Common pitfalls when undertaking an Applicant Tracking System project
Implementing an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) for the first time or transitioning to a new system can feel overwhelming. Many organisations replace their ATS typically because it has not evolved over time and lacks the ability to grow with their organisation to resolve inefficiencies and bottlenecks throughout the recruitment process.
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While success stories of ATS implementations are often shared, identifying the most common pitfalls can be challenging. Whether this is your first ATS project or you have previous experience with system implementations, avoiding these key mistakes will help ensure a smoother transition.
Underestimating the amount of time it takes to complete an ATS change
An Applicant Tracking System project can be a lengthy process, whether you’re moving from an incumbent system or are implementing an ATS for the very first time. The process includes multiple steps and can differ depending on your requirements, timeframes, internal resource availability, configuration of the system and more. Doing as much groundwork as you can prior to kickstarting your project will help you save time in the long run.
A good place to start is by getting a broad view and documenting your system requirements and must-have features in order for the system to aid any Talent Acquisition challenges you’re facing. When making your list, look at it from a future perspective, take into consideration your organisation’s future growth plans and possible additional requirements. The system is likely to stay in your organisation for a while, so making sure it’s a future-proof solution will help you save time in the long run.
Choosing, shortlisting, and demoing potential systems can also be a lengthy process. Coming into this phase prepared will pay off in the long term, as it will become more difficult to take the time to get things ready once the ATS change project is in action.
Not Having an Idea of Costs and Return-on-Investment
The cost of an Applicant Tracking System change shouldn’t be underestimated, and getting a clear understanding of how your budget aligns with the total cost of ownership (TCO) is crucial. With budgets being squeezed and scrutinised like never before, focusing on the return on investment of the new system is key to getting stakeholder buy-in.
Carefully reviewing your recruitment needs against what the system can offer will help ensure you don’t have any dormant capability that goes unused, which will eventually eat into your ROI.
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What are some common pitfalls when undertaking an ATS project?
Andy Long, Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Leader, as well as an RL 100 Member, who has worked on multiple system implementation projects throughout his career, shares these common pitfalls when undertaking an Applicant Tracking System project. This includes underestimating the amount of time an ATS project takes, overlooking selection and groundwork before the start of the project and more.
Review Your Recruitment Data
Following the point above, having a good understanding of your recruitment data and metrics will provide you with a better view of areas for improvement and how they can be enhanced by implementing a new system. This will also help you validate your purchasing options to senior stakeholders. Understanding the capabilities of the Applicant Tracking System and how those features can help further amplify the value the Talent Acquisition team is bringing to the organisation, will really help you showcase the full return on investment.
An ATS implementation is a significant undertaking, but careful planning can help you avoid common pitfalls. By allocating sufficient time, assessing costs and expected return on investment, and leveraging key recruitment data, you can ensure a smooth transition that benefits your recruitment process and overall business objectives.
For further guidance and insights into ways you can enhance your online recruitment strategy, take a look at our Planning Your E-Recruitment Strategy Guide, which provides some tips and useful checklists to help you fully understand the needs of every stakeholder, ways to keep your data secure and the top features your online recruitment should have. You can download the guide for free here.