The recruitment exercise is an important stage in finding the right candidate to fill the vacant position in an organization. The idea of this process is to filter the many candidates who have applied for the advertised job and select a candidate who aligns with the job description. The main question that should linger in the recruitment team’s minds is how they can absorb a candidate who adds value to the company. This question is answered by ensuring that the resumes submitted for review are closely related to the job responsibilities. Can human beings manually review the resumes and come close to what is being advertised?
To answer this question substantively, it is important to understand that human beings are prone to error. Relying wholly on human intervention to go through the submitted resumes might be time-consuming and, at the same time, increases the chances of subjectivity. In solving this problem, an applicant tracking system (ATS) becomes part of the solution to ensure that the top candidate is found. This article will discuss how ATS can aid an organization in finding the right candidate and helping achieve goals and objectives.
Understanding ATS
Imagine ATS as a gatekeeper, continuously scrolling through the inboxes of the employer’s system to sift the resumes that flood the system. Its mission? To exclude the unqualified candidates, only select the top cream that meets the criteria set by the employer. But how does it accomplish this Herculean task? ATS utilizes an algorithm that scans, parses, and analyzes resumes based on the level of education and experience, as well as the level of skills of individuals. The system further ranks the candidates based on the job skills by utilizing keywords and other formatting criteria, enabling it to make decisions. Ideally, an ATS mimics human beings, but making decisions efficiently.
Having covered the working of an ATS, it is therefore paramount to understand the benefits that your company can generate through this system.
Streamlined Candidate Sourcing
Gone are the days when recruiters used to go through a track of resumes to find the right candidate. With the ATS system, it has become easier for recruitment managers to spread the net wider by allowing a number of candidates to make applications and thereafter filtering the information based on the experience and skills they need. This makes it easy to focus only on a few candidates meeting the requirements.
What comes out strong from using an ATS is that it becomes easy to recruit, unlike the traditional system, which consumes a lot of time. For example, a software company willing to fill the position of a senior developer can use an ATS to filter the candidates in terms of years of experience, programming languages, and project management skills, narrowing down to a pool of the most qualified candidates. Consider engaging smoothhiring.com to set up an ATS system to benefit from the features of our standard.
Efficient Candidate Screening
One of the important advantages of the ATS system is that it automates candidate screening, which ensures unbiased and consistent evaluation of the applicants. This is achieved through parsing resumes based on the established keywords. This means that candidates who pass this stage are informed by the selection criteria, which mitigates the risk of unconscious bias. For example, an organization willing to fill the customer service position can set specific criteria such as “customer service experience,” “communication skills,” and “problem-solving ability.” The ATS system will periodically review the incoming resumes and flag resumes that meet the criteria.
Improved Hiring Decisions
Based on the outcomes of the ATS, the management can make objective decisions according to performance metrics. The function of ATS is not only to filter the resumes but also to have important functionalities such as analysis of recruitment strategies, tracking key performance indicators (KPIs), and measuring the effectiveness of different sourcing channels. The company can optimize the recruitment strategies, which minimizes the time taken to hire and improves the outcome of hiring.
Conclusion
Applicant Tracking Systems is a powerful tool for companies seeking to absorb the top candidates and also streamline the recruitment process. By applying ATS, it becomes easier for the recruiter to cast their net wider and attract a huge base of suitable candidates, from which the best candidate is recruited to fill the vacant position.
As the recruitment landscape evolves, companies that embrace ATS systems have a competitive advantage in attracting, hiring, and retaining the best talent. Smoothhiring.com will walk you through this journey as your company positions itself for success in the dynamic marketplace.
