Tip of the Week: Choosing The Right ATS

• Author: Melody Orth
• Posted: May 20, 2008
• Category: Tools and Resources
• Tags: Applicant Tracking, Metrics, Tools and Resources
• Comments:

About 10 years ago, Applicant Tracking Systems were just being birthed for the small and mid-sized companies. Larger companies were already using them in some antiquated form in the mid to late 90s. Coupled with the launch of the first employment website in 1994 (Career Mosaic), followed by Monster.com a few years later, the way that recruiters were sourcing and tracking candidates began to change.

Stacks of paper resumes were now physically being scanned into an ATS, which at the time was really nothing more than a database containing searchable content on candidates that had applied for a job. But within a few fast years, candidates were directed to apply online at a corporate web site, which now provided the recruiter and/or hiring manager a more efficient way to receive resumes.

Additionally, digital applications allowed them to track the hiring processes better. They now knew:

• Where candidates were coming from;
• How long it took to fill their open positions;
• How long it took to go from offer to hire;
• Where any candidate stood in the hiring process
• And a ton of other strategically-important metrics!

What makes each company out there unique also makes it necessary to have an ATS that can be customized instead of bought “off the shelf”.

So, with over 200 companies to choose from, how do you even begin to know which one is the one for you?

When I speak with a client about their ATS, I hear things like:

• “Our ATS can’t do [insert need here]”
• “My ATS doesn’t pull the reports that I need for better metrics”
• “We don’t use the system properly (or at all) due to lack of training”
• “We can’t get a hold of support”

So the first (and most important) step you need to take in choosing an ATS is knowing exactly what you want…and why.

That’s where we come in. RCI Recruitment Solutions can partner with you to create a diagram/process map that will help you determine what your specific needs are. Then, working with you, we can customize an ATS to fit those needs.

To get started, give me a call at (561) 277-1259.

We also offer a 60-minute webinar that will provide you with an in-depth look at Applicant Tracking Systems and other recruiting technologies. For more information on our whole series of 60-minute webinars, visit the RCI Center of Excellence Talent Management Learning Series.