5 Best Practices for Recruitment ATS

A recruitment applicant tracking system (ATS) will be helpful for your company. This is in terms of efficiency, productivity, and scalability.

68% of recruiting experts said that investing in better recruitment tools and technology will improve performance. And the need to find and engage candidates is of top priority.

You can do more with an applicant tracking system. Gone are the days when recruiters have to do things manually. There are now tools that do all the laborious tasks and speed up the entire recruitment process.

Since it's cloud-based, it even stores and saves all data from day one. Doesn't matter if it's a candidate profile, applicant status, or email thread. It's in the cloud for the team to access anytime and anywhere.

This might seem unappealing at first. All until you need to recall a candidate for a new job opening. Or, you need to backtrack certain email exchanges with candidates. 

You'll be thankful for applicant tracking systems as your company grows. You're dealing with an increasing amount of data and profiles. ATS can help get the job done without worries.

 Here, we'll talk about the best practices in using applicant tracking systems. Learn how to improve your overall hiring process without getting overwhelmed with information overload.

What is a recruitment applicant tracking system (ATS)?

Applicant Tracking System or ATS (also known as Applicant Tracking Software) is usually a cloud-based software. It sources candidates across multiple channels. Then, it funnels all incoming applications into a centralized platform.

Since everything is stored online, users can access all the data. Wherever and whenever it is possible. Even years after!

It also smoothens and optimizes the recruitment process. How? By providing an all-in-one solution using various tools and features. This improves day-to-day operations greatly. It gives users a seamless experience throughout.

You can read more about it here.

What should you look for in recruitment applicant tracking systems?

There are several recruiting software like ATS in the market. However, features and functionalities differ from brand to brand. That is why it's crucial to choose one that can optimize your hiring process.

Here are some major thoughts that you must consider before making a decision:

Ease of Use

First and foremost, your ATS should be easy to navigate. It is designed to help you work better and faster. If it doesn't do your hiring process any justice, then that's a red flag.

Ease of use can refer to the UI, UX, and accessibility. Ultimately, you need it to improve your experience throughout. The design should be easy on the eyes. Plus, it should be easy to use that no support would be needed.

It should be available across all types of devices, too.

Career Page Builder

Not all ATS have this. However, it's nice to subscribe to a software that offers a career page builder. Why is this relevant? First, it's the number 1 preferred channel of candidates when looking for jobs. 

Second, it can greatly improve your employer branding. You can attract top talent in no time in several ways. Customize the job description, web page design, and more to name a few.

Data privacy compliance tools

This is one of the most overlooked aspects of an ATS. You have to be aware of the legalities of the hiring process. This is especially true for businesses.

You need to protect yourself and the candidates from any potential harm. This will be one less headache that you can and must avoid.

Read more about our data compliance tools here. 

Comprehensive Reports and Analytics

Reading analytics is becoming vital for every recruiter. 84% of HR experts said that this will greatly help in making sound decisions.

Reports and analytics can do a lot of things. It can reveal recruitment metrics, job status, and even recruiter performance. With these insights, it will be easier to know what works and what doesn't. Thus, allowing you to modify your recruiting processes as necessary.

API Integration

Of course, it can't be helped that you are using several tools all at once. The beauty of a good ATS is that it can streamline other solutions and integrate them into its system.

For example, Manatal permits you to connect the ATS to other platforms. This includes payroll and HRIS solutions like SAP, Oracle, Kronos, ADP, and more. This gives you an all-in-one channel for your hiring needs.

 More information available at this link.

Dual Functionalities

A great ATS allows you to engage with applicants and team members conveniently. However, it should also let you handle the client front of the business for recruitment agencies. This is to ensure overall company success and survival.

Some ATS have a recruitment CRM combination. This lets the user manage and convert customer leads. Additionally, it nurtures relationships with existing customers. All of these can be done in a single pipeline. We have an in-depth guide about it in this article.

Customer Support

An excellent ATS should be easy to use and understand. However, that doesn't take away the need to have great customer support.

Whether you have a question or concern, customer support should be available to address them. It can either be a chatbot integration or a live support staff.

Manatal is one of the best (if not the best) options there is for an ATS. It ticks all the boxes of all major considerations. And starting at an affordable price of $15/month to boot!

Best Practices in Using Recruitment Applicant Tracking System

Now that you've figured out the right ATS to use, you must know how to maximize it to your advantage.

Recruiting and hiring can be difficult. Following these guidelines can help:

Evaluate and Select the Perfect ATS

As mentioned above, you should choose the best one tailored to your company's needs. There is no one size fits all. What you select should be able to address your company challenges.

Take note of the features, pricing, accessibility, and more. The management of companies should also contribute their thoughts before making a decision.

Align hiring process based on company goals and priorities

Recruiters and hiring managers should make sure that it's helpful for their hiring process. How and why it is used should be aligned with the company goals and priorities.

Devise a strategy that could better the workflow and ensure that it benefits everybody-- users, vendors, etc.

Book demo call to give you a headstart

You might already know how to navigate the ATS by yourself. But, it's still a good idea to book a demo call to fully grasp the software. 

The trainer might be able to give you tips that you might not know about yet. For example, using keywords properly or effectively running through your database. Furthermore, how to hire effectively, how to create a free career page, etc.

Involve Key People in Implementation

Of course, during the implementation phase, all key persons (e.g. the user, hiring managers, vendor, etc.) involved should be there. These are the people that would be using the software the most. That's why they must know what to expect from ATS.

They should understand the different features, various resources, and others. 

Train and Learn for Holistic Growth

It would be beneficial if you give employees training on ATS. There are many ways to go about this. For example, Manatal has various tutorials to help your team.

There is an in-app widget that walks you through the software. It’s a handy guide that lets users learn about Manatal step by step. There are also video guides available.

In addition to that, Manatal makes learning accessible for all through their documentation page. It covers various topics about the software in complete details.

Still need help? Don’t worry. Manatal offers support training and demos for free! These would all be very useful for staff that wants to learn about ATS holistically.

Don't forget the human aspect of recruitment

Lastly, don't forget the human aspect of it all. ATSs help you hire candidates with their smart automation. Take advantage of the resources it frees up. Focus on engaging with applicants, instead.

There are several things to do with the help of an ATS (e.g. double-checking resumes in the system for formatting, conducting memorable interviews, reporting progress to companies, etc.). While the software does all the laborious work, you should use this free time and effort to do things that machines can't.

There are many things to consider when using an ATS. Know the best one to choose and understand how to use it properly. It will boost your progress in no time.

Let Manatal be your guide in making your workplace more inclusive. Click here to read more of our insights on recruitment and HR technology, or here to explore our 14-day free trial.