An applicant tracking system has the potential to save recruiters both time and effort.

Social media channels make a great recruiting platform for busy hiring managers who are struggling to fill vacancies with the right fit. However, while they may offer easy access to a talented pool of A+ candidates, screening the enormous number of applicants can be excessively time-consuming. This is when an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) may come in handy.

Some of their benefits include:

Enables applicants to apply directly from their social profiles

An ATS allows potential candidates to apply directly from their social profiles on LinkedIn or Facebook without visiting your careers page. All the pertinent information like academic qualifications and career history can be easily retrieved from the candidate’s profile, making the process more timely for your potential employees.

Offers easy access to mobile devices

An ATS can sync with mobile-optimised career sites to pre-populate your system with candidate information by condensing applications. Relevant information can be efficiently extracted and sent out via instant text messages to keep candidates updated at every stage.

Expands the reach of referral networks

Recruiters using an ATS can post job openings on all social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Your existing employees can also share your job openings, events, awards, and updates on their networks, helping you cast a much wider net. By Leveraging the personal social networks of your employees, you can generate more referrals and reach qualified candidates faster at no cost.

Can improve the quality of hires

An ATS can identify passive but potential employees who may not be interested in your offer at the time, but can possibly be converted later. Those candidates can be added to your online communities and an ATS can strategically market your brand without making it obvious. It can also help you build a pool of talented professionals that can be leveraged at a later time by storing candidate information on a centralised, easy-to-access platform.

Can track the performance of different platforms

An ATS stores every detail, even if you are handling multiple social channels for recruiting. From tracking the channel that drives maximum qualified candidates to determining the most inactive platform, an ATS helps you verify the most efficient and effective platform for identifying and attracting suitable candidates for a job.

Makes the recruitment process easier

An ATS is primarily designed to save time and effort by automating your day-to-day recruitment tasks like posting jobs on social platforms, filtering the relevant ones, communicating with candidates, scheduling interviews, short listing the best profiles, and generating accurate reports for tracking performance and improvising procedures. This means employers can reach the right candidates much faster, filter the best fit in seconds, get a higher response rate, generate more referrals in much less time, tap passive candidates with ease and target the most appropriate channels for maximum conversions.

Kelly Barcelos is a progressive digital marketing manager specialising in HR and is responsible for leading Jobsoid’s content and social media team.