When searching for the latest ATS, you must consider which features and requirements will be the most important to you.
The majority of major company and company employ the ATS in one manner or another. Therefore, it’s crucial to know the fundamentals and how they function while searching for the best solution for your business.
Given the prevalence of applicant tracking Software systems, You are likely to consider switching to a brand new applicant tracking software.
Before you do that, What are you trying to find?
What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
When employers are overwhelmed with applications from departments for various job openings, they require ways to organize the data.
Here are the most important roles of an ATS
- Track candidate details
- Open positions on the track
- Find candidates in each stage of hiring for the positions they are seeking.
The hiring manager can add their comments on their opinions of the candidates. It take notes from the interview and record any other comments.
The information stored in the system assists recruiters in managing candidates through the entire process, including scheduling assessments, interviews, and offer letters.
When a potential candidate is exposed to an advertisement for a job, the job posting is typically associated with their system for tracking applicants. This form is designed to capture a potential candidate’s relevant details. It will include contact information, cover letter, and resume, which the ATS will process.
The ATS can condense all the information into an easily searchable database. The recruiters who use it can create certain criteria for screening, like the number of years of experience or ability, and notify them of different candidates.
The resumes of candidates are accessible to recruiters who can look over every resume at any time. Due to these screening and filters, certain businesses prefer to follow more of an open hiring policy to bring up new and exciting applicants. It is often the case if the initial screening didn’t yield the most qualified applicants.
Applicant Tracking Software can also simplify reviewing an applicant for future roles. Because your business is likely only hiring a select amount of candidates for the job, it is an excellent method to find potential candidates for future jobs.
Referral sources
One of the benefits of an applicant tracking software is the ability to identify the source of referrals. They often refer to the website, the marketplace, or a social media announcement where applicants found their job.
With this information, recruiters can make an informed decision on how to best use their marketing budgets for recruitment. IT can also show the channels performing well or underperforming in particular jobs and roles.
Certain jobs could be more suitable for LinkedIn than targeted message boards and vice reverse.
Important Features of Your ATS
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Candidates’ ranking
Many of the most advanced ATS systems have features that allow you to prioritize and filter out applicants who meet the job description.
The ranking features of an ATS will allow you to match candidates’ resumes and experience with your job description. They will then emphasize those they believe fit the job description.
The risk is that excessive automation or a concentration on specific skills or a specific keyword could prevent many talented candidates from making it to the review stage. Check out the suggestions by the automated ranking systems to make sure they match the profile of candidates you’re looking for.
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Keyword filtering
Another excellent feature of several ATS systems is the ability to filter by keywords on a resume. Through a search for keywords, you can instantly look up candidates from past and present candidates with particular skills. For instance, you can look up “iOS development” or “JavaScript” and see all candidates who possess this ability. If you’re searching for an array of abilities, you can use the Boolean search to find a list of several of these skills and locate people who have that experience.
However, it would be best if you didn’t place all your faith in the algorithm. Certain ATS systems can read resumes, but they could be unable to recognize the resume if it’s not formatted according to the requirements for the ATS. The best candidate might get missed.
Make sure to look over a resume, especially if they have a few keywords that match, as they could be a match for many of the abilities you’re seeking.
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Customization of the Career Page and Employer branding
A further important feature of any applicant tracking software is the ability to link your company’s career page with specific job descriptions and duties to the applicant tracking software.
Post job advertisements directly through most ATS systems to popular job boards, and take them off when they’re filled.
To maintain consistent branding of your employees, Add images, logos, or social sharing options on top of your job ad. The page for your career and job description serves as your main landing page on other job websites. Your website should appear professional and efficient to ensure you put the best impression on potential candidates.
For a strong employer branding strategy, your career site should align with your branding and appear as if you represent your business. An effective applicant tracking system gives an applicant the necessary tools and resources you need to advertise your company’s image.
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Post to several sites
Another advantage of these systems is the ability to post to multiple job websites and marketplaces with a click. Many of the big job websites you’re comfortable with, like CareerBuilder and Indeed, will offer API connections to the majority of the top system for tracking applicants.
