The applicant tracking software made its way into the recruitment domain a few years ago. Previously, the software would get implemented by a few companies that could bear the cost. Today, however, its use has risen to a great extent.
An applicant tracking system helps companies by streamlining the process of tracking and managing applications. Serving as a highly valuable tool, an ATS functions as a centralized database. It enables companies to store important information as it can be easily accessed.
Applicant tracking systems designed for the United Kingdom, for instance, are designed to make it easy for companies to comply with the laws. When hiring in the UK, there are factors that companies must take into consideration. And remember that every locale has laws and norms that must be respected.
Observing these laws enables companies to improve hiring and avoid errors that might lead to penalties. Purchasing an ATS designed for use in the UK is very helpful if that’s where your company is based. An applicant tracking system UK helps employers to keep track of the right information. It helps HR teams to get the free time to focus on the most important aspects of recruitment.
Preparing an HR Applicant Tracking System for a Productive Year
A company’s recruitment success depends on its ATS. So why would you want to rush into integrating it without proper preparation?
Remember that this is a system that will help you in sourcing and hiring great candidates. It also comes with many benefits and as such, you must research and have certain considerations in place. That’s the reason we have this article, to help you know how to prepare an ATS for productivity in the company.
- Familiarise Yourself with the Requirements of the HR Team
If you’re thinking of effectively implementing an applicant tracking system, it’s time to start familiarising yourself with the needs of your HR team. You must do a careful assessment of the business operations.
This will give you a rough idea of the usage details and the required features for talent acquisition. Once you’ve obtained the necessary information, you can go ahead and find the right ATS for the company.
The team at the HR department will need to get acquainted with the benefits of the software. This will help them understand how its implementation will help them attain company goals.
Keep in mind that old-school employees are reluctant to work with new technology. As such, effective communication with them will go a long way in facilitating a common understanding for the good of the company.
- Look for the Right ATS Features
After determining what the company needs, collaborate with your team to decide on the essential and non-essential features. Prioritize your needs and find out how an ATS will help you achieve your goals. Here are the common features that interest most companies:
- Creating and tracking job postings for the company. An applicant tracking system enables you to create a job listing to post on sites like Glassdoor. You can then manage responses and tailor your ads to get more interested candidates. You can also keep the text on file to rework later for the good of the company.
- Managing candidates and collaborating. Recruitment database software enables organizations to store information at every stage of the employee’s life cycle. You can loop in employees to make it easy to make important decisions. Strong talents can also stay on file, which makes it easy to find them for future positions.
- Recruiting analysis. You must ensure that the platform can crunch the numbers. Tracking and measuring applicant hiring data helps to allocate resources and smart hires.
Integrating with other software applications in the company. There’s no need of having great recruitment software if it can’t integrate with administrative processes. Remember that the data from recruitment can end up being important later on. In short, it’s important to have a program that works with the rest of your tech to prevent future headaches.
- Ask the Vendor of the ATS About System Integration
Be sure to formulate an implementation strategy before investing money in an applicant tracking system software. It helps to ensure that business expectations are met.
So make sure that you ask fundamental questions related to the ATS system. Such questions include:
- the features in the package.
- The system’s functionality.
- possible risks.
- and additional implementation charges.
You must also inquire with the ATS vendors about the possible integration of the software with other applications. Find out how the candidate’s data will get transferred into the new system upon implementation. After shedding light on all your doubts, you collaborate with the vendor and proceed with the implementation plan of the ATS.
- Test the Software to Recognize Bottlenecks
Testing software for possible bottlenecks is crucial when integrating it into the business. It helps to ensure the smooth functioning of the system in the long run. Thus, you must apply a case-based plan to engage recruiters.
Assess the software for user-friendliness and overall functionality. This helps to ensure that you get the necessary feedback about the applicant tracking software.
Get the software’s vendor to scrutinize the use cases and configure the software based on the needs of your business. Recognizing the bottlenecks helps you to make improvements.
- Train the HR Team on How to Use the ATS
Training the team at the HR department on how to use the ATS is very important. It helps to open doors to an efficacious and successful adoption of the software.
Your ATS is supposed to provide you with an elaborate approach. One that explains the efforts and time that must be put in by HR teams for significant benefits while using the software.
You should also come up with a plan to train employees in an efficient manner. That will guarantee that they don’t face difficulties when using the newly acquired ATS.
- Map Your Recruiting Workflows
Efficiently mapping up your recruitment workflows is the other way of preparing for a productive year with an ATS. It brings about a clearer understanding of various talent acquisition processes. Such processes include sourcing, recruiting, and onboarding.
It helps with the evaluation and enhancement of the processes as per the requirements of the company. As a result, the ATS vendor will help in identifying remarkable opportunities during the software’s implementation. It then generates a greater return on investment and prepares the way for improved business outcomes.
Conclusion
An applicant tracking system helps in boosting productivity in the company. The right and easy-to-use ATS allows you to collect and track applicants during the hiring process. It also allows you to create a customized hiring page. This way, you can showcase the company, your team, and available positions.
That’s the reason you must take the time to find the right applicant tracking system software. It helps to ensure that you don’t waste time and money on the wrong software.