Implementing an ATS
As more and more companies look to reduce the costs of recruitment by increasing the number of direct hires, the need for Applicant Tracking Systems is becoming pivotal to organisations’ recruitment and selection strategies.
When considering the implementation of an ATS system, organisations should consider the following key factors to ensure that they implement a system that will provide the required functionality in both the long and short term, not just one that will meet the immediate needs.
Does the organisation want to use the ATS as a central talent pool for good, qualified talent with whom they can build a relationship and then act quickly when vacancies arise? Searching capabilities are critical in this situation and so it’s important to build the right kind of search criteria in the design phase.
It is imperative that the system is sympathetic to and supports the internal selection process, which requires a flexible and scalable approach. It also means that the system needs to be able to adapt quickly as needs change e.g. moving from decentralised to centralised structure or adapting to a shared services model. All too often we see companies that have systems that are inflexible and expensive to change, and end up being the tail that wags the dog.
Data capture, interrogation and reporting are probably highest of all on agendas. Good Management Information makes the difference between a well informed recruitment strategy and a poor one. There is a huge appetite for data and the ATS should provide a wide range of solid information including time to hire, cost to hire, as well which methods of recruitment have been the most successful and cost effective. All of this needs to be readily available at the touch of a button.
To assist companies that are looking at providers of an ATS, the following questions are fundamental towards the successful selection and implementation:
1. Can I create requisitions and will I have automated sign-off approval capabilities? With the ability to create requisitions online, you should also have the ability to identify positions that are new, replacements, full-time versus part-time, department and region specific etc. Typically this will ensure speedier authorisation process and ultimately reduce time to hire compared with a manual, paper based process.
2. Can the software integrate with the company website? Having a career portal is critical for delivering a positive and consistent candidate experience, whilst improving or enhancing employer brand.
3. Will candidates be able to register for job alerts? As more candidates are interested in roles with particular companies, it makes sense to send the job details directly to them as soon as the vacancy arises.
4. Can the system automatically filter and rank applicants according to skills, background and suitability for the role? With ever increasing volumes of applications for certain roles, the efficient sifting of applicants is crucial to speed up the process of shortlisting candidates for interview.
5. Does the system allow bulk email functions? This allows the recruiter to send instant communication to all applicants who may be unsuccessful in one click. Additionally, the ability to schedule interviews and track the interview progress is imperative.
6. What reporting functionality is available within the ATS? The ability to track and report on Time to Hire, Cost per hire and Applicant Source to name but a few is essential to evaluate the ROI and develop the processes and protocols for enhanced efficiencies. Additionally, being able to produce ad-hoc reports based on functional or geographical areas of the business should be high on non-negotiable functionality requirements.
7. Does the system have Equal Opportunities monitoring? This includes the ability to report on Diversity, Gender and Disability for example and this option should be readily available in the ATS you select.
8. Is the system easy to use? This is the number one factor to consider. Your ATS is only as good as the people using it. If you recruiters and managers do not utilise the system due to complexity, it is of zero value.
There are many other considerations to be made when thinking about your ATS but these cover some of the most common essential functionality requirements that are generally considered priority.
Once you know what you need from your ATS, next you need to select a provider and in doing so, the following guide may prove helpful:
1. Look only at ATS providers with a proven track record of success and by that I mean asking to speak to other clients that the provider works with? Recommendation is generally the best way forward and references will provide reassurance in your decision
2. Be realistic and stay within the parameters of your business’s actual needs. Not every company requires the software with the most bells and whistles. The size of your organisation and volume of annual hiring are important factors to consider. If you operate like a Toyota, you don’t need a Range Rover, so identify your needs BEFORE you begin your search.
3. Cost is obviously a factor to consider, but consider ALL costs in your selection process. Make sure you know what the implementation fee, monthly maintenance fee, training costs and any bespoke development costs are (if any) as you narrow down your selection.
An effective ATS will bring many benefits to the organisation, including; Finding the right candidates with minimum amount of time and minimal cost, matching candidate profiles to job descriptions and short listing candidates through automated screening processes that lessen the activities required by recruiters, storing candidate information in a central repository for easy retrieval at a later date, reducing the cost of expensive adverts as you drive more direct traffic to your website and your business and elimination of paper applications and time intensive processing of applications through email inbox’s.
