Implementing an Applicant Tracker System (ATS)

The organisation’s recruitment processes were heavily manual and time-consuming, creating inefficiencies at every stage. GDPR compliance was handled manually with no automated safeguards, while candidate information was scattered across multiple sources and channels. In addition, there was no systematic way to capture or analyse recruitment data, limiting visibility and preventing data-driven decision making.

Task

My goal was to modernise recruitment by introducing technology that would centralise candidate data, ensure GDPR compliance, provide actionable metrics, and ultimately streamline the end-to-end hiring process.

Action

The best way to address this was to implement an Applicant Tracker System

The steps I took:

1. Discovery: I undertook a structured discovery and procurement process to ensure the chosen ATS would meet both current and future needs. I began by gathering detailed requirements from key stakeholders across the business.

   
   

2. Research:  I then researched a range of ATS providers, comparing features, cost and reviews. This included scheduling product demonstrations.

   
   

3. Recommendation: Based on this analysis, I prepared a business case outlining the shortlisted options, their pros and cons, and my recommended solution. A key enabler was being able to demonstrate to the Board a multiple Return of Investment.

   
   

4. Implementation: , I worked closely with the vendor and internal teams to plan and oversee the implementation, configuration, and user training. Another key feature was to understand and work closely with the users pre-implementation as it had an behavioural impact on how recruitment was approached internally.

   
   

Results

The ATS transformed recruitment operations. I enabled the organisation to make data-driven hiring decisions, reduce time-to-hire through improved efficiency (60 days to 27), and increase direct hiring success from 10% direct to 100% over an 12 month period. Processes became standardised and scalable, while compliance and reporting were fully embedded into the system.

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Hi, I'm James Preselo. As a fractional talent consultant, I help SMEs build and optimise their in-house talent attraction capabilities - so you can hit growth goals, save money, and protect your most valuable commodity: time.