What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS), also called a Candidate Management System (CMS), is a software application created in order to help a company to recruit employees in an easy and efficient way. An Applicant Tracking System can be used to post job openings on a corporate web site or another job board, to screen resumes, and generate interview requests to potential candidates by e-mail. ATS can also include applicant tracking systems, requisition tracking, automated resume ranking, and pre-screening questions. Applicant tracking systems do not process your resume so differently from recruiters, as both are looking for certain criteria for inclusion.

Why do employers use an Application Tracking System

ATS helps employers in saving time and be better organized. If recruiters use this system, they will have, for example, no risk in accidentally deleting the email containing the resume of the applicant, in keeping track of the hiring process, and communicate with the applicants directly. Applicant tracking systems were first used by large corporations that needed to handle thousands of applications, but now also smaller businesses are using them.

ATS features to consider

No matter which field you belong to, you’re going to need to decide which ATS features will be the most valuable for you and your business. No recruiting tool will work if you keep your candidates out of the door. This is why you should start your evaluation based on functionality that helps get your jobs in front of quality candidates, creates a candidate experience that drives applicants to apply, and makes it easy to establish initial communication with candidates. This means you need an ATS that helps engaging and attracting candidates, such as features that supports you in posting on job boards, customizable careers pages and online job applications, mobile apply and employee referral platform.

After you get your candidates to apply, you need to communicate with job applicants, move candidates throughout the hiring process, schedule interviews and collect feedbacks. In order not to be overwhelmed by this amount of work, the ATS features you need the most are part of the the Interview and Collaborate umbrella, such as email templates, advanced candidate search, outlook and gmail interview scheduling, interview scorecards, workflow tat fit your hiring process, tools for hiring managers and recruiting dashboard.

So, let’s say you are at the end of the hiring process, you need to get your candidates to accept your job offers or onboard them efficiently. In order to do this, chose the applicant tracking systems based on their capabilities to make effective job offers. So, you must have these features: approval processes, integrated background checks, digital offer letters, new hire onboarding, and analytics and reporting.

Which is the best ATS for your need

PC Magazine named BambooHR one of the top 10 ATSs of 2017, and we agree with it. BambooHR is very well organized, and covers all the basics with a clean design. They say, it is easy to get up and running. Its reporting features are very notable, because they give great insights to recruiters about which job description attracts the best talents. In this way, those who use BambooHR can improve their strategies to attract candidates and maximize their entire hiring experience. It improves a competent set of human resources, HR management features,
As cons, we could say that it is priced higher that other ATS, and that its website lacks of functionality. But, you pay what you get: it may not be the cheapest option, but it is well-organized, good for the eyes, and simple to set up and use.

Another remarkable ATS is Zenefits Z2, another Editor’s choice at PC Magazine. It is also well-designed, intuitive for users and integrates with well-known payroll processors, but it is best for for small to mid-sized businesses. It delivers a basic framework, and provides a moderate solution for fast-growing companies that need an HR tool. Zenefits Z2 also includes a benefits shopping and enrollment marketplace based on the e-commerce experience. The Zenefits user interface is easy to use,

The last one we want to mention is SAP Success Factors, the so called Cadillac of HR software for small – middle sized businesses, which walks you through the entire set up experience, thanks to video tutorials and help features. This is the right ATS for companies that deal with big vendors and want a very attentive service (and have no problems in investing more money for it). The set up wizard is like a digital butler that reacts as such, asks what task you want to do, and helps you doing them by offering video tutorials.