If you run a solo desk or a small agency, every subscription matters and every hour spent on admin is an hour not spent billing. The right recruitment software can make a small team feel much bigger. The wrong one can become an expensive database nobody updates. This guide is for owners of small agencies who want to choose well the first time.
Start with how you work today
Before you look at any vendor, write down how your desk actually runs. How many roles do you work at once? Are you mostly perm, contract or both? Where do your candidates come from? How do you win new clients? What do you currently track in spreadsheets? The answers tell you what you need, and just as importantly, what you do not.
The must haves
For most small agencies, the essentials are:
- A clear pipeline so you can see every candidate on every role at a glance.
- Candidate and client records in one place, with notes and history.
- Email and calendar integration so activity is logged without retyping.
- Simple BD tools to find and track new clients.
- CV formatting so submissions look professional.
- Reporting that shows fees and the pipeline, not just activity.
An ATS and CRM in one system is particularly valuable for small teams, because there is nobody spare to keep two tools in sync. Read ATS vs CRM for recruitment agencies for the reasons.
Do not overbuy
Large platforms built for enterprise staffing firms can be powerful, but a small agency may pay for complexity it never uses. More configuration also means more setup time and more training. Look for software that does the core work brilliantly and is easy to start using this week.
Ask clear pricing questions
Pricing models vary. Some vendors publish prices, others give a tailored quote. Either way, ask:
- What is the price per user, and is there a minimum number of users?
- Which features are included, and which are add ons?
- How long is the contract, and what notice is required to cancel?
- Is migration included, and if not, what does it cost?
- What happens to the price when you add a user?
Compare the total cost of what you will actually use, not just the headline number.
Setup time matters
For a small agency, a long implementation means lost billing time. Ask how quickly you can be live, who does the data import and what you need to provide. A good vendor should be able to get a small team working in days, not months.
Think about where you will be in two years
Choose software that fits today but will not hold you back. If you plan to hire, check how easy it is to add users, how managers see the team's numbers and whether reporting scales from one desk to several. Financial reporting becomes much more important once you have consultants whose desks you need to understand. Our guide to recruitment KPIs for agency owners shows what you will want to see.
Know your numbers from day one
Many small agencies only discover their real margins at year end. Software that tracks placement fees, gross profit margins and a weighted forecast from the start helps you price better, choose clients carefully and plan hires with confidence. See how to track GP margin per placement.
Support and local fit
When something goes wrong on a busy day, you want help quickly. Ask where support is based, what hours it covers and how you contact it. For Australian agencies, local integrations, Australian dollar pricing and support in your time zone all make a difference.
Run a real trial or demo
Bring a live role to the demo and ask the vendor to run it end to end: brief, sourcing, shortlist, branded CV, interview, offer and placement, with the fee showing up in reporting. If it feels natural for your desk, that is a good sign.
A shortlist checklist
When you have narrowed your options to two or three platforms, run each one against the same checklist. Can you see every candidate on every role at a glance? Does email and calendar activity log automatically? Can you find companies that are hiring without leaving the system? Can you send a branded, redacted CV quickly? Do placement fees, margins and the forecast appear without a spreadsheet? Is the price clear, including add ons and notice? Can you be live within days? The platform that ticks the most boxes for your desk, not the one with the longest feature list, is usually the right choice.
How Klose Recruit fits small agencies
Klose Recruit was founded by Australian recruiters and is built for agencies from a solo desk to a full team. It combines the ATS and CRM, BD prospecting, CV branding and redaction, Kip your built in assistant and live financial insights in one platform. Pricing is published: from A$75 per user per month on annual plans with free migration, or from A$89 per user per month on monthly plans. See the all in one recruitment software overview.
The takeaway
Small agencies should choose software that matches how they work, covers the essentials in one system, has clear pricing, gets them live quickly and shows them their numbers from day one. Do not pay for complexity you will not use, but do choose something that can grow with you.