What is Applicant Tracking Software (ATS)?
Recruitment can be a long and time-consuming process, so the rise of hiring software may be just what your business needs. ATS software to automate hiring – here’s how it works.
What is an ATS system?
An ATS Applicant Tracking System is a type of employment tool that helps recruiters with candidate tracking at every stage of the application process. Modern ATS systems also incorporate AI to save time and streamline the process. Applicant tracking software can:
Learn what the perfect candidate looks like
By inputting the desired traits of the best candidate, ATS systems can help generate an accurate job specification that will attract the best talent. This can be especially useful if you’re seeking hires for new roles. Analytics, as generated by an ATS, can also help you understand the sort of role your team needs to hire for.
Start your search
A candidate tracking system can find suitable matches in no time, saving teams days of clicking through endless profiles. Searches can also be refined to specific certifications or experience, for example.
Be future-facing
An ATS Applicant Tracking System lets you save candidates for future roles, so even if they’re not perfect for your current vacancy, you’re still not losing sight of great talent for the future. That means your Applicant Tracking System isn’t just about candidate tracking in the moment but also creating a secure talent pool for the future.
Streamline and connect the team
Candidate tracking systems can help automate key processes, whether that’s sending follow-up emails to applicants or updates to your internal team. This helps ensure everyone is always informed, and that none of the crucial steps are at risk of being skipped due to human error.
Do I need an ATS?
An Applicant Tracking System can be a great investment for a company, but as with any business decision, you need to make sure it’s the right one. Here are some things to look at to understand if a candidate tracking system is for you:
• You know your recruitment is bogged down by manual processes like follow-up emails, manual search, and back-and-forth meeting invites
• You have no metrics or analytics to inform your hiring decisions
• Your candidates just aren’t coming through due to a complicated, lengthy, or blocky application process
• Your recruiting team has common, recurrent pain-points when it comes to time-consuming processes
ATS software can help automate all of the above, making sure that you don’t lose time or talent to old-fashioned recruiting methods.
Is an ATS the same as a CRM?
An Applicant Tracking System focuses on the application process and creates a workflow, whereas a CRM, or Candidate Relationship Management tool focuses more on maintaining a pool of candidates as a resource. AI and recruitment are increasingly going hand-in-hand, though, so CRMs will no doubt soon be harnessing this technology, too.
Does all Applicant Tracking System software use AI?
No, not all ATS options use AI, but the vast majority do, or likely, soon will. While there are mixed reviews about AI and its uses in the workplace, many companies see the adoption of AI as simply keeping up with a modern world, while also saving time and money in the recruitment process.
How does an ATS benefit candidates?
Applicant Tracking System software can help create a smooth hiring process for all parties. Automated tasks can be equally as useful and timesaving for your candidate, without losing the human touch. This includes things like:
• An automated interview calendar where candidates can choose one (or multiple) available times and have a time slot confirmed without a middleman
• Application forms can auto-fill based on uploaded CVs
• An ATS can suggest other available openings based on a candidate’s CV and mentioned skills
• Automated emails keep candidates updated at every stage, ensuring engagement and timely communication
• An ATS can also send automated comms that point candidates in the right direction for things like employee benefits, an employee handbook, or any other key docs that answer candidate’s most frequent questions.
Is ATS used in Australia?
Yes, while it may not be as common in Australia as it is in the United States, more than 250 ATS tools are now commercially available to Australian businesses, so AI and Human Resources teams can work together to make hiring as efficient as possible.
A leading AI and recruitment solution is LinkedIn! LinkedIn uses AI to help find qualified candidates from our pool of over 1 billion candidates.
Discover LinkedIn’s recruitment tools
Getting started with LinkedIn is easy:
1. Just let us know what you’re looking for including job, location, industry, and any specific experience needed.
2. Tell our AI tool if you need any specific candidate traits, like someone who’s already following your company, someone who is ‘Open to work’, or a candidate who already has multiple connections with your current team.
3. Refine your search by easily adding desired skills and experience, or tailoring candidate’s location, university, or degree.
4. Ask AI to help out by letting it know what you need and automated suggestions can help you further refine your search.
5. Get similar candidates recommended based on profiles you view. So, if you find a nearly-perfect candidate, just ask AI to point you to a candidate with similar background but who has those missing skills you’re after.
Get started today.