With “The Great Resignation” coupled with talent shortages globally, competition between companies to secure the best talent has intensified. Recruitment is critical for every company, but for startups, it can be the difference between success and failure. Startups often need to hire rapidly while ensuring they pick the right candidates—this challenge is even more pressing when they have limited budgets and resources.
Each hire represents a significant cost, and sustainable growth is only achievable if new hires contribute positively to the company’s success. This is where Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) come into play. These systems simplify recruitment, enabling better and faster sourcing, better decision-making, and, ultimately, lower recruitment costs and better candidate quality.
What Is An Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
Technology continues to evolve rapidly, helping businesses function more efficiently and streamline operations. One of the key technological advances in HR is the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). ATS helps recruiters find the right candidates by speeding up tedious tasks such as sifting through a pile of applications and filtering the most qualified candidates.
An ATS covers the entire hiring process, tailored to the needs of your HR department. Once customized, the system provides an organized and standardized recruitment workflow. It allows HR to track and manage all documents submitted by candidates, including resumes, cover letters, and notes from interviews. This makes comparing candidates much more manageable.
The best ATS systems are user-friendly and require minimal IT involvement to set up. HR teams can easily manage the process themselves. Once set up, the ATS can run efficiently, ensuring the right candidates are identified quickly and cost-effectively.
Why Do Startups Need an ATS?
In business, time is money. If you’re spending excessive time finding the right candidates, you’re not focusing on the key areas of growth for your business. For startups, where hiring speed is essential, relying on an ATS helps streamline the process and ensure that hiring decisions are more targeted and efficient.
An ATS comes with a range of features that can be customized to suit your hiring needs. For instance, it helps target niche verticals using AI, sends out mass emails more efficiently, and promotes job openings across multiple job boards simultaneously. This system allows for quicker communication with candidates, which is essential for the fast-paced nature of startups.
Thanks to ATS, hiring processes are streamlined, results are delivered more quickly, and you can get back to your primary business functions.
How ATS Systems Work
The process is relatively straightforward. HR teams create a list of relevant keywords for a position. When a candidate submits their resume and other documents, the ATS scans and parses through the documents to identify the keywords. After processing, the system forwards the most relevant candidates to the hiring team.
All documents, notes, and responses are stored in a single, centralized interface, allowing your team to evaluate and make decisions more efficiently. Team members can collaborate, leave notes, and send notifications to candidates—all within the system. The ATS also keeps candidate information on file for future use, helping you maintain a pool of potential hires for future openings.
Steps Recruiters Can Take to Scale Up Hiring with an ATS
- Be Clear About Job Requirements
Start by identifying which roles need to be filled, the qualifications required, and the number of individuals needed. Rather than just marketing the job’s perks, provide a holistic view of the role, including the expectations and opportunities. Define what documents you require from candidates and how they’ll be stored within the ATS.
- Create a Structured Process
Once you know the job requirements, standardize the hiring process. All candidates should submit the same information and meet similar qualifications. Developing a clear evaluation system will help streamline the hiring process and quickly identify the best-fit candidates.
- Assess the Value to Company Growth
In a small team, every hire plays a significant role in shaping the company’s culture and driving growth. Recruiters in startups must assess whether a candidate will add substantial value to the company, taking into consideration both the candidate’s skills and how they align with the company’s culture. ATS tools can help identify candidates with attributes that suit your company’s current growth phase.
- Shape Your Employer Brand
An attractive employer brand is crucial for recruiting top talent. Candidates are increasingly interested in the company culture before applying. Building a strong employer brand through social media, employee testimonials, and corporate values can help you stand out and attract candidates who align with your company’s mission. Even if your startup doesn’t have a fully developed employer brand, your career page can showcase employee stories and highlight the company’s culture and direction.
- Take a Data-Driven Approach to Hiring
Data-driven hiring allows you to refine your strategy and enhance your recruitment processes. By analyzing key recruitment metrics—such as time to hire, cost per hire, and response rates—you can improve your hiring strategies over time.
- Use Social Media for Hiring
Social media platforms have become vital recruitment tools. LinkedIn groups, Facebook communities, and other social platforms provide opportunities to engage with potential candidates. Posting job openings on these platforms can help you find the right people more efficiently.
- Organize Regular Meet-Ups
Engaging employees in the recruitment process can be a valuable strategy for startups. Organize internal meet-ups and events to encourage employees to spread the word about job openings and refer suitable candidates.
- Offer Competitive Pay and Benefits
Competing with big players like Amazon and Apple is tough, but offering competitive pay, bonuses, and a flexible work environment can help attract the right talent. Perks such as flexible working hours, wellness programs, and social activities can enhance your employee offering.
Exelare: Transforming the Hiring Process for Startups
Exelare is an ATS that simplifies the hiring process for startups. Here are some features that make it ideal for growing companies:
- Intuitive Interface
Exelare’s easy-to-use interface allows HR teams to quickly create and manage job openings, track candidates, and simplify the entire hiring process. - Comprehensive Candidate Profiles
Exelare allows you to store all candidate information in one place, making it easier to review their profiles, documents, and interactions throughout the recruitment process. - Powerful Search Tools
Exelare’s advanced and Boolean search features help you find the best candidates quickly from your database, making it easy to evaluate a large pool of applicants. - Bulk Email Feature
Exelare simplifies communication by allowing you to send mass emails to candidates. You can track responses and evaluate the effectiveness of each communication campaign. - CV Management
With Exelare, you can upload and store resumes in an organized manner, allowing for quick access and the ability to re-evaluate candidates at any time.
Conclusion
For fast-growing startups, a solid hiring process is crucial for attracting top talent and ensuring the company’s long-term success. An Applicant Tracking System like Exelare can streamline recruitment, reduce time-to-hire, and ensure you’re bringing in the best candidates.
With its intuitive interface and AI-powered features, Exelare helps startups scale recruitment processes quickly and efficiently—so you can focus on growing your business. Try Exelare’s free trial today and see how it can transform your hiring operations.