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# Source candidates

> How to source candidates, push applications to customer ATS platforms, and track share of hire using the Merge ATS API.

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#### Your customers access integrations

Your users authorize your application to access their ATS platform by going through an authorization flow using Merge Link. Merge begins syncing your customer's data.

#### Display open roles for recruiters

Your product will display the open roles, for your customers to source for. Existing and open Jobs can be automatically pulled in via Merge, using the [Jobs Object](https://docs.merge.dev/ats/jobs).

#### Start sourcing candidates

Recruiters begin sourcing candidates via LinkedIn or your existing database.

#### Send your sourced candidates to ATS

Once recruiters identify a candidate, you'll want to send their application back to their ATS of choice.

* Use the [**POST** /Applications](https://docs.merge.dev/ats/applications/#applications_create) endpoint to create applications for new or existing candidates in your customers' third-party ATS platform. (Note if you need to include screening question answers, that is supported as a submodel within POST /Application).
* Use [**POST** /Candidate](https://docs.merge.dev/ats/candidates/#candidates_create) only if you need to create a candidate that is not associated with a particular job.

> **Note**
>
> You can get updates on the status of a job, such as it being closed, with [Receiving and Emitting Webhooks](/merge-unified/reading-data/webhooks/merge-webhooks)

#### Understand your share of hire

Display your value to your customers by showing the share of hire, based on the number of candidates that have been successfully hired through your product.
Use the `source`, `credited_to`, and `current_stage` fields on the [Applications Object](https://docs.merge.dev/ats/applications) to track the application as it moves through stages.

#### Start sourcing candidates with Merge

Integrate today or talk to our sales team to learn how Merge unlocks hundreds of integrations in days - not years.

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Get a demo **

* [Webhooks](/merge-unified/reading-data/webhooks/merge-webhooks)

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