Do you really use your ATS effectively? 5 Tips to help you realize the potential of your ATS
ATS platforms are designed to help but can do more harm than good if used improperly
Be cautious about losing time when you begin your subscription with a new ATS. Here are 5 tips.
1. Do not let the ATS rule you
Your ATS is designed to help you make decisions but not to command you what to do. Remember that the human side of recruitment should always take precedence. Many companies make this mistake by relying solely on empirical metrics to determine a candidate’s goodness of fit while failing to review candidate applications in their entirety. If you have doubts or concerns about a candidate, contact them directly rather than rely only on an ATS for answers. As accurate as its reports may be, personal feedback is a critical means by which to gauge the suitability of your candidates for a job.
2. Train your team and yourself
Avoid jumping straight into using an ATS without taking the time to learn about how all of its features work. Otherwise, you may ultimately end up losing time. Solidify your knowledge through demo sessions with the customer support team, free trial sessions, and relevant documentation or video tutorials. Ensure that your team does the same so that all members feel comfortable with the software and are able to use it effectively.
3. Test your system
ATS solutions often use AI-driven features to help automate your tasks. You should regularly test these features to ensure that they are working properly. For example, you might test whether resumes have been uploaded and / or parsed correctly. You might also compare the accuracy of candidate recommendations or ensure that candidate enrichment tools are gathering the correct data. If you have any doubts or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact your customer support team.
4. Put yourself in the shoes of your candidate
At least once, apply to one of your jobs as a candidate and experience the recruitment process as they experience it. Most importantly, take note of what could be improved. This may include issues related to technical bugs, user experience, vaguely-worded questions, or any other aspects that may require changes.
5. Be curious
Your probably want to recruit the best possible candidates for your jobs. But your ATS is not a silver bullet. Try to be open to all sources of information during the recruitment process. Be aware of current trends, of new software features that will save you much time, and of what candidates are actually asking from their prospective employers. You are the bridge between your ATS and your candidates so don’t be afraid to reach out. If there is a feature you need but don’t have, ask for it. If something isn’t working as expected, make it known.
