Nowadays, hiring managers have lots of jobs to fill and a limited time to do it in. Even in this candidate-driven market, many must still wade through hundreds (if not thousands) of applications.
As you can imagine, this is a time-consuming task filled with frustrations. To streamline this process, many HR professionals use applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other recruiting tools to screen candidates.
While these tools are a boon for employers and hiring managers, sometimes talented candidates slip through the cracks because they didn’t use the right keywords, for example. This common occurrence leads to the rejection of almost 70% of applications. Thus, to give yourself a competitive advantage when looking for that job at your dream company, it’s important to understand how HR uses recruiting technology to make their hiring decisions.
3 Common HR Technology Tools
Hiring managers must do their due diligence to ensure they hire the right people. They use the following tools to make this job significantly easier:
- ATS: ATS software reviews cover letters and resumes quickly using certain keywords to help employers find the applicants with the most potential.
- Internet: Almost 80% of employers use search engines to help make hiring decisions. Social media isn’t far behind – 70% of employers head to these mediums to do their background checks. A simple search in either of these platforms can reveal deep insights into your personality, work ethic, and other important soft skills. Employers can also find any relevant articles about you as well as links to your public portfolio and/or website.
- Skills Test: Resumes and online searches don’t tell the whole story. To bridge this gap, many employers use skill tests and other behavioral assessment tools at the beginning of the application process to find the candidates who will fit their work environment best.
The Bottom Line
Gone are the days when HR personnel used paper applications to screen candidates. This digital age has birthed applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other recruiting technologies that help them gain deeper insights into who you are. While highly effective, they don’t always benefit you. Learning about these tools will give you the information you need to ensure that you come out on top during your job search.