How can you use your applicant tracking system to reduce time-to-fill?

The number one way to reduce time to fill - with or without an ATS is to ensure your briefing and contracting with the Hiring Manager is understood by both sides and both deliver to that brief.So many times this fundamental element is missing which leads to delay, confusion and rework

A well selected and configured ATS will drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to hire. From the off it will make advertising roles on numerous channels quick and easy and greatly reduce the amount of admin involved in recruiting. If you have non negotiables for the role consider putting “knock out” questions against the role so you aren’t bombarded with unsuitable applications. Also take the time to customise and configure your automated emails so you can easily let candidates know next steps and save queries coming in. ATS’s are vital to help free up time but are only good if they have been properly configured and the TA team have been trained fully on how to use all of its features

Without context, time-to-fill is a useless metric. Instead, break this metric into "recruiting time" and "business consideration time." Recruiting time represents how long it took the recruiting team to present the hired candidate. Business consideration time represents how long it took the business to get the candidate through the process and make a decision (translation: how well they prioritized the recruiting effort). Present this data and you'll see that business consideration usually accounts for far more time than recruiting. With this realization, the business can take ownership of its contribution to how long it takes to fill positions. Once they take ownership, your context-rich-time-to-fill metric will trend downward.

Your ATS should always be your first port of call when you have a new job to fill. This in itself can save you lots of time and money as no need to post a job ad or actively hunt if you have the right candidate in there. My advice for any organisation would be to make it a top priority to have an ATS with data you can use. For that: - Have a clear policy that everyone needs to keep the ATS up to date - Put processes in place that clearly define what data needs to be in there and in what format - If possible get an ATS that has loads of automation so your recruiters will save time and will want to use it - Configure the ATS so you only need to use the bits that are relevant to you and your way of working Good luck!

Unlocking the full potential of your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) starts with optimized job postings. It's not just about attracting candidates; it's about attracting the right ones. By crafting clear, concise, and targeted job descriptions, you align your postings with the ideal profiles. This precision not only captivates the right talent but also streamlines the selection process. Your ATS becomes a strategic ally, efficiently sorting through applicants to find those gems. The result? A swifter, more effective hiring journey, transforming the often perceived daunting task of recruitment into a pathway of opportunity and growth for your team and company. Remember, your ATS is a tool to house and collect applicant data.

Set up automated screening: Use the ATS to set up screening questions or knockout criteria that automatically filter candidates based on your required qualifications. Use AI-powered matching: Some ATS systems offer AI-based tools that analyze resumes and profiles, matching them to job requirements and ranking them for you. Utilize resume parsing: A good ATS can parse resumes to extract relevant information, making it easier for you to search for candidates with specific skills or experience quickly.

My advise is to set specific criteria to filter out applicants who do not meet the basic requirements. Like couple questions for sales roles to eliminate those who may be not senior enough based on deal / quota size

Optimize your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to reduce time-to-fill by automating repetitive tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling. Utilize AI for initial candidate assessments and prioritize candidates based on predefined criteria. Implement a user-friendly interface for seamless collaboration among hiring teams and maintain clear communication channels to expedite the decision-making process.

Implement automated resume screening within the ATS to quickly filter and identify candidates that meet key criteria. Use predefined keywords, skills, and qualifications to automate the initial screening process.

Automated screening really helps recruiters when you have 100s of applicant for a single role. Manually going through each and every application is not practically possible. ATS may help with matching keywords ( between JD & profile) and rank candidates to assess basis scores received . Pre screening questions posed while applying also helps recruiters as they get applicants who meet the criteria required for the role. With recent development in AI and with AI backed ATS, screening might get full automated and may save lot of time .

Automate candidate communication: Set up automated emails to acknowledge applications, schedule interviews, and send follow-up messages. This reduces manual work and keeps applicants informed. Integrated interview scheduling: If your ATS integrates with calendars, you and the candidates can directly schedule interviews through the system, eliminating back-and-forth email chains. Leverage candidate feedback tools: Use built-in surveys in the ATS to collect feedback from candidates to pinpoint areas for improvement in the process.

