An Applicant Tracking System (ATS Software) is much more than just a tracking and sourcing software. An ATS can streamline the hiring process, attract the top talent and instill automation in the hiring process. The demand for ATS software is steadily growing and last year its global market revenue was approximately 19 million and has been predicted to reach 36 million by 2025.
Last year the most used ATS software features were social recruiting, automated interview scheduling and bulk communication and profile segregation. So what are going to be the most used and expected features of a competent online ATS in 2021? Let’s take a look.
Small and mid-sized businesses will expect the ATS to be all in one, easy to use, automated and affordable i.e. a perfect blend of ATS, VMS and CRM.
Big businesses are expected to continue the usage of the ATS at a steady rate, but the small and the middle sized companies will like to have a software which has all in one capability. Apart from performing the recruitment, it should also be able to perform the staffing and CRM capabilities.
It will become much more affordable if an ATS can perform the CRM, Staffing and VMS capabilities as the money spent on those processes will be saved and it will bring a streamlined and organized approach to every department, which will also save a lot of money, which gets wasted because of haywire management.
Large companies in 2021 might look for more enterprise level services such as HRIS, HRMS, and talent management functions within ATS software with more utility and options. But the small and mid-sized companies will look forward to an ATS software which will have all the necessary tools to manage various modes of recruitment from start to finish. It will save a lot of expenditure for the small and the middle sized companies as it will help in managing all the processes through single software.
An all in one, ease to use and automated ATS software also resolves the unnecessary complexities and expenses in the processes. Moreover small and the middle sized companies will also like to bring the VMS under the ATS as it will ease the transactions. So in short 2019 will be the year of an ATS which has the perfect blend of ATS, VMS and CRM.
Experienced recruiters will look for an ATS Software with smarter CRM capabilities
Post recruitment, the biggest problem faced by a recruiter is the performance of the employee in the new job role. It becomes a bigger problem if they have recently started hiring qualified people for important positions. Finding the right candidate will need much more utility and flexibility within your ATS. It will have to be based on a software platform which has some of the best CRM capabilities, such as, Salesforce, HubSpot, Fresh sales, etc.
Moreover, an ATS needs a good CRM as the profiles are stored in a CRM format. The amount of efficiency a CRM platform shows in functionality and the search feature is responsible for the quality of talent recruited as the amount of sourcing improves. An effective CRM system will help in maintaining an extensive talent pool.
Video SMS is the next best thing
Video messaging and voice controls have been introduced in recruitment software and can be the next best thing. Rather than sending an email, you can send a video message to the candidates. You can also perform the search through voice instructions into a CRM.
Some ATS are developing features with video messaging and voice mails. Some ATS even have been functioning with such features. But the feasibility of the proper functioning is still to be proven. Still, if it functions properly then it could really act as a google assistant
Operational excellence is more important than innovation
The ATS software development has reached a stage where it has achieved some of the best possible scenarios of human interaction. Now there are very few scopes of innovation. So in 2021, we will look forward to development in the operational parts of the Applicant Tracking System software. Companies will like to see more operational efficiency in VMS modules, easier implementation of automation, hassle frees scheduling, real-time updates, data in the much more segregated way and much more.
Building Talent Pipeline
These days’ companies are focusing more on building a talent pipeline prior to recruitment. They are looking for a readily available talent database at any given point. In 2021 the companies will be more focused on automated screening, instant sourcing, prior campaigning, and recruitment marketing.