The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020 by EMP Trust Solutions - HTML preview

Key Takeaways

Maximize the features and functionality of your ATS. Your TA Key

professionals need to keep learning, develop new skills, and adopt Takeaway 1 a continuous learning and improvement approach. The data in the report shows that high-performing TA organizations tend to get greater use out of their ATS across the board. So, commit to a process of continuous learning and improvement with your ATS. Conduct continuous training. Engage more deeply with your ATS vendor to keep abreast of enhancements, changes, best practices and tips. Find user communities that have the same ATS program and then learn from others in those communities.

Gather data on the candidate experience. This can include Key

application completion rates (the rate at which people who start your Takeaway 2 online application actually complete it) and the rate at which applications are completed without errors. It can also include items such as the top sources of quality candidates and good hires. Did they find you through social media? Did they use a job board, and if so which ones? You can also survey applicants and candidates, and you might even gather feedback through candidate interviews. The data you gather in each area can serve as a starting point from which you can benchmark the organization’s progress.

Find ways to improve the candidate experience. Once you collect Key

candidate experience data, seek ways to leverage it to improve the Takeaway 3 candidate experience. In some cases, this means improving existing processes and technologies. One important factor to evaluate thoroughly and objectively is your online application process. Candidates get frustrated with the length of applications, so make sure you are asking for just the key information you need to successfully complete a first stage screening. Use your ATS to track the amount of time it takes from start to finish and watch those application abandonment rates! If your candidates are dropping off at specific places, make adjustments.

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The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020

www.hr.com | 877-472-6648 | copyright © HR.com 2020

Find passive job seekers. Many of the very best candidates are not Key

actively pursuing new jobs. This is an area where most ATS and TA Takeaway 4 operations may be improved. The best candidates are likely on LinkedIn, use Twitter and enjoy Facebook. LinkedIn in particular can be a valuable platform for searching for hard-to-find skills or qualifications. But you won’t find these candidates unless you are actively engaged on the platform. Be ready and able to attract the attention of top candidates.

Think like the marketing department! Publish engaging content to create leads (meaning qualified applicants). Some ATS have the capability to effectively download social media profiles into your system. Consider running key word searches on those profiles. When you find matches, you may want to send those people direct messages with a link to your online application or a job posting and encourage them to apply.

Pay close attention to reporting functionality in ATS. When making Key

purchasing decisions or deciding whether or not to update a current Takeaway 5 system, make sure you examine reporting capabilities. It’s also a good idea to reach out to your current ATS customer success team. Ask questions about both current and future reporting capabilities, and make sure you are using all of the data reporting tools at your disposal.

Examine integration capabilities. Based on this research, it’s important to Key

consider the integration capabilities of any ATS when making renewal, Takeaway 6 purchasing or implementation decisions. For instance, your organization may use an automated drug screening and reporting tool. Test whether your ATS can integrate with these tools so results can be attached to candidate records in real time.

Look for systems that help meet strategic and not just tactical needs.

Key

Strategic talent acquisition goals may include improved quality of Takeaway 7 hires, greater employee retention, greater engagement with passive job candidates, and acceleration of the organizational learning curve for newly hired employees. For example, let’s assume the organization needs to hire skilled employees in a specific job category to meet strategic corporate goals. This may require improved candidate screening and improved matching of resumes and qualifications to job openings. With these two specific features in mind, you can evaluate ATS

capabilities and, if they are not satisfactory, look for ways of upgrading the current system or seeking new systems that meet organizational needs better.

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The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020

www.hr.com | 877-472-6648 | copyright © HR.com 2020

Understand how talent acquisition is changing due to the Covid-19

Key

pandemic. Recruiting and talent acquisition have been deeply affected in Takeaway 8 some areas. Ensure your ATS can adapt to the changing trends such as video-interviewing capabilities and compliance checks of more non-local candidates. Moreover, stay agile and resilient. Recruitment professionals cannot be sure how things will change from quarter to quarter these days. They need to be prepared for multiple contingencies and react quickly to these changes as they occur.

Leverage internal candidate capabilities when it is to your advantage.

Key

Recruiters sometimes fail to look internally for candidates for open Takeaway 9 positions. Part of the issue is that many recruitment technologies are not designed for this purpose. Consider implementing processes and systems that seek inward as well as outward for good candidates. This often requires good internal communication as well as a database that allows recruiters to identify internal skill sets.

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The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020

www.hr.com | 877-472-6648 | copyright © HR.com 2020

About EMP Trust

EMP Trust HR provides human capital management (HCM) and talent management solutions and services for a global workforce. Our secure solutions help companies recruit and hire talent, complete new hire onboarding with electronic forms, and comply with DHS/USCIS regulations.

We provide Human Resources solutions and services for electronic form I-9, E-Verify, HR Onboarding, and provide tools for workforce management to maximize employee efficiency and improve your business processes.

We are a United States Corporation incorporated in Maryland as a Limited Liability Corporation in 2009.

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The State of Applicant Tracking Systems 2020

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