Implement automated status updates to keep candidates informed throughout the hiring process. Enable real-time notifications for internal teams, enhancing collaboration and decision-making. Utilize pre-set email templates for consistent communication, saving time on repetitive tasks. Leverage the ATS's reporting features to identify bottlenecks and optimize workflows, ensuring a seamless and efficient recruitment process. Effective use of the ATS enhances transparency and communication, expediting the hiring timeline.

In Lever ATS, we have a reminder that sets every time if a candidate didn't have any activity for a day or two. Also, we have a reminder every 6 hours so the hiring manager or recruiter would fill feedback on time.

5 ATS communication templates to cut Time To Fill: 1. Confirmation Emails: Automated replies post-application submission inform candidates promptly. 2. Interview Scheduling: ATS enables candidates to pick interview slots, speeding up the process. 3. Application Updates: Frequent, automated progress reports maintain candidate engagement. 4. Prep Messages: Automated dispatch of interview particulars and materials streamlines preparation. 5. Offers and Onboarding: Rapid delivery of offers and onboarding docs via ATS hastens responses and start dates.

Automated messaging from the ATS to candidates, hiring managers, and recruiters of outstanding actions is a great way to ensure process integrity and swift action. Helps to move everyone through the process efficiently.

I truly think that the automated scheduling and connection to your own and the hiring teams calendar can truly help reduce time to hire. Scheduling in conversations, sending reminders and allowing the candidate to move the meeting without having to contact you takes out so much admin time that recruiters can get bogged down in. We have seen so much of a difference as a result of moving onto an ATS when it comes to scheduling related admin!

Many ATS platforms have integrated scheduling tools. Candidates can choose their interview times from available slots, reducing the back-and-forth often involved in scheduling. This feature can also send automatic reminders to both interviewers and candidates, minimizing no-shows.

Simplifying your scheduling is a key strategy to leverage your applicant tracking system (ATS) and reduce time-to-fill. I recall a situation where streamlining interview scheduling through the ATS significantly expedited the hiring process. Automated scheduling tools within the system helped coordinate interviews seamlessly, minimizing delays. To use your ATS effectively, explore its scheduling features, integrate calendar tools, and automate repetitive tasks. This not only accelerates the hiring timeline but also enhances the overall candidate experience, showcasing your commitment to efficiency and professionalism in the recruitment process.

Some ATS's have cool features simplifying job interview scheduling - like a Scheduler, allowing candidates to choose the date and time of the meeting. No need to exchange multiple e-mails to find the perfect time!

Integrate your ATS with your calendar and availability for seamless scheduling Allow candidates to self-book interview slots through the ATS platform Utilize automated reminders and notifications for both candidates and interviewers Enable rescheduling and cancellation options within the ATS Reduce time spent on coordinating and confirming interviews manually Increase efficiency by automating scheduling processes through the ATS Minimize scheduling conflicts and avoid delays in the recruitment process Improve responsiveness to candidates and interviewers through streamlined scheduling

Implement automated workflows and real-time notifications, ensuring seamless communication between hiring managers and recruiters. Leverage collaborative features to streamline candidate evaluations and feedback. Foster transparency with shared dashboards and progress tracking. Enhance collaboration by integrating the ATS with other HR tools for a cohesive hiring process. Utilizing the ATS as a central hub promotes efficient teamwork, accelerates decision-making, and significantly reduces time-to-fill.

The ATS can facilitate better collaboration among hiring teams. Team members can easily access candidate information, leave notes, and score candidates, ensuring that all decision-makers are on the same page, speeding up the decision-making process.

Employ collaboration tools integrated into the ATS to enhance communication among members of the hiring team. Effective communication helps avoid delays in decision-making and streamlines the entire process.

Use your ATS to create and share standardized interview guides, scorecards, and feedback forms Structure the evaluation process by leveraging predefined templates within the ATS Enhance collaboration by providing hiring team members access to shared resources in the ATS Collect and consolidate feedback from multiple sources through the ATS platform Compare and contrast candidates based on standardized evaluation criteria Streamline the feedback-gathering process, reducing time spent on manual coordination Increase consistency in evaluation by using uniform templates and criteria Improve accuracy in decision-making by leveraging data and insights from the ATS

The hiring process involves several stakeholders, and clear and consistent communication is vital to keep everyone on the same page. -Being aligned on job requirements, candidate qualifications, and recruitment timelines. Good communication helps avoid misunderstandings or miscommunications that can lead to missed opportunities or delays. -Staying in constant communication with the hiring team, any issues or challenges that arise can be identified and addressed promptly, ensuring the process stays on track and meets its goals. In short, establishing effective communication with the hiring team is key to a successful recruitment process.

