Empfehlungsbund Talent Suite

We.Recommend.Professionals.

Empfehlungsbund is the marketplace for A and B candidates – We build bridges between employers so they can recommend great talent to each other. Join Germany's largest referral network.

By Recruiters, for Recruiters

EBMS digitizes your hiring process – as part of the Empfehlungsbund Talent Suite.

6 unique advantages of EBMS

Turning rejections into new opportunities

EBMS doesn't end recruiting with a rejection – it opens a second chance. Good candidates who weren't hired can be recommended to other suitable employers through the Empfehlungsbund. Selection work already done isn't discarded but put to meaningful use.

More than an ATS: embedded in an employer network

EBMS doesn't stand alone for a single company – it's part of an active employer network. Members don't just use an applicant tracking system, but a shared infrastructure for recruiting, referrals, and visibility. This connection between system and network makes all the difference.

Cooperative recruiting marketing

EBMS is embedded in a shared marketing logic that builds reach without requiring each company to spend large advertising budgets. Hints in rejection letters, backlinks, community portals, and shared visibility strengthen the Empfehlungsbund with every member. This creates recruiting marketing built on collective strength, not expensive individual advertising.

Referral codes as an additional quality signal

In EBMS, an application doesn't just end with a status – it can be tagged with a referral code that makes the selection progress visible. Other companies can see whether a candidate has already been thoroughly evaluated. This doesn't replace their own selection decision but provides an additional, highly valuable signal in recruiting.

Recruiting operating system, not a standalone tool

EBMS is the entry point to a comprehensive TalentSuite. Beyond applicant management, additional tools for employer branding, recruitment marketing, salary benchmarking, reviews, candidate selection, and employee retention are available as needed. Companies start with the core and expand only where they see real value.

Collectively generated recruiting intelligence

EBMS doesn't just create processes – it also generates shared information like salary benchmarks, grading systems, channel insights, evaluation logic, and referral code signals. A single company could often only build this data with significant effort. Within the network, this becomes benchmarks and guidance that benefit all members.

3 fundamentals every good ATS needs

Clear and traceable processes

A good applicant management system needs clean workflows, unambiguous status logic, roles, templates, and documented procedures. Only then are applications reliably processed, decisions transparent, and recruiting truly manageable in daily operations.

Easy to use with strong integrations

A good ATS must be easy to operate and connect to existing career websites, communication channels, and system landscapes. Even the best solution is of little use if it's too complicated in daily practice or doesn't integrate cleanly into existing processes.

Data protection, controlling, and reliability

A professional ATS needs robust KPIs, audit-proof traceability, and clean GDPR-compliant data processing. Only then does it become a system that companies can truly trust operationally, legally, and strategically.

3.400+
Users
50,000+
Applications/Year
300.000+
Emails/Year
35.000+
Feedbacks/Year
6.000+
Candidate Appointments/Year
300+
Hires/Year
180+
Companies
100%
Hosted in Germany

What users love about EBMS

4,3

Based on 23 user reviews

View all reviews on Capterra

These testimonials are shown in their original language (German).

"Über viele Jahre zuverlässiges System"

Wir verwenden das EBMS bereits seit sehr vielen Jahren und sind damit sehr zufrieden. Es lässt sich ordentlich bedienen und macht was es soll. Veränderungen werden behutsam vorgenommen und man muss nicht jedes Monat alles neu erlernen.

Stefan · Geschäftsführer
IT-Dienstleistungen, 11–50 Mitarbeiter

"Ein BMS, das nicht nur Prozesse, sondern auch Herzen erreicht"

Das EBMS ist für uns aus dem Alltag nicht mehr wegzudenken. Es ist klar strukturiert, effizient – und gleichzeitig steckt eine große Idee dahinter: Bewerbenden auch in schwierigen Momenten eine echte Chance zu geben.

Petra · Sr. Manager, EU Human Resources
Halbleiter, 51–200 Mitarbeiter

"Einfaches und praktikables Bewerbermanagement"

Das EBMS unterstützt uns optimal im Recruiting-Alltag. Es ist übersichtlich, funktional und perfekt mit dem Empfehlungsbund vernetzt. Die Kombination aus persönlicher Betreuung und durchdachter Funktionalität macht das System sehr wertvoll für uns.

