When choosing an Application Tracking System (ATS) for your business, it is crucial to ensure that it meets the requirements of your recruitment process. The right ATS selection can significantly save effort, time, and money. ATS simplifies the recruitment process by automating tasks that involve extensive manual input.
While large enterprises have traditionally used ATS software, small businesses have faced implementation challenges due to budgetary constraints. However, the situation is evolving with the growing popularity of free ATS solutions like HireTalent.
Now, let's delve into the factors you must consider when selecting an ATS.
Alignment with Company Profile
An ATS should be compatible with the company's profile. Different companies have varying requirements, and the ATS chosen should be able to accommodate those needs. While a large enterprise might only require an ATS for specific stages of the hiring process, a smaller company might seek one that automates the entire hiring journey, from job posting to issuing offer letters.
An ATS should offer tools that efficiently gather and organize applicant information, streamlining the hiring process. It should facilitate the initial screening of incoming applications, assisting recruiters in optimizing their time and focusing on profiles that best match the job requirements.
Inclusion of Essential Features
The ATS chosen should encompass all the essential features necessary to align with the company profile. These features should be user-friendly, enhancing the overall organization of the hiring process. A well-equipped ATS should offer the following key features:
A robust ATS should provide effective career pages that communicate your employer brand, showcase job openings, and enable candidates to apply directly. These career pages should seamlessly integrate with your website, ensuring a cohesive user experience. A well-designed career page creates a positive impression on potential employees and encourages them to apply for available positions.
Additionally, some ATS platforms offer comprehensive career pages that allow applicants to learn more about your organization and explore current opportunities. This feature enables you to build a talent pool of individuals who express interest in your company.
2. Job Distribution
An ATS plays a crucial role in simplifying job distribution tasks. By setting up your account once, the ATS posts your job openings on various platforms, eliminating the need for manual effort.
Job distribution features allow recruiters to publish their job openings effortlessly across multiple job portals and platforms with a single click. This capability enables recruiters to reach a wider pool of potential candidates and efficiently search for talent across different networking sites.
3. Application Reception and Sorting
One of the primary functionalities of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is receiving and sorting job applications. This feature dramatically benefits organizations by providing a streamlined system for receiving, reviewing, and organizing applicant submissions.
An ATS facilitates the efficient collection of numerous applications from candidates and stores them within a centralized database.
4. Resume Database
The resume database is a crucial component of an ATS as it houses all the resumes associated with your company. This enables you to access a vast pool of applicants without manually searching through thousands or even millions of resumes.
Maintaining a resume database is beneficial for keeping track of potential candidates who may not be suitable for a specific job opening but could be a perfect fit for future opportunities.
5. Messaging and Video Interview Scheduling
ATS messaging systems facilitate communication between recruiters and candidates through email or system-generated texts, eliminating the need to exchange personal contact information. This feature ensures easier tracking and organization of communication within the system. Similarly, interview scheduling functionality within the ATS allows recruiters to schedule video interviews directly within the system. Recruiters can input interview details, such as location and time, and send invitations to individual candidates who can accept or decline the interview request. This simplifies the scheduling process for busy recruiters and provides convenience for candidates.
6. Onboarding Tools
An applicant tracking system's onboarding tools are crucial for streamlining the process of new employee integration. These tools allow new hires to provide the necessary information and complete relevant documents before their first day, reducing paperwork and saving HR time and resources. Effective onboarding features help manage training and development for new employees and enable tracking of their performance, fostering positive working relationships with colleagues.
7. Social Sharing
Social sharing is a valuable feature offered by applicant tracking systems. It enables employers to post job openings on various social media platforms, reaching individuals actively seeking employment or interested in exploring new opportunities. An excellent ATS will provide a centralized dashboard to manage social accounts, minimizing the time spent on individual management and allowing recruiters to focus more on candidate search and engagement.
8. Seamless Integration with Internal Systems
A crucial aspect of an ATS is its ability to integrate smoothly with internal systems. Integrating an ATS with internal systems offers several benefits. Firstly, it allows for simultaneous integration with multiple job portals, expanding the reach of job postings. Additionally, ATS integration ensures that internal feedback from critical stakeholders, recorded in different systems, is properly integrated and managed. This streamlined process facilitates faster hiring decisions and helps prevent the costly consequences of poor hiring choices, saving organizations valuable time and resources.
9. Integration with External Software
An ATS should be able to integrate with external software and data sources, including candidate sourcing sites. This integration establishes a connection between the ATS, a company's central record system, and an external service specializing in a specific function. For instance, if an ATS wants to offer a background check service, it can integrate with external software that provides background check solutions. This integration enables ATS users to seamlessly access and utilize the external background check service within the interface.
10. User-Friendly Interface
An ATS should prioritize user-friendliness and offer an intuitive interface for hiring managers. The appearance and usability of an ATS can significantly impact the success of a staffing firm.
A user-friendly ATS enables faster product adoption, maximizes system value, and minimizes ongoing support issues.
11. Positive Return on Investment (ROI)
An ATS should deliver a positive ROI, ensuring the net return outweighs the associated cost. Calculating the estimated ROI helps build a business case for the ATS purchase and provides a basis for evaluating the ROI after implementation. The ROI formula includes hiring costs, recruitment labor costs, and recruitment agency costs, providing an estimate of the difference between the ATS investment and the productivity gained from successful hires.
12. Excellent Customer Support
A reliable ATS should offer excellent customer support to aid organizational growth through innovative tools and exceptional service. Prompt customer assistance can address technical issues and enhance user satisfaction. The ATS should actively seek and incorporate user feedback for product development, enabling customers to maximize software utilization. Customers can evaluate ATS features through user reviews, sign up for free trials, and engage with customer support for inquiries.
In conclusion, selecting an ATS with clearly defined goals and focusing on better business outcomes is crucial. A well-designed ATS simplifies administrative tasks, streamlines the hiring and onboarding process, and facilitates recruiting talented individuals who contribute to the organization's success.