{"id":55957,"date":"2016-11-11T11:15:47","date_gmt":"2016-11-11T16:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bullhorn.com\/?p=55957"},"modified":"2019-03-01T21:23:22","modified_gmt":"2019-03-01T21:23:22","slug":"online-applicant-tracking-system-can-help-bottom-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bullhorn.com\/eu\/blog\/online-applicant-tracking-system-can-help-bottom-line\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways an Online Applicant Tracking System Can Help Your Bottom Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

Using an online applicant tracking system (ATS) transforms a staffing business \u2014 and if you rely on an ATS, losing that technology can feel like a throwback.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paul Sabatino<\/span><\/a> had been working at a large publicly traded company and using an ATS. When he moved to Harmer Consultants, the contract and contract-to-hire consultancy of <\/span>Harmer Associates<\/span><\/a>, his initial experience with Harmer\u2019s systems was a little like stepping back in time.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt had a very manual process \u2014 resumes on a server, manilla folders, querying through Outlook,\u201d he says. \u201cIt was extremely difficult.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He found an open-source ATS and began working with it. \u201cAs my group grew, we built our business on it,\u201d he says, and in 2010 he was chosen to head the company\u2019s ATS committee. The company then went live with Bullhorn in June 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe main thing that I kept in mind was that an ATS should provide accessibility, transparency and business intelligence for your book of business,\u201d Sabatino says. \u201cWhen the features of the ATS support these, they do a great job of saving time and effort \u2014 and in the staffing business, that has a direct effect on the bottom line.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We talked recently with Sabatino, now vice president and technology recruiter at Harmer Consultants, about the different ways an online applicant tracking system can boost your bottom line. You\u2019ll find that \u201cincreased efficiency\u201d is a common thread; here\u2019s how it breaks down.<\/span><\/p>\n

Time Saved with Automation<\/span><\/h1>\n

Staffing firms have a lot of manual and redundant processes. A good applicant tracking system<\/a> can automate many of those that take up time and money, and help improve your bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A good ATS can automate many the tasks that take up time and money, and improve your bottom line.<\/a><\/div>\n

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For example, Sabatino says he was able to automate the timesheet submission and approval process through the ATS, which was a huge time-saver. \u201cIt used to be done on an Excel spreadsheet that you had to sign and fax back to the front desk,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other aspects of staffing that online applicant tracking system is especially good at automating include background checks, Sabatino says. \u201cRegardless of your ATS vendor, with most of these systems it\u2019s just one single point of entry that allows you to run the check,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Streamlined Workflows<\/span><\/h1>\n

Acquiring an online applicant tracking system can be a wake-up call, because there\u2019s a lot of time, effort and resources required up front to get it right, Sabatino says. You\u2019ll need to map your organization\u2019s workflow to get an idea of the state of things, and you\u2019ll likely find inefficiencies along the way, he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you finally implement an ATS, regardless of vendor, remember that it\u2019s built on best practices and provides a structured workflow right out of the box, Sabatino says. \u201cYou\u2019re at a crossroads there \u2014 do you customize the ATS to fit your workflow, or do you take a look at your workflow to change for the software?\u201d If you can be open-minded, changing your processes to fit the software can help you get everyone on the same page and operating more efficiently, Sabatino says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Increased Business Intelligence<\/span><\/h1>\n

One of the biggest ways applicant tracking software<\/a> can boost your bottom line is through the insights it generates about your clients. \u201cQuick reporting of annual revenue, placements in a month, health of relationship with a candidate or client \u2014 you can look for patterns,\u201d Sabatino says. That business intelligence can translate into better customer service: If a client always comes to you in March and October, you can start to anticipate their needs and be prepared to reconnect when the time comes, he says.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, being able to pinpoint a candidate with ease and determine exactly where they are in the pipeline makes your work more efficient. \u201cIf you\u2019re in delivery or recruiting and sending candidates to sales, you can see exactly when interviews are picking up,\u201d Sabatino says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Better Reporting<\/span><\/h1>\n

An online applicant tracking system is excellent for generating reports that clarify business decisions. \u201cThe reporting capabilities help everyone get an honest read on where your spend is garnering the most return on investment,\u201d Sabatino says. For example, Harmer tracks what the candidate source is \u2014 CareerBuilder, Dice, their own website, a referral, etc. \u201cHaving the ability to run a report at the end of the year on how many candidates we entered into the system from paid sites and how many came to fruition from those sources, we can better negotiate contract renewals, or realize that the value isn\u2019t what we thought it was,\u201d Sabatino says. \u201cWe could then reallocate that spend elsewhere where it could affect the business better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

You may also find that incomplete reports uncover gaps in your information collection, with some reports being a case of \u201cgarbage in, garbage out,\u201d Sabatino says. \u201cThe more you put into your reports, the more meaningful those reports are for the desk, division and company,\u201d he says, noting that better reports increase efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n

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An #ATS makes for better reporting.<\/a><\/div>\n

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Increased Productivity<\/span><\/h1>\n

How do your recruiters spend their time? If you \u2014 or they \u2014 don\u2019t know, an online ATS can help provide a clearer picture and illustrate whether the results are worth it. \u201cActivity reports can give an honest read on what people did this week,\u201d Sabatino says. \u201cI\u2019ve seen that fuel a lot of individuals who thought they were doing OK but realized they could work more efficiently and do better with their time management.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This approach applies to clients as well, Sabatino says. Metrics such as average duration that a job remains open, fill ratio and candidate submittal-to-interview ratio can indicate issues with a current client. \u201cIt may be too time-consuming for the efforts recruiters are putting forth and not really having much success or winning business,\u201d Sabatino says. \u201cSometimes you have to have those hard conversations and say goodbye when there\u2019s no longer ROI. But the bottom line is, it\u2019s given you that insight to determine where time is best spent or why revenue in an account dipped from last year to this year.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Retained Institutional Knowledge<\/span><\/h1>\n

Any time a recruiter leaves your organization, you know a lot of information is walking out the door with them. \u201cAs employers, you\u2019re facing higher turnover rates than ever before,\u201d Sabatino says. \u201cA well-run ATS helps stem the loss of institutional knowledge with a structured approach to documentation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Having a record of conversations, candidate interactions, submissions and interviews a recruiter has worked on ensures no one drops the ball, even when recruiters move on. \u201cIt\u2019s like having an entire history at your fingertips,\u201d Sabatino says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Greater Accessibility<\/span><\/h1>\n

How easy is it for your recruiters to check up on accounts when they\u2019re not in the office? A good online applicant tracking system will be full of features that save time, but it\u2019s important to keep the program\u2019s accessibility in mind to make working more efficient for your recruiters. A program that relies on a desktop operating system ties recruiters to desks at certain hours. A cloud-based system makes it easy for your recruiting base to access their work from wherever they are, whether they\u2019re working from home, on the road between client meetings or managing a staffing emergency while on vacation. \u201cThis option saves time, frustration and effort,\u201d Sabatino says \u2014 and that all affects the bottom line.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Choose an ATS<\/span><\/h1>\n

Investing in an applicant tracking<\/a> system takes time, money and effort, and it\u2019s no small task to get everyone up to speed on it. But the returns are worth it if you do it right. A few tips to consider if you\u2019re in the market for an ATS:<\/span><\/p>\n