Applicant tracking has always been one of the most tedious tasks that recruitment managers faced in the past, especially for companies that receive tons of applications for each job opening. Today with the advent of the Applicant Tracking System (ATS), life has become a whole lot easier for recruiters and HR personnel, helping them hire employees that stick around for keeps.
What is an Applicant Tracking System?
ATS is a software application for the purpose of automating the recruitment process. From screening candidates to finally hiring candidates it covers the entire process.
The application can be deployed or it can be cloud based recruitment software as well.
Purposes of Applicant Tracking System
The purposes of using an applicant tracking system are many. Some of the most common ones include:
- Ease of scanning applications – Thousands of applications can be scanned in a jiffy, based on customized filters or keywords.
- Greater resource savings – Saving resources such as time, energy and paper (since everything is online, there is zero or minimal need for printing).
- Streamlined and timely communication – Enables speedier and prompt communications with candidates.
- Interview scheduling and coordination – Schedules interviews with multiple stakeholders for the particular role.
- Storage and access to candidate pool – Helps maintain a large database of candidates. This is particularly the case when the solution is cloud based since it offers almost unlimited storage capabilities.
- Social media integration – An ATS can sync with the online platforms (such as LinkedIn) to pick candidate profiles and extend the hiring pool.
- Cost savings – One of the key purposes is also cost saving. Investing in an ATS helps lower the costs of recruitment in the long run.
Managing Applications for Positions
An applicant tracking software has parsing features which allows it to screen thousands of applications for various positions. Applications from diverse mediums are integrated (email, social media, website applicants) and mapped to the various open positions.
Screening Candidates
An Applicant tracking system typically screens out candidates from a large database of resumes, depending on predefined criteria for a particular job role. They may also use the social media platform profiles in addition to the submitted resumes since candidates today largely have evolved to the space of social media profiles.
Candidates are screened out based on an automated search for keywords which are appropriate for the job role. The ability to set filters ensures that no time is lost in screening candidates who are unfit for a particular job role.
Adherence to Hiring Compliance
An applicant tracking system can be programmed with the customized filters in such a way that the hiring process is adherent with the compliance guidelines for an industry, as set down by regulatory bodies or the government. This works in generating the right set of questions relevant for the role and ruling out any inappropriate questions.
A regular report is also generated and sent across to the relevant agencies. This is particularly helpful while recruiting in the government sector. Hence, applicant tracking system can go a long way in ensuring hiring compliance.
Providing Hiring Managers with Metrics and Data
Most applicant tracking systems provide regular reports, not just for compliance agencies but also for internal consumption. This includes a dashboard of the current status of recruitment in your organization, helping to keep hiring managers and other concerned personnel updated about recruitment efficiency within your company.
The stage-wise status of a job position is reflected till it is closed, and red flags are raised in case of any roadblocks, which may need action from your end. An indicative trend of the industry may also be reflected in the updates that are provided from time to time.
Applicant tracking systems have created a revolution in the space of recruitment. Recruitment is no longer an arduous task of going through a pile of resumes, then filtering the most suitable one and then following up time and again with candidates and internal stakeholders hopelessly. With the advent of modern applicant tracking systems, the whole process from screening to the deliverance of the final offer letter is just a breeze!
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