First Step for Selecting a New ATS: Understand Why You Dislike Your Current One!

You’ve decided to replace your applicant tracking system (ATS). Now what? Here’s the first thing to do. Before rushing out into the marketplace, take the time to understand your dissatisfaction with your current ATS, and what you want a new ATS to achieve. Understanding exactly why you’re dissatisfied will actually help frame and guide your ATS purchasing decision. How do you understand your dissatisfaction with your current ATS? Here are two ways:

• Think about the root issues, frustrations and innovations that are driving you

to consider switching to a new ATS.

• Take your current processes and chart out the missing pieces, problems and

bottlenecks, and focus on how you would like a new ATS to address those areas, while not taking away from the existing functionality you would like to retain. Next, consider the impact the right new ATS would make in the problem areas you identified, and the potential return on investment. Examples of the ROI may include:

• Improved average time and cost to fill positions
• Faster, more accurate hiring—avoid losing top-tier candidates to

competition, and lower turnover due to more accurate hires.

• Bottlenecks that were once a time drain are no more, allowing more time for

higher valued tasks

• Improved candidate experience

Going through this process will go a long way to help you determine the best ATS to achieve your goals. So don’t skip it. Considering switching your ATS? Make sure to first read “5 Questions to Ask When Switching Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).” Download the article to learn how you can select the right ATS for your needs, and implement it successfully.