Using Applicant Tracking Systems to Power Your Candidate Relationship Management
This blog looks at how ATS systems integrate with CRM tools to track communications, store notes, and nurture long-term relationships with top candidates.
In today’s highly competitive job market, employers recognize the importance of not just attracting top talent, but nurturing long-term relationships with candidates. This is where an integrated approach to applicant tracking and Candidate Relationship Management(CRM) can really pay off.
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) serves as the central hub for managing all aspects of the recruiting process — from sourcing candidates to screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and onboarding hires. When an ATS is seamlessly connected to a CRM platform, it unlocks new possibilities for tracking communications, building profiles, and cultivating ongoing connections with your pool of top prospects.
Streamlined Data Storage and Sharing
Keeping detailed records of all candidate interactions spread across different systems creates data silos that are difficult to access and manage cohesively. An integrated ATS-CRM solution pulls all candidate data — including personal details, work history, notes from interviews, and more — into a centralized database.
According to a survey by Software Advice, nearly 65% of talent acquisition leaders say scattered applicant data across multiple systems impedes hiring efforts. With an ATS-CRM integration, recruiters and hiring managers have a single source of truth to reference throughout a candidate’s journey. The stored information can also be easily shared with other departments like marketing and sales to further engage prospects.
According to a survey by Software Advice, nearly 65% of talent acquisition leaders say scattered applicant data across multiple systems impedes hiring efforts.
Automated Communication Tracking
Manually logging each email, call, or meeting with a candidate is tedious and leaves lots of room for errors or missed touchpoints. Advanced ATS features let you tag any correspondence directly within the platform.
According to ICMI, companies that automate customer communication see a boost in lead conversion rates by over 300%. The system tracks when communications occurred, who was involved from both sides, and automatically surfaces follow-ups that are due. This gives recruiters and candidates a clear view of the relationship history and ensures no opportunities for engagement fall through the cracks.
Personalized Nurturing Campaigns
Not all candidates are ready to apply straight away. With data from the ATS, companies can identify prospects at different stages — from passive job seekers to those actively interviewing elsewhere.
According to Aberdeen Group, companies see a 32% higher prospect-to-customer conversion rate when they leverage targeted, multi-channel nurturing campaigns.
According to ICMI, companies that automate customer communication see a boost in lead conversion rates by over 300%.
The integrated CRM uses behavioral signals and profile attributes to automatically route these individuals to customized nurturing journeys via email, social media, or other channels. The goal is to cultivate top candidates now for when future opportunities arise through helpful content, career coaching, and company updates.
Metrics for Continuous Improvement
It’s hard to improve strategies if you don’t measure their impact. Advanced reporting in ATS-CRM integrations provides recruitment and talent acquisition teams with key analytics on sources, times to fill, cost-per-hire, and more.
According to SHRM, the use of metrics to source and recruit candidates can reduce cost-per-hire by up to 50%.
Decision-makers gain insights into what outreach tactics resonate most or where bottlenecks exist. They can then refine processes, content, and technologies to continuously enhance the candidate experience while achieving business goals for hiring.
According to Aberdeen Group, companies see a 32% higher prospect-to-customer conversion rate when they leverage targeted, multi-channel nurturing campaigns.
As the war for talent rages on, those who take an integrated approach to ATS and CRM stand to gain a major competitive advantage. By centralizing data and automating manual tasks, HR departments save time and effort they can then redirect toward proactively engaging passive prospects and cultivating long-lasting relationships with top candidates. Does your current recruitment setup integrate these essential functions to power an elevated candidate experience?
