An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can be a wonderful addition to your workplace that can help to streamline recruitment processes and assist you in building the very best teams. Before you move ahead with your ATS project, however, it can be helpful to understand some best practices that will guide you along your implementation journey.
If you are just coming to this list after you have already completed several steps, following the rest of the path may still help to ensure a greater likelihood of project success.
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Do a Thorough Evaluation of Existing Recruitment Systems
Your existing recruitment systems will form the basis for the new recruitment system. If there are issues in your current recruitment processes, these should be noted so that they can be addressed either before or during implementation. If there are things that are working, note these things so that you can do your best to keep them the same or similar when transitioning to using the new system.
Create a Detailed but Flexible Implementation Plan
Crafting a detailed implementation plan will help to give you a rough idea how much of the company’s time and money will be needed to complete the project. This will allow you to make changes as needed before the project even gets rolling. It is wise to refrain from getting too attached to particular elements of a plan, however, as there will invariably be things that need to change as the project actually unfolds.
Select the Right ATS for Your Company
Selecting the right ATS can be difficult, but putting forth the effort to really make sure the features and vendor are the right fit will be worth it. Vendor matching companies may be invaluable for making sure you find the right system.
Work Closely with the Selected Vendor
A great ATS vendor will provide plenty of support throughout your implementation project. The vendor knows their system and you know your company, so it is just good sense to work together to get the project done quickly and efficiently. After the ATS has been implemented, you should still work closely with the vendor as needed until everything is working seamlessly.
Involve Key People in Implementation
Who should be involved in the implementation process may vary from company to company. Of course recruiters and hiring managers should be involved, as well as anyone else that may be impacted by the new system or by changes in the hiring system.
In some companies, however, it may also be necessary to involve the marketing team to make sure that the configuration and branding is done right for the applicant portal, IT to make sure they understand how to provide technical support, and other departments that may have stake in the new system.
Provide Plenty of Support throughout the Project
Training should be thorough and should be done early to get the ATS project off the ground without a hitch. As the team switches to using the new system, plenty of support should be provided so that questions can be answered quickly and complications can be addressed before they become damaging.
Plan for Regular System Updates
No matter how great an ATS is, technology is moving rapidly and updates are sure to be needed frequently to keep the system current and functioning optimally. Verbiage may change, ATS features may improve, and recruitment methods may transform as time passes. Planning for regular system updates right from the beginning may help you to avoid issues down the road.