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Many countries worldwide are experiencing a shortage of workers. Small businesses and the tech industry seem to be the worst hit with this problem. So, if you think finding the right talents for your company is a walk in the park, think again.

There are many reasons for the increasing rate of talent shortage in the country. As you may have already guessed, the pandemic is a major culprit. However, many stakeholders in the employment industry maintain that the problem started pre-COVID.

From low wages to immigration limits, high quit rates, early retirement, inadequate skills, etc., there are many reasons for talent shortage. So, while there are numerous job vacancies and applications, there are also fewer interview turnouts and fewer qualified applicants. 

As a business owner or company administrator, the question remains, “how do I overcome this challenge?”.

The answer is with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). With this technology, finding and hiring the right talent is easier than usual. ATS will source the best talents for your business and ensure that you sift through the bulk of applications quickly.

This article will summarize all you need to know about hiring and retaining the best talents using a ATS. Here’s a more comprehensive guide to applicant tracking systems.

What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)? 

An Applicant Tracking System is a software application that streamlines the recruitment processes to find the best candidates faster. It uses automation technology in handling various recruitment processes according to the recruiter’s needs to achieve better results more efficiently. 

In summary, ATS simplifies hiring candidates from start to finish. This system is similar to CRM systems that organize sales processes. However, here, applicants are the customers.

Here are some specific functions that ATS carries out:

1. Candidate sourcing 

One of the most important ATS functions is sourcing the right prospects to fill your vacant position. An applicant tracking system will organize pages and forms and advertise job vacancies with personalized job descriptions.

2. Candidate management 

After sourcing applicants, ATS creates a system that organizes their applications efficiently. It manages candidates’ applications by compiling them and attaching schedules to them. It also attaches relevant information to each applicant’s profile for easy sorting.

3. Evaluation and selection of candidates 

The applicant tracking system handles the pre-screening and screening of prospects. It manages various aspects of the recruiting process and helps to filter ineligible applications.

4. Personal data management 

ATS stores and categorizes candidates’ personal data. It retains the information of unselected applicants if there’s a need for them in the future. The applicant tracking system works by first dividing resumes into sections. 

Then, it scans them for specific keywords or pre-selected qualifiers that determine eligibility for the position. 

After the scan, it removes ineligible applications and passes the qualified ones to the employer. That way, employers will only access applications from the best-qualified candidates seamlessly.

What are the advantages of using ATS?

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There are many reasons why ATS has become an essential part of most company’s recruitment processes. They include the following:

1 . Improved quality of hire 

ATS ensures that you hire the best available hands for the vacancy you’re filling. Due to ATS automation technology, employers now have enough time to scrutinize applications before making a hiring decision.

2. Enhanced candidate experience 

An applicant tracking system also benefits the candidate in numerous ways. They wouldn’t have to wait too long for feedback on their application. Candidates are also sure of a fair recruitment process free of favoritism or discrimination.

3. Time-efficiency

One of the most glaring advantages of ATS is its ability to sort applications quickly. This enables recruiters to hire candidates faster than usual.

4. Cost-efficiency 

Applicant Tracking Systems reduce the overall costs of recruiting new employees. For example, with ATS, company administrators no longer have to pay any fees to recruitment agencies.

5. Facilitates collaborative hiring

Collaborative hiring has many benefits. It helps in hiring cultural fits, improves employee retention rates, and reduces the recruiter’s burden. ATS provides systems that enable collaborative hiring.

6. Decreased workload 

ATSs perform the most tedious parts of an employer’s job as it relates to the recruitment process. That way, the recruiters are less stressed and have more time to perform other essential tasks.

How can I use ATS to hire and retain the best talent?

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ATS will help you to retain the best applicants for your job vacancy through these means:

1. An attractive career website 

Just like you’re careful about hiring the best employees, the best candidates are particular about the companies they apply to. They’re goal-oriented and would love to work in places that help them achieve their full potential.

