What's an Applicant Tracking System?

If your business is planning on hiring full or part-time employees, using an applicant tracking system will help you find the best candidates for your hiring position. In addition to tracking applicants and sort candidates, you will likely also want to be able to attract the best candidates for the job so that the tracking system will be worthwhile. 

One way to make competitive hiring offers and attract the most qualified applicants is by offering benefits to both full and part-time employees, if possible. Health care benefits can be affordably offered to employees using care memberships. Mira offers care memberships for $45 per month, offering discounts on urgent care, prescriptions, and labs.

What an Applicant Tracking System is

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are platforms on which both an employer can post a job opportunity and where a prospective employee can apply. ATS is a relatively new data-driven system that allows employees to track and sort through the applications by any number of criteria. 

Most ATS suppliers recommend their systems to businesses if their business meets the following criteria:

1. The business is growing;
2. Recruiters are not sufficient;
3. Human resources (HR) tracking has become difficult;
4. And your business is experiencing high employee turnover.

Basic Features of Applicants Tracking Systems

When searching for an applicant tracking system that suits your business needs, all of the ATS systems should meet the following criteria at the minimum. There are more advanced features, but they will vary by provider and needs of your business.

• Job board posting
• Resumé database
• Candidate search system/applicant filtering
• Optional pre-screening
• Application management
• Workflow management and delegation
• Interview setup and scheduling
• Employee and applicant data security

Additionally, many top-tier ATS include built-in recruiting firms that enhance the hiring process.

Furthermore, it is important to make sure they are a legally compliant system when selecting an ATS system based on features. Not all ATS systems comply with all government regulations, including:

• the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
• the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)

Security of Applicant Tracking Systems

Be sure to look for security guarantees before purchasing any ATS. Any worthwhile ATS provider will guarantee that no company or applicant data is compromised while using their system. Some security protocols that should be included are:

1. The provider should ensure deletion of all company information if you decide to discontinue the use of the ATS.
2. They should ensure data security from the applicant side, not only the company’s hosting server (SOC-2 certified).
3. The system should pass penetration testing.
4. The provider should never share, sell, lend, lease, or disclose any information on the ATS, no matter the perceived importance.

If you find a system that does not explicitly state these security guarantees, you may want to avoid that system unless you can contact the provider and provide the guarantee directly. Ultimately, if these security factors are not guaranteed, you may want to look elsewhere for a reliable ATS service provider.