In your role as a recruiter, you may already be using an applicant tracking system (ATS). But, have you ever taken time to consider whether your organization is using the right ATS? We know, the typical day in the life of a recruiter is beyond busy, and thinking about new systems probably isn’t top of mind. However, how many times have you encountered one of the following scenarios? Dealing with one or more of these situations could be a sign your organization could benefit from a new ATS:
1. You spend precious time every week posting positions to online job boards.
The vast majority of candidates use the Internet to search for a new position. It’s essential your jobs appear on the online job boards high-quality applicants visit. Many applicant tracking systems help recruiters create job descriptions, but that’s where they stop. Recruiters then must take that information and manually post it to sites like SimplyHired.com or Indeed.com. Adopting an ATS that automatically posts jobs online can be a huge time saver for HR teams.
2. Your ATS creates obstacles that detract from the candidate experience.
To attract the best applicants, it’s important to make a good first impression. Candidates consistently complain about organizations that make them create a password, profile or account before they are allowed to apply for a job. When applicant tracking systems make applicants jump through hoops, it detracts from the candidate experience. If your ATS falls into that category, it may be time to consider a solution that simply allows candidates to apply for a job.
3. You have to sift through applications and decide which applicants you want to interview.
Some applicant tracking systems present recruiters with a batch of electronic applications for a job opening, but that’s it. The burden rests with the HR team (which may be a team of one!) to compare the different candidates and determine which ones should be interviewed. A better alternative is an ATS that automatically scores candidates as applications come in and ranks them based on responses to job-specific questions.
4. Your ATS stops, once an interview has been scheduled.
The talent acquisition process doesn’t end once a candidate comes in for an interview. Unfortunately, many applicant tracking systems don’t support the full candidate lifecycle. Once an offer has been made, onboarding is an important step that transitions an applicant from candidate to employee. Onboarding has many administrative elements, such as distributing orientation packages, W-4s and other documentation. The best applicant tracking systems provide recruiters with onboarding support. This enables them to get great talent on the job faster without detracting from ongoing recruiting efforts for other open positions.
5. You have an on-premises ATS, rather than a cloud-based solution.
An on-premises applicant tracking system can be costly from an IT perspective, as well as inconvenient for recruiters. With a traditional ATS, IT teams are responsible for software upgrades, as well as the maintenance of servers and other hardware. A cloud-based solution eliminates all of those issues. Because a cloud-based ATS is accessed over the Internet using a web browser, no software or hardware needs to be maintained on-site. New features and functionality simply appear for use, with no effort required from the IT team. In addition, you can access a cloud-based ATS anywhere you have Internet access, including from mobile devices. It’s possible to manage open positions, applicants and interviews whenever and however it’s most convenient. Recruiters no longer need to be tied to their desks to find the best talent.
Is a new ATS right for your organization? The answer may be yes if any of these five signals resonated with you. Remember, adopting a new ATS can save time and money not only for recruiters, but also for IT and the entire organization.
If you’re ready explore an alternative applicant tracking system, download our buyer’s guide and get insight that will help you find the right ATS for your business.
