Employers receive hundreds of resumes from job seekers whenever there is a job opening. Having to go through them manually one by one is such a hassle and is very time-consuming. This slows down the pace, especially for big companies. Your resume may even get lost. Now, the future of resumes is here. There is software created that helps pick up the speed of this process, and it is called ATS.
What is ATS?
ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. Employers use this software to track the job candidates and help the company manage all the steps in the entire recruiting and hiring process. This software gathers, scans, sorts, and ranks job applications.
How does Applicant Tracking System work?
- The job order is created.
- The job is disseminated in different locations, usually on the company’s websites.
- Job seekers apply for the position on the website. Depending on how the ATS is set, the candidates may have to answer some questions related to the position they are applying for. The system may reject candidates depending on their responses to particular questions.
- The resumes are then parsed and rank them accordingly.
- The recruiter goes through the system’s applications and chooses which ones to pursue further. An automated email rejection may be sent to unsuccessful candidates.
- Interviews may take place with the recruiters, and notes can be recorded.
- When the favored applicant is picked out, the recruiters may use ATS to send the candidate the offer.
- The candidate will be identified as “hired” in the HR system if they accept the offer.
- If the company has the onboarding feature in the ATS, the onboarding functions will be presented to the newly hired personnel. They can read the digital contracts, sign them, and complete the forms needed to start formally.
What are the benefits of using the Applicant Tracking System?
- Saves time
Since ATS takes away the lengthy and time-consuming hiring process by providing different features that quicken the pace, the recruiters don’t have to manually list them on job boards, email, and other what were once manual tasks. The software is customized and set by the company, meaning that the data received and sent are all organized accordingly. This saves time from each stage of the process.
- Provides better resume screening
Using algorithm and keywords, an ATS can do an initial screening tomorrow down the choices. It sends a rejection email to those who didn’t pass and ranks the ones who passed. This saves the recruiters from the mess of using too much energy for this lengthy process, compromising the quality of their selection.
- Has one centralized space for the information
Having one space for the hiring process keeps the data from getting lost and keeps everything organized. This allows the recruiters to see all the information they need from the candidates in a few clicks.
- Provides streamline onboarding
According to a report (Officevibe, 2021), 69% of employees are more likely to stay with their company for three years or more if they experienced great onboarding. The employees will be given all the information they need and look for in their first week. Having a stable structure and an efficient process improves the experience of the newly hired employees.
- Reduces paperwork
Since the entire process can be done virtually, the amount of paperwork is lessened. There won’t be a pile of resumes stacked taking up the space in your office. The instances of files getting lost will also decrease. Setting up, cleaning, organizing and transferring, and other extra work will be eliminated, thus lessening the stress from this process and creating a better setup for the employees who handle this part.
This software organizes everything and is very efficient, which benefits everyone. Now that you know about the system companies utilize, don’t let this knowledge go to waste. So if you are applying for a job, try using ATS resume formats so that your resume will be processed faster. ATS-friendly resumes will also prevent you from getting rejected in the initial screening, thus heightening your chance of getting hired.
Applicant Tracking System: main advantages of using an ATS (skeeled.com)
What is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and How Does it Work? (techtarget.com)