8 Steps to Choosing the Right Applicant Tracking System
Choosing an applicant tracking system should be an exciting endeavor, not a daunting task. To free you from the time and stress often associated with selecting a new ATS, we have developed a quick and comprehensive outline of the critical points that you need to hit on while going through your selection process.
Step 1: Know the difference between Applicant Tracking Systems for employers & Recruiting Software for external agencies
Applicant Tracking Systems for Employers – Designed for HR and recruiting to manage and organize internal hiring processes. These systems maintain the one to one relationships between an employer’s candidates and the internal staff that interviews them. Recruiting Software for Agencies – Used by recruiting agencies, executive search firms, and staffing agencies to manage external recruiting projects. These systems are designed to help recruiting firms manage candidates and their contact information for many employers.
Step 2: Establish a timeline for your go-live date
When do you want to have your applicant tracking system fully activated? Take that date and work backwards.
Step 3: Outline a selection process
- Independent Research – Identify a core group of potential ATS’s for your company
- Discovery Calls – Refine your list down to a select few
- Product Demos – Determine which ATS fulfills your core needs
Insider Tip: The cost of “hiring” the wrong ATS far outweighs that of a couple discovery calls and demos.
Step 4: Read the fine print
Contracts can be tedious but it is very important that you understand the terms set forth by them. Be wary of vendors that require multi-year contracts. They may be looking to “lock you in” so that you don’t have the freedom to switch systems.
Insider Tip: If a vendor is worried about you wanting to switch after a year, what does that tell you about their product and service offering?
Step 5: Understand the pricing structure
The most common pricing strategy is to charge by user and/or by feature. Avoid systems that charge per job (posting) or per employee.
Insider Tip: You should never pay for support!
Step 6: Know the activation plan – Steps and Timeline
- Stage 1. Data Collection
- Stage 2. Kick-off Call
- Stage 3. Account Configuration
- Stage 4. System Education
- Stage 5. Connect the System to Your Careers Page
Insider Tip: Find a vendor that will be your partner throughout the activation process and take full responsibility for the workload.
Step 7: Post-activation and support
You’re looking for a partner, not just another vendor. Ongoing support is essential for the successful roll-out and adoption of an applicant tracking system at your company.
Step 8: Educational resources and career development
Beyond support, your ATS vendor should provide you with ongoing educational resources that not only improve your knowledge of the application but also help you grow in your career.
Hire Faster & Smarter with Paycor Recruiting
Finding, interviewing and hiring talented people are the most important challenges growing businesses face. Paycor Recruiting is a software solution designed and built by recruiters for recruiters and HR hiring teams to help you solve your hiring problems and optimize your recruiting process.
Buyer's Guide To HCM And Payroll Technology
An HCM platform is the foundation of your business, and choosing the technology is one of the most important decisions you'll make.
Get ExpertiseMore to Discover
Paycor’s streamlined HR and Payroll solutions coupled with a flexible Recruiting platform impressed Taste Buds Management
Pandemic Response Paycor’s immediate product updates in response to new coronavirus legislation helped Michelle stay compliant and keep track of employees. “From a technical standpoint, being able to put someone on furlough in the system was great,” she said. “You created custom codes – that makes a big difference. Before it was either you’re hired or you’re not. Now, I’ll be able to sort these specific dates and it will help me make more informed decisions.” “We didn’t know how to handle COVID-19 and Paycor very quickly figured it out. As a partner, you definitely stood out as an authority—you navigated the messiness and gave us direction. Whatever you’re doing to keep your staff focused on the client, it’s working. You have a winning...
Virtual Interviews: Best Practices for Remote Recruiting
Remote recruiting makes everyone a little nervous, at least at first. Conducting interviews by video conference just doesn’t sound appealing—can you really read someone’s body language on video? What if the internet connection is bad? All these obstacles and more might make you long for the days when in-person interviews were the norm. But don’t give up on remote recruiting. Here’s how to make it better. The Benefit of Virtual Interviews Remote recruiting has advantages. It’s cost-effective, saves time and broadens your pool of candidates to include people who live out of state or even out of the country. If you commit to remote hiring, there’s no reason for it to be any less effective than in-person interviews. Before the Remote...
How to Achieve Diversity in the Workplace
Cultural Diversity Organizational Diversity Diversity in Recruiting Elevate Onboarding Defining Diversity and Why It Matters Having tough conversations about diversity and working towards a more inclusive environment is a part of any successful business. But what, exactly, is diversity? We define diversity as understanding, accepting, and valuing differences in races, ethnicities, genders, ages and more. Diversity can also include recognizing and respecting differences in education, skill sets, abilities and experiences. In order to address diversity in the workplace, you have to be intentional. You have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and accept that achieving diversity isn’t easy. But it will be worth it in the long run—a...