What is an Applicant Tracking System and Why is it Popular?


Artificial intelligence is not going to eat away at the jobs of individuals, but people who know how to use artificial intelligence will eat away at the jobs. The only way to survive in this fast-paced, dynamic world is to be technologically advanced. Being technologically or digitally obsolete is a curse in itself. With this notation in mind, various industries' or companies' recruitment departments have moved into the Application Tracking System Web. Today, as per the data, more than 99% of Fortune 500 companies have moved their recruitment department to ATS. In this article, we will be diving deep into how the ATS system works and what the benefits are of installing the ATS system in the house.

A Brief Overview of the Application Tracking System

The application tracking system helps the recruitment team automate their entire process, from job posting to interview scheduling. It is a dashboard that keeps all the data on the number of applications received for a particular job and the candidate's selection. It also assists the recruitment team in scheduling interview calls by synchronizing the panel's calendar and providing them with an interview feedback sheet. It is a place for all the data of the applicant and lets everyone with ATS access understand where we are on each profile without hustling manually. This also helps the recruiter by storing all the resumes and the interview feedback sheets of every candidate for every job opening in one place.

Benefits of ATS for Companies

  • Greater efficiency for the recruitment team − With the ATS system in place, recruiters do not have to screen every profile or application that they receive; they do not have to maintain the different databases; they do not have to ask the panel for slots or give reminders for screening and filling up the feedback sheet; and they do not have to prepare data before every meeting. ATS significantly reduces the recruiter's workload. Nothing is manual and tedious with the ATS system.

  • No delay − With the ATS system in place, applicants can receive a reply within days, and sometimes only after hours, that they have applied for a particular job opening in the company. With this, the company can ensure that they are not losing good and potential candidates because of a delay in a reply from the recruitment team.

  • Enhanced employee experience − data has revealed that the candidate’s first experience with the company plays an important role in the decision to join the company or not. With the automated system of ATS, the applicants can get a fast response and work in an organized manner. Some ATS systems also help the company in the onboarding process.

  • Increases transparency and ensures collaboration within the team − It is quite common for recruiters to see the duplicity of candidates while working on particular openings, or there could be scenarios where we see that one candidate is fit for two or many positions. Because all of the data is available in one place with the ATS system in these cases, it helps the team understand the status of each candidate and move them forward. We see fewer conflicts and more collaboration with ATS among the team members.

  • Helps in filtering out the candidates − With ATS, the most crucial problem is solved: the junk, irrelevant profiles that recruiters receive on a daily basis. It assists the recruiter in filtering out all irrelevant applications, allowing them to devote more time to quality candidates and their hiring process.

  • Helps in creating stronger and more relevant job descriptions − The rich keyword template section of ATS helps recruiters and users create more relevant job descriptions. With JDs in place, half of the recruitment problem is solved. Quality candidates or applicants can be attracted to organizations' most critical staffing needs. A good JD will not only attract job seekers but also passive job seekers.

  • Reduces friction − With the recruitment team in sync, data in place, and the entire hiring team connected, we see a significant reduction in employee friction in the form of conflicts or escalation emails. With ATS in place, we can pinpoint the mistake and help create a productive and happy work environment free from bias.

  • Reduces costs − While the installation of an ATS and the training time required to use the application may appear to be a cost to a company, it will benefit the company by lowering their cost per hire and interview time per hire. It will also help the recruiters focus on the real and large problems of recruitment. Without ATS, the company will have a large and conflicted recruitment team.

How Can Students Rank Well in the ATS System?

  • ATS Ranking − Recruiters are not going to go through each and every profile that they receive for a job opening manually; instead, they will use the ATS system to filter out all the irrelevant profiles and applicants. Hence, the applicant can ensure the use of more and more keywords in their resume and their profiles. For example, if someone is working in the technology department in the UIX field, they can use keywords like "UI Development," "HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery," "Balsamic," "Portfolio," "Wireframes," "Prototyping," and others. Each relevant keyword should be used at least twice or three times in the resume, as this will increase its chances of being high up in the search list. If you are planning to change your domain and have no working experience in that domain, you can ensure that your CV ranks well by using sentences such as "I would really like to work and explore in the ____ domain."

  • Be active − The ATS system of a company is going to be linked with the various job portals of an organization, and hence, to stay relevant, a candidate must ensure that they are active on these sites when they are looking for a change. Among all the recruiters on LinkedIn, 75% of them are inactive, as per the data, getting the spotlight by just using the application for at least a minute a day.

  • Stay updated − Always keep your LinkedIn, Naukri, other job portals, and resume updated with your latest achievements or in case of changes in contact numbers and others. This will ensure that the recruiter can understand you better and connect with you easily.

The application tracking system is a cloud-based, fully integrated system. It gives the users an enriching, thought-provoking, and automated hiring process experience. With this system in place, companies can ensure that their first touchpoints with potential employees are an experience in and of themselves. It helps the company seek out employees in case of an opening by staying connected with them throughout the journey, reducing the time taken to hire for a job and the cost involved as well from the company’s side. The ATS system will assist the company in lowering its cost per hire, time per hire, and time to fill a vacancy. With ATS, it is time for companies to get automated and more efficient.

Updated on: 09-Feb-2023

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