Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) were created to streamline recruitment and hiring processes for HR professionals. There are many platforms that perform the common tasks and automation expected within an ATS, however sometimes recruiters will realize too late that a system lacks certain functions they deem necessary. Two of those functions include a job approval and offer letter approval process.

What Are Job Approval & Offer Letter Approval Processes?

Job Approval: Some businesses require hiring teams to create jobs in an applicant tracking system and send it to certain individuals to review before making it live. The typical process consists of recruiters building jobs using an ATS including drafting the descriptions, location, job category, salary, etc; then sending it off to the appropriate players to review, accept, or reject the job requisite.

Offer Letter Approval: Once a hiring team has decided to hire a candidate, some companies require them to create an offer letter summarizing the position’s key information and sending it to upper management for approval. Offer letters include data such as the job title the candidate will fill, salary or hourly pay, agreements, and other custom fields a company wishes to capture.

A smart applicant tracking system will include these processes standard and allow teams to seamlessly create jobs for approval and build offer letters to send through a pipeline of reviewers.  ATS platforms like this one send alerts to ping selected reviewers once they are tasked with a job or offer letter approval.  If members begin to fall behind in reviewing their approval tasks, the ATS will automatically send email reminders for a set amount of time until it is complete.

If you are performing these approval tasks using an applicant tracking system, you MUST also have the ability to report on them! The ATS should have the ability to pull job approval and offer letter approval reports on individual jobs plus break it down into specific criteria depending on what you need to focus on.  ATS platforms like Pereless Systems includes a report that can break down specific ATS users job/offer letter activity and response time.  Reporting and analytics are critical for companies who are keeping track of employees and ensuring they are utilizing their applicant tracking tool to the best of its ability while completing the necessary tasks to hire talent in a timely manner.

Job approval and offer letter approval processes are crucial for workflow and company growth.  Using an innovative applicant tracking system is a great way to execute these tasks and keep record of performance and successes; but just make sure the ATS you use can actually do it!

Sorting through candidate resumes can be a tedious task for HR professionals despite the fact many companies have now automated the process with software like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).  Although recruiters who are using an ATS don’t have to worry about piles of paper on their desk, they do still have to toggle through electronic files which can be just as time consuming.  That’s why it is so important to use an applicant tracking solution that not only automates the apply process but also streamlines candidate review and automates disposition.

According to one study, an average corporate job posting attracts about 250 resumes.  Out of all of those submissions, only four to six candidates will be called for an interview and only one offered a job.  That’s a lot of applications to review for such a small minority that is likely to be deemed qualified.  Another report focusing on small businesses revealed that 48% cited their biggest obstacle to be few or no qualified applicants for their open positions.  In both cases, it seems companies are capable of sourcing resumes but struggle to find a qualified talent pool.  So how long does it take recruiters to sift through all of those resumes just to decide on a select few?  According to a 2015 study, it takes an average of two months to fill available positions.  Perhaps this is because recruiters are spending most of their time reviewing unqualified candidates-or maybe it’s because their ATS just isn’t innovative enough.  Either way, it is dire that businesses improve time-to-fill for the sake of their success, and luckily, there are ATS solutions that can do this and more…

A superior ATS makes job applications smarter and allows businesses to capture a candidate’s true essence and qualifications through customization.   For example, Pereless Systems ATS includes Prescreening Question capability that allows recruiters to build job specific questions that can be applied to applications and setup to “knock in” or “knock out” candidates into workflows based on their responses.  Setting these questions as required answers will ensure that applicants who are not qualified are not sourced into recruiter pipelines so they can instead spend more time focusing on applicants who qualify.

If your current ATS technology doesn’t make recruitment easier, it’s time to re-evaluate your system.  You need a solution that not only automates workflow but speeds up recruitment and gets top talent into open positions fast.

If you were in the market for a new car, would you purchase one without test driving it? Of course you wouldn’t! The same goes for purchasing recruitment software such as an applicant tracking system (ATS).  Applicant tracking is a business software solution utilized by HR professionals to automate recruitment and hiring processes. It is estimated 75% of businesses currently use some form of applicant tracking software and spend thousands of dollars each year using it. That’s why it is so important the ATS vendor you are interested in offers a free trial allowing you to explore and review the system prior to making a financial commitment.

