As we look ahead to 2014, it appears the economy will continue to improve. Businesses intend to hire more this year, which means you will need to find new ways to attract top talent and add value to your organization.
Software as a service (SaaS) recruiting and applicant tracking systems are solutions many companies have already added to their HR toolkits to enable easier and more efficient hiring. These SaaS, or web-based, applications are hosted by a software vendor and made available to customers over the Internet for easy accessibility. In addition, SaaS solutions are priced based on a monthly fee, making these systems more cost effective than licensed applications. Businesses also save money on system hardware, installation and maintenance with cloud-based solutions because the software is hosted remotely.
These attributes give SaaS solutions multiple benefits over on-premise systems, including easier administration, automatic version updates and compatibility, all which contribute to greater efficiencies throughout the business—including hiring and recruiting.
Here, we share five ways cloud-based applicant tracking solutions enable easier and more efficient hiring:
1. A Better Candidate Experience
SaaS recruiting solutions are committed to providing a great candidate experience. Experts believe user experience is the new “battleground” in HR technology, and one of the primary reasons organizations are shifting to the cloud is because SaaS solutions offer a better user experience. Cloud-based systems embrace the look and feel of the Internet, which means candidates enjoy modern user interfaces as they apply for jobs and interact with you during the hiring process.
2. Intelligent Recruiting
Cloud-based applicant tracking systems make it easy to recruit more intelligently. Because many expect the economic recovery to continue in 2014, some predict HR will need to reinvent their approach to recruiting and expand their focus on talent acquisition. SaaS recruiting solutions make it easy for you to source and recruit in more intelligent ways. You can leverage automatic postings on leading Internet job boards, unique URLs for social media exposure and easy-to-use online job applications.
3. Automated Hiring Processes
Automating transactional activities gives you more time to focus on value-added work. SaaS applicant tracking systems automate many of the administrative aspects of recruiting, ranging from streamlined, online communication with candidates to automatic interview scheduling. This makes it possible for your team to continuously improve your hiring processes, communication and the candidate experience.
4. Easy Access to Information
SaaS applicant tracking systems make applicant information available wherever and whenever it’s needed. Cloud-based recruiting solutions are accessible via the Internet, from anywhere. This makes SaaS systems particularly attractive to recruiting professionals who work offsite or after business hours and to companies with facilities in multiple locations.
5. Increased Scalability
SaaS solutions are easily deployed and can scale as your business needs change. Unlike on-premises software systems, cloud-based recruiting solutions don’t require companies to maintain hardware or software on-site. Upgrades are transparent to customers and as business needs change, SaaS systems can easily be scaled to accommodate more or fewer applicants.
If your organization is looking for a better candidate experience, greater operational agility and a better approach to recruiting, SaaS applicant tracking systems are a natural choice. Contact us to learn more about web-based systems and how applicant tracking in the cloud can make your HR department more efficient.
