How to Choose an Applicant Tracking and Verification Vendor

Employees are a company's greatest resource, so recruiting and retaining the right individuals are essential parts of a company's success. The hiring process can be long and complicated. Applicant tracking systems can make the recruiting paper trail much easier to manage and can help you more easily determine what candidates to bring in to interview. If you are a very small company that rarely has to hire, you probably will not need an applicant tracking program. But if recruiting is a significant part of your human resources department's functions, it is a must.

Most applicant tracking systems allow for candidates to apply for your positions online. They allow you to set up automatic disqualification parameters, allow you to pre-test candidates online (and disqualify them if they do not pass), allow you to sort by various features, and process them into your human resources system if you have one. Some systems offer the capability of resume management and job board posting. Once the candidate has been made a job offer you can go into the Applicant Verification system, also known as background checking, to verify that a potential hire has the right experience, the required educational background, and solid references.

There are many steps in determining which vendor you should select for purchasing an applicant tracking and verification system.

• Functionality: You need to decide what functions you want your system to have. Again, this will be based almost entirely on your company's size. The scope of what these systems offer varies significantly by vendor.

• Budget: Know up front that these systems, and the required support you will have to buy, are expensive.

• Is the system scalable? It's essential to get a tracking system that grows with you. While your company may have only 500 employees today, 2000 people may be right around the corner. You don't want to have to change your applicant tracking and verification program because it can't handle the increased load.

• What level of customer service does the vendor offer? You want a vendor that understands your needs, because your recruiting requirements are unique to your company. Look for a vendor that offers a dedicated customer service rep who understands your business.

• What do others say? A vendor's reputation is the key to a successful implementation of a new system. Ask for references, talk to other HR or recruiting managers at other companies to get their input, and look for feedback on the Internet.

• What is their level of technical expertise? Is the vendor capable of handling a wide variety of job posting formats? Do they know how to integrate to your existing HR programs? Are they flexible in their reporting formats? Is the software completely adjustable to your needs or do you have to take a lot of features you will never use?

Applicant tracking and verification systems, while expensive, are a must-have for a company that has an active recruiting staff. Choosing a vendor can be complicated because of the variety of features and support each program offers. Make it easier on yourself by using our application to have the finest applicant tracking and verification vendors compete for your business.