The war for talent wages on, and many companies are being left behind. It’s hard to stay competitive in recruiting top talent when your tools are turning against you. Where does the main issue exist? It could be your applicant tracking system.
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A faulty applicant tracking system (ATS) may be costing you more than you think. It may be misleading you by providing bad data and influencing bad hiring decisions, losing track of qualified candidates, and alienating some of the best talent out there.
The sad truth is that most HR professionals are dissatisfied with their current ATS. Given the advancements in technology and the emphasis on automation and data, it’s no wonder employers are looking for better solutions.
Technology is intended to simplify processes, not complicate them. In order to understand what works, HR needs to first get an idea of what doesn’t work and where improvements need to be made.
The challenge goes beyond hiring managers losing track of top talent or pulling inaccurate reports. It extends to the candidate experience as well.
Giving applicants a pleasant experience is crucial to a successful recruiting process. If your branding attracts them, your application process is their first experience engaging with your company. Jobseekers are quick to move on if your application process isn’t mobile friendly or if your recruitment process lacks a human element.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from a recent survey by ClearCompany:
- 62% of employers admit qualified candidates are likely being filtered out by mistake.
- 37% of HR professionals are concerned about their company’s application process deterring quality hires.
- One in 10 Millennials said they would drop a company out of consideration if they couldn’t apply for a job via their mobile device.
- Talent acquisition professionals spend an average of 32 hours per month sorting through data.
- 64% of jobseekers said that receiving a personalized e-mail confirming their application was received would significantly improve their experience.
- 75% of talent acquisition professionals say it’s not easy to share or explain the data to those outside HR.
Waldorf, MD-based Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager and president of Come Recommended, a content-marketing and digital-PR consultancy for job search and Human Resources technologies. She is the author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships and #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle.