Introduction

Jobs are essential to people. The money we earn from working allows us to buy necessities like food, clothing, and a house. If we are still left with some, we can purchase and do the things we want, such as traveling and taking home the latest gadgets and luxury items. Whether we admit it or not, our job plays a big role in our lives, and the opportunities that come with them can dictate what happens to us in the long run.

Given that we need at least one regular job to live in society and sustain our lifestyle, people continuously send applications to vacant positions for which they think they are qualified. Because of this, thousands of resumes, cover letters, and portfolios are sent daily.

These thousands of applications are received by the human resource department staffed by HR and admin officers. Using their skills and expertise, they must create processes that can ease their applicant management to fill open positions quickly.

Without enough manpower or innovative applicant tracking software and system, managing many applicants may be challenging. Q2 HR Solutions, a fully integrated HR company in the Philippines, is here to explain the importance of effective applicant tracking systems for every business.

What Is Applicant Management and Why Is It Important?

Applicant management is a recruitment strategy focused on building and maintaining closer relationships with job seekers. This is done to ensure they will get the best recruitment experience, from the initial interview to the onboarding stage.
Some companies improve their candidate experience by simplifying their application process. According to a study, 60% of applicants dump an application if they think it’s too long or complicated. This is why companies remove unnecessary barriers that may hinder job seekers from completing their applications.

Another technique businesses use is hiring HR solutions companies that are experts at managing a high load of applications. Some of these HR firms are equipped with the best applicant systems and software that automatically collects information, organizes candidates based on experience and skill set, and filters out those who do not meet the requirements.

Having a simplified and effective management system for applicants attracts quality candidates as it builds your company’s reputation because they know you care about optimizing your processes. Providing long and unnecessary application experience may paint you as an employer who does not care about innovation.

How To Ensure Effective Applicant Management

As business owners, we want our employees to be productive. Given that the HR department gets many applications daily, it is necessary to help innovate processes to make way for more critical tasks like interviewing and onboarding top candidates.

To ensure excellent applicant management, here are some things you can do:

Investing in Innovative Technology

Now that technology is readily available, it is just right to take advantage of it. There are applicant tracking systems that can streamline your hiring process. Through them, you can automate and organize the application steps you want to establish, making it easier to connect with candidates.

For instance, there are applicants now who have ATS resumes. These resumes are meant to be read by applicant tracking systems and are made to speed up applicant screening. In just one scan, the system can determine if the job seeker has the right qualification, skills, and experience for the vacant position.

Once the screening is done, your HR officer can easily pull out the candidate's resume and ask them for an initial interview. This saves them time and effort from having to go through all the resumes submitted every day only to find out that half of them are not even qualified.

Hiring Professionals

If you do not have the capacity to innovate and invest in tracking systems, hiring HR professionals may also improve your applicant management. There are HR solution firms that offer their expertise when it comes to dealing with applicants and cutting long processes.

You can partner with them and present how you currently conduct your hiring process. From there, they can pinpoint what you are doing right and wrong. Moreover, they can rebuild and improve your recruitment process by presenting what steps are unnecessary.

With their helpful advice and guidance during the implementation stage of the applicant management process they established, you can improve how you handle job seekers.

Listening to Expert Opinions

No matter how skilled your HR officers are, listening to expert opinions is always a good idea. There may be some faulty steps in your hiring process that you are oblivious to just because you have been so used to doing the same hiring procedures every day.

It is great to have an outside perspective from time to time. This way, someone who is unbiased can tell what can be done to reduce your recruitment cycle. Moreover, by applying their expert opinion, you can improve your company's reputation.

With a good hiring process, branded job boards, customized emails, and polished communication, you can attract top talents as you will be perceived as an established, professional, and trustworthy company.

How Applicant Tracking Systems Work

Tracking systems specially made for human resource solutions are gaining popularity nowadays. More and more businesses are starting to see the advantages they bring and how good of an investment they are.

Here is how they work:

A Job Requisition Enters the System

An HR officer may be tasked to enter a job requisition into the system. This will include information about the job position, job title, desired skills, required experience, and if the applicant needs to submit certain documents.

During this step, you must be very specific about what you want your candidate to be. The more requirements, skills, and responsibilities you list, the more chances you have of attracting a qualified job seeker.

A Profile for the Ideal Candidate Is Created

After analyzing the information you entered, the system will automatically create an ideal candidate profile. This will contain everything you are looking for and serve as a guide for the system when screening applicant resumes.

The System Arranges Resumes Based on Your Preferences

Once job seekers apply for the position you posted, the system will screen and filter their submitted profiles and resumes. Based on your preferences, the system will decide if someone is a good match for the position, placing them in the qualified folder.

Suppose a job seeker applies but lacks skills, experience, or educational attainment. In that case, the system will label the applicant as unqualified and will not reach the next hiring process step.

Hiring Managers Identify Qualified Candidates

Once the system is done arranging the applicants, hiring managers can access the resume and profiles of those qualified for the job vacancy. From there, the officer can double-check and schedule an initial interview.

Having the system filter out applicants saves HR managers time and effort. Instead of spending all day reading each resume, they can quickly check the system and validate the qualified applicants waiting to be contacted. Overall, everyone ends up being productive.

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat’s the Difference Between a CRM vs. ATS?

Candidate Relationship Management is an engine that drives teams while helping build and manage the candidate talent pool. With a CRM, you can develop and nurture candidate relationships by connecting with them for updates on the progress of their role. On the other hand, an Applicant Tracking System focuses on workflow optimization and is used as a recruitment tool by hiring managers.

They both work together to achieve an optimized and organized applicant management system.

Is ATS the Same As HRIS?

ATS and HRIS are not the same. They have a difference when it comes to time and purpose. HRIS is the software used to store, track, and utilize employee data. Meanwhile, ATS is the software used to compile applicant data during the hiring process.

How Do Recruiters Manage Candidates?

Recruiters can manage candidates in different ways. Some prefer to do it manually, and they just ask for advice or opinions from experts to improve their process. Meanwhile, some choose to invest in applicant tracking systems that automatically and efficiently connect them with applicants.

Conclusion

A streamlined applicant management process allows companies to establish their business’ reputation and ease their job seekers' application experience. All in all, it is a win for recruiters and applicants when companies have expert HR professionals and innovative software guiding and backing them throughout the process.

If you plan to partner with a reliable HR firm, turn to Q2 HR Solutions! Contact our team today.