1. Free trials help determine ease of use: When buying a software product, one of the most important factors to consider is how easy it is to navigate the system.  Often times, several team members of a company spanning from all technological capability levels will be utilizing the ATS for everyday tasks.  If employees are frustrated or confused while using the system, they won’t use it, and money and time will be wasted!  A free trial will allow employees to try out the ATS and determine if it is user friendly for all and a good fit considering company needs.

2. Test system functionality & capability:  Speaking of company needs…what does your company need from an applicant tracking system?  Are you a small to mid-size company that requires only simple automation and record keeping?  Or do need more advanced recruitment and hiring tools?  A free trial can help ensure that you are purchase an ATS that does everything you need it to but also doesn’t overwhelm you with modules you don’t need.  Make sure that during the trial period you are granted full access to all of the essential tools expected and that all team members can participate in testing o each functionality for themselves.  You don’t want a product that will add work and frustration to your team’s effort–make sure the system relieves the pressure!

3. Discover the candidate perspective: An important part of sourcing the best talent is building company reputation.  One way to do that is to create a positive candidate experience that begins at the career page and continues beyond their hire date.  Incoming job applicants who have negative experiences (i.e. the apply process is too long, they experience technical issues, they don’t receive confirmation emails, no follow ups etc) are not likely to apply again.  In fact, according to this survey, 33% of candidates who had a bad experience share it with social media (NOT good for company brand)!! Other research suggests that 1 in 4 candidates will sever ties with the company altogether.  During a free trial, you can explore the candidate perspective and apply as a test candidate to ensure the apply process is seamless and won’t frustrate candidates that can cause them to quit the application altogether.  It is also super important that career sites and the apply process are mobile friendly.  When one of the world’s largest career boards CareerBuilder cites one-third of their traffic as mobile users, you can’t leave that massive chunk of candidates out of the running!

4. Make sure your team is happy: Engage your team before, during, and after the applicant tracking system trial period.  Ensure that the entire team agrees the ATS will be beneficial and provide value to their workflow in efforts to solve pain points.  Otherwise, you might end up purchasing a software that no one can use; resulting in a massive loss of time and money. As Josh Bersin from SHRM states in his article:

“I talk with HR software buyers all the time, and more and more they ask, “How useful will this be for employees or managers to get their jobs done?”  If the answer is “not very useful,” the chances are that the system won’t be utilized very much.”

An applicant tracking vendor willing to provide a free trial with full access is a great signal they are confident in their product.  Take the Pereless Systems Challenge and test drive the ATS for 30 days absolutely free!

Is it true that video interviewing will open the door for discrimination? Companies looking to incorporate it into their hiring process will often pose this question.  The topic of virtual interviews and discrimination is nothing new, yet in recent times it has reemerged as businesses look for better recruitment strategies.   For those compliant to EEO-1 and OFCCP laws, it’s important to understand how video fits into the hiring equation without risking legal trouble.

In the 1960’s and 70’s, two federal agencies [Equal Employment Opportunity Commission] (EEOC) and [Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs] (OFCCP) were founded to enforce employment discrimination laws and ensure workers were never denied opportunity to work based on things like race, religion, disability and gender.  In 2015, a study found that 11.7% of businesses based in certain states faced higher risk of lawsuit due to workplace discrimination.  New Mexico had the highest rate with a 66% chance compared to the national average and Washington D.C. was close behind with 65%.  The reason for these particular states having an increased risk is due to local state laws that build upon federal discrimination law.

“Many of the higher-risk states observed in the study have laws that go beyond U.S. federal guidelines, creating additional obligations and risks for employers. It is important for companies, especially those operating in these high-risk markets, to be keenly attuned to any legal developments that may affect their exposures.” – Bertrand Spunberg, practice leader for Executive Risks Hiscox, USA.

Understanding the importance of keeping up with state and federal law, businesses regulated by EEO and OFCCP standards must be vigilant when it comes to introducing new interview strategies like video.  In 2010, the EEOC was asked directly to respond to the inquiry. In response, an informal discussion letter was released to the public by Carol R. Miaskoff, an Assistant Legal Counsel representing EEOC:

“The EEO laws do not expressly prohibit the use of specific technologies or methods for selecting employees, and therefore do not prohibit the use of video resumes.  The key question under the EEO laws is how the selection tools are used.”

