How to Choose the Perfect ATS for Your Company

Among HR professionals who use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS or Applicant Tracking Software), 94% of them said that it improved their recruitment process. With such an overwhelming and positive response, it’s undeniable that utilizing such a tool is beneficial for the company. It just boils down to finding the perfect ATS to use for your organization.

Common Misconceptions about ATS

Before anything, let’s debunk some misconceptions about this trusty software first.

1. All ATS are the same

This is definitely not true. While ATS has its core functions, it varies in other functionalities per brand, as well. Take Manatal, for example, it has advanced features like candidate recommendation engine, social media enrichment, recruitment CRM, etc.

This is important to note because you would want to choose an ATS system that can help you in every aspect of your HR needs.

2. It's not meant for small companies

“Why use an ATS? We’re not that big yet!” is a common belief that most companies have. However, it’s imperative to know that it does more than managing candidates. It also has smart automation that boosts productivity and performance to grow the business. Who doesn’t want that to happen, right?

3. It’s expensive

Again, ATS varies-- even the price. Some go as low as $15/month and others can go up as high as over $1000/month. However, that’s not the benchmark of quality. In this case, recruiting software can be cheap but still be as compelling and powerful as expensive ones.

4. It’s hard to implement

There are people that think that you need a physical implementation to set up at ATS; making it time-consuming and even suggesting extra costs. However, most (if not all) are already cloud-based-- giving you access to it anytime and anywhere.

To add to that, data migration tools are available for users to easily send all their data to the recruitment software with just a single click.

What you need to look for in search for the perfect ATS

Now that the air is cleared, you must be wondering what makes great ATS software. Here are three major criteria:

Standard Features

• Ease of Use
  

The bare minimum that an ATS should provide is ease-of-use through its core components. It should be able to let you source candidates across multiple platforms automatically and funnel all incoming applications into a centralized platform.

This rids of any manual labor in posting job ads manually and having to check resumes from various channels. Conveniently, you can even send emails directly using the software. Everything is basically consolidated in one place and is stored into the cloud, which can prove beneficial for teammates for enhanced collaboration, too.

• Career Page Builder
  

A standard ATS should have a career page builder tool. It should allow you to customize it fully so that you can showcase your company's branding and identity. After all, this is like your creative pitch to potential candidates.

From why should they join you and what can they expect from you, it will be displayed here. If you managed to showcase it well, they will be 1.8x more likely to apply.

• Data privacy compliance tools
  

Lastly, one of the most basic (and arguably the most important, albeit underlooked) features of an ATS is that it should have data privacy compliance tools readily available. It should be an essential part of your requirements because legalities are not to be taken lightly.

For instance, Manatal has tools that help comply with strict regulations such as the GDPR in the EU, CCPA in California, and PDPA for countries like Thailand and Singapore.

Advanced Functionalities

Core features are important, but competition is extremely high nowadays. That’s why you need advanced functionalities to remain relevant and unique in order to attract the best talents. Manatal gives you the edge with the following:

• Smart Candidate Recommendations
  

Save time in scouting for the ideal fit with this candidate recommendation engine. It automatically recommends candidates for a specific position based on applicant skills and experience match.

Manatal even has a Candidate Scoring feature where you would see the percentage of how well the individual matches the job description.

• Social Media Enrichment
  

To make your search more accurate, you can build your talent pool by utilizing Manatal’s Social Media Enrichment tool. This develops candidate data by looking through their social media and taking relevant keywords to be registered into the system.

This will let you get to know the candidate through a professional lens and give you a better idea of whether or not they are suitable for the role.

• Comprehensive Reports and Analytics
  

Others might consider this as a core feature, but Manatal is different by providing in-depth reports and analytics about important recruiting metrics for continuous improvement. Everything that you need to know about the candidates, the jobs, and more are there for you to critique so you can modify your hiring strategy accordingly.

• Dual Functionalities
  

More than an ATS, Manatal hits two birds with one stone with its dual functionalities. The software has a recruitment CRM, too, for agencies. This easy-viewing pipeline allows recruiters to track and manage customers efficiently to successfully convert leads and nurture relationships with existing clients.

A company has more than one front and Manatal can also cover the recruiting side for you.

• API Integration
  

Manatal’s open API won’t get in the way of the other platforms you’re using. In fact, it can be seamlessly integrated with other solutions for an interconnected ecosystem. This is an amazing opportunity to bolster your entire network by linking the ATS into payrolls and HRIS products like SAP, Oracle, Kronos, ADP, and many more.

Customer support

ATS should be easy enough to manage as it is, but having customer support should be basic, as well. In case of questions or concerns, an active CS must be there to assist you so you can work better without any stumbling blocks.

Manatal has a 7/7 online support system wherever you are. Just shoot them a message, and you’ll get a reply faster than you know it.

Questions to answer before choosing the perfect ATS

Hopefully, you’re already convinced as to what you need to look for in a perfect ATS. To solidify your decision, take these questions into consideration:

• What kind of company will this ATS be used for? Start-up? Corporation?
• Will this ATS help you accomplish your company objectives?
• Does this software have the core features of an ATS?
• How do you define the candidate experience? Will this ATS help improve this?
• Does this ATS save you time?
• How will you source candidates with this ATS? Is it worth it?
• Can this ATS store your data and keep it secured?

In summary...

Depending on what your company needs, you must check out the software carefully before subscribing. Its features, benefits, and overall assistance should align with your goals and objectives as an HR professional.

There are usually free-trials or demos, so maximize it to get a good grasp on your end. All that said, Manatal is the perfect ATS use. For only $15/month, it ticks all the boxes mentioned above flawlessly and effectively.

Click here to read more of our insights on recruitment and HR technology, or here to explore our 14-day free trial.