How recruiters use applicant tracking software to vet your resume
To get a job application noticed, jobseekers need to know how ATS software works. Recruiters reveal how they use it.
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What is ATS software, and does your organisation use it?
Justin Hinora
Executive consultant,
Hender Consulting
Used appropriately and not exclusively to assess candidate suitability, applicant tracking software can be a useful way of electronically tracking applicants, assist with workflow and compliance and can sift through top applicants to reduce time-to-hire while still finding quality candidates. However, there is no substitute for a professional and experienced human to determine candidate suitability. Relying on software to shortlist candidates is poor practice. We use cloud-based software which is both an ATS and CRM system, which is a really useful system to manage and search for both passive and active candidates, as well as previous applicants already in our system.
Andrew Sullivan
Managing director,
Sullivan Consulting
ATS stands for applicant tracking system and it’s a common tool that recruiters use throughout the recruitment process. Essentially, it’s a database that stores candidate information in a way that’s helpful for managing each stage of recruitment. At Sullivan Consulting, we use ATS software to help things run smoothly. It allows us to see candidates alongside the job they’ve applied for and track each candidate’s progress across the various stages, such as first and second-round interviews through to reference and qualification checking. For us, ATS software is a useful way of managing the recruitment process so that we can provide a positive recruitment experience for all candidates.
Alexandra Rosser
Head of Organisational Psychology Consulting,
Stillwell Management Consultants
Applicant tracking system software is designed to assist recruiters and hirers to manage candidate and client data in a central location. It typically has integrations with calendars, time sheets, pay details, job boards, etc. Some organisations use its semi-sophisticated AI to match candidates to job advertisements but we believe the technology still has a way to go to be useful in this function. Our firm uses ATS.
Lisa Morris
Director,
Hays
Anybody who works in recruitment, from recruitment companies such as Hays to mid to large organisations with large talent acquisition functions, will likely have an ATS, or applicant tracking system, in one form or another. Most people are aware that one job ad can elicit hundreds of responses. Many of these may be inappropriate, yet all must be screened to identify the suitable candidates to shortlist. With the aid of an ATS, this time-consuming process can be dramatically reduced, allowing recruiters and hiring managers to focus on engaging with skilled and experienced professionals. An important aspect of an ATS is CV parsing. CV parsing software ensures the automatic processing of data from a CV. The software uses a preliminary scan to analyse a candidate’s skills, experience, education and even job titles. By parsing, the data obtained from a CV is directly translated to a structured candidate profile in a recruitment system. This way a recruiter or hiring manager immediately has access to a large amount of information regarding a candidate. That’s why it’s so important to optimise your CV. An ATS can also be used to post vacancies, know where vacancies are in the cycle and review cost for each hire. They can highlight if we don’t have enough activity on a particular vacancy and the metrics provided can drive the performance of the recruitment team.
News Corp has partnered with HR technology company Shortlyster to develop the Australian National Talent Registry, an initiative to help get Australians back to work, as COVID-19 has left hundreds of thousands of people either jobless or with reduced working hours.
The registry aims to connect jobseekers, whose employment does not have to have been directly affected by the coronavirus pandemic to participate, with employers on cultural-fit and psychological level, not just qualifications and experience.
It is free for jobseekers to sign up. To sign up, visit adelaidenow.com.au/careers
