7 features to look for in an applicant tracking system

Applicant Tracking System features to consider

Data has become a hot commodity in the 21st century. Even our daily decisions, which may seem inconsequential and almost habitual, are data-driven results.

Companies invest big bucks in data mining and research to make carefully calculated decisions.

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With technology innovating how companies function by leaps and bounds every day, it becomes only natural that the recruitment process gets a slice of this cake. Finding the right candidate for the right job is a tough decision in the human resource department.

With so many people applying for positions, it becomes easy for the right candidate to slip by. Maintaining a pool of candidates is not a job for the faint of heart. Careful metrics and considerations with skillset evaluation have to be carried out to ensure that no time is wasted.

Features to Look for in an Applicant Tracking System

An applicant tracking system proves to be a savior for most recruitment needs. The system is a software application that acts as a central location for all the candidate data generated either through the company’s ATS (applicant tracking system) front-end or collected from job boards such as LinkedIn, Monster.com, and other portals.

When thinking about investing in an ATS, here is a list of the top 7 must-have features:

1. Engage and Manage

With the job market now more tech-savvy than ever, the traditional methods of finding a job have taken a backseat. Candidates now check postings on their phones and other advanced gadgets rather than go job hunting on foot.

While choosing an ATS system, the system must develop an AI that is engaging and manages the candidates well. That means having an ATS that introduces the company to the candidate and automatically opens a line of communication. It is also important that the ATS manages the candidates based on their skill levels.

Candidates these days consider primary initiation at the time of job application an important aspect that shows their attitude towards their candidates. A good ATS system ensures it picks the right candidate from the database that matches the open position’s good requirements.

2. Automated Emails made personal

It can be frustrating as a candidate when you apply for an open position with a reputed company and get no form of communication in return. It leaves you high and dry and in a state of constant anxiousness and confusion as to whether the company has even seen your application or not.

Automated emails are a way to start positive communication with the candidates, which helps promote a positive outlook about the company. A good ATS system should ensure that timely and proper email communication is being sent to the candidates every step of the way.

From interview initiation to scheduling, the emails should be tailored to have a personal touch that a prospective candidate can appreciate.

3. Intelligent Workflow System

Since ATS is a software system, it follows a certain type of workflow. Companies need to demonstrate every aspect of the built-in workflow properly. This serves a dual purpose. First, the company does not have to spend months trying to figure out or adapt its working style to the workflow.

Second, the company can know about the workflow’s pitfalls, if any, and ask the company to customize certain aspects of it to suit the company’s needs better. The workflow function of an ATS is crucial to the company as much as it is to the system itself. It can either prove to be a great help or the biggest hindrance.

4. Scheduling and Feedback

The interview is a crucial part of the recruitment process. It helps decide whether the candidate is a good fit for the company. ATS systems should be smart enough to pick out the time preferences, match them with the managers’ availability, and schedule a proper time accordingly. Mismatched interview schedules create a problem for all. It can be a waste of time for the company and the candidate.

Hence, it is important for the ATS system to carefully scrutinize the candidate’s information and schedule an interview accordingly. The communication for the same interview must be clear and crisp.

After the interview, the ATS should take automated measures to gain feedback about the process to use the data and fix problems with their recruitment process. Feedback from the candidate is a positive aspect as it portrays a good company image. It also helps in gaining data about the good and bad aspects of the recruitment process.

5. Dashboard

The ATS system should have an activity dashboard that helps managers track what recruiting activities are being carried out throughout the organization. This can help in maintaining a smooth job flow. A dashboard also keeps track of a candidate’s progress along the recruitment process so that correct communication is maintained.

A good ATS has an interactive dashboard that aids managers in maintaining smoother functioning across the human resource channels. The dashboard is also a way to weed out potential misfit candidates for the position easily. It also helps make any quick changes in the recruitment process.

6. Analyzing the Data

With the overall number of applicants constantly increasing, managing, and maintaining a database, with all their information can get quite tough. Imagine 200 applicants applying for just one position. The data generated from such statistics can be monumental.

Thus, companies need to invest in an ATS system that filters the candidates based on the job requirement and manages to match the right candidate with the right job profile. This can be a huge benefit in terms of time saved and the sheer energy spent looking for the right person for the open position.

7. Data Presentation

How data is presented lends credibility to how a manager perceives it. If the data is presented haphazardly, making sense of it can take days, wasting much of the manager’s time. For the managers to function efficiently, the data must be presented clearly and concisely, free of jargon.

An ATS system can aid since it collects, assimilates, and presents candidate data in the desired format. The ATS can highlight the key points the manager considers crucial about a candidate and mention any other important information that may affect their decision.

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