What You Need to Keep in Mind While Selecting an ATS

What is an ATS?

Simply put, an ATS (Application Tracking System) is a central repository that saves the resumes and applications and automates the entire hiring process. ATS facilitates managing every stage of the recruiting process. Starting from application to hire, the ATS keeps track of all the activities of the recruitment team.

ATS has been a gamechanger in the sphere of recruitment and it is definitely going to be a top tool that will drive hiring success in the foreseeable future.

Why You Need to Use an ATS

The cost of the traditional hiring method is the crucial factor to consider and opt for an automated system that eases efforts and saves cost. The return on investment of your business truly relies on the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) you select and the business process you follow. Choosing the right ATS will literally transform your recruiting experience and offer a wide range of benefits.

The top benefits of using an ATS include, but are not limited to:

1) Increased productivity - Enhance your staffing operation by investing in an ATS that helps you manage end to end recruiting efforts.

2) Better candidate experience - Candidates will have better overall experience with the organization even before they associate formally.

3) Easy to access and manage applications - A good ATS offers recruiters access to multiple job boards and they can manage all prospective candidates’ applications from a centralized location.

4) Attract more and better candidates - Following a streamlined process and being transparent attracts quality candidates.

5) Makes it easy to comply with laws related to recruitment - The recruitment process is firmly in place through an ATS, including the legal aspects, so it is easier for the hiring team to just abide by it.

What You Need to Keep in Mind While Selecting an ATS

There are a multitude of factors that go into choosing the right ATS for your organization and the list will be quite long if you consider the minor factors too. But here we will cover the biggest 5 things that you need to keep in mind while selecting one.

Value for money

Your ATS should not tax your purse too much. Don’t measure a software by how attractive it looks, and avoid going for a high-end software simply because it has more features. As the old saying goes, All that glitters is not gold.

It really depends on your requirement and the budget you have at your disposal. So select an ATS that will serve your needs at an affordable cost. For example, the number of job postings and candidate details are critical factors to help you decide which ATS to go for.

Supports diversity and inclusive recruitment

A diverse workforce adds tremendous value to the organization’s reputation and profitability in the long run.However, inclusive recruitment boils down to quality judgment on the part of the recruiters. The human element is what will ensure great hiring decisions, but a great way to reduce the struggles of the overburdened recruiters is to use an ATS that supports inclusive recruitment.

Try it before you buy it

Companies that offer software might make tall claims about their product and how well it will serve your requirements. However, not all ATS are created equal and the promises made by the software are not always what they deliver.

For example, some ATS providers may claim that their software is the most affordable, but when you consider the license per seat and objectively assess the features offered in each pricing package, it may not be so affordable at all.

The best way to ensure that you don’t buy something that won’t deliver on its promises is to use the free trials of the various ATS out there and then decide which of them is ideal for your organization.

There is no ATS that will serve all businesses alike, so assess your needs well.

Suitability for using it on Mobile devices

People are increasingly using mobile devices for pretty much everything, including most of the office work that doesn’t absolutely require sitting in front of a computer. In this era of mobile-first, if the ATS you choose is not mobile-friendly, chances are it won’t be a hit with your HR workforce.

Choose an ATs that has a mobile version, which can be used to post jobs and connect with candidates pretty much anytime, anywhere.

Maintenance, Scalability, and Data Security

Ease of maintenance and scalability plays a big role too. You should really not have to manage and maintain your ATS on premises and everything should happen on the cloud.

Make sure you choose an ATS that complies with the privacy policy framework and safeguards your organization and candidates' private and sensitive data. It is your responsibility to ensure the data you feed in the ATS is secure in the cloud.

Going for an ATS that uses a technology like SSL or any similar encrypting technology will esure that the data of your candidates, your job descriptions, and other details that are fed into the ATS are secure and that there is no data breach.

Using an ATS to Boost Your Recruitment Efforts

While going for a good ATS is a great way to improve the recruiters’ productivity and candidate experience, one thing you need to keep in mind is that you are the real judge on what you are planning to achieve using an ATS. So first you need to assess why you need to go for an ATS to support your HR workforce in the first place. For example, if there is a training issue with regards to the quality of job descriptions you are producing, then an ATS will not serve as the magic pill to help you solve it.

So plan wisely, shop smartly, and reap the benefits. Choosing the right ATS, like RippleHire’s Talent Acquisition Cloud will help you get all the benefits of leveraging technology to support your hiring efforts, and help you become the talent acquisition superhero who is admired and respected by all alike!