Applicant Tracking for Recruiting Agencies

What Is an Applicant Tracking System for Recruiting Agencies, and What Are Its Benefits?

Recruiting can be exciting because you have the chance to match the perfect candidate with their ideal role. Finding the right person to succeed at a job can be highly fulfilling. That’s not to say that the process doesn’t come with its challenges. Hiring can quickly become overwhelming when you have limited resources to help you sift through applicants and identify star candidates. This is unfortunate for many recruiting agencies short on resources but eager to fill positions. Filtering through submissions to weed out the least-relevant resumes takes time you don’t have, and finding the right hire becomes more difficult than it should be. The good news is that Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) offer an opportunity to automate and streamline the entire recruiting/hiring process. 

Now more than ever, recruiting and keeping employees is difficult. Agencies face unprecedented times as the search for qualified, skilled candidates becomes more and more challenging. What are some of the most common challenges associated with recruiting, and how might applicant tracking systems be the solution?

Common Challenges with Recruiting

Recruiting agencies everywhere face a plethora of challenges. Finding suitable candidates takes time and patience, but some of these barriers that exist along the way can be frustrating. Some of the most common challenges during the hiring process include:

The list doesn’t end there. The struggles that recruiting agencies and HR professionals face can feel endless, frustrating and defeating. This is where a fully integrated applicant tracking software, CRM system and recruitment software come into play.

Creating a Pool of the Qualified Candidates

Once job postings go up on a job board, it can sometimes feel that anyone and everything starts to throw their hat into the ring. While a listing details the qualifications for the job, it seems many individuals believe themselves to be perfect for a career opening that they definitely should not be applying for. Creating a pool of truly qualified candidates can seem impossible at times.

Data and Analytics

Most organizations put forth an effort to make data-driven decisions to improve their hiring process. The challenge is that collecting, organizing and understanding this data takes time and doesn’t always result in the use of helpful information. Data and analytics continue to play a huge role in how businesses make decisions and are ultimately the path to growth now and in the future. Organizations need advanced recruitment agency software to help them leverage data and analytics for growth.

Candidate Relationship Management

Without a recruitment CRM (candidate relationship management) system, recruiting agencies often find it challenging to build and organize strong relationships with candidates throughout the recruitment process.

Interview Scheduling

Keeping every candidate organized while scheduling them in a way that makes sense for your calendar has always been a struggle.

Efficiency

Ultimately, the recruiting/hiring process takes time. From locating candidates to interviewing and making a decision, it is not always the most efficient process. Those who need to hire quickly risk hiring the wrong candidate for the job just to fill the position. Workflow efficiency and software integration are the best ways to streamline the process.

What Is an Application Tracking System (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system is a recruiting software/hr software that recruiters and employers use to organize, filter, track and hire candidates from start to finish. This type of solution allows recruiting agencies to manage entire workflows (from candidate sourcing and placement to employee onboarding) as well as sales, marketing and operational activities and communications. An applicant tracking system aims to help recruitment and staffing firms grow their recruiting agencies by using a comprehensive digital tool to build better relationships and run their operations more effectively, the end result being the ability to build a better business.

How Does Applicant Tracking Software Work?

The exact mechanics of an ATS will vary depending on the developer. Most systems aim to use AI and machine learning to mirror everything a recruiter would normally do to identify a top-tier candidate. From viewing resumes to identifying skills, weeding out unqualified individuals, keeping every detail organized as candidates move through the hiring process, and tracking the status of candidates, a great ATS/recruiter CRM system does it all. The only difference is that it’s faster. 

Using artificial intelligence (AI), the system searches resumes for keywords, phrases, skills, and details that are relevant to the job. If a resume lacks that information, then it is sorted out. It sources candidates that are qualified for the role and brings them to the recruiters’ attention. All communication still happens between the recruiter and the applicant, but now agencies have all the resources they need to optimize productivity at every step of the process

What Are the Benefits of an Application Tracking System?

With such a challenging, yet unavoidable process in place like recruiting, applicant tracking systems offer respite, efficiency, and results. This type of digital tool offers a wealth of benefits for recruiting agencies/employers such as:

Centralization

Everything you need in one place. The possibilities are endless with a quality applicant tracking system on your tool belt. All of the data and resources you need to hire the best candidates are located in a single interface. No longer will professionals have to jump back and forth to stay organized or track the details. A quality ATS is equipped to help you efficiently tackle the process from beginning to end.

