapping is crucial for pulling the right information into your notifications.
Step 6: Set Up Your Notification Action and Test
With the webhook configured and data flowing, the final step in your automation platform is to define the “action” – in this case, sending a notification. Add an action module to your scenario/zap, choosing your preferred notification channel (e.g., Gmail for email, Slack for a team channel, Twilio for SMS). Connect it to your chosen account. Then, map the data fields identified in Step 5 into the notification message. For example, populate the email subject with “New Applicant: [Applicant Name] for [Job Title]” and the body with more details. Save and then thoroughly test your entire automation. Submit another test applicant through your ATS to confirm the notification arrives as expected, with all the correct information populated. Troubleshoot any issues by reviewing the execution history in your automation platform.
If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Unleash Hyper-Automation: 5 Webhook Strategies for HR & Recruiting