Jens · Geschäftsführer
IT-Dienstleistungen, 11–50 Mitarbeiter

"EBMS – rundum solide und gut"

Ist im Tagesgeschäft ein gutes Tool für das Bewerbermanagement, chronologischer Prozess wird gut unterstützt. Schnelle Bearbeitung durch definierten Prozessablauf, automatisierte Unterstützung für die Bestätigung des Bewerbungseinganges.

Alexandra · Personalreferentin
IT-Dienstleistungen, 11–50 Mitarbeiter

"Personalgewinnung die funktioniert und günstig ist"

Wir konnten all unsere offenen Stellen schnell und zielgerichtet besetzen und unsere internen Prozesse erheblich optimieren. Das EBMS erleichtert das Bewerbungsmanagement enorm und schafft Freiraum, um sich intensiver um die persönliche Betreuung unserer Kandidaten zu kümmern. Besonders beeindruckend ist die automatische Generierung qualifizierter Bewerbungen – und das ohne zusätzliche Kosten, da die einzigartigen Marketingkonzepte bereits integriert sind.

Ronny · Geschäftsführer
Gastgewerbe, 11–50 Mitarbeiter

"Rundum Sorglospaket – Wunschlos glücklich"

Aufgrund dessen, dass es von den 400 Mitgliedern des Empfehlungsbundes regelmäßig weiterentwickelt wird, wurden die Best-Practices implementiert. Abbildung des gesamten Prozesses von Stellenanzeigen, Personalmarketing, Empfehlungsprinzip, Zielgruppenanalyse, Bewerbermanagement, Vertragsmanagement bis hin zum OnBoarding.

Thomas · Geschäftsführer
Bau, 51–200 Mitarbeiter

EBMS in Action

See the applicant management dashboard, email templates, and the applicant status page.

The recruiter dashboard with all open applications at a glance.

bms.empfehlungsbund.de
Dashboard

Features & Modules

EBMS offers comprehensive applicant tracking – many features are included in the Empfehlungsbund membership, additional modules can be added individually.

Applicant Management10
Referral codes – recommended applicants Einzigartig Included

Turn rejections into opportunities: Recommend qualified candidates you couldn't hire to partner companies in the network. This significantly improves the candidate experience – applicants receive a real second chance at another employer instead of just a rejection. At the same time, you strengthen your employer brand as a responsible and caring organization.

Manage applications (email, form, postal) Included

Capture applications from all channels in one place and automatically assign them to the right position.

Configurable workflows & processes Included

Customize each hiring process to match your workflows with flexible status transitions.

Automatic reminders & notifications Included

Never miss a deadline – automatic reminders for recruiters and observers.

Applicant file with documents Included

All application documents, photos, and files bundled in one central digital record.

Comment system with mentions Included

Internal notes and comments with @-mentions for efficient team communication.

Star ratings & circulation reviews Included

Route applications to managers and observers for evaluation and collect structured feedback.

Selection decision / candidate comparison Free Add-on

Compare candidates side-by-side and present them to hiring managers for final decision.

Individual applicant status page – no registration required Included

Every applicant gets a personal status page, linked in every email. There they can see the current stage of their process, answer questions, submit additional documents, respond to appointment suggestions, contact you, or withdraw their application – all without an account or login.

Rejection management Included

Send professional rejection letters automatically using configurable templates.

Hosting & Security4
Hosted in Germany / EU Included

All data is hosted exclusively on servers in Germany – no data transfer abroad.

Retention periods & anonymization Included

Configurable retention periods with automatic anonymization and notification upon expiry.

Role-based access control Included

Recruiter, observer, works council and other roles with granular permissions.

Privacy consent loop Free Add-on

Request privacy consent from applicants who applied via email or postal mail.

Scheduling6
Interview planning & invitations Included

Plan interviews with candidates and observers, send invitations, and track status.

Interviewer feedback collection Included

Structured evaluation forms for interviewers with automatic reminders.

Appointment finder (Doodle-like) Paid Add-on

Propose time slots and let all participants confirm or decline.

Calendar integration Outlook / Exchange Online Paid Add-on

Automatically sync appointments to Outlook and display participant availability.

Exchange EWS calendar sync Paid Add-on

Connect on-premise Exchange servers via EWS – sync appointments and availability directly.

MS Teams integration for video interviews Paid Add-on

Create video interviews as Teams meetings – the link is automatically sent to applicants.

Job Postings & Reach (via Empfehlungsbund)5
Job posting management Included

Create, edit, and publish job postings centrally across all channels simultaneously.

