An applicant tracking system software enables an organization to electronically handle recruitment data and needs. Commonly known as recruitment software, an ATS gets implemented easily into the small company’s HR system and can be accessed online anytime. Depending on the needs of the company, the recruitment team can buy the software that fits their preferences. ATS is very similar to CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software but the major difference is that ATS is exclusively designed for recruitment tracking purposes. A small company applicant tracking system helps the hiring manager filter out resumes and candidates on some defined criteria such as skills, years of experience, keywords, geographical location, etc.
What Is the Main Principle of a Small Company ATS?
An ideal applicant tracking system automates the recruitment specific procedures and also acts as an additional module to the internal HR suite, better known as Human Resource Information System (HRIS). With the coming of SAAS (Software as a Service) or open source solutions, applicant tacking systems are finding their place in every small and medium enterprise.
The main objective of any small company applicant tracking system is to provide a central database and server for meeting the recruitment needs of the company and automate the underlying processes. Apart from automation, a small company applicant tracking system can assist in the management of applicants’ information and resumes. The main sources of data collection are:
- ATS front-end which is often linked with the company website’s job-portal page.
- Data extracted from online job boards and resume boards
The ATSs have modules which help recruiters connect with the major online job boards such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Monster, Indeed, and more. These job boards have partnered with the ATS providers as they offer them easy data migration and parsing support from one system to another.
These next generation recruiting systems have integration points that help other providers seamlessly integrate with the software. This leads to omni channel talent acquisition which means that the ATS solutions can post the jobs targeting the candidate and not only the job boards.
The upcoming major advancements in a small company applicant tracking system include processing the information via Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques. This facilitates intelligence and semantic guided search capabilities which are offered through cloud based platforms. This helps small companies sort and score resumes with an efficient and optimized alignment to the job descriptions and requirements.
Candidates these days are using resume optimization techniques and other online tools to increase their chances of getting an interview call.
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Benefits of a Small Company Applicant Tracking System
There is a common misconception that an ATS is limited to data collection and mining. But the benefits of an ATS in any small and medium enterprise are diverse. These include:
- ATS automates the recruitment processes via seamless and defined workflow.
- An applicant tracking system analyzes and coordinates all the recruitment efforts by managing the conceptual structure, often known as human capital.
- Recruitment software gets integrated with the company’s web job portal easily. This portal even allows the small company to offer opportunities to existing employees prior to the external recruitment.
- The database of all the candidates, whether selected or rejected, remains stored and it might be helpful in future prospects.
Most of the small companies prefer SAAS based recruitment software as they don’t require additional infrastructure and are fully secure and affordable. All the data gets stored on tightly secured servers with layers of protection.
ATS Integrated with Existing HR System
A SAAS based small company applicant tracking software creates and maintains a candidate information database and keeps track of all the open positions within the company. In short, all the company’s job openings and applicants can easily be tracked using this software.
With the help of recruitment software, the hiring manager can easily cross reference and search the entire candidate database to find the best fit for the job opening. Apart from storing just the candidate information, an ATS allows a system of reporting and filing applications. It also allows the employer to keep a track of each and every application irrespective of the hiring status or job applied to by the candidate.
The entire interview scheduling and planning can be done with a single click from the software itself. The ATS also sends notifications to the candidates regarding the status of their application or next steps after the interview etc.
Some other functions of ATS which play a major role in the recruitment drive of a small company are as given below:
- Word processing
- Complete job descriptions for each position
- Resume scanning
- Interview scheduling capabilities
- Statistics and trend analysis
- Equal employment opportunity reporting
- Pre-employment testing and tracking
- Job posting capabilities
- An automated notification system
- Remote and 24/7 access
How Does ATS Work?
The ATS software automates every process of the recruitment drive. The process begins when the recruiter creates a job position. The ATS helps the hiring manger or recruiter reach out to every deserving candidate in different geographical areas through numerous job posting websites and portals.
After the applicant submits their resume/CV for the job opening, the ATS parses and stores the information. Depending on the parameters set by the recruiters, the ATS accepts or rejects the applications.
After being scrutinized, the final candidate resumes are sent to the hiring manager and interviews are scheduled and managed with the help of ATS. Notification during each and every phase of the interview process are sent to the candidates. Even after the final selection, ATS expedites the onboarding process for the new hires. An ATS literally helps and automates each and every phase of the recruitment campaign.
Influence of Small Company ATS
The main effect of bringing an ATS onboard in a small company is that it makes the complete recruitment process easy, streamlined, efficient, and faster. An ATS helps in:
Streamlining the Entire Recruitment Process
An ATS help the recruiters and the hiring managers sift through hundreds of resumes in just a few minutes based on pre-set criteria.
Saving Time
As the applications and the resumes are sorted and scored in just few minutes, a lot of valuable time is saved for the hiring managers. Manual sorting of the resumes can consume a lot of tim