Bullhorn ATS & CRM Reviews

Pros

- A truly simplistic layout
- Seamless integration of all data from different sources to one complete Bullhorn database.
- Efficient tasklist and search
- Managing client and talent leads has become much easier
- A real time saver
- Contact list is searchable and easy to navigate
An extremely useful service for integrating databases (e.g. client and sales, recruiting data etc). Bullhorn is one of the best CRM’s I have worked with. Simple, clean visuals, intuitive functions, good integration features. Allows synchronization with other programs and tools.
- Customizable, with lots of functions
- Compatible with tons of other software

Cons

- Some problems with user interface, like popups
- Refreshing posts is sometimes delayed, especially if they are close in time
- Small window sizes, requires lots of scrolling action
- Speed – data transmission could be much faster
- Needs a lot of updating and administration (which is honestly the problem of all CRM sofrware)
- Keeps old data which you have to delete manually, or it will interfere with current priorities

Pros

There is a wide marketplace of third party partners who can offer additional features that can easily be implemented into the core product.

Cons

Time scale to deliver changes that require assistance from Bullhorn are too long.

It would be good to have a fast track option for minor changes.

Alternatives Considered

Dynamics 365 and Salesforce Sales Cloud

Reasons for Choosing Bullhorn ATS & CRM

Profile was no longer fit for purpose and lacked many new features.

Pros

Very clean interface. No over-crowding. Mostly intuitive to use. Love that it's not an installed client on a machine and is cloud based. I like how you can immediately edit some field values on records while viewing them in list format. Love the reporting features and functionality. Hands down 1 of the best here that I've seen.

Cons

uploading data by .csv...if some data on the spreadsheet is a dupe in BH, it will tell you that x# of the uploads were duplicate. Okay - great. But then, that x# of dupes don't get displayed in my list. So then I have saved the new uploads into a tearsheet, sort the tearsheet A-Z and then open my spreadsheet to cross reference who the missing x#s are to then go find them individually in BH and add to the tearsheet. In MaxHire - which Bullhorn OWNS - I get an option to add the dupes to the list. BRILLIANT!

Activities tab in a person record - I think by default always shows (0). But once you click it, you can then see placements, interviews, appointments, tasks, etc. This makes it really challenging to quickly search for those who have any of those activities.

The Bullhorn Accelerator browser extension rarely works. How many times do I have to continue logging in to use it? Same for the Outlook add-in.

Set up - I'm really disappointed that Bullhorn doesn't take the additional time on initial configuration to work with new clients on setting up (or at least notifying the client of these things) email integration with Outlook or Gmail. This should be a default practice by Bullhorn. I've now been at 2 companies on Bullhorn who didn't even have this setup and didn't even know the possibility existed. Bullhorn should be making these recommendations - they are called best practices - or making these things set up defaults. I know the user has to work with their domain host/email host.

Tearsheets - brilliant idea - but to me, a tearsheet is my call list. I put people in a tearsheet per my planning for the next day. You open the tearsheet and you have to open each record to get to the phone number to be able to call them. This is an epic fail. Tearsheet lists don't even display the binoculars for a profile quick view. That would help. Tearsheets don't allow you to manipulate the fields being displayed on the tearsheet (to display contact info). This is a big fail.
It was only after months of frustration that we opened a ticket about this to learn that we have to open the tearsheet through contact or candidate fields to then get access to what makes a tearsheet beneficial in the first place. Totally frustrating.

Calendar - EPIC FAIL - Bullhorn doesn't have a calendar. I live in Bullhorn, but have to use my Google Calendar or Outlook calendar to see what my day looks like? Again - you guys OWN MaxHire. Another great feature for Bullhorn to make happen. And if I book appointments for people on my team with a client or candidate (and I won't be attending), I don't even see the event at all because I didn't invite myself to get the message to my inbox to then accept my own invitation. Come on - that's frustrating. How can I see when to follow up or get a reminder to follow up if it doesn't exist on my calendar.

Pros

I love how my job track my hours. You can also call the job line.

Cons

I have no problems.I been using this for like six months all my co workers use this daily.

Pros

Bullhorn is very user friendly and very convenient to use specially when you are familliar to any CRM tools.

Cons

Whenever there is an update I need to clear cache my browser to refresh the Bullhorn settings.

Alternatives Considered

LinkedIn Jobs and LinkedIn for Business

Reasons for Switching to Bullhorn ATS & CRM

Has much higher capacity of storage and great latency for users.