If the one you choose isn’t compatible with this feature, there are several simple integrations that you could install to ensure that you have posted as many job sites as you can.
Learning to accomplish this on your own is beneficial because you’ll probably be posting on websites that aren’t the usual ones. Niche websites offer unique opportunities to connect with specific people. It is important to write job descriptions that focus on them specifically.
An ATS can help you determine which job sites were most successful for your business and provide useful data for future planning.
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A single solution or the complete HR Hub?
It is a benefit often not mentioned, yet it’s essential to consider. Do you require an HR system that is integrated to control all of your tasks or an ATS that is a single solution?
A central applicant tracking system lets you have all the details you need to find a candidate. With a few clicks, you’ll have all the details in one system.
It is particularly useful when you have candidates who are applying for multiple posts or if you believe that a candidate might be a better fit for a job than the one they applied for. A single platform, often referred to as a Human Resources Information System (HRIS)–provides access to all that information stored in your database.
A dedicated system, such as an ATS, will usually provide you with more flexibility and options for customization since they focus on the ATS user experience. It’s usually cheaper than a more comprehensive solution, and an ATS can offer a specific service directly linked to applicant tracking rather than the typical experience of an HRIS.
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Interview scheduler
When you are at the interview stage of the hiring process, you will be more grateful for the applicant tracking system since it facilitates simple interaction between applicants, hiring supervisors, and recruiters.
An ATS is a location to record users’ notes and feedback on all candidates. Some of the systems like the Lever or Workable will be able to connect directly to calendars of employees and managers to see whether they’re in use.
If you’ve got an entire team who needs to meet with a specific candidate, you don’t need to contact each individual to determine their availability. It is possible to conduct it all via the applicant tracker system.
It reduces the eternal back and forth you’re having with the candidate, but with your employees.
Integrating the feature of scheduling interviews helps eliminate the hassle.
It can even send automatic reminders of any scheduled interviews, which is helpful when planning to have interviews to back. It will save you a lot of energy.
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Onboarding
Do you wish your system for tracking applicants would be an onboarding system?
If you’d like all the data to be centralized, choosing an applicant tracking system that offers onboarding might be beneficial. The information will be easily transferred across systems from the next stage of this process to another, and you don’t have to fret about multiple logins or information.
However, systems that are specifically designed for onboarding offer more customization or advanced training programs. This might be a benefit and it might not be a good idea to integrate it with your applicant tracking system.
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Exporting and importing
Suppose you’re searching for an innovative applicant tracking system. In that case, it is essential to have a simple procedure for importing and exporting contacts from resumes, from another CRM, spreadsheet or a different candidate tracking program. Finding a solution that can accomplish this well is a must, particularly if you have a large amount of data or have previously used an ad-hoc solution.
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Customized workflow
Consider your company’s procedure and the steps you take in hiring. Compared to other companies within your sector, it could provide an advantage. Employers have an advantage over the most innovative businesses. You do not want the applicant tracker system to be working against you. Instead, you’d like it to be working to your advantage.
To make your individuality unique, you require a custom workflow that allows you to be free. Consider a customized template and features to ensure you don’t have to go through the hoops just as it’s the next choice within the ATS.
Many applicant tracking systems send and communicate on behalf of you. Set up automated triggers that will take the next step in the process, like scheduling an interview automatically or sending a message to the next person to be hired. It will streamline your communications.
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Support
If you have an applicant tracking system, you’re still purchasing software. There will be an adjustment period before you can use every new piece of software.
Does the customer support the ATS can provide what you require? What is the experience like beyond the sales call or demonstration? Your approach will impact the experience. When you receive hundreds of resumes for different jobs, It feels confident with its capabilities and make the system work to your advantage.
Final Thoughts
Beyond the functions and capabilities the ATS system can accomplish. You should also consider the “intangibles” that make working with the latest software enjoyable for you and your team.
The fact that a program has all the feature boxes does not mean it’s enjoyable to use.
If you or your staff don’t want to use your new ATS, your search has wasted time. Other factors are important too.
