Source Tag URL for External Applicant Tracking Systems

Source tags enable your ATS to recognize Handshake as the source of your candidates.

Since Handshake can only identify an applicant who clicks to apply once they have been redirected from the site, it's essential to track the source in your ATS to identify which candidates were sourced from Handshake.

Topics

• Source tags
• Configure your source tag
• Add a source tag to a new job 

Source tags

A source tag is a string of text appended to a URL that contains instructions for the ATS on how to track the referral source. Although ATS systems use different names for these tools, the purpose remains the same. Among these names are "tracking links", "source tracking", "tracking codes", and "source code".  

In order for the ATS to automatically identify Handshake-referred applicants, source tags must be configured correctly.

Source tags are typically structured as a URL parameter. URL parameters (sometimes called query strings) are the part of the weblink that follows a single question mark. Multiple parameters can be appended to a single URL separated by ampersands.

Check out this example of a typical ATS source tag to see what it should include: www.companyname.com/careers/jobID12345/source=Handshake.

Configure your source tag 

To configure your source tag, you will need to refer to the support documents of your ATS partner. They should all have resources to help retrieve your source tags.

These resources should contain the following information:

• ATS name

• Name of concept: how the ATS refers to source tag

• Example URL: a sample job link URL with the source tag component bolded

• Source tag structure: a generic example of the source tag

• Cross-session Attribution: does the ATS support auto-tracking if the candidate leaves the site and then returns? Typically true if the source tag adds a browser cookie.

• Configuration: if the ATS requires each source to be configured before it can accept a new source for Handshake, a rough guide will be provided with a link to the exact instructions from the ATS provider

Note: if you are currently posting manually on job boards like Indeed, LinkedIn, or Glassdoor, this is likely the same process you've done before if you’re tracking those sites as candidate sources in your ATS.

If you're unsure how to configure your source tag, reach out to the ATS support team for assistance in finding the correct URL.

Add a source tag to a new job 

Now that you have successfully configured your source tag, you can apply it in Handshake!

1. To begin, click Jobs from the left navigation bar.

2. Click the blue button Create Job in the top-right corner of the page.

3. On the Basics tab, add the source tag URL in the Website or Applicant Tracking System URL field.

Complete the job form as usual, then click the blue button Save in the lower-right corner of the page.