For human resources (HR) professionals, implementing an applicant tracking system is a no-brainer. However, the people responsible for making that investment decision usually aren’t members of the frontline HR team. As a result, it’s often necessary to convince leaders at higher levels that adopting an applicant tracking solution is a good idea. You may find you have to persuade your immediate supervisor, as well as executives in your organization.
To help you out, we share five tips for selling applicant tracking to key decision-makers within your organization:
1. Determine What’s Most Important to the People You Need to Convince
Before diving into the specifics of why an applicant tracking system is just what your organization needs, take a step back and identify who you need to influence and what is important to them. For example, depending on the size of your organization, you may need to sell both the Director of HR and the Chief Financial Officer on the idea. The CFO will be most concerned with the bottom line. The Director of HR, on the other hand, will be interested in factors like automating HR processes and improving recruiting results.
2. Showcase the Benefits of Applicant Tracking Systems
Emphasize how applicant tracking systems free up time, so HR teams can focus on higher-value activities. One of the major benefits of an applicant tracking system is the fact that low-value, administrative tasks can be automated. For example, employees will no longer need to collect paper resumes and applications, copy them and then distribute them to the hiring managers. HR teams can also stop playing phone tag as they try to schedule interviews because all of those tasks can be done electronically. The time that used to be spent on manual processes can be redirected to more valuable activities, such as developing behavioral interview guides or training new employees.
3. Reduce Compliance Risk
Applicant tracking systems can be configured to automatically collect EEO data for reporting. That means that with a touch of a button, an organization can print out the information required by auditors. No more scrambling to collect data and worrying that it might not be comprehensive. Applicant tracking systems can also help you stay compliant and organized by electronically storing resumes and applications.
4. Identify Opportunities for Improvement in Your Existing Hiring Process
Quantify how well the current recruiting process is working and identify improvement opportunities. The old adage says “what gets measured gets managed.” Applicant tracking systems offer a variety of reports that provide quantitative information about the recruiting process. For example, organizations get a better understanding of which job boards perform the best, which positions take the longest to fill, which departments take the longest to process applications and more. That information helps highlight areas where recruiting productivity can be improved.
5. Identify Applicant Tracking Solutions That Reduce the Organization’s Financial Risk
When it comes to implementing new systems, one of the biggest hurdles that must be overcome is price. It is much easier to sell leaders on an applicant tracking system if the financial risk is low. Look for solutions that provide a free trial and don’t require a contract. Cloud-based systems are often attractive because they do not require investment in hardware or software. All organizations need is a browser and Internet connection. Many of these software-as-a-service options also offer pricing based on the number of job openings your organization has each month. Companies pay based on their anticipated usage.
By following these recommendations, it’s easy to build a compelling business case for applicant tracking that leaders throughout your organization will support.
To learn more about how you can build a business case for applicant tracking software, download our free guide on the benefits of recruiting automation.
