5 Things To Keep In Mind About Application Tracker Systems

More and more businesses of all sizes are turning to application tracker systems (ATS) for a number of reasons. Whether you’re an employer or a job seeker, here are five things you should know about these systems.

What Is An Application Tracker System?

This system is a way of automating and tracking the whole process of finding and reviewing candidates for open positions. When a company posts a new job on one of the many job boards out there, such as Indeed, Monster, or CareerBuilder, dozens (if not hundreds) of applications come in.

That’s just for one position; imagine if you were looking for candidates for seven openings in your company. Now we’re talking about over a thousand candidates to review. It becomes a daunting task.

This is the reason that applicant tracking systems have become so popular in recent years. They offer a convenient, manageable way to process the many applicants there are for any given opening. An ATS is a necessary software tool that companies and their human resource departments have come to rely on. What’s more, these recruiting and hiring tools are here to stay.

It Simplifies Keeping Track Of Candidates

If you or someone at your business had to collect resumes, create files for each candidate, and track the candidate manually, it would take a great deal of time that you simply don’t have to allocate to this task.

An application tracker system does this for you automatically. It can collect resumes and keep track of candidates as they move through the hiring process. This lets hiring managers stay organized and avoids accidentally losing track of qualified candidates of interest. Just as importantly, the software tools help companies stay compliant with regulations set by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Larger Companies Find Them Invaluable

Big companies in particular can’t function efficiently without using ATS tools. This is because, in addition to receiving an overwhelming number of applicants for any given opening, they also receive unsolicited applications year-round.

It may be in the company’s best interest to review each application that comes in to locate someone who could be a perfect fit for a position that opens down the road. However, it’s not in the company’s best interest to employ a team to do nothing but review incoming resumes. ATS tracking can automate the process and alert hiring managers of top candidates worth considering for current or future openings.

You Have Many ATS Integrations To Choose From

In today’s competitive marketplace, many software development and HR tools companies have jumped into the ATS integrations game, which means you have a wealth of services to choose from. These are just some of the available ATS integrations you can work with:

• ADP
• Greenhouse
• PeopleFluent
• SmartRecruiters
• AppliTrack

There are many others, and we’ve listed them on our ATS integrations page for your convenience. These companies offer software and services designed to simplify HR tasks, including applicant tracking and recruitment (and in some cases, employee benefits and payroll, too).

They Can Rank Applicants Against Keywords

One feature that hiring managers appreciate is the ability to rank candidates using certain keywords. For example, if your company is looking for someone with a specific skill or certain credentials, you can have your ATS tools rank candidates for those specific keywords. Employers find this tool very helpful when searching for applicants with the rare or unique set of qualities the job demands.

You Can Include Keywords Without Stuffing Them

If you are an applicant, it’s important for you to know that you are competing against many other job seekers, and the company posting the job (whether it’s large, mid-sized, or small) does not have the time to read every word you have written on your resume.

For the first pass, the ATS software will search for specific key terms. If the position seeks a candidate with skills A and B, or certificate C, make sure you include these in your resume (but only IF you truly have these skills, that is). If you do not include these key terms, your resume may not get a second look.

Once the ATS software has found you as a potential match, other factors come in to determine whether you remain a viable candidate for the position.

If you’re fortunate enough to be interviewed, your resume will probably be carefully reviewed by the hiring manager (at least, that’s how it should work).

And if you end up being one of the top candidates for the position, a thorough background check will likely be conducted. If you’ve lied in your resume, on your application, or during the interview process, you will get caught during the background screening process, and you will be eliminated from the pool of candidates. You’ll probably get blacklisted, too, ruining your chances with this company and possibly in the entire industry.

So make sure to include the appropriate keywords in your resume and application, but never lie about your skills or credentials.

Learn More About ATS Integrations

We’ve presented five things that employers and job candidates need to know about applicant tracking systems. They truly are useful software solutions, and the more you know about them, the better you can make them work for you.

If you’d like to learn more about how ATS integrations can benefit you, get in touch with NationSearch today! We are here to facilitate your hiring process. Give us a call!