Why It's Time To Reconsider Applicant Tracking Systems

The labour market is changing, and the recruitment software available has evolved along with it – have you kept up?

As a recruiter, I see the challenges that more and more companies are having when they try to fill their open positions. Part of this challenge is that recruiting shouldn't be about merely filling positions. It's a process. It's creating a mission that people believe in and an environment they want to work in. It's branding and marketing. It's sales. Succeeding at all of these requires keeping up with the trends and technologies of the time – or you risk being left behind.  

The labour market is changing and so is the technology available to successfully navigate it. Both Canada and the US are experiencing near record low levels of unemployment right now, and this has companies struggling to recruit the staff they need to grow their business. In this tight labour market, organizations need to leverage every resource available to compete for top talent – particularly for strategic or highly-skilled positions. This is why the time is right to reconsider applicant tracking systems (ATS). 

By now, everyone in the recruitment industry knows what an ATS is, and most of us are already using them to source, track, and manage candidates. But are you using the right solution – and are you getting the most out of it? 

Recent Jobscan research found that 98 per cent of Fortune 500 companies use Applicant Tracking Systems, and a Kelly OCG survey estimated that 66 per cent of large companies and 35 per cent of small organizations rely on recruitment software.

At first glance, it appears that major firms are embracing hiring technology. So, what is the issue? Start-up companies are disrupting industries, and small businesses are delivering products and services to niche markets, while large enterprises struggle to adapt to rapidly shifting consumer trends. All of these organizations are vying for leadership talent, the hottest tech skills, plugged-in marketing and communications staff, sales professionals, and much more. 

To help solve the diverse challenges of these competing business models, a myriad of Applicant Tracking Systems and recruitment software offerings have emerged. The technology has evolved with the times. 

The question is, has your company kept up with the technology? 

The first step in getting the most out of the technology available to help your brand compete for top talent is selecting the solution that is right for you. If your recruitment strategies don't include using an ATS, you should consider the options available. Research has shown that a company with as few as eight employees can save $10,000 by using an ATS. 

Larger organizations that are almost certainly already using an ATS should also weigh their options and examine the new suite of functionality and services available. The range of options is growing, and the results can be substantial. 

These include applicant tracking systems designed for specific industries and challenges such as recruiting in-demand tech talent with the most sought-after skills or for small businesses or start-ups competing with bigger names and better-known brands. 

When you can't win on name recognition, how can you stand out? For starters, personalization, efficient communications, and the all-important candidate experience are key. The right ATS can help assure that your brand wins at all of these. 

The most common complaint that candidates have about their experience with an employer throughout the hiring process is lack of consistent communication. Applicants don't like to be left in the dark about the status of their candidacy, and sought-after talent won't hang around when they feel they're being ghosted. 

Keeping in touch, managing communications, and improving the candidate experience are just a small portion of the functionality that modern ATS solutions can provide. From enterprise packages with 1000+ users to customized solutions for a small business looking to save time and money by automating routine tasks and creating a pool of potential candidates, there are countless applicant tracking systems available. The best of them are scalable, allowing companies to select the services for their needs – and adapt the offering as their needs evolve. 

Here are some things to consider when choosing an Applicant Tracking System. As much as the candidate experience can be essential to your hiring success, your staff experience of the ATS is important for getting the most out of it. Training can be key. If the tool is not user-friendly, or offers no instruction on its functionality, your team won't be able to maximize its potential. 

Mobile recruiting has become an essential component to any hiring solution. It simply reflects how candidates look for opportunities. Nearly half (40 per cent) of mobile candidates will abandon the application process when the ATS is not mobile friendly. 

Recruiters cannot ignore the impact of social media on hiring. Online networks are how most people communicate now. Applicant Tracking Systems can enhance – and encourage - the social sharing of your job opportunities. Candidates are far more likely to respond to a job shared with them by a friend who knows their career abilities and ambitions. 

Similarly, the latest trends include software that integrates both ATS and Recruitment Marketing solutions under one platform. As the competition for hiring heats up, companies are integrating proactive marketing strategies into their talent acquisition. Recruitment software can manage candidate communications and deliver targeted messages to build and nurture relationships with pools of potential talent. 

Reactionary hiring – responding to fill open positions as they occur – is inefficient and costly. Recruiting isn't problem solving – it's smart marketing to grow your business from within. Integrating an ATS effectively makes this an ongoing, automated process. 

Of course, the human element of recruiting cannot be discounted – or automated. Candidates need to feel that they are dealing with real people when discussing a potential opportunity. Selecting the right ATS can simply streamline a host of time-consuming, routine and administrative activities - freeing up staff for those more valuable, personal interactions with potential hires. 

So, whether you have been a long-time user of Applicant Tracking Systems or haven't yet embraced hiring software for your organization, this is a great time to take a closer look at the options available.