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What Is an ATS?
An ATS, or applicant tracking system, is a software system designed to help recruiters track applicant data and communications. It offers a convenient way to review, rate, and communicate with candidates who apply to your open roles.
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Applicant tracking systems provide support throughout the entire recruiting process with features such as:
- Building thorough and appealing job descriptions with helpful guides and templates.
- Distributing the job posting to numerous job boards.
- Providing a centralized platform to review candidates who’ve applied through different job boards
- Allowing multiple members of the hiring team to collaborate on candidate decisions.
- Supporting in-platform candidate communications through email or text.
- Identifying top candidates based on qualifications and pre-employment assessments.
- Helping hiring managers prepare and send offer letters to selected candidates.
Benefits of an ATS for Businesses
An ATS can be a great asset for businesses and hiring teams. Here are some of the key benefits you can expect when using an ATS.
Centralizes Applicant Data
Keeping track of applications can be tricky when you’re sourcing candidates for several different platforms or accepting applications via email. You don’t want a great candidate to fall through the cracks because their submission got lost in your inbox or in a sea of applications. With an ATS, applicant data is stored in one centralized location and easily searchable for recruiters.
Reduces Time to Fill a Position
Time to fill is a metric that measures how long it takes you to fill a role from the time a job is posted until the date that a candidate accepts a job offer. Typically, you’ll want a fairly short time to fill, as that means that you are hiring efficiently.
An ATS can help you do that by keeping the recruiting process organized and helping you find top talent quickly. With smart screening tools and built-in pre-employment assessments, recruiters can identify top candidates promptly and reach out while the candidate is most interested and engaged.
Makes It Easier To Identify Top Candidates
The job market is tough right now and many businesses are getting more applications than usual. The problem is that sorting through all of those applications is time-consuming and many candidates may not actually have the skills or experience that you need. Applicant tracking systems make it easier for the strongest candidates to rise to the top of your list.
With an ATS, recruiters can search for the skills, education, or work experience they’re looking for to find the most qualified candidates. Many offer the option to add screening questions to verify whether applicants have the baseline requirements you’re searching for. Some even let you take it a step further with skills assessments or personality tests to get a more well-rounded view of applicants and find the best fits for your team.
Simplifies Compliance
Recruiting compliance can be tricky, especially if you’re hiring remote employees from different areas. An ATS can address several compliance concerns including:
- Maintaining compliant and secure documents and information storage to protect candidate data.
- Collecting compliant e-signatures on documents such as offer letters.
- Providing legally-vetted job offer templates.
- Offering guidance on onboarding compliance.
How an Applicant Tracking System Benefits Candidates
Recruiters aren’t the only ones that benefit from using ATS. Candidates can also enjoy several benefits throughout the hiring process.
Faster Communication and Response Times
Poor or slow communication during the hiring process is one of the biggest frustrations for candidates. It’s often not intentional, but hiring managers can get busy or an email can get lost in their inbox.
With an applicant tracking system, hiring teams can tighten up their candidate review timelines and get back to candidates sooner. In-platform communication management also helps ensure that hiring managers aren’t missing candidate emails and follow-ups.
User-Friendly Onboarding
Once you’ve selected your top candidate, you can use an ATS to send offer letters and background check authorizations. ATS platforms often make onboarding forms more user-friendly for candidates, as they can quickly read and sign them through the ATS interface rather than having to print them out or sign them with a PDF editor.
What To Look For When Selecting an Applicant Tracking System
Sorting through all of the options can be cumbersome if you’re new to the world of applicant tracking systems. Here are some key features and considerations to look for when you compare options.
Great Customer Support
The amount of support that you’ll get while setting up and using your system can vary widely between ATS vendors. Some vendors just have a basic support line or chat support, while others provide you with a dedicated implementation manager and customer success manager. For businesses that are new to using an ATS, having dedicated ongoing support can make a huge difference.
Candidate Evaluation Tools
Some ATS include candidate evaluation tools such as pre-employment assessments or pre-screening questions to help hiring teams learn more about candidates. For example, Wizehire supports DISC+ personality assessments to evaluate the candidate’s work style, motivators, and personal strengths. This can give you a better idea of how the candidate would fit with your current team and grow in the role.
Job Templates and Interview Guides
Creating an eye-catching yet informative job description takes time. The job posting is your first opportunity to capture a candidate’s attention and get them excited about the opportunity to work with your business. It also has to be thorough and informative.
To save time and provide a good foundation for your job posting, some ATS include job description templates. Others, including Wizehire, even offer interview guides to help you ask the right questions during phone screenings, interviews, and reference checks.
How to Start Using an ATS
To get started in using an ATS, you’ll want to select an ATS vendor and work with their implementation team to set up your account. To take advantage of all of the excellent ATS features discussed above, such as candidate evaluation tools and hands-on support, set up a demo to learn more about Wizehire’s ATS offerings.
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Using an applicant tracking system can streamline the hiring process and help you find the best fit for open roles. By cutting down candidate review times and keeping communication organized with an ATS, you can not only provide a better experience for your recruiting team, but also for your candidates.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of using an ATS can vary greatly based on the vendor and package that you choose. While there are a few free ATS options, they are typically quite limited and my not meet the needs of small and growing businesses. You can view Wizehire’s plans and pricing to learn more about costs and plan options.
Yes, some ATS software systems can integrate with payroll or HRIS tools. Integrating payroll or HRIS software with your ATS can streamline the employee onboarding process, so this is a great thing to inquire about when choosing an ATS. Wizehire supports both payroll and advanced HRIS integrations, though specific integration options will vary by plan.
Applicant tracking systems aren’t just for large businesses or specific industries, any business can benefit from using an ATS. Using an applicant tracking system for small business hiring is a great way to allow small HR teams to cut down on administrative time while hiring. Large or growing businesses often have several open roles at once and will benefit from having an ATS to keep all of the applications sorted and organized correctly.
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