As such, to lure them, you must prove that your company provides the ideal environment for them to work in. One way to do this is by branding your career website with an ATS solution. ATS can develop creative ways to showcase your company’s top-notch work ethics, values through job descriptions and branded websites.

One efficient tip to improve your branding and reputation is to introduce corporate giving programs through which you can match donations with Alaya. Then, you can use ATS to showcase that aspect of your company culture and attract the best hires.

2. Adequate visibility

What if you’ve successfully branded your career website, but the best candidates don’t get to see them? You’ll have only wasted your time and energy. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen with an applicant tracking system.

ATSs helps recruiters post job ads to various job boards like Indeed and Monster seamlessly and without errors. It will also leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

The best thing about this process is that the system doesn’t post job ads to just any platform. ATSs will first scrutinize them to ensure that they have a high possibility of attracting the right candidates.

3. Analytics and reporting 

Applicant Tracking Systems typically come with analytics features that enable you to measure your progress. 

They give you feedback on how the recruitment prices are going and what options yield positive results. Generally, ATS analytics lets you know what recruitment techniques are working or not.

ATS solutions will track and report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to help recruiters provide speedy solutions to problems. 

That means you can adjust strategies, improving on the productive ones and changing the ineffective ones from an informed standpoint. That ensures that you’re continuously getting better at finding what works.

4. Top resume selection 

When trying to reach the best applicants through job ads and postings, you’d invariably attract unqualified candidates too. As such, you’d need to start parsing resumes to separate the not-so-good ones from the excellent ones. This process can be very challenging, and you’re prone to making mistakes.

With ATS solutions, you don’t need to worry about finding the best resumes from a pile. Using pre-existing determinants and keywords, ATS sifts through lots of applications in no time and without mistakes.

5. Current employee referrals and engagement 

Here’s another fact about the best job applicants—they’ll typically love to speak with current employees at your company. It helps them determine your work culture, and they trust them to tell the truth about your brand. ATS solutions can help to include high-performing staff members in the recruitment process.

Again, if your current employees are top-notch, they are highly likely to relate with other people like themselves. ATSs can leverage their network by mailing them job openings to forward to prospects in their cycle.

6. Organized and efficient workflow 

Stellar candidates want a smooth and fast recruitment process. As such, they wouldn’t stay in companies that lag in their hiring processes. They want a company with an organized and efficient workflow—just like the one ATS offers.

ATS will alert the relevant administrators when they’re taking too much time. The system ensures that everything works right on schedule to limit the risk of missing out on the best candidates.

How to choose the right ATS

To get the best out of the Applicant Tracking System, you must be sure to get the best-suited ones. Here’s how to go about it;

1. Consider your needs and preferences 

The first step is to document your recruitment needs. That way, you would easily identify the best solutions for you at a glance. It will also help you ask the right questions as you search for options.

2. Crowdsource options

Now that you know what you want, it’s time to search for it. Instead of searching blindly, it’s better to crowdsource. Talk to people who know about ATS and consider their suggestions.

3. Do your due diligence 

After the pool of options you’ve gathered, you must carefully review them to ensure that they suit your recruitment needs. The best ATS solutions offer a great user experience, excellent analytic tools, the best features, and flexibility.

Again, more than just getting an ATS, you must also consider the provider. What kind of support will they offer? Will they be there for you in all the steps of the way to ensure that your ATS works optimally?

Conclusion 

ATS is one of the best things to have happened to any recruiter’s hiring process. You must take time to understand its functions.

After reading this article, you now understand how ATS helps to hire and retain the best talents for your company. Ensure that you put it to good use and let it work for you. You’d be amazed at the results.

Author Bio:
Lydia Iseh is a writer with years of experience in writing SEO content that provides value to the reader. As someone who believes in the power of SEO to transform businesses, she enjoys being part of the process that helps websites rank high on search engines.