Job widget for career page Included

Embeddable widget that automatically displays your open positions on your website.

Feed import via XML/API Included

Automatically import job postings from your existing system or career page.

Feed export to job boards Included

Automatically distribute job postings to connected job boards and reach networks.

JobGPT AI job posting assistant Included

AI-powered creation and optimization of job postings for better reach.

Talent Management4
Talent pool for promising candidates Paid Add-on

Store promising candidates GDPR-compliantly beyond the retention period and reactivate them.

Automatic renewal email before expiry Paid Add-on

Candidates are automatically asked for renewal before the storage period expires.

Self-update by candidates Paid Add-on

Talent pool candidates can update their documents at any time.

Skills tests / work samples Free Add-on

Create test assignments with deadlines and have observers evaluate the results.

Advanced Features14
CV parsing & matching (AI) Paid Add-on

Automatically extract data from resumes, identify keywords, and calculate matching scores.

Contract generator & template editor Paid Add-on

Generate contracts from templates with placeholders and manage the negotiation process digitally.

Bulk processing Paid Add-on

Reject, forward, or defer multiple applications at once to save time.

Works council integration Paid Add-on

Digitally submit hiring decisions to the works council for approval.

Disability representation Paid Add-on

Form fields for disability status and a dedicated view for the disability representative.

101 email templates in 3 language variants Included

A matching template for every use case – from rejections and invitations to appointment confirmations. Each template is available in German (formal), German (informal) and English, and can be customized before sending.

Custom email templates Paid Add-on

Create your own templates, permanently modify all EBMS standard templates, and attach default files such as campus maps or privacy policy documents.

Departments / Teams Paid Add-on

Manage departments with their own recruiters, positions, and email templates independently.

Single Sign-On (SAML) Paid Add-on

Staff sign in with their company credentials – no separate password needed.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) Free Add-on

Enhanced security through TOTP-based two-factor authentication for all user groups.

Statistics & HR controlling Paid Add-on

KPIs on time-to-hire, sources, rejection reasons, and more as charts and CSV export.

Staffing agency integration Free Add-on

External staffing agencies can create candidates directly in EBMS and track their status.

Export to staffing system Included

Transfer applicants to your HR system after hiring – via API integration with HRlab, HRXML-compatible export, or Personio-compatible Excel export.

Co-Innovation – shape the product Einzigartig Included

We continuously develop EBMS – all new features are based on feedback from our users. Be part of the progress. View Changelog →

Frequently Asked Questions

For Applicants
What is EBMS?
EBMS is the applicant tracking system of the Empfehlungsbund. Companies use it to manage applications. As an applicant, you interact with EBMS when you apply to a member company.
How is my data protected and deleted?
All data is hosted GDPR-compliantly in the EU. Companies have automatic deletion periods configured. For data access or deletion requests, contact the company you applied to directly.
What are referral codes?
If a company cannot consider your application, you may receive a referral code. This allows you to apply with priority at other Empfehlungsbund partner companies.
Do I need to register to apply?
No. You can apply directly — no registration, no login. Just upload your documents and submit.
For Companies
What does EBMS cost?
EBMS is included in the Empfehlungsbund membership — no additional license fees. Optional premium modules (talent pool, CV parsing, Outlook integration, etc.) can be added individually.
What does EBMS cost per recruiter?
There is no per-recruiter seat fee — you can create as many recruiters, observers, and hiring managers as you need. Pricing is a flat rate based on the number of full-time employees. Companies with fewer than 100 employees pay a fixed price; from 100 employees onward we provide a custom quote based on recruiting volume and desired add-on modules. View pricing →
Can I try EBMS?
Yes! We offer a free trial account. Try for free →
How do I become a member of the Empfehlungsbund?
Register at empfehlungsbund.de and choose your plan. EBMS is available to you immediately. Register now →
Are my job postings distributed automatically?
Yes. Through the Empfehlungsbund, your job postings are automatically distributed to partner companies and connected job boards — with no manual effort.
What integrations does EBMS offer?
Outlook/Exchange calendar, Microsoft Teams, SAML/SSO, HR exports (HRlab, Personio), CV parsing, and more. See the feature overview above.
Can I switch from another ATS?
Yes. We support data import and personally guide you through the migration. Just get in touch.

Our contact person for you

Akos Toth

Mr. Akos Toth

Head of Customer Advice