New Trends in Applicant Tracking Software

Technology changes quickly, so it isn't always easy to keep track of new trends in applicant tracking software, but it's important to make some time occasionally to review software that human resources (HR) departments in other companies are using. This way, you can decide whether your current applicant tracking process is sufficient or if it needs revamping. The fact is, the software you use plays a huge role in your day-to-day operations. So, it's extremely important that you're using the type of software that benefits your company the most.

According to a recent article on Business2Community.com, one of the biggest struggles that HR departments face is being seen as a strategic group within the organization. By becoming more proficient and aware of any new trends in applicant tracking software and applying what you've learned can help you reveal how the HR department impacts your company's bottom line.

Over the past few years, applicant tracking software has become focused on using social recruiting tools to help recruiters find qualified applicants via social networking websites. However, developers were having a lot of problems creating applicant tracking software that worked well on multiple browsers and devices. End users had to scroll, zoom, or pinch screens to view information they needed, making it difficult to use the software away from the office. According to Newton Software, developers are currently more focused on creating applicant tracking software with a responsive design. So, the software will adjust itself to complement the end user's screen size and device.

Historically, applicant tracking software hasn't always been the easiest software to use. Employees have to spend weeks in training classes to learn how to operate the system, and the system itself can take a couple of months to customize. However, software that is easier to use, can be used almost immediately, and offers a recruiting dashboard to help users track progress and manage applicant pipelines is now available.

Another recent trend is software that offers a flexible built-in workflow. This new feature is essential for small- and medium-sized businesses that don't operate using a lot of different functions and IT resources. Newer software also integrates each phase of the hiring process—acquisition, assessment, interviewing, screening, and reporting. This way, all of your data is connected, is organized, and can be viewed online.

Ultimately, the decision to upgrade applicant tracking software will be a decision that's specific to individual companies. However, by keeping track of new trends, it's easier to determine if your applicant tracking process is as good as it should be. If you're still sifting through applications to select candidates to interview and spend a lot of time posting job opportunities on online forums, then your system could probably use an upgrade.

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