An applicant tracking system (ATS) is your gateway to finding more suitable candidates for a position. Designed to track candidates throughout the hiring process, an ATS has multiple functions depending on the software’s capabilities: it scans resumes for specific keywords that are relevant to the role, writes and posts job descriptions, assists with conducting background checks, and organizes candidate information. In short, an ATS makes it easy and simple for hiring managers to search through, filter, and analyze candidates, ensuring the right person is hired for the role.

The war for talent is intense, making it essential for hiring managers to use every trick and tool at their disposal to attract and maximize top talent. An applicant tracking system (ATS) is an indispensable part of the hiring process, as it eliminates manual work and streamlines every stage, from the submission of resumes through to hiring and beyond. Hiring managers spend less time writing job postings, organizing incoming resumes, and tracking candidates — because the ATS does this for them.

Serving as a single source of data, an ATS cuts a company’s cost per hire significantly, as the hiring manager has all the information they need to do their job swiftly . Optimized for filtering, shortlisting, and contacting candidates for interviews, the ATS pushes top talent through the recruitment funnel far more quickly and efficiently than via a traditional approach. This makes for a more rewarding candidate experience and cements the company’s reputation as a modern employer that respects candidates’ time.

With an ATS, the hiring manger has access to a database of candidates along with the progress of their application. The manager can then assist specific candidates depending on their suitability for the role, whether by pre-screening them, selecting them for interview, issuing an official job offer, assisting them with onboarding, or providing information at every stage of the recruitment funnel.

Even if a candidate is not chosen for a specific role, the ATS will still add them to a reusable database that can be browsed in future. A hiring manager can reach out personally to a former applicant and encourage them to apply for a position that better suits their skill set. This boosts candidate engagement and enhances the company’s reputation as an attractive employer.

When implementing an ATS at a company, it is important to set out the hiring goals in advance so the software can be configured to meet these requirements. All stakeholders who can benefit from using the ATS should undergo training on how to effectively use the various features available in the software.

Deploying an applicant tracking system makes the hiring process quicker and easier for everyone: the candidate, the hiring manager, and the company.

The candidate benefits from quicker responses to applications (whether positive or negative), and it encourages them to optimize their resume and highlight relevant skills that reflect the requirements in the job description.

For hiring managers and companies, an ATS offers quicker access to better candidates while building a reusable database of contacts for future positions. By streamlining the recruitment funnel, this brings down the cost per hire and the savings can be applied elsewhere. It also gives the hiring manger more time to personally oversee candidates and make them feel valued — essential for employee retention.

An ATS can also assist with the onboarding process, giving the new hire all the information they need to make an impactful start in their position.

In terms of drawbacks, it requires patience to launch an ATS and tweak the settings until it yields the ideal results. Additionally, some applicants may be ideal yet are discarded by the system for failing to tailor their resume accordingly — making it important to periodically review incoming applications.