IdealTraits has won the SMB Technical Excellence award in Indeed’s inaugural 2026 Partner Awards. Indeed recognized IdealTraits for adopting new Indeed technology early and for helping Indeed build and pilot Candidate Sync. The award comes in IdealTraits’ third straight year as an Indeed Platinum ATS Partner.
Key facts
- Award: Indeed Partner Award for Technical Excellence, SMB (small and midsize business) category
- Year: 2026, the first year Indeed gave Partner Awards
- Winner: IdealTraits, all-in-one hiring software based in Lake Orion, Michigan
- Why: early adoption of Indeed products and a lead role in building and piloting Candidate Sync
- Indeed partner level: Platinum ATS Partner in 2024, 2025 and 2026
What Indeed said about IdealTraits
Jacqueline Dewald, a program management leader at Indeed, announced the award on LinkedIn. She wrote that IdealTraits earned it “through a thoughtful approach to innovation in the ATS recruiting and talent acquisition space,” and that the company is “helping shape what a great ATS partnership looks like.”
Read Jacqueline Dewald’s announcement on LinkedIn
Why IdealTraits won the Technical Excellence award
Indeed’s announcement points to three things.
1. IdealTraits adopts new Indeed technology first
Indeed says that year after year, IdealTraits is a first adopter of new Indeed products and services. When Indeed releases something new for employers, IdealTraits customers get it early.
2. IdealTraits helped build and pilot Candidate Sync
In 2026, Indeed selected IdealTraits to build and pilot Candidate Sync. The IdealTraits product team worked with Indeed to shape, test and refine it, with a focus on making it work at scale.
3. IdealTraits puts customers first
Indeed described the partnership as innovative, collaborative and committed to customer success.
What the award means for employers
Indeed says the Candidate Sync work gives employers:
- A more connected hiring workflow between Indeed and their applicant tracking system
- Faster, more efficient candidate management
- A better overall experience for recruiting teams
For businesses that hire with IdealTraits, the Indeed connection is built in. You write a job once, and IdealTraits posts it to Indeed and 100+ other job boards. Every applicant lands in one place. From there you can screen with validated personality assessments, AI resume matching, one-way video interviews and text recruiting, without switching tools.
IdealTraits and Indeed: partnership timeline
- 2023: Indeed Gold Partner (read more)
- 2024: Indeed Platinum ATS Partner
- 2025: Indeed Platinum ATS Partner for the second year (read more)
- 2026: Indeed Platinum ATS Partner for the third year, and winner of the Indeed Partner Award for Technical Excellence (SMB)
See everything IdealTraits customers get from the partnership on our Indeed Platinum Partner page.
Frequently asked questions
What award did IdealTraits win from Indeed?
IdealTraits won the 2026 Indeed Partner Award for Technical Excellence in the SMB category. 2026 was the first year of the Indeed Partner Awards.
Why did Indeed give IdealTraits the award?
Indeed recognized IdealTraits for adopting new Indeed products early, year after year, and for helping Indeed build, test and pilot Candidate Sync.
Is IdealTraits an Indeed partner?
Yes. IdealTraits is an Indeed Platinum ATS Partner and has held that level three years in a row: 2024, 2025 and 2026.
What is Candidate Sync?
Candidate Sync is an Indeed project that IdealTraits helped build and pilot in 2026. Indeed says it gives employers a more connected hiring workflow and faster, more efficient candidate management.
Can I post jobs to Indeed with IdealTraits?
Yes. Every IdealTraits plan posts your jobs to Indeed and 100+ other job boards, and you manage every applicant in one place.
About IdealTraits
IdealTraits is an all-in-one hiring platform that helps small and midsize businesses hire for fit, not just experience. It combines job posting, an applicant tracking system (ATS), validated personality assessments, AI resume matching and one-way video interviews in one self-serve system built for business owners and managers. Insurance agencies, automotive dealerships, restoration contractors, franchises and other growing businesses across the U.S. use IdealTraits to hire with confidence. 18,000+ businesses have used IdealTraits to hire. Founded in 2013 in Lake Orion, Michigan.
See how IdealTraits and Indeed work together. Book a demo.