An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a software application that helps organisations to efficiently manage their recruitment process. Most applicant tracking systems will allow their recruiter users to publish their vacancies, shortlist or reject relevant applicants, schedule interviews, make offers etc.
Applicant tracking systems act as a way to control and manage the recruitment process. This typically starts with the recruiter user advertising their vacancy to the company website and potentially the company intranet and other 3rd party job boards.
Candidates who are interested can then apply online, providing the recruiter user with all the information they need to make a shortlisting decision. Those candidates lucky enough to be selected for interview can be informed of this via an email from the ATS and depending on the system might be able to choose their own preferred interview date and time from a selection of options.
Candidates successful at interview can have offer details delivered via email from the ATS and can even complete their onboarding process online.
HR / recruiter users will find the ATS keeps their entire recruitment operation organised. They can easily get an overview for how each vacancy is progressing and which ones need their attention.
The majority of recruitment admin tasks are able to be streamlined when completed in the ATS. This is particularly relevant when it comes to communicating with applicants via email.
It is also worth noting that an Applicant Tracking System should enhance the overall candidate experience. Happy candidates are more likely to view your organisation as professional and fair minded. This in turn should mean they are more likely to be excited to work for you.
The cost of an applicant tracking system will typically depend on the size of the organisation. Most systems charge for each recruiter user licence, so larger organisations with larger recruitment teams will pay more. Here at hireful we are committed to competitive and transparent pricing, so you can check out what hireful’s ATS would cost you by visiting our pricing page.
The amount of time you can save will vary from organisation to organisation. It will depend on the complexity of your recruitment process and how much of it can be automated or streamlined by the ATS. We offer a free choosing an ATS help pack that includes a ROI calculator spreadsheet which will help you to identify how much time and money you could be saving by using an ATS.
The core features that most ATSs have include:
- Branded jobs page(s)
- Easy publishing of vacancy to jobs page/careers site
- Online application form
- Automated emails to applicants as they move through the process
- Interview scheduling and/or calendar
hireful’s ATS can also include:
- Multi-page careers site
- Publishing of vacancies to 3rd party job boards
- Anonymised CV / application form processing
- Self-service interview scheduling
And much more, see here for some more of our features
The primary benefit of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is that it can dramatically save you time. However, a good ATS will also save you money by reducing your need to use agencies and paid for job boards. It will also improve the overall experience of not just your candidates (very important) but also your hiring managers.
An ATS and a recruitment CRM will do many of the same processes. However, there is a clear difference in the scope and focus of what each type of system will do.
A recruitment CRM has the following attributes:
- Aimed at managing both passive and active candidates
- Focused on finding and engaging passive candidates
- Used by “sourcers” (what would have been called “headhunters” in the 90s) rather than recruiters.
Whereas, an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will focus on:
- Workflow and compliance
- Used to manage and streamline the entire recruitment process
- Used by “full cycle recruiters” (manage the entire process)
Most organisations who are over 200 staff will use an ATS. However, the return on investment on an ATS is more closely aligned to the number of vacancies you have per annum and the amount of recruitment administration that each vacancy causes your organisation. You are more likely to need an ATS if:
- You’re growing fast
- You’re not growing fast but due to retention you are always recruiting for multiple roles
- To deliver the recruitment process your organisation needs, there is a heavy admin burden placed on the recruitment/HR team
