ATS Selection: Choosing an Applicant Tracking System
As a recruiter, it can be quite overwhelming to navigate the various stages of the hiring process proficiently. Selecting an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) enables you to manage each level with ease.
A modern tracking solution also helps to ensure Diversity And Inclusion (D&I) during Recruitment. Here is an insight into the evaluation, selection, and implementation of applicant tracking technology.
Optimization Options for Your Current ATS
Enhancing the efficiency and consistency of your ATS is key to ensuring you source and hire excellent candidates.
A great way of optimizing your applicant tracking technology is by aligning it with your internal processes. Identify parts of the hiring process your recruiting team is doing manually and try fitting them into your applicant tracking system.
A few existing internal systems you can explore integrating into your ATS include the following:
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Human Resource Information System (HRIS)
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Work status verification system
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Criminal record verification system
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Payroll or billing system
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Coordination and scheduling system
How To Choose an ATS: 6 Things to Consider
You need to assess your recruitment needs to identify areas of the hiring process that need improvement. This evaluation helps you select the perfect tool from the numerous applicant tracking solutions.
The ideal applicant tracking technology allows you to be creative with your hiring strategy. It should also enable you to compete favorably with rival businesses in acquiring the best applicants.
There are several things to consider when selecting an ATS.:
Company size and industry type
Bigger doesn’t always mean better. If you’re a smaller company or a start-up, having an applicant tracking system designed for high-volume hiring or with more advanced features than you need isn’t going to suit you. Moreover, you might not even have the budget for a pricier solution to begin with.
Conversely, if you’re a huge enterprise, you don’t want software that leaves you wanting or can’t be customized in the way that you want it to be.
Ensure your chosen solution fits your hiring needs and is suitable for your recruitment volumes.
Features
Does your company receive hundreds of applications every time a new vacancy is advertised? If so, you’ll need ATS software that comes with a dearth of features like resume parsing, candidate management, dynamic workflows, and intelligent job posting.
But you might not necessarily need all of this if you’re a smaller business with far fewer applicants or which doesn’t actually need to recruit that often. In this case, a less feature-rich ATS which doesn’t cost you as much may be the perfect solution.
Pricing
Put simply: what can you afford? The cost of an ATS may not matter as much to a larger business, but if you’re a smaller company, every penny counts.
Think about what you’re getting for your money and what you actually need. If a less advanced ATS fulfills your business’s needs, then it may well be the wiser choice, even if it doesn’t have all the features the more technical ones do.
User experience
No matter how big or small your company is, your HR team needs to be able to use your ATS software effectively. If the user interface of the solution you pick is confusing or awkward, it could lead to inefficiencies or, worse, costly errors. The last thing you want is for the candidate experience to suffer because the people utilizing the ATS software can’t get to grips with it properly.
Make sure you pick a solution that’s easy to use so that you can reap the applicant tracking system benefits and make the recruitment process a lot easier for everyone, both internally and externally.
Scalability
In this list so far, we’ve drawn a lot of comparisons between the needs of smaller businesses compared to large enterprises. But what if you’re somewhere in between? Or planning to expand your company?
Having an ATS that can scale with you is crucial when it comes to futureproofing your organization. As your business grows, your needs will change over time, and you need a solution that’ll keep pace with you.
Analytics
Reporting and analytics are crucial components of an applicant tracking system because they provide valuable insights and data-driven decision-making capabilities.
By harnessing reporting and analytics tools, organizations can gain a comprehensive understanding of their recruitment process, identify bottlenecks, track key metrics, and assess the effectiveness of their hiring strategies. These tools enable HR professionals to measure the efficiency of sourcing channels, evaluate candidate quality, and optimize the overall recruitment workflow.
It’s crucial for businesses of any size to pick an ATS platform that enables them to track the efficiency of their recruitment processes.
In your search for the ideal ATS tool, you should also look for the right business partner. Establishing good relations with the company whose tool you want to use results in better applicant tracking solutions.
How to Avoid Common ATS Implementation Pitfalls
When implementing your chosen applicant tracking system, you may make the mistake of ignoring your vendor’s help.
Try to go over the instructions provided carefully and identify any difficulties when implementing the ATS. We offer training sessions and 24/7 customer support at Oleeo to help streamline the use of our platform.
Considering the amount of data being migrated and the number of applications you receive, avoid rushing the implementation process. Also, ensure your hiring crew gets acquainted with the new applicant tracking solutions as soon as possible for a smooth transition.
Choose A Solution That Meets Your ATS Requirements
The hiring process needs to be brief and straightforward to ensure you get a consistent flow of quality job seekers. It does not mean you make the job requirements too lenient, but you should avoid adding unnecessary steps.
Simplifying the process opens your recruitment program to a wide demographic and ensures you meet your Diversity And Inclusion hiring goals. The key features of an applicant tracking system will often be able to pick out qualified candidates without bias.
The period between CV submission and interview call-up is usually filled with lots of uncertainty, so you should know what to look for in an ATS. Having a highly responsive system ensures you do not lose great candidates to delays and despair. Automating communication between your candidate and hiring team is an excellent hack to ensuring quick and effective recruitment.
Recruitment can be a hectic process that you can simplify with the right applicant tracking system features. With in-built intelligence, Oleeo’s recruitment software leverages automation and data for an efficient and optimal hiring process.
FAQs
Why do I need an ATS for my recruitment process?
An applicant tracking system (ATS) offers numerous benefits for your recruitment process. It simplifies and centralizes the hiring workflow, allowing you to manage and organize candidate applications efficiently.
With an ATS, you can automate manual tasks, such as resume screening and interview scheduling, saving time and reducing human error. It also enables collaboration among hiring team members, facilitates communication with candidates, and ensures compliance with hiring regulations.
Furthermore, ATS implementation provides data-driven insights and analytics, enabling you to make informed decisions, improve recruitment strategies, and enhance the overall candidate experience.
What are the key features I should look for in an ATS?
When selecting an ATS, several key features should be considered. First, a user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation are essential for seamless usability. Look for features like resume parsing, automated job posting, and candidate communication tools to streamline the recruitment process.
Robust search and filtering capabilities can help you quickly identify relevant candidate profiles. Integration with job boards, career sites, and other HR systems is crucial for connectivity.
Additionally, reporting and analytics tools enable data-driven decision-making. Finally, scalability, customization options, and support for mobile devices should be evaluated to ensure the ATS can adapt to your evolving needs.
