An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that transforms the manual cumbersome process of hiring into a seamless tech-based easy recruitment process. An AI-powered ATS solves many of the challenges a recruiter faces with an array of capabilities, ranging from handling huge databases of candidates to customizing the candidate experience. This ultimately improves the quality of hire.
An ATS can transform a recruiter’s daily activities to save time and resources by mitigating the hassle of finding the right candidate, increasing the number of placements, and generating higher revenue for your business. But, choosing the right ATS can be a daunting process with an overwhelming number of recruitment software options available today. Before you select your ATS, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself:
- Does the ATS suit the size of your business today?
- Can it scale to meet future growth?
- Have you checked out third-party reviews of the ATS?
- Does the ATS align with your budget?
- How is the training and support provided by the software service?
- Does the ATS cater to your unique business needs?
Before you invest in an ATS, here are a few features you should consider-
- A Career Site. A career site is the first thing that greets an applicant. Therefore, a career page is an essential feature of any recruitment software. It should be simple and convey the brand’s message. A career website is one of the easiest ways to attract visitors to your website and transform them into engaged candidates. A built-in career site for tracking extraordinary applicants is great for employer branding as well.
- AI-Based Profile Matching. AI has revolutionized every sector of business. When it comes to recruitment, it is also necessary to find top-grade candidates with AI-based algorithms working on the back-end. A good ATS should be able to match and rank candidates based on a large number of criteria, including skills, experience, culture compatibility, location, etc. An AI-powered ATS will show a profile score for each candidate, making the job of the recruiter much easier.
- A Cutting-Edge User Experience. A good UX (user experience) impacts business results and increases growth. The goal of every ATS is to improve the recruiter’s productivity by saving time and resources simultaneously. A good ATS should be user-friendly and engaging, allowing recruitment touchpoints to be defined according to your specific requirements.
- Top-Notch Mobile Experience. Today everyone wants everything at their fingertips. Recruitment software has responsive site versions that can be used on various platforms including iOS and Android. With the increasing prevalence of mobile apps, it is important to consider the availability of mobile versions of an ATS, so that the recruiters can work from anywhere and at any time.
- Compatible Integrations. How compatible is the ATS? Can the software integrate into your existing system? Is it possible to integrate the ATS with third-party applications? Are all your defined requirements being met? When buying an ATS you need to understand that there are a lot of crossovers and data migration to consider. Many applicant tracking systems provide integrations to career sites, job boards, plugins to emailers, messaging portals, vendor management software, etc. A good ATS has many integrations with websites and portals that deliver a seamless user experience.
- Impeccable Data Security and Compliance. Without proper data security, companies of any size may expose themselves to risky business practices. It is imperative that software, especially databases and information about recruiters, vendors, and candidate information, be secured. An ATS should be adaptable to regional and global compliance requirements such as GDPR, ISO, SOC2, especially for international data transfers. Security with IP restrictions, two-step verification are basic requirements to reduce fraudulent logins.
The ROI Factor
In the end, it all comes down to how much money and time you are able to save by using an ATS. Recruitment is a critical business function. Costs include paying job boards, agency fees, and subscriptions for third-party tools like e-signatures, video conferencing, onboarding, assessments, etc. Considering all these annual expenses, businesses cannot afford to overlook any tool that will help to streamline these processes, and recruitment automation is the best answer. An AI-powered ATS increases recruiter productivity, saving time, money, and resources, paying for itself many times over.
Once the parameters are set, it is important to set a time frame for choosing the best in the market, taking demos and trials. Above all, the aim should be to achieve services tailored to the excellence of your business.