Applicant Tracking Software for Small Businesses: 13 Steps to Maximise ROI

Step 4: Choose a skills-based hiring approach 

Skills-based hiring focuses on the specific skills a candidate will bring to the role—whether acquired through previous work, a hobby, or natural ability.

This approach trumps traditional hiring strategies that might look at a candidate's background, qualifications at school, or having top brand employers in their work history. It allows your hiring team to identify the best talent available and uncover those diamonds in the rough that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.  

You’ll find perfect candidates by building assessments into your hiring process. These will vary depending on the role you're hiring for and the skills you require, but some options are: 

• Multiple choice: assess the candidate's specialist knowledge using a wide range of answers. 
• SIFT: situational judgment tests evaluate the candidate's suitability for the role and are an excellent predictor of future performance. 
• Numerical skills: assess a candidate's numerical computation and reasoning skills. 
• Cognitive test: based on behavioural science, these tests assess analytical thinking, attention to detail, data interpretation, and basic mathematical skills. 

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Step 5: Select role-specific skills 

Ideally, your organisation will use a skills and competency framework to outline the skills required for each role. Reviewing your framework allows you to identify who is a good fit for the job, leaving you free to shortlist candidates based on their skills rather than their years of experience. 

Example: perhaps you're looking for someone who excels at: collaboration, empathy, problem-solving, attention to detail, ability to work under pressure, communication, trustworthiness, or leadership. 

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Step 6: Build your questions 

Create questions based on the type of assessment you plan to feature in your hiring process. 

You can construct your own questions if there's a specific example you want to include. But if you're using an ATS like Applied, select from a library of pre-built templates to save time. 

Remember: keep your required skills in mind as you compare your questions to ensure they align with your recruiting goals. 

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Step 7: Use a CV Scoring Tool (Optional) 

CVs have long been part and parcel of any job application process, but we’re here to tell you that they’re outdated. Not only are they notoriously inaccurate (Checkster research reveals 78% of jobseekers lie on their resumes, and, bizarrely, 66% of hiring managers claim not to care!), but they also throw open the doors for unconscious bias. 

CV reviewers make snap judgments on a person's name, age, gender, which skews who gets invited to an interview or professes to the next recruitment stage. That's why we believe resumes need to die. 

But…. if CVs are still a part of your recruitment strategy, for whatever reason, a CV scoring tool will support you in reviewing them fairly. Focus questions with a Yes/No answer accompany each resume, allowing the reviewer to zoom into the details that matter. You’ll progress candidates based on skills and facts rather than irrelevant identifiers such as their date of birth or the neighborhood they live in. 

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Step 8: Anonymise candidate screening 

It’s simple: anonymising and randomising applications removes any factors about a person that might give away their background or identity during screening.  

Recruitment software like Applied uses a review guide, so hirers understand the criteria to award when scoring anonymous applications. Here's an example: 

• 1 star: Applicant doesn't exhibit passion or tailor their application to the role. 
• 2 stars: Applicant has experience, but not quite the right skills for this role. 
• 3 stars: Applicant is an okay fit for the role. They demonstrate excitement about the role and our culture but lack self-awareness. 
• 4 stars: Applicant is a great fit for the role. They have the right skills, and a great attitude. 
• 5 stars: Applicant is an exceptional fit for the role. They possess all the necessary skills and experience, and the values listed in their application align perfectly with our company mission. 

An ATS tool with a built-in comments box also allows reviewers to explain why they've awarded a particular score based on the guide. It can be useful to compare these notes after all internal reviewers have completed their scoring. 

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Step 9: Review your candidate dashboard 

Small business hiring teams can log into the centralised dashboard at any point to understand candidate pipelines, track applicants and manage candidate communication. This details: 

• Candidate ranking: top candidate profiles are ranked in order giving you a quick snapshot of who is most likely to perform well in your role. 
• Current hiring stage: you’ll see if a candidate has received their rejection feedback or who has progressed to the next hiring stage.
• Eligibility filters: conduct a candidate search and apply filters to check your candidates meet your baseline criteria.
• Reviewers: transfer candidate reviews to a separate reviewer if you require a second opinion. 

Hiring teams will receive automatic notifications for key tasks, such as candidates completing assessments or when reviewers complete their scoring. 

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Step 10: Send automated feedback to candidates 

Not all candidates will hit the mark for your job vacancy. But a positive candidate experience could mean they’ll reapply in the future for a role they’re better suited to. 

Strengthen your employer brand by providing strong communication, even with unqualified applicants. Naturally, small business owners don’t have the time to respond to every applicant in person, but you can lean on automated feedback to take the legwork out of providing a great experience for candidates. 

Use personalised email templates and incorporate assessment scores to help job applicants understand why they weren’t successful this time and to provide clear pointers for self-improvement.

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Step 11: Use an interview scheduling tool 

But for those potential candidates you'd like to progress, use your applicant tracking system to simplify interview scheduling. 

Auto-send meeting links by email from your dashboard and have a record of all interview slots booked.

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Step 12: Review candidate sourcing information 

Small business owners will need to hire again and again to scale their operations or replenish their workforce. That’s why it pays to understand your best source of talent, so you can keep tapping that applicant pool. 

Applicant tracking software with advanced features, including built-in sourcing, will highlight which job sites or employee referrals have supported you in meeting your recruitment cycle goals. You’ll also understand the diversity and quality of your candidates, viewable by categories, including gender, age range, ethnicity, sexuality, family education, veteran status, and performance. 

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Step 13: Access hiring reports 

The final stage of your process is to analyse the consistency of your hiring team. 

How did they perform against each other? Did you have any that chose to award lower or higher scores? Or who perhaps didn't use the scoring criteria as you'd prescribed. 

Regular calibration of your hiring strategy will help you spot if any high-quality candidates have slipped through the cracks and will make the process fairer next time.

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Invest in applicant tracking software for your small business 

An applicant tracking tool will make your hiring process more efficient, effective, and profitable by attracting a diverse range of candidates to your applicant funnel. In short, you’re giving your small business the best chance of recruiting high quality candidates. 

Whether you're a startup or a small to midsize business ready to take your hiring process to the next level, an applicant tracking solution will add quality, speed, and competitiveness to your recruitment process. 

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Applied offers an all-in-one recruitment system with diversity-focused applicant tracking features. Say goodbye to bias and hello to a skills-based hiring pipeline filled with high-potential candidates for your business. 

Enhance your hiring strategy by booking a demo today.