Recruitment via the applicant tracking systems (ATS) are by no means flawless. But it does eliminate so many steps for the recruiters. It streamlines talent pools and serves to bring the likeliest candidates to the edge of the candidate funnel. From this point, the HR systems become razor-sharp in cutting out the chaff and maximizing productivity in a way it was previously impossible – in the times before the ATS tracking tool.
Every recruiter of today’s vibrant corporate landscape wants in on the applicant tracking system and the benefits it offers. This combination of a human mind working off the insights gleaned from an intelligent recruitment software is the perfect one to get the best out of a market that veers towards being talent-led.
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For instance, any recruiter worth their salt already knows that a rudimentary resume checker can be queried using a keyword search. But the results gained at this step are hardly ideal. In the conventional process before ATS tracking was adopted, agents had to call every candidate. The method was labor-intensive and not at all efficient. Duplication of effort was rife as no real candidate tracking system was in place and recruiters got little done by the end of the day.
An efficient application tracking system of today is consistent across file formats and picks up resume keywords and even sorts candidates according to an attributed resume score within seconds of a query being posted by the ATS software user.
Most application tracking systems come with free set up for the very basic features of CV scan and input fields in place for ATS HR functions. They offer a limited number of candidates you can scan and screen, or even contact. After the paywall is bypassed, the actual features of the application tracker are revealed in full. The recruitment management system can categorize and flag candidates, groups, or have filters for hiding unsuitable candidates or those who have already been contacted or deemed unsuited.
Does applicant tracking system have all the answers HR looks for
Application Tracking Systems are certainly promising. They eliminate human error by which an exceptional candidate may go unnoticed. More importantly, they weed out the less than mediocre ones so that the human agent does not waste time on the candidates on whom the application tracker does not assign any relevance through a resume score. However, the application tracking system is by no means one-size-fits-all. Various companies use the ubiquitous ZOHO recruitment software and application tracker tool.
A case in point is Taleo, often used by Oracle India for obtaining and tracking candidate information. While it is technically sound, being used for employee background verification, referrals, and for lateral movement, Oracle itself found that the volume of information to be furnished became burdensome for a candidate in their survey carried out in 2015. Oracle has since had to discontinue the use of Taleo. This case shows that corporates need to become well-versed in deploying application trackers and using them to their advantage without creating an untenable situation for candidates. Meanwhile, Naukri, India’s top job search portal, in its survey of the top ten ATS and recruitment management systems continues to list Taleo at the top along with Greenhouse Software and Jobvite.
Erroneous filtering or ratings on the ATS HR can result in serious long-term results, as also observed by Oracle in the product gap they faced as a result of the talent tracker.
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In conclusion, it is safe to say the application tracking systems hold many answers. Using them wisely and appropriately is a talent each entity should internalize with due care.
References:
- Debbie McGrath, Applicant Tracking Systems Are Widespread But Many Still Have Their Weaknesses – According to New Study by HR.com, HCM Technology Report, Dec 19, 2019
- Alison Doyle, The Balance Careers, How Employers Use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), Jan 14, 2020
- Pavan Swaminathan, Simplifying the recruitment puzzle with Taleo, Infosysblog, Dec 2, 2016
- Saurabh Tyagi, Top 10 Applicant Tracking System 2019, Naukri RMS Enterprise, July 26, 2019
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