Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are important tools for businesses looking to improve their hiring processes. Despite being considered a specialist tool for hiring, many companies struggle with the complex and human-intensive process.
ATS, which has been around since the early 1990s, helps businesses streamline their hiring process by integrating various software like accounting, sales, messaging, and marketing. Despite being initially thought of as a candidate management system, ATS is increasingly being adopted by smaller businesses looking to streamline their hiring processes. By utilizing ATS, businesses can streamline their hiring process, leading to increased growth and success.
10 reasons to consider using an applicant tracking system or candidate management system
1. You’re spending too much time submitting the same job ad to multiple boards
To effectively fill challenging positions, it’s important to post job ads on various job posting sites, including free and premium job boards. These sites can quickly find qualified candidates. However, posting to multiple sites requires time and effort. Using better applicant tracking systems (ATS) and candidate management systems can save time and money by allowing posting to multiple job sites with a single submission. This is especially beneficial when posting to 15+ job boards, as these systems offer discounted posting on popular boards like Indeed.
2. You want a better careers site but lack the resources to create or maintain it
A careers site is crucial for job seekers as it showcases open jobs and a company’s brand. Two-thirds of job seekers visit the page when interested. Maintaining an effective careers page can be challenging, but hiring tools like Workable offer an online editor for creating a branded page with no coding required. To attract the right candidates, provide a realistic sense of the work environment and team, using photos, office photos, or team videos. Creating an attractive and up-to-date careers page is essential for attracting the right candidates.
3. Irrelevant applications from unqualified candidates are flooding your inbox when hiring
Online job boards have helped in spreading the word about hiring, but they can be misunderstood by unqualified applicants, wasting time. An applicant tracking system (ATS) can help by offering customizable application forms with screening questions based on core requirements. Adding a screener can reduce unwanted applications. Additionally, ATSs provide structured information about all applicants, making it easy to disqualify those who aren’t considered. Overall, ATSs can help streamline the hiring process and reduce the number of irrelevant resumes.
4. Your hiring team is struggling to coordinate feedback on candidates and reach decisions
An ATS streamlines the hiring process by consolidating all candidate information, including notes, feedback, and evaluations, into one place. This eliminates the need for multiple emails and spreadsheets, which can be time-consuming. With an ATS, new hires can quickly catch up on the candidate’s progress, ensuring a smoother transition. Without an ATS, the hiring process becomes overwhelming and time-consuming.
5. You rely on external recruiters for mid-level hires to save time and reduce administrative work
External recruiters are essential for recruiting, but they should be used for high-level or tough roles. Hiring can be a headache, so it’s essential to find affordable and effective tools. An applicant tracking system (ATS) can provide an easy-to-use hiring pipeline, such as the default pipeline at Workable. This structure helps move qualified candidates along and disqualify those who don’t meet the grade. For a fraction of the cost of a recruiter, you can expand your reach without overwhelming your capacity to run an organized hiring process. A well-designed ATS should have this process built in, allowing you to attract great candidates and move them through the hiring process.
6. You’ve been tracking hiring in a spreadsheet and using email for communication, but it’s becoming overwhelming
Spreadsheets are useful for various tasks, but they struggle as a hiring tool. An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a powerful tool that combines job posting, sharing, tracking candidates, building shortlists, scheduling interviews, and making new hires. A best-in-class ATS allows easy browsing of candidate profiles, comparison, and
collaboration with the hiring team. It keeps notes, communications, feedback, schedules, and analytics all in one place, making it a more efficient alternative to spreadsheets and email.
7. You noticed a potential star during your last hiring round, but the position wasn’t right, and now you can’t locate them
Over-reliance on email can lead to a lack of focus on future job prospects. A well-run hiring process involves meeting prospects for future jobs, known as a “candidate pool.” An applicant tracking system helps keep track of everyone considered by the hiring team. Advanced ATS options like Workable allow for the tagging of promising candidates, making them easier to find later when a more relevant position is available.
8. You want to assess your hiring efforts but lack real data and benchmarks for comparison
Hiring processes often differ between companies, especially SMBs, due to the sudden and unpredictable nature of hiring needs. A good applicant tracking system can store and unlock data about the hiring process, helping to track the source of qualified candidates and determine the time it takes to make the right hire. It should deliver hiring reports that can be exported to CSV or Excel, enabling clearer, data-driven decisions with the team.
9. You’re about to enter an interview and can’t locate that crucial piece of feedback
Many interviewers struggle to find feedback from others, especially at a senior level, due to busy schedules. However, using a best-in-class ATS with a mobile version or native app can help. This allows for easy access to all interactions with the interviewee, even when on the move, ensuring no valuable information is lost.
10. You’ve been asked to create a hiring plan, but you lack reliable data to inform your budget of time and money
Recruiting metrics are essential for optimizing against external factors like the economy, labor market, location, industry, and job function. They provide a realistic measure of the hiring process, such as “time to fill,” which informs accurate business planning. Using candidate management systems or ATS can help budget more effectively, as they provide data that can be used to reduce these numbers.
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