8 min read

Streamline Your Workflow: How to Use an Applicant Tracking System for Better Hiring

An applicant tracking system (ATS) helps Australian businesses streamline recruitment by centralising data, automating screening, managing job postings, and improving candidate communication. With resources from RefHub, employers can adopt these tools to save time, reduce stress, and focus on finding the right people for their organisation.

Key Takeaways

Using an applicant tracking system (ATS) helps you organize candidate data in one place.
Automated tools save time by filtering resumes based on specific job needs.
Modern systems improve communication with candidates, making your brand look better.
Setting clear screening rules helps you find the best talent faster.
Refhub resources can help you integrate reference checks into your digital workflow.

Simplify Your Workflow: How to Use an Applicant Tracking System for Better Hiring

Hiring new people can be a hard task. You might feel buried under a mountain of resumes. You might spend hours sending the same emails to different people. If you use paper files or basic spreadsheets, you know how easy it is to lose track of a good candidate. This is why many businesses now choose to use an applicant system.

In the current market, speed and order are key. You cannot afford to move slowly when talented people are looking for work. If your process is messy, you might miss out on the best workers. An applicant tracking system (ATS) changes that. It acts as a digital assistant for your recruitment team. It keeps everything in one spot and helps you move through the hiring steps without getting lost.

Refhub understands that hiring is about more than just reading resumes. It is about finding the right fit for your team. By using the right tools, you can spend less time on paperwork and more time talking to great people.

What is an Applicant Tracking System?

An applicant tracking system is a digital tool. It helps you collect and organize information about people who apply for your jobs. Instead of getting hundreds of emails in your inbox, every application goes into the system. You can see who applied, what their skills are, and where they are in the hiring process.

When you use the right recruitment software, software for recruiting, you change how your office works. The software stores resumes, cover letters, and contact details. It also lets you leave notes for your team members. This means everyone knows which candidates are the strongest. You no longer have to ask your colleagues if they have seen a specific resume. It is all right there on the screen.

These systems are not just for big companies. Small businesses in Australia also use them to stay organized. Whether you are hiring one person or fifty, a digital system makes the job much easier.

Why You Need Modern Hiring Tools in Australia

The Australian job market is very competitive. People apply for jobs quickly, and they expect fast answers. If you take two weeks to reply to an application, that person might already have a job with someone else. This is why modern hiring tools Australia businesses use are so important.

Here are a few reasons why these tools are needed now:

High Volume of Applicants: Some jobs get hundreds of applications. You cannot read them all by hand.
Remote Work: Many teams are not in the same office. You need a way to share candidate info online.
Compliance: You must follow rules about how you store personal data. A good system helps you keep this data safe.
Speed: The faster you find a good person, the faster they can start helping your business grow.

Using these tools helps you keep up with other companies. It shows that your business is professional and uses the latest technology.

Major Applicant Tracking System Benefits

There are many applicant tracking system benefits that you will notice right away. Once you move away from manual hiring, you will wonder how you ever worked without it.

Better Organization

All your data is in one place. You can search for specific skills or keywords. For example, if you need someone who knows "Project Management," you can type that into the search bar. The system will show you every candidate with that skill.

Saved Time

The system does the boring work for you. it can post your job to many different websites at once. It can also send "thank you" emails to everyone who applies. This saves you hours of typing every week.

Clear Communication

You can set up the system to send updates to candidates. People hate being left in the dark. If they know you received their resume, they feel better about your company. You can also schedule interviews through the system, which sends calendar invites automatically.

Team Collaboration

Hiring is often a team effort. With an ATS, you can tag your manager or a coworker in a candidate's profile. They can see the resume and leave their own comments. This makes it easy to agree on who to hire.

Data and Reports

Do you know where your best candidates come from? Is it LinkedIn, Seek, or your own website? An applicant system tells you. This helps you decide where to spend your money on job ads in the future.

How to Use an Applicant System: A Step-by-Step Guide

Learning how to use an applicant system is not as hard as it looks. Most systems are built to be easy to understand. Follow these steps to get started.

Step 1: Planning Your Search

Before you post a job, you need to know what you want. Talk to your team. What skills are missing? What kind of person will fit your culture? Write a clear job description. This is the foundation of your search.

Step 2: Writing the Job Post

Use the system to create your job ad. Make sure you use clear headings and bullet points. Mention the location and the main tasks. Once the ad is ready, use the system to push it out to job boards across Australia.

Step 3: Setting Up Automated Screening Criteria

This is where the magic happens. You can tell the system what you are looking for. You can set "knock-out" questions. For example, you can ask, "Do you have a valid driver's license?" If they answer "No" and the job requires driving, the system can move them to a separate pile automatically.