Utilize your ATS to generate and send offer letters, contracts, and other hiring documents Ensure compliance with policies and regulations through automated document generation Automate background checks, reference checks, and onboarding tasks using the ATS Streamline administrative and legal work associated with the hiring process Increase speed of hire by expediting the completion of necessary tasks through automation Enhance efficiency by leveraging ATS features for document management and verification Provide a seamless onboarding experience for both candidates and hiring teams Improve overall quality of hire by accelerating the finalization of the hiring process

Facilitate team collaboration: An ATS allows your hiring team to share notes, ratings, and feedback on candidates within the platform, improving communication flow. Create candidate profiles: A good ATS builds a database of candidate profiles, storing their information for future reference or for re-engagement if needed. Provide reporting and analytics: Use the ATS's analytics features to track metrics like time-to-fill, sourcing channels, and drop-off points in the process to identify bottlenecks for optimization.

Another great usage of a strong ATS is getting alot of your emails and processes automated so that you can simply move candidates through the system and everything is sent for you. We do this for our candidate information packs, interview preparation and pre-onboarding. Alot of the emails that don't require us to input anything additional will also come with triggers to set up follow up calls/book in interviews etc - which all absolutely help streamline our process and ensure every candidates gets the same information.

Optimize your ATS for seamless automation, streamlining the hiring process from application to onboarding. Leverage AI features to swiftly identify top candidates, giving you a shortcut to the best talent. Implement a user-friendly interface, making it a breeze for both recruiters and applicants to navigate. Enhance collaboration with real-time communication tools, ensuring everyone's on the same page. By fine-tuning your ATS, you're not just hiring; you're accelerating towards a dynamic and efficient recruitment journey.

Utilize the ATS’s data and analytics to identify bottlenecks in your hiring process and make informed improvements. Analyzing trends over time can help you understand what works best and where there’s room for further optimization.

Reduce time-to-fill by simplifying your process. Use your ATS to streamline each step. Take a close look at your current process and identify any redundant stages that can be eliminated. Focus on retaining the steps that give the most valuable insights into your candidates. It’s about efficiency without sacrificing the quality of your evaluation. By optimizing the necessary parts, you can reduce the time it takes to fill a position, all while maintaining a thorough candidate assessment.

Train your team: Ensure everyone involved in the hiring process knows how to effectively use the ATS features. Continuously evaluate and optimize: Review your ATS processes regularly and gather feedback to make necessary adjustments. Choose the right ATS: Select an ATS that aligns with your company's size, growth plans, needs, and budget.

Time to fill is a very broad metric that gives the TA leaders an overall picture of all the recruitment efforts. To reduce this metric, the ATS should be powerful enough to provide the split of this number. For example: If the time to fill is 40 days, how much of it was spent in screening stage, interview stage, offer stage, etc. Once you have this drill down - you can find insights like hiring manager screening is taking a lot of time, there are too many reschedules, offer approval is taking time, application was idle for a lot of days, huge offer declines, and more. With these numbers in place, it becomes very easy to then focus on the right areas to effectively reduce overall time to fill.

You may already have your best candidate from an earlier application. Never forget to go back and check against your talent pool using the keywords from your new offer.

Use the reporting data to understand how the recruitment progresses. - Where are the delays? In which recruitment stage? - Who delays across similar roles (recrutiers, hiring managers, wider hiring team) - Are the delays consistent? Talk with colleagues, because you might not be experiencing delays. Always be critical and skeptical of results. Often there are so many moving part to consider that the numbers might not make any sense: - you might have a constantly changing recruitment team. Each recruiter needs ramp-up time and this will be reflected in how they handle their positions. - your org might be constantly changing. So last years results may not be comparable with this year's results (better employer branding / more awareness)