In the world of Human Resources, an applicant tracking system is a software product which handles job applications for a company and manages resume data for the purposes of recruitment and hiring. By automating resume reviews, your company can ensure that they are preventing discrimination and ensuring consistency in their hiring and promoting practices.
Additionally, utilizing an applicant tracking system will save your employees time in the following ways:
- Functions within an applicant tracking system can expand your recruitment horizons. You can go beyond traditional job ads and career fairs by posting through social media tools.
- Employment applications will be completely electronic, so you will no longer have to sort through mixed media or paper applications. This also allows information to be disseminated to others in the company quickly and easily, without having to make dozens of photocopies.
- An applicant tracking system can automatically take care of several things that previously required person-to-person correspondence and follow up. This includes e-mail acknowledgments that applications were received, distribution of required online tests, and the sending of rejection letters. Additionally, when a person is hired, information already contained in the database can be used to help add the new employee to payroll quickly and easily.
- Applicants tracking systems can sort through applications on your behalf, eliminating candidates that do not have the specific qualifications you are looking for, while at the same time following all required equal opportunity employment laws.
If you meet someone who you believe would be a great fit for your company but you do not have any viable current openings, the applicant tracking system will store their information for future contact when something does become available.
In short, having an applicant tracking system can save your current staff time, and ensure you recruit high quality staff for the future.