| ATS, otherwise referred to as applicant tracking | | | | passing development requirements off to a room full |
| software, is a product specifically designed to | | | | of software engineers. Several modern ATS |
| streamline a company's hiring process. During the initial | | | | providers pride themselves on involving experienced |
| tech boom, applicant tracking software broke into | | | | recruiters in each phase of product design and |
| the market with core features that focused on | | | | feature development. These new development |
| applicant management. These features mainly | | | | practices translate into significant usability gains. You |
| revolved around database systems to track each | | | | can expect greater hiring efficiency when the |
| candidate in a company's hiring pipeline. The majority | | | | software managing your recruiting process is actually |
| of first generation applicant tracking systems required | | | | built by recruiters. Recruiter designed features |
| companies to install proprietary software and each | | | | provide more precise recruiting tools than even the |
| install included complex licensing agreements based on | | | | best software engineer could by themselves. If you |
| user arrangements. These early systems included | | | | are in the market to boost your hiring program, |
| limited feature built mainly by software engineers | | | | expect to use software designed for recruiters by |
| many steps removed from an actual recruiting | | | | recruiters. |
| process. Needless to say, the early products were | | | | In the early days of ATS, product features were |
| only effective at servicing select recruiting needs. As | | | | limited at best. New ATS offerings provide a wealth |
| software has evolved, modern applicant tracking | | | | of hiring features that can truly add value to your |
| systems have removed previous limitations while | | | | recruiting process and boost efficiencies across all |
| focusing on customer centric requirements. | | | | users. Analytics is a good example. Imagine a product |
| With omnipresent internet connectivity, gone are the | | | | that could identify bottlenecks in your recruiting |
| days of actually installing recruiting software. New | | | | process and provide easy to understand graphical |
| ATS products offer completely web-based | | | | representations of these inefficiencies. These |
| interfaces. The new systems offer updated versions | | | | analytics features come built-in to the leading |
| of the early software's core features while also | | | | applicant tracking systems. Avoid hours wasted in |
| tremendously boosting collaboration across users. | | | | meetings trying to identify who is responsible for |
| With web-based applicant tracking products, user | | | | prolonged hiring periods and let the software do the |
| requirements include only a computer and an internet | | | | work for you. Innovations in ATS products can also |
| connection. New web-based architectures allow | | | | add value to commonly overlooked stages of the |
| seamless communication between internal recruiters, | | | | recruiting process. Let's face it, most major |
| hiring managers and HR. Web-based systems also | | | | companies don't have the bandwidth to send out |
| completely remove install time and adoption. | | | | thank you letters. This type of oversight can create |
| Web-based applicant tracking software offers the | | | | a negative perception of your corporate culture with |
| advantage of user-centric interfaces and continual | | | | unintended consequences. Image an extremely |
| updates across features, in real-time. | | | | talented candidate feeling spurned when a role is filled |
| The contractual dinosaurs barging through the doors | | | | and they never receive a notification. This candidate |
| of your procurement department and feasting on | | | | may be the perfect fit for a new position, but their |
| management's free time are long extinct. Modern | | | | perception of your corporate culture may push them |
| applicant tracking providers focus on customer-centric | | | | towards the competition. |
| practice across all ranges of their product cycle. From | | | | Applicant tracking software has come a long way |
| ease of use with web 2.0 style interfaces to sales | | | | since the first generation of products hit the market. |
| process complexity, new products are heads above | | | | If you have an aversion to the stigma associated |
| their predecessors. When buying an applicant tracking | | | | with older ATS products, it is worth giving the |
| system expect month to month contract with simple | | | | category another look. New systems are more than |
| license agreements. If the buying process isn't simple, | | | | capable of delivering on the promises of increased |
| move on to the next provider. Also, free trials have | | | | collaboration and efficiency gains. Just remember, if |
| become standard practice with many recruiting | | | | you know your needs and find a provider with real |
| software providers. Be on the lookout for a chance | | | | recruiting experience under their belt, you are bound |
| to kick the tires and keep the contracts simple. | | | | to find an excellent solution for your recruiting |
| Old applicant tracking software relied on management | | | | program. |