If you’re reading this, chances are good that you’re a recruiter. And if you’re a recruiter, chances are good that you use software.
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is included in most recruiting software systems. According to Capterra, a Web service that helps businesses find the right software solutions, 75% of recruiters use a recruiting software or applicant tracking software. Of that percentage, 94% believe the software has improved their hiring process. That’s an overwhelming majority.
Selecting a new ATS or new recruiting software
However, not all recruiting software packages are created equal, just like not all recruiting agencies are created equal. That’s why selecting the right package for you is dependent upon personal preferences just as much as it’s dependent upon other factors. However, since we’re not mind readers (so far as you know) and we don’t know your personal preferences, let’s focus on the other factors first.
Below are six ways to assess a new ATS or new recruiting software:
#1—Features
What are more important than the right features? Not much, which is why this is located near the top of the list. An applicant tracking system’s features may vary depending on what provider you use. Here are some features of most applicant tracking systems:
- Job posting
- Email marketing
- Resume importing
- Resume parsing
- Candidate tracking
When you get right down to it, there are three main things you need to do with your software. First, you need to add data easily. Second, you need to search that data quickly. Third, you need to be able to do something with that data, both easily AND quickly. That’s how you shorten the placement process, save time, and make more placements.
#2—Functionality
Okay, so you have the right features. Or the very least, you have the features that YOU want. But how well do those features work? How reliable are they? Are they as powerful as you want them to be? They have to do more than just exist.
This is an especially important consideration when you’re shopping for recruiting software and comparing different packages. You could have two software packages that have exactly the same feature set. So how do you break the tie? In part, by deciding which package possesses the features that work the best. In other words, it possesses the features that function at the highest level.
#3—Ease of use
What’s the point of having a ton of features and functionality if you have to be a brain surgeon in order to use the software? No point, that’s what. After all, you want to spend the majority of your day doing the things you need to do to make placements. You don’t want to spend the majority of your day messing around inside your recruiting software, trying to figure out what the heck you’re doing. And if you’re a firm owner, you don’t want your recruiters doing that, either.
The rule is simple: do what you need to do in the software, do it quickly, and move on to the next task. You have people to place and checks to cash, after all.
#4—Customization
You need more than just a software that works. You also need a software that works the way that YOU work. That’s when you really start to save time during the placement process. You have a certain way you like to do things on your recruiting desk that is unique to you. Recruiting desks are almost like snowflakes. No two desks are exactly alike.
So make certain that your software conforms to your process and to your procedures. If it’s limited in what it can do, then you’ll be limited in what you can do.
#5—Customer support
Ah, yes . . . the “wild card” of the bunch. You could have a great software or ATS, but the customer support is subpar. That can definitely put a damper on your experience. The bottom line when it comes to this category is problem solving. Can the members of the customer support or technical support department of your recruiting software solve your problems? And there’s a follow-up question that’s almost as important. If they can solve your problems, how quickly can they solve those problems?
A software package that rates highly in this area has a distinct advantage over packages that don’t. These days, excellent customer service is the exception rather than the rule.
#6—Overall value
You want to get as much “bang for your buck” as you possibly can. In other words, you want a solid return on investment or ROI. There are two main facets to this consideration: how much you’re spending on the software and how valuable the software is in terms of your recruiting desk and your recruiting firm.
Obviously, you want your ROI to be the best that it can possibly be. Ideally, that would include a small monetary investment on the front end and a tremendous amount of value on the back end. How do you quantify that value? More placements, of course!
Top Echelon’s new ATS and new recruiting software
How does your recruiting software stack up in these six categories? Are you looking to make a change? Or do you not have any software? If not, then this is a great time to think about getting a new ATS or new recruiting software. The end of the year is almost upon us. A new ATS or recruitment software can improve your hiring process and help you make more placements.
Top Echelon is pleased to present its new ATS and new recruiting software for agency recruiters and talent management professionals. Not only does our recruiting software possess applicant tracking capabilities, but it also offers a recruiting CRM. That’s because the best recruiting software packages can manage both the candidate side and the client side of the recruitment process. In addition, our ATS is one of the most affordably priced packages on the market, and you can get a LIVE demonstration of the software today!
You can request a live demo of our recruiting software today. See for yourself how Top Echelon’s new ATS can streamline your recruiting process, save time, and increase productivity. OR you can sign up for a free trial!
Don’t settle for less. Use an ATS that truly integrates with your recruiting desk and your process so that you can make more placements!
