A recruiter using an applicant tracking system

Hiring Platform

The 5 Biggest Myths About Applicant Tracking Systems Busted

July 29, 2023

Tima Rassool

Tima Rassool

Content Writer

Is your company holding back on implementing an applicant tracking system?

If you answered yes, then it might be because of some myths you’ve heard in the past.

You might have eventually formulated an idea that all applicant tracking systems are complex, expensive, and well pretty much a waste of time. You also might have read a few too many articles or reviews complaining about the unnecessary hype over them.

Whether you automatically assumed they’re true, or you’re still debilitating with your recruiting team about leveraging one, then you came to the right place.

We thought it’s about time we shine some light on some common applicant tracking system myths and reveal the truth behind them!

Ready?

Great, let’s get into it then.

Myth 1: It will force you to change everything about your HR processes

a recruiter working on his laptop

Don’t fall for this one! An applicant tracking system won’t have you flip-turn your entire processes. A well-designed ATS can seamlessly work within the boundaries of your typical recruitment process. It molds perfectly with your hiring workflows. However, the only change you will experience is that processes will shift from manual to digital, which is the entire point!

Now that the entire world is now digital, it’s about time you do the same for your recruitment process. An A-grade applicant tracking system should be thought of as an accelerator. In simple words, it helps your hiring team accomplish and complete their tasks more quickly and efficiently.

Also, keep in mind that choosing a web-based applicant tracking system means that your other regular processes will remain undisturbed. Oftentimes, an ATS can integrate with other HR tools that you may use on a daily basis such as Gmail, DocuSign, Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn. In fact, by integrating with the world-class tools that you love and use on a daily basis, an ATS enables you to manage, optimize, and run all your HR processes under one tab only.

Additionally, if your company favors an online application and onboarding process, an awesome ATS simply takes it up a notch and automates the process further. Allowing you to get all the information you need to make exceptional hiring decisions with lightning speed. Without even needing to change a thing about your HR processes.

Myth 2: All applicant tracking systems are the same

recruiters using an applicant tracking system

First of all, no they are not!

All applicant tracking systems are unique. We can give you that.

But you cannot assume that they’re all the same. Because each and every one of them is designed for different purposes and for different needs. Which means, you’ll need to research and then decide which ATS will work best for your organization.

Keep in mind that your requirements will keep on changing and evolving. Especially for different positions. And you will need the right ATS to fulfill those requirements. So don’t hold on to the thought that one size fits all!

Above all, applicant tracking systems are different in functionality and complexity. For example, an ATS from one company may be customized with different options. And so, it operates differently from another ATS from the same company.

Although the majority of applicant tracking systems may have familiarities – such as easing and improving the recruitment process – there is no ‘one shoe fits all’. Simply because the recruitment process differs from company to the other. At Elevatus, our applicant tracking system offers features that are not found in a mainstream ATS. For example, recruiters who use our applicant tracking system can hire the right candidates with ease. They can filter and find exactly who they are looking for by assigning weights to the criteria most important to them. This criterion can be related to location, skills, gender, willingness to travel, experience, or industry. Our one-of-a-kind ATS will then filter through the candidates and help recruiters spot the most qualified ones in seconds.

After assigning the weights, talent acquisition specialists will notice that each candidate will get a certain matching percentage. This percentage signifies how relevant the candidate’s profile is to the job requirements. To make the process even easier for recruiters, our applicant tracking system will consequently rank the candidates from highest to lowest match. Our applicant tracking system is also extremely intuitive and can intelligently help recruiters match resumes to pre-existing job posts or to any other job description they have. The ATS will then take into consideration the candidate’s career level, experience, major, degree, and skillsets and matches them to the right job.

Myth 3: It dehumanizes the hiring process

A recruiter interacting with a robot

This misconception might be understandable. At the end of the day, people are under the impression that when relying too much on technology, AI, and automation – the human element in HR can get lost.

But, an applicant tracking system is not designed to replace this crucial part of hiring, it only fine-tunes it. The notion of an ATS creating an emotionless and cold hiring process only occurs when it’s not utilized properly. Let us take this example. When sending out an automated and generic rejection email, candidates might consider it as a copy-paste email that elicits no sign of personalization. But the truth is, an applicant tracking system can help you personalize communication with candidates so simply, you wouldn’t believe it.

The system allows you to create a branded and personalized template that is well-aligned with your company’s tone of voice. Gone are the days when you need to copy/paste a generic template from Google every time (which are most likely used by every single organization without an ATS).