Pros

- The ability to hashtag consultants, client contacts & candidates
- The appearance is user friendly
- The ability to customise individual views at the consultant level
- The availability of training online
- The ability to customise yourself without the help of the team.

Cons

- It's old & clunky with attempts to modernise its appearance & features.
- The search uses boolean so consultants require training to know how to search, build lists & find candidates & contacts. EG, you write 'Bob' into search, & it won't appear but you'll add an asterisk & it will appear. If you had 'Bob Jane' in the first name, it also won't appear.
- The filters don't work correctly. EG, we have 'DPA' & 'Non DPA' - BH did not have the ability to differentiate between the two using the filter, because they both said 'DPA'. We had to either change the terminology (which is industry standard in the medical field) or use the advanced search rather than the filters.
- The updating of the custom fields is clunky & not intuitive. Adding in multiple job types was limited to 3 (i.e. salary, contract & temp - we have additional types)and each one required individual customizing (fair) which the played havoc if it didn't match up to the master file which overrode the other 3. EG, ALL custom fields were required on the master, and then you'll match up each in the individual job type as required. You'd then just include what was required in the individual job type.
- The migration from our old CRM was poor. One Example- We ended up with thousands of files that were 'New South Wales' which got turned into 'New South Western Australiales. We were refused assistance in fixing this
- It's slow to load
- Clear your cache daily- or things will break
- No ability to add locations.

Alternatives Considered

Salesforce Sales Cloud, Vincere and JobAdder

Reasons for Choosing Bullhorn ATS & CRM

I needed a full ATS, and SalesForce was too expensive to customise to work for me.

Switched From

Salesforce Sales Cloud

Reasons for Switching to Bullhorn ATS & CRM

The sales rep was on point, the price was reasonable and it appeared to check all the boxes to grow my business.

Pros

The product is easy to use and navigate from the start. There are some good reports generated once you figure out the "behind the scenes".

Cons

During my time there were a few acquisitions by Bullhorn that were meant to help with automation. The roll-out of the new tools was slow and clunky.

Pros

Compatibility with broadbean & cv preview.

Cons

Distribution lists, coding, speed, intuition.

Pros

The functionality that helps me access from contacts - the LinkedIn page of the person.

Cons

I understand the complexity of the platform but it's slow for me to use

Pros

The 'Last People Contacted' is a very useful tab to have auto-loaded. Finding candidates can be difficult without it considering you need their number memorized, if they have a common name, or their profile name is different than the name you call them (Charles vs Chuck).
The moving across stages from 'Connect' to 'Placement' is aesthetically pleasing and well designed.

Cons

Tracking which candidates are in play and submitted should be front and center on "My Dashboard". The cards available on "My Dashboard" are nearly all irrelevant to the recruiting lifecycle, making it fairly useless apart from "My Activity" if the admin sets some goals for you. Even the "Recruiting Manager" dashboard report is fairly useless as it only tracks candidates who's stage hasn't changed in 5 days. It is still important to track candidates within that 5 day timeframe so it should be easier to see that.
The Last Note should show up on "Latest Comment" on the candidates profile page. There's often 'one-too-many-clicks' instances or journeys that should be trackable by a ML engine, or just customer surveys, and then make those changes to the product, introducing a one-click suggestion button, or just making those actions easier to find via the profile.

Pros

Bullhorn is like a cellular phone - all in the palm of my hand - well both of my hands technically - click the mouse with my right hand and type with my left hand when need be. Bullhorn is easy to use, easy to read, it's organizational, it gives you the ability to edit and delete incorrect notations and through contact with Bullhorn's Support Services we've been able to have the software edited for an addition of information that has helped us understand our consumers better to meet their needs. What is most loved about Bullhorn on my end as a Front Desk Agent is having the ability to create and edit templates. I am on the phone from 8am - 5pm Monday through Friday speaking to candidates and clients. Through all this beautiful chaos I am also transferring our customers to our recruiters, payroll admins, and directors. With the opportunity to build and create templates, I have been able to color code, have the message set up, ready to go, and tag my coworkers for knowledge all within a matter of seconds whilst assisting someone else at the same time. There is not a perfect experience to dedicate knowledge here as I successfully complete this task every time. Could not ask for a better resourceful and system.