Decrease Cost Per Hire

The amount of money it takes to hire someone directly correlates with the time it takes to hire them. Applicant tracking software can help organizations decrease the cost to hire by streamlining the process and reducing the time it takes to identify, pursue and hire the best person.

Total Automation

Automation means less work on your plate. The introduction of digitally automated processes means removing the tedious, time-consuming responsibilities on your plate so that they no longer weigh you down. Applicant tracking software is capable of automating processes like skill profiling, data parsing, results searching, and so much more. Even your schedule is automated with calendar integration.

Organization

Speaking of your calendar, integrated technology offers a seamless transition from the software to your calendar. Keep applicants organized, information readily accessible, and data easy to comprehend with the top-of-the-line organization.

Qualified Candidate Sourcing

Applicant tracking systems can help you avoid the challenges associated with diluted candidate pools by ensuring you see the options worth your time. Whether within an active job or just scanning the database, finding candidates needs to be fast, relevant, and comprehensive. With a quality system, results can be viewed, sorted, saved and shared with others while being displayed in various formats (lists/maps). Intelligent ranking even compares both resume history alongside CRM history.

Improve Hire Quality

Not only does a system enable you to weed through unqualified applicants efficiently, but it also improves the quality of every hire. It equips recruiting professionals with the time and resources to identify the best person possible for every job. Agencies/employers no longer have to feel rushed to fill a position, causing them to settle for someone who is OK, but not great. With higher quality hires, organizations can see positions filled long-term.

Improved Engagement

No longer lose great candidates to delays in the hiring process. ATS can help you stay in more frequent contact with those being considered and keep them updated throughout the entire journey.

Remain Competitive in Today’s Market

Right now, all of the best businesses/organizations are using some version of an applicant tracking system. Adopting a quality ATS is another way to guarantee you stay competitive in today’s job market, continuing to access the best candidates in your field.

Reduced Administrative Strain

With automation and a streamlined workflow on the toolbelt, your time on admin work decreases. Tedious details like reading and filtering every resume, scheduling interviews and identifying star candidates now take a fraction of the time. During a period where many agencies are low on personnel and resources, the ability for one person to get more work done in less time is an ideal situation. Agencies have the opportunity to optimize their productivity and achieve peak performance.

Improved Productivity and Use of Time

Prior to the invention of recruitment software like this, hiring managers spent their time on small details that took up large amounts of their workday. Now, hiring managers can focus on the most critical components of their job, which are building a relationship with candidates and identifying the perfect hire for a position.

Comprehensive View

No matter where a specific job is during the hiring process, hiring managers can always get a complete view. If they’re juggling multiple postings simultaneously, quality hr software like an ATS offers a comprehensive view of your work, so you always know where you stand.

Experience Satisfaction

Systems like these ensure that the hiring process moves swiftly, continues to be engaging, and helps candidates feel sufficiently connected to the employer they are pursuing. Recruiting automation software enables a more satisfactory experience for those being considered.

Quicker Results

Rather than be strung along through a lengthy hiring process, candidates can know more quickly whether or not they will be moving forward in the process, allowing them to move on and pursue other opportunities should they need to.

How to Choose the Right ATS for You

Finding the right recruitment and applicant tracking system for recruiting agencies/employers boils down to finding a software that is proven to work. Find a software vendor that has the features that lead to success along with proof of their effectiveness. With years of experience partnering with a history of success, features combined with a quality software vendor have the potential to make huge waves. Features to look for in the right ATS and vendor include:

Position Management

The center of any consultant’s desk is job management, quickly seeing where they are at any given time. An ATS should come with a job management tool that allows users to see how many candidates there are for a job, where they are in the process, the number of applications received, which ones have already been reviewed and so much more.

Resume Automation

Take the pain out of reformatting resumes during registration or in-line in the shortlist with a specialist resume send features.

Parsing

Using the most sophisticated resume parsing technology, build comprehensive candidate profiles and history in seconds. By dissecting each and every aspect of a candidate’s employment history, education, qualifications, skills and more, the software can build an unrivaled ranking without you having to lift a finger.

Candidate Filters

Find candidates efficiently using over 80 individual filters, including core statuses, types, resume skills, skill profiling, location, availability, salary requirements, etc.

Artificial Intelligence

Find an ATS that uses AI ranking/machine automation to constantly learn from ongoing engagement with each individual and apply that information in combination with resume ranking to ensure the best candidates are presented each and every time.

Skill Highlights

Whether it be industry knowledge, level of expertise, or any other skill profiling metric, utilize software that offers a “quick” Yes/No. This tool can also build semantic search dictionaries that allow for highly targeted, relevant and productive searches.

