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ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

ATS, which stands for „Applicant Tracking System“, is an electronic information system supporting the recruitment process. This system allows companies to centralize all recruitment-related information such as job offers, candidates, resumes, and interviews, and offers tools to manage them efficiently and track their current status throughout the recruitment lifecycle.

An ATS is similar to a CRM system used for working with customers but instead focuses on candidates and job seekers. Nowadays, all recruiters, headhunters, and headhunting agencies need to have and use some sort of ATS for success in recruitment if they want to be competitive and do their job as efficiently as possible.

Implementing an ATS is a key step in the Human Resources (HR) digitalization process not only for recruitment professionals but also for larger companies who are or want to handle their own recruitment and candidate database management.

What does ATS enable?
ATS provides a range of features that cover the different steps and activities in the recruitment process. Some of the core features include:

  • Structured recruitment process – ATS provides an overview of the steps in the recruitment process and allows you to manage candidates efficiently.

  • Candidate database – The ATS allows you to manage candidate profiles and includes tools for searching, filtering, and tagging. So you can use the ATS to manage your entire database of all the job candidates you have contacted in the past.

  • Interview scheduling – ATS can also include a calendar for easy scheduling of interviews without having to use another tool.

  • Candidate communication history – The ATS also aggregates and maintains a history of communications with candidates so you can better follow up on your most recent interactions. It can also allow you to use email templates for different situations in the recruitment process (candidate rejection, etc.).

  • Better team collaboration – allows you to share reviews and comments between members of the recruitment team.

Modern ATS systems also offer advanced features such as referral programs, online pre-selection, resume text analysis, and integration of social media and PPC campaigns, allowing more effective use of these channels for recruiting. When choosing an ATS, it is important to consider not only the features and technical solutions offered but also the expertise and intuitiveness of the system. User-friendliness and ease of navigating the system are key to the daily work of recruiters.

Is it worth getting an ATS?
An ATS can represent a significant investment and may also require retraining of interested employees. But the benefits it brings in the form of efficiency, professionalization of the recruitment process, and the ability to attract or reach out to suitable candidates you’ve reached out to in the past can quickly offset these initial costs. So ATS is certainly worthwhile for companies that frequently deal with recruitment, and it’s pretty much a necessity these days.