The point is, you don’t want candidates to feel like they’re only interacting with robots and machines. You want to add a human element to the hiring process. Personalizing communication with all candidates solidifies the candidate experience. Simply because it humanizes the remote recruitment process and builds trust from the start.

So an applicant tracking system like EVA-REC gives recruiters the chance to constantly communicate and reach out to candidates throughout the process. With automated emails and messaging, candidates will always be kept in the loop in a timely manner. Meaning, they’re instantly notified on their application status and are well aware of the next step. So by keeping candidates up to speed, you won’t only enhance their experience, but you will also humanize the hiring process effortlessly.

Today, we see many recruiters shift to leveraging an ATS because they have cracked the real potential of it. And remember, cutting out and shortening certain HR processes does not cut out the ‘personal touch’. You are just upgrading your workflows for better productivity. In fact, with an applicant tracking system you can focus on the candidate even more than before.

Myth 4: An ATS automatically rejects resumes

A drained and tired recruiter

Spoiler alert; humans reject resumes, not the ATS.

Automated resume rejections are one of the main fallacies many sites claim about applicant tracking systems.

You may have also read somewhere on Google that 70% or 75% of resumes don’t even make it to the human. Which is almost never true.
The only time this is true is when candidates answer questions like “Can you legally work in the country?” With that said, and in nearly all cases, a recruiter is always reviewing resumes before they decide whether to take candidates to the next round, or not.

Prescreening or “knock-out” questions are questions that recruiters set up, and are intended to filter out candidates who are not eligible for the job, irrespective of the content on their resume. For instance, if your company does not sponsor visas, a recruiter might add a question to the application form asking “Will you need sponsorship in order to work?”

Consequently, candidates who answer “Yes” or need visas will then be rejected (following the policy for the designated role). This means, that the ATS will not reject the candidates unless authorized by the recruiter.

Another example is that under certain circumstances, candidates might have some uncalled-for errors in their applications. Such as typos or abbreviations which might be recognized as genuine mistakes by unintuitive filtration systems. Therefore, unfairly disqualify candidates instantly. Our applicant tracking system, on the other hand, eliminates the process of not fairly and accurately matching candidates to their ideal jobs, applications, and training due to a few spelling mistakes.

Our ATS like ours can find and understand the relevancies between words, therefore giving candidates their fair and accurate matching to any particular: job, application, and training!

For instance, when a candidate uses the word “CAT” in their resume, EVA-REC is smart enough to detect that this word stands for the Common Admission Test, rather than an actual cat.
When this happens, candidates won’t get disqualified or eliminated from the pipeline.

Myth 5: It’s not suitable for small businesses

A team of talent acquisition specialists

Now you may think that it’s only logical for big companies with big bucks to invest in an ATS. Especially large enterprises with a large number of employees. But that’s not technically true. Applicant tracking systems are designed to help startups and small businesses too. It allows them to scale their processes and grow with them. In fact, small businesses can seek the most cost-efficient solution that still delivers incredible results. Many vendors also offer a suite of pricing plans that are tailored to meet the needs of companies of all sizes.

Irrespective of the shape, size, and population of the company.

In fact, many small companies are leveraging applicant tracking systems to automatically sort, manage and track candidates throughout every stage of the hiring process.

Also, they’re seamlessly customizing the ATS to meet their specific requirements and generally, don’t need all the features that it has to offer. They just need the basic features that meet their basic hiring needs.

Putting it all together

Convinced yet?

We believe that with the right applicant tracking system and the right supplier, there’s no reason why these ATS myths should turn into a reality. So if you’re inquiring about an ATS, you must do thorough research to find a provider that ticks all your boxes. This includes not only meeting your budget but also having all the necessary features that you need to scale, grow, and succeed.

Our on-demand applicant tracking system automates and improves the hiring process through AI technology. Small businesses to industry leaders rely on EVA-REC to create a rich and immersive hiring experience for everyone. Where they can drive merit-based, objective, and fair hiring practices that minimize bias, without dehumanizing the hiring process. Start your 14-day free trial and see how it can help you hire top talent starting today!

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Hire, assess, onboard and manage top talent for every job. See how Elevatus streamlines everything; from acquire to new hire.

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Author

Tima Rassool

Tima Rassool

A wordsmith, storyteller, and content strategist – Tima is an MBA graduate with 6+ years of experience in the world of HR. With over 2,000 blogs under her belt, Tima's expertise and insights have helped businesses across the globe take their recruitment to the next level and stay ahead of the curve.

Turn top talent to employees fast

Hire, assess, onboard and manage top talent for every job. See how Elevatus streamlines everything; from acquire to new hire.

Request a demo