Cons

Every perfect piece of software comes with its defects. No person is perfect and nothing they create is perfect either. Bullhorn is stubborn in the category of taking extra steps. When I receive resumes via email, I can simply parse them in no strings attached. However, if I try to parse a resume that has been sent via fax, the option is not there. As a user, one must add the candidate, save the candidate and then go back and merge if the candidate is already on file. A lot of baby steps but doable when need to be done. When candidates apply through our website, Bullhorn is outstanding and automatically merges the file into our system. Sometimes if the candidate is already in our system, Bullhorn merges the two files together and sometimes the software does not which creates confusion for our notetaking and reach outs. Thankfully knowing this, I am always 100% on the lookout for those doppelganger files and ready to merge them to create less confusion for my coworkers and our clientele.

Pros

It does what any staffing firms needs. good selection of programs that can be integrated (but you can never have too many options!)

Cons

down times/issues do come up
could use better process for doing certain searches (noted in review)

Pros

One of the main pros is the cost, it is definitely an affordable system that fit well within our budget. Also, it does look appealing to the eye when looking at a first glance.

Cons

Unfortunately, I have many more cons that pros for this system. First, the training during implementation was horrible. The person that was training me clearly was not trained herself and made it very difficult to pick up on the different areas of the system. Then, the entire implementation process has been a nightmare. It was extremely difficult for my tech team to even get the system up and running, which months later it still isn't. During the implementation, I was told several times by the trainer that we had no Account Manager or sole point of contact at Bullhorn, but that everything had to go through the help desk. About 5 months into having access to the system, I found out that not only did I have an Account Manager the whole time that I was never told about, but it was actually the person who sold me the system in the first place. Also, it has been extremely difficult to integrate Bullhorn with Indeed, which is where we get a large portion of our applicants from. Lastly, I do not find this system user friendly at all. It is very clunky and hard to navigate, there are just too many moving parts. You need to go to several areas to do one small thing in the system which is very frustrating when you are pressed for time.

Pros

Ancient product with very slow response on system and with staff. Be sure to explore other options before signing up with them

Cons

Ancient product with very slow response on system and with staff. Be sure to explore other options before signing up with them

Pros

Bullhorn provides you the opportunity to gain experience tracking different clients' movements, positions, and prospects. Find the person you're looking for by calling the number. Bullhorn can link to Sense and send pre-programmed messages for first-day checks, end-of-week checks, etc., allowing me to keep in touch with my staff and learn about any problems they are experiencing as well. You may choose multiple tabs based on your needs and designate one as the default so that it always displays the relevant information. I also appreciate having the opportunity to record notes for each sale or hiring discussion and having the flexibility to amend those notes to keep both you and your coworkers informed.

Cons

A candidate must first be manually created, after which notes and modifications must be added. Speaking about job advertisements, I believe it has to be resolved. Additionally, for the workers I deal with, Pridestaff's broadcast messages occasionally arrive at the wrong time. If/when we entirely close the tab, we have to reopen it. These days, the sidebar is likewise outdated.

Pros

Bullhorn is one of those software's out there that are pretty straightforward in terms of use. Great specially for those starting out in the recruiting world. What makes bullhorn great is that its not only a good end to end application tracking system but it also serves as a candidate pool of all the candidates that all the users within the company has ever entered in. Not only do you get a CRM but you also get a Job board. For recruiters like me another Job board to source on is another mine of gold. Its also great that you can link Monster.com to it. Makes parsing candidates form Monster a lot easier and saves time.

Cons

Nothing really , I just wished they had like a night mode or a livelier color scheme.

Pros

Bullhorn is a super user friendly CRm compared to other ATS or CRM software available. We are able to easily integrate job boards and this list of available integrations seems to be growing by the month! My favorite feature is the texting! A lot of people respond to text and the convenience of having it on BH is easier than trying to find other sources (even though integrations are available)

Cons

Bullhorn offers a matching feature and several filtering systems to help identify candidates. I find these to be lacking with room for improvement. You can go to filter out candidates for a warehouse role but could end up with a variety of admin and blank resumes. It is hit and miss but that could even reflect how our data is parsed into the system. I personally have not had much success using this feature.

Pros

It is one of the best CRM I have ever seen in my life. In today’s Business-to-Business (B2B), the communication isn’t limited to 1 on 1 conversation, it is now converted from one team to another team. So we are unable to record all the conversation, that’s why a concept had been aroused in form of Bullhorn so that we are able to record all the important information during conversations. It is very easy to use and is very efficient in its working. Variety of functions can be found here, mainly for searching and sorting information and for reporting data as well. The reason why I said it be one of the best it is just because it offers best customer service in the industry as well as get updates in every month. Here, you can post jobs easily and can set reminders. Lots of customization is also available here.