Long & Shortlisting

A long and shortlist function is core to your workflow. With optimized functionality, users can do everything from one place.

Job Posting

Save your team hours of time each week by not having to author and post to multiple job boards and process applicants in the inbox. One of the most critical aspects of the recruitment life cycle is to ensure that your jobs attract the best talent from over 1000+ job boards worldwide.

Job Board Search

Search your favorite job boards alongside your candidates from one screen and one results list, all de-duplicated and ranked.

Candidate Prospecting

Turn recruitment on its head by embracing Candidate Centric Recruitment, maximizing on your candidate assets to drive business.

Interviewing

Whether face-to-face or via video; one-time or bulk; Interviewing workflow should be simple to use while fully integrating with your calendar.

Website Integration

With as little as one line of code, you can bring your open job pipeline to the web, allowing candidates to apply instantly.

LinkedIn Capabilities

LinkedIn is quickly becoming one of the most critical resources for the recruitment industry, with candidates finding more creative ways to interact through its platform. Embrace the power of LinkedIn with our in-built X-Ray search and Chrome Extension, both offering instant record creation.

Mobile App

Enjoy 100% functionality with a mobile app, Most people in any industry have a smartphone and spend time during their day on them. It makes sense that your applicant tracking system be accessible via mobile device so that you can use it to its fullest extent.

Phone Alternative

With the power of click-to-call, screen-pop, auto call logging and call recordings, you’ll never need to rely on your personal phone again to make calls.

Built-in Chat

Find a system with an in-built chat to allow your team to converse, whether working in the office or remote, to share information using mentions or leave messages.

Of course, with dozens of application tracking systems on the market, it can be hard to know where to start to find the right one. The truth of the matter is that not all tracking systems are the same. Some offer “comprehensive,” “all-in-one” solutions to your problems, but they don’t fulfill their promise. You need to find one that offers exactly what they say they do and has a track record for success.

About Tracker’s Applicant Tracking System

The good news is that Tracker offers the industry’s best applicant tracking system. Each one of the previously mentioned features can be found in our integrated ATS, CRM and Recruitment software to help your team create better relationships, processes and so much more. Agencies and employers can start building better recruitment processes and experience the rich benefits that come with high-quality technology when they implement our solution. 

Here at Tracker, we believe that relationships come first and have built our Tracker with that in mind. With leading, cloud-based recruitment, applicant tracking and CRM software that is available in the recruitment industry today, you won’t find a better solution. We aim to help businesses grow by assisting them in building better relationships and improving productivity and efficiency. The end result being the ability to build better relationships and increase growth and profitability.

We have fantastic track records and have the case studies to prove it. Across multiple industries, Tracker RMS has revolutionized the hiring process from start to finish, helping agencies to fill roles, increase productivity in their workflow, access rich data and analytics to gain insight, and so much more.

How Tracker Stands Out

Tracker’s Tracker is better than the rest. Recruiting agencies can trust that this solution will offer them the tools they need to do their job efficiently and accurately, each and every time. Our Tracker offers a variety of standout features such as: 

  • Job Management
  • Resume Sends
  • Resume Parsing
  • Candidate Search
  • “AI” Ranking
  • Skills Profiling
  • Long and Shortlisting
  • Job Board Post
  • Job Board Search
  • Candidate Prospecting
  • Interviewing
  • Website Integration & Jobs+
  • LinkedIn Integration
  • Mobile App
  • Telephony
  • TrackerChat

Combined, each one of these features will flip the hiring process on its head for recruiting agencies and employees everywhere.

FAQs

What is Application Tracking System in Recruitment?

An applicant tracking system is a recruiting software/hr software that recruiters and employers use to organize, filter, track and hire candidates from start to finish.

How do ATS Systems Work?

Most systems aim to use AI and machine learning to mirror everything a recruiter would normally do to identify a top-tier candidate. From viewing resumes to identifying skills, weeding out unqualified individuals, keeping every detail organized as candidates move through the hiring process, and tracking the status of candidates, a great ATS/recruiter CRM system does it all. The only difference is that it’s faster.

What is the Purpose of ATS?

The goal of an applicant tracking system is to help recruitment and staffing firms grow their recruiting agencies by using a comprehensive digital tool to build better relationships and to run their operations more effectively; the end result being the ability to build better business.

What ATS System do Recruiters Use?

Finding the right recruitment and applicant tracking system for recruiting agencies/employers boils down to finding software that is proven to work. Tracker offers the industry’s best Applicant tracking system.