What Are the Top 5 Features of the Applicant Tracking System? fgcvd

The perfect workforce is crucial to the success of any company. Whether you’re a start-up, a small, mid-sized, or large organization is key. This is why companies are always in the market, trying to get the right talent.

However, finding and hiring the right candidate can be time-consuming and costly. Attracting candidates and sorting through resumes can be tasking, scheduling interviews, and keeping track of application data. Many of these challenges and headaches can be eliminated with an applicant tracking system software. 

In this article, we will be looking at why applicant tracking systems are important and the top features of applicant tracking software.

 What Is Applicant Tracking System?

Understanding What is applicant tracking system and how it benefits your organization can be the first step toward making recruitment easy and less costly. It can also be the key to improving your brand image. 

An applicant tracking system streamlines recruitment processes. It does this by automating many tasks and keeping track of all activities and data relating to the process. This way, you can hire the best candidates too fast and provide a seamless experience throughout the exercise. 

Importance of an Applicant Tracking System

Applicant tracking systems are the go-to for any recruiter who wishes to attract the right candidates. It is also beneficial if you desire to provide a seamless experience throughout the process. Also, if your goal is to reduce the stress and resources involved in hiring new talent. The applicant tracking system benefits your recruiters in the following ways.

• Saves time and cuts cost 
• It Makes job posting easier 
• Produces better quality candidates 
• Enhances interdepartmental communication 
• Provides a positive experience for candidates 
• Streamlines the recruitment process 
• Promotes employer brand
• Improves employee retention 
• Provides a flexible system for candidates and recruiters 

Five Top Features of the Applicant Tracking System

Applicant tracking systems are highly sought after because they make recruitment easy. The software has unique features that stand out for agencies and companies. Here are 5 top features of the applicant tracking system. 

1. Attract Candidates

The first stage in any recruitment process is attracting the right candidate. The applicant tracking system makes this easy in many ways. For one, it sets the job description clearly. Candidates will likely only be attracted to your job offer if they understand what it is about. 

The applicant tracking system eliminates mistakes and ensures the right keywords are used. This is one way to attract the right candidates.  

The ATS software also allows candidates to apply for jobs using whatever device they are most comfortable with. Today’s applicants are mostly millennials who use their smartphones for almost everything. Most applicants search for jobs on their smartphones. Making it easy to apply on the go increases the chances of attracting more applications. 

Also, running an online applicant tracking system helps make job posting on several social media platforms easy. With one click, millions of people can see your job opening. This is also another way it helps to attract the right talents. 

2. Manage Hiring

Once the right candidates have been attracted and their applications are in, ATS helps to manage the entire hiring process. It parses the resumes received and sorts them. 

The system then ranks the candidates according to how well they fit the ideal candidate profile. 

This helps to eliminate unqualified candidates and ensure that only the best proceed to the next stage. 

The applicant tracking system software also manages all communication between the candidates and the recruiters. The system provides automated messages to applicants concerning their application status. It also helps to schedule interviews. 

3. Provide Advanced Analytics and Insightful Reports

Another great feature of ATS is its ability to track and collate data. This makes it easy to access all the information about your recruitment process. You can see the different platforms on which the job was posted. You also have data on how many applicants responded from each platform. 

It also keeps track of the response time. You can see how many resumes were submitted and how fast the responses came in. With its ability to categorize, you can see the demographics of your applicants. The system can organize applicants based on skills, education, or district. 

With all this information, you can tell how long it took to complete the recruitment process. You can tell what the cost per hire is. You can see where most of the applicants come from and their educational background. You can tell what platform generated the best or the highest responses. All of these provide valuable insight for making decisions in the future. 

4. Onboard New Starters 

Onboarding new employees can be stressful, both for the workers themselves and for the organization. However, it is crucial to create a positive experience for new hires.  

Properly welcoming new employees into an organization can determine how long they remain with the organization. According to SHRM, 69% of employees are likelier to remain with an organization for three years if their onboarding experience is great. 

Applicant tracking systems can help this process go a lot smoother. The ATS software can be programmed to send reminders concerning resumption schedules and requirements. It can also send welcome messages to new employees. 

The system also makes it easy to access important personal information. It helps to organize new employees’ data, such as health insurance, payment details, and tax information. 

5. Create a Passive Pool of Potential Candidates

Apart from helping you to manage your hiring quickly and more effectively, the applicant tracking system also helps keep a reserve. 

Sometimes, you get more candidates suited for the job than you need. The applicant tracking system allows you to access all information about these candidates. You can reach out to them should you need to hire quickly. This is especially beneficial for roles that keep needing more workforce. 

One advantage of this passive pool is that you know these candidates are already interested in working for your company. Another advantage is that you already know they’re qualified for the job. This takes away the stress of finding fresh candidates. It also saves the time and resources it would have taken to conduct another recruitment exercise. 

Summary

Aside from helping you get the best possible hires in the shortest time, using an applicant tracking system benefits your business in many ways. It helps to reduce employee stress and burnout. This ensures that you have a happy and energized workforce who are more effective and more productive.

The applicant tracking system also enhances interdepartmental communication. Making it easy for joint hiring and decision-making to happen. Also, errors and conflicting information and schedules are minimized. The applicant tracking system also helps to ensure that no data is lost. Providing analytics and reports that help your company make better and faster decisions.