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Should An Applicant Tracking System Be Used?

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Rohan Jadhav
Should An Applicant Tracking System Be Used?

Recruiters often have to deal with a lot of paperwork in their regular job; from resumes to cover letters to employment contracts; and even though technology has made your job easier, it can’t do everything. So as many as there are plus sides to this, it also has cons. What we have to conclude from this is whether the pros will outshine the cons or vice versa.

There are two sides to every coin, and the same applies to applicant tracking systems. While most of them are much more efficient and effective, some job seekers complain about the inflexibility and lack of privacy. So, should we use an applicant tracking system? Let's take a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of using this tool to find out.

Benefits

Software that helps you manage the hiring process is commonly referred to as ATS Recruitment, and it can be a valuable tool if used correctly. When used correctly, software that tracks applicants can help to decrease hiring costs, increase the quality of candidates, decrease recruiter workloads, and save time.

It can be hard to keep up with all of the information that is needed to hire a new company member. Not only are there tons of different resumes to look through, but it can be hard to tell who is going to be a good fit for the company culture, here this software is important for an organization. With an applicant tracking system, you can keep up with all of the information about the different applicants, so you can make a better choice for who to hire.

The benefits of using an applicant tracking software include:

  • Greater efficiency in finding the best-qualified candidate
  • Less time spent on compiling and submitting resumes to internal HR staff and hiring managers
  • A more accessible database of job listings
  • Easier handling of test results and tracking of multiple tests
  • Automatic posting to online job boards when a position comes available would be amazing
  • Easy access to the data of previous applicants

Drawbacks

As software becomes more and more complex, it's no wonder that some companies prefer to use applicant tracking software to track the hiring process. However, as with all software, these systems are not without their drawbacks. The #1 issue is that an ATS cannot match the flexibility of a human being. While a computer is faster at compiling information, it still can't interpret that information in the same way a human can.

Applicant tracking systems are very popular and widely used, but they have many drawbacks. The main issue is that they are designed to gather data about candidates and scan CVs, which means that they often contain mistakes and data that is irrelevant to the job you are applying for.

  • They also take time to learn and many people find that they are too inflexible, meaning you have to adapt your CV to their format rather than the other way round.
  • The system can also make the recruitment process slow and the more data you have to input, the longer the process will take.
  • It clearly ignores the human hunch which is necessary useful when choosing between 2 or 3 amazing candidates.
  • Hugely dependant on keywords which might harm both, the organizations using the systems and also the candidates applying.
  • Automatic removal of resumes that the algorithm can either not recognize or does not have the relevant keywords.
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Rohan Jadhav
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