Custom ATS for PRATT Executive Search
How we built a bespoke applicant tracking system that cut candidate processing time by 70% for a boutique executive search firm.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | PRATT |
| Industry | Recruiting | Executive Search |
| Size | 5 employees |
| Location | Argentina |
| Challenge | Generic ATS with unused features slowing down a lean recruiting team |
| Result | 70% faster candidate processing; unified pipeline visibility across all searches |
Situation
PRATT is a boutique executive search firm based in Argentina, specializing in placing senior leadership talent across industries including technology, finance, and healthcare. With a team of five, every hour matters. Their reputation depends on speed, discretion, and the quality of their candidate shortlists, qualities that demand sharp operational focus, not wrestling with software.
Like most firms in the space, PRATT operates on relationships. Recruiters source passive candidates, manage multi-stage selection pipelines for several clients simultaneously, and coordinate handoffs within a small team where everyone wears multiple hats. Their competitive edge is knowing their candidate pool deeply and moving faster than larger firms.
Challenge
PRATT had been using an off-the-shelf ATS that was designed for high-volume corporate hiring, not for retained executive search. The mismatch was costing them.
The platform was cluttered with features built for HR departments processing hundreds of inbound applications: automated screening questionnaires, career page builders, compliance modules. None of it applied to PRATT's work, where every candidate is sourced proactively and every search is confidential. Meanwhile, the workflows that mattered (tracking a candidate across multiple simultaneous searches, logging recruiter notes, quickly filtering their talent pool by seniority, industry, and geography) were either buried or missing entirely.
The team estimated that recruiters were spending roughly 20% of their working hours on administrative overhead: manually entering candidate data from LinkedIn profiles, switching between the ATS, spreadsheets, and email threads to track pipeline status, and duplicating effort because the system made it difficult to see if a colleague had already engaged a candidate.
We were paying for a tool built for a problem we didn't have. Our recruiters needed to be engaging with candidates, not fighting the software."
— Esteban Calvente, Founding Partner, PRATT
Solution
PRATT engaged us to build a custom ATS from the ground up, purpose-built for how a boutique executive search firm actually works. The full platform was designed, developed, and deployed over three months.
Centralized candidate intelligence. We built a unified candidate database with 15+ filterable attributes: seniority level, industry experience, work area, languages, geographic location, and a recruiter star rating. Instead of scattered spreadsheets, the team now has a single source of truth for their entire talent pool, searchable and filterable in seconds.
Automated data capture. A dedicated browser extension parses LinkedIn profile information and populates candidate records automatically. What used to take 10-15 minutes of manual entry per candidate now happens in one click.
Visual pipeline management. Each vacancy has its own Kanban board with fully customizable status columns that mirror PRATT's actual selection process. Recruiters drag candidates through stages, from initial contact to shortlist to placement, with full visibility into who is where, across every active search.
Built for the team, not just the individual. Role-based access ensures the right people see the right information. Internal comments on candidates, blacklist flags with documented reasons, and vacancy ownership assignments keep the five-person team coordinated without meetings.
Client and vacancy management. A complete CRM layer tracks client companies, contacts, and vacancy history. Each vacancy captures detailed candidate requirements (target seniority, industry, age range, languages, location), enabling faster, more precise matching.
Configurable by design. Every dropdown, status label, and workflow stage is configurable through an admin panel. When PRATT's process evolves, the system evolves with it. No developer needed.
Results
Within the first 60 days of adoption, PRATT saw measurable improvements across their operation:
| Metric | Impact |
|---|---|
| Candidate data entry time | Reduced by 70% |
| Pipeline visibility | All active candidates on a single board view |
| Duplicate candidate outreach | Virtually eliminated |
| Time-to-shortlist | Reduced by ~20% |
| Adoption friction | Zero: productive from day one |
LinkedIn profile parsing replaced manual transcription, freeing recruiters to focus on sourcing and client engagement. The centralized board view eliminated the spreadsheet-and-email patchwork. Structured vacancy filters and rich candidate attributes enabled faster, more precise matching.
The platform replaced not just the old ATS, but also the spreadsheets, shared documents, and ad-hoc communication channels that had grown around it. For a five-person firm where every hour of recruiter time directly impacts revenue, the operational gain was immediate.
Built in 3 months. Purpose-fit for executive search. PRATT's custom ATS proves that the right tool isn't the one with the most features. It's the one built around how you actually work.
