For many recruitment processes, time is crucial. Either we have to fill the position quickly or there is a shortage of candidates in that particular industry, which is common for IT roles, for example. ATS needed?

In the case of the latter, we usually compete with numerous other recruiters trying to attract a candidate’s attention. One way to gain time is to minimize administrative tasks and introduce automation wherever possible to be able to devote more attention to areas where the human factor is irreplaceable and will even give us an advantage over other recruiters. All of that can be accomplished with the use of an ATS, or Applicant Tracking System. An ATS is a software that serves as a database for job applications. It allows companies to manage them and offers various other functionalities.

Managing the flow of candidates’ applications

Firstly, an  ATS connected to our website’s career page enables us to create an easy and quick flow of applications. Candidates don’t need to worry about how to apply, and we know exactly where all the applications are stored. Data safety is a growing concern, and a trustworthy applicant tracking system might become a key part of your data protection policy. Also allow you to pass some of the effort and responsibility from humans on to technology.

Maintaining our candidate database in the ATS also means that with no new efforts we potentially already have a pool of candidates we can engage in our new process. It’s much easier to access the information we gathered in an ATS than to comb through our written notes or emails. For this reason, we can start our search for candidates right there, before expanding to other recruitment platforms.

Automating your search

In every recruitment process, one invaluable benefit is the ability to automate the search. As our database grows, new candidates are added regularly. While some job positions aren’t one-off but rather a more permanent or reoccurring opening, which means we need to repeat the search to check out the new profiles. Depending on the database, it might be very time-consuming and, consequently costly. Here’s when automating your search comes into play. Just with a few clicks, we can tell our ATS which criteria to look for in resumes. It will keep notifying us about new profiles matching the requirements. HelloAstra supports this functionality with machine learning, which becomes more and more prevalent in the world of technology.

Tracking the recruitment process – ATS needed?

Once we engage candidates, an ATS makes it easy to manage them and keep track of their progress in the recruitment process right up to, or even exceeding, the hiring stage. This minimizes the chance of errors or loss of data. At the same time, it means we are more available to work directly with candidates. Create a positive and memorable candidate experience for them, and improve our employer branding.

Some ATSs go as far as to enable direct: messaging of candidates, Scheduling interviews, and accessing the history of our interaction. For both sides, it might prove more intuitive and efficient than using emails, especially in the case of ATSs which are accessible on mobile platforms as well.

Communicating and exchanging information – ATS needed?

As for communication at the internal level, an ATS usually makes it possible to cooperate with other recruiters and managers engaged in the same recruitment process, share information with them, or exchange notes. Another part of a recruiter’s job is reporting. Here’s where an ATS can also offer a simple and stress-free alternative to more traditional tools.

In essence, a reliable ATS might act as a hub for all our recruitment activities. It safely stores candidate data, improves both internal and external communication, speeds up repetitive tasks, and allows us to cut time and money devoted to filling our job openings.  Of course, depending on your budget and needs, ATSs might offer additional functionalities. Regardless of that, an ATS is a handy tool that will help your company grow.