Step 4: Reviewing the Shortlist

The system will give you a list of the best matches. Look through their resumes and notes. You can move the best ones to the "Interview" stage with one click.

Step 5: Managing the Interview Stage

Use the system to pick times for interviews. You can link your office calendar so you do not double-book yourself. After the interview, log back in and write down your thoughts while they are still fresh in your mind.

Step 6: Checking References with Refhub

Once you find the person you want, you must check their history. This is where Refhub helps. You can use digital tools to send reference check requests. This is much faster than calling people on the phone and leaving voicemails. It keeps your whole hiring process digital and fast.

Step 7: Making the Final Offer

When you are ready, you can use the system to send an offer letter. Some systems even let the candidate sign the contract digitally. This makes the start of their journey with you very smooth.

Setting Up Automated Screening Criteria

To get the most out of your system, you must use automated screening criteria. This is how you filter out the noise. If you get 500 applications, you only want to see the 20 that actually fit the job.

You can set rules based on:

Keywords: Look for specific software or industry terms.
Years of Experience: Filter for people with at least three years in a similar role.
Education: Make sure they have the degree or certificate you need.
Location: If the job is in Sydney, you might want to see local people first.

By setting these rules, you make sure you spend your time on the right people. It keeps your "To-Do" list short and manageable.

Improving the Candidate Experience

How a candidate feels during your hiring process matters. Even if you do not hire them, they might talk to others about your company. If your process is slow or confusing, it hurts your reputation.

When you use an applicant system, you can make the experience better by:

Sending Instant Confirmations: Let them know their application was received.
Giving Timely Updates: Tell them if they moved to the next round or if the position was filled.
Providing a Simple Application Form: Do not make them type their whole resume into a web form. Let them upload a file easily.
Being Professional: Use templates that look clean and match your brand.

A happy candidate might apply again for a different role later. They might also recommend your company to a friend.

Best Practices for Better Hiring

To get the best results, you should follow a few simple rules. These will help you use your hiring tools to their full potential.

Keep Your Job Ads Fresh: If a job has been open for a month, people might think something is wrong. Refresh the ad or change the wording if you are not getting the right people.
Train Your Team: Make sure everyone who uses the system knows how it works. This prevents mistakes and keeps data clean.
Check Your Reports Weekly: Look at how many people are applying. If the numbers are low, you might need to change your screening rules or post to more sites.
Integrate Your Tools: Use Refhub for your reference checks to make sure you have a complete digital trail. This keeps everything in one workflow.
Be Human: The system is a tool, but you are the one making the choice. Do not rely 100 percent on the computer. Read the resumes of the people who just missed the cutoff to see if the system missed something.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the best tools, things can go wrong. Watch out for these common errors:

Setting Rules Too Strictly: If your automated screening is too harsh, you might filter out a great person who just worded their resume differently.
Ignoring the Data: If the system tells you that most people quit the application halfway through, your form might be too long. Fix it.
Forgetting to Close Jobs: Once you hire someone, take the ad down. It is frustrating for job seekers to apply for a role that is already gone.
Poor Communication: Do not let the system do all the talking. For the final candidates, a personal phone call or email is still a good idea.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an ATS and recruitment software?

Most people use these terms to mean the same thing. An ATS is a specific type of software that focuses on tracking the journey of an applicant. Recruitment software is a broader term that can also include tools for sourcing people or managing payroll.

Is an applicant tracking system expensive?

There are many different price points. Some systems charge per month, while others charge per job post. Many small businesses find that the time they save is worth much more than the cost of the software.

Can an ATS help with diversity?

Yes. Many systems have features that hide names or photos. This helps you focus only on skills and experience, which can lead to a more diverse team.

How does Refhub work with my hiring system?

Refhub provides the tools you need for the final stages of hiring. While your ATS manages the applications, Refhub helps you confirm that the candidate is who they say they are through digital reference checks.

Do I need an IT expert to set it up?

Most modern tools are "cloud-based." This means you just log in through your web browser. You do not need to install anything on your office computers. Most companies offer support to help you get started.

Taking Charge of Your Recruitment Future

Recruitment does not have to be a source of stress. When you choose to use an applicant system, you are choosing a more organized way to work. You are giving your team the power to find the right talent without the headache of manual tracking.

The market in Australia will only get more digital. Moving your hiring process online now will help you stay ahead. By combining modern hiring tools with the reference checking power of Refhub, you create a strong and reliable way to grow your team.

Stop searching through old emails and messy folders. Start using a system that works as hard as you do. Your next great hire is out there. A better system will help you find them faster and make sure they have a great experience from the very first click. Focus on the people, and let the software handle the rest.

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