As with in-person meetings, employers were reminded of the usual EEO standards while using video such as restrictions on asking applicants about disabilities prior to employment offers and to be sure candidates are not rejected based on visible religious garb.  Some experts believe using video platforms actually reduces the risk for discrimination.  Video provides transparency and is a source of proof when it comes to compliance.   Content remains consistent and ensures that certain candidates are not asked different questions from others.  It can also remove any chance of having off-topic discussions with applicants that could possibly lead to claims of discrimination down the road.  For OFCCP compliant employers, video provides a great system of record keeping and is effective in managing the required 2 year limit of storing applicant interview data.

When it all boils down to it, if employees are properly trained and knowledgeable of state and federal law, you can prevent legal issues.  Employees should understand exactly what is and isn’t appropriate to ask while interviewing job candidates, whether in person or virtually, and is the responsibility of the employer to make sure everyone is on the same page.  As Bertrand Spunberg suggests:

“Prevention is the best defense against lawsuits…simple preventative and mitigation measures…are essential to minimizing risk and protecting your business.”

In conclusion, hiring teams using video interviewing can follow the same process just as they would if meeting applicants in person.  The only difference is that video adds innovation and even reduces the risk for discrimination.  With the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission confirming it is a safe practice, businesses looking to use video as a new way to interview have the green light!

With 2017 right around the corner and job opportunities at an all time high, hiring managers are looking for better ways to improve recruitment and fill jobs fast.  Virtual interviews, also known as video recruitment, is a new trend companies are beginning to use to streamline the interview process, cut costs and speed up time-to-fill rates.  Although not a new method, more businesses are seeing promising potential to incorporating it into the hiring process for the benefit of both applicants and employers.

Video Is King Of Internet Traffic – A study conducted by Cisco in 2014 estimates that 70% of internet traffic comes from video streaming.  That number is estimated to skyrocket to 90% by the year 2020.   Another source reports that 500 million people watch Facebook videos per day, while a whopping 10 billion videos are watched on Snapchat each day.  Recruiters can take advantage by creating and posting videos to free platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter and LinkedIn to reach that major source of traffic and get your videos noticed.  Video content can range from job opportunity promotion to fun and creative videos showcasing company culture and industry.  Regardless of the type of videos you choose to make, chances are high they will be viewed and shared among a world-wide audience, attracting job seekers who are best suited to work for the company.

Source: QZ.com

Prerecorded & Live Video Interviews – There are two methods companies use to conduct interviews using video: Live and prerecorded.  Live interviews enable hiring teams to talk with job candidates in real time as if it were an in-person interview.   These sessions can be recorded and sent to team members to review at a later time and can be a convenient way to include busy coworkers who are a crucial element in the hiring process.  Prerecorded interviews allow applicants to answer questions posed by the employer on video and provides recruiters the flexibility to evaluate submissions on their own time.  Talent Acquisition analyst Kyle Lagunas of market research firm Brandon Hall Group commented on the benefits of incorporating video citing, “The amount of time recruiters spend scheduling and executing screening calls is exorbitant …when you automate that — especially with on-demand, so videos can be recorded and viewed at their leisure — it frees them up from spending time on the phone trying to chase candidates … [and] hiring managers [down] and get everybody’s calendar synced up just for that first call.”   

Save Money & Time – General Electric (GE) provides a great example of how virtual interviews can cut company costs and save time.  GE implemented video interviewing to their hiring process for hard to fill positions.  GE is stationed all around the U.S. and were spending a fortune on travel costs for candidates who lived far distances but were highly sought after.  Video gave them the ability to meet job candidates no matter where they were physically and hire top talent easier while saving money.  Virtual interviewing was initially implemented only for the healthcare headquarters,  but with the high demand for technology and promising results, they decided to make it a company-wide standard for interviewing new candidates. GE’s Global recruitment technology leader Shahbaz Alibaig said, “Getting the candidates and the hiring managers in one location can take weeks and months to schedule. So it [wasn’t] just the cost but [also] the cycle time of interviews which [was] a challenge.” 

Virtual Interviews can be great for businesses looking for cost-effective hiring strategies that also assist in sourcing top candidates for hard to fill positions.  Video adds innovation and forward-thinking aspects to the hiring process that will impress candidates and leave them with a lasting impression.  With video serving as the king of internet traffic and tons of free (and paid) platforms available, any company regardless of size and budget can take advantage of video and get noticed. With major companies like GE paving the way,  it is only a matter of time before competitors realize the benefits and jump on trend.  Stay one step ahead and become the first in your industry to implement video–because virtual interviews are the future of recruitment!