Cons

Even though it is a great software, if it provides more flexibility on a mobile device then it would have been great. Another tremendous problem is that it is very costly i.e. not affordable for everyone even if one wishes. That’s the only thing in which it lags the most!! However, Timeouts in times of active workings is quite cumbersome, so that should also be improved. Moreover, it causes a lot of glitches like will throw you out if parsing or updating of resumes is not done properly. It also has some difficulties and issues regarding tracking multiple branches, reporting due to tracking issues and many more.

Pros

Did a decent job in all aspects but never a great job.
Product-wise it was decent to good
FAR better than Tempworks in functionality
A true CRM/ATS with modern-day capabilities - as most of the top 20 ATS's have

Cons

Customer service was lacking during presale, implementation, and during our migration
No help with "best practices" therefore they rely on their customer base to figure things out for themselves versus acting as professional advisors
Their initial salesmen were extremely "high pressure sales oriented" NOT focused on clients needs, wanted to close the deal
Ease of use is lacking therefore employees are reluctant to embrace it.

Pros

If you are already using Bullhorn as the ATS, it is easy to get your users up to speed on the CRM as it is the same look and feel. The users are familiar with the features and easily able to navigate through the Leads and Opportunity process. The email tracking is great as it allows others to have the same information on the lead without having to speak to the lead owner.

The opportunities component allows to track longer term prospects and projects that could come to fruition in the future. It is an easy way to track and keep up to date on task and activities that need to be done a future date and time.

Cons

It would be great if you could take a lead and convert into a Job instead of creating an opportunity and converting to a job. This is if you use within the staffing industry.

Pros

It looks great and it seems like it could be a great ATS. BUT.................................. as you will see that is about all I can say as a pro right now.

Cons

Once you sign on you find out there are all these extra costs for additional functionality. And they lock you in to a 2 year contract. This is NOT DESIGNED FOR a small recruiting firm. Especially if there is less than 3 of you. No matter how good it looks to you, don't do it. You will find yourself annoyed because you can't add certain features (like Linkedin integration) and when they do releases they don't just update the software, they make you request to update or add a new feature. What recruiter has time to do that? or sits around reading about their ATS. They just don't get it. Please save yourself time and money and look at an ATS designed specifically for your size of firm.

Pros

Auto parsing from e-mails is convenient, tearsheets, searching functions are good. Features for recording placements and managing commissions is great.

Cons

I think the front screen fields could be better - such as a place to put info so all recruiters see right away - such as don't use candidate, locations of interest. I label all dialogue that comes back from a candidate as inbound. It would be good to have the fields of returned inmail, or returned e-mail,
Taking candidates off from a tearsheet from the candidate screen isn't easy. I have to go into the actual tearsheet to remove it.

For some reason, I get cued to login to bullhorn all the time. Mostly when parsing an e-mail. It could take 2-3 logins to get to the right screen.

Pros

It is easy to navigate, easy to send emails, and add notes to contacts, the overview pages are interactive and provide lots of information in an easy layout. Companies and contacts link easily together. The search functionality is comprehensive, and it is easy to be fairly competent.

Cons

one of my issues is adding notes is to a maximum of 500 records. Sometimes a note needs to added to several thousand which requires creating a lot of lists with the same criteria but excluding each of the lists you have created so far. Pulling off the first list took me 10 minutes it then took me 2 days more to add all the notes. The backend and how it can be manipulated is much less easy to navigate. With goals there is an issue with the way some things are recorded. a note saved to 500 people will only show as 1 note if you do it through batches so it is difficult to get relevant sales stats.

Pros

Bullhorn is the most comprehensive, full-featured, PaaS for recruiting, especially if you're a Recruiting Agency like our firm. Our job board, Cloud VoIP and a host of other integrations make Bullhorn indispensable. User since 2008.

Cons

Bullhorn has only recently got the message that product support and customer success are as important as features and functionality. They have upped their game (albeit from a low base) and the results show it.
They have only recently added an excellent Inbound Marketing integration (with SalesFusion) but the pricing is contact-based (like Mail Service Providers or other CRMs) so it's out of reach for most agencies, especially us with 465K contacts!