Tag Archive: ATS Integration

  1. Integrate a Pre-Hire Assessment with Your ATS

    3 Reasons Why You Should Integrate a Pre-Hire Assessment with Your ATS

    Pre-hire assessments deliver predictive analytics on job and culture fit, providing a crucial layer of insight into your applicant pool. When you you integrate an assessment with your applicant tracking system, your talent acquisition teams can access these analytics directly within your ATS platform.

    Speed to useful information is the key gain. An integration allowed our team to move faster. Without it, our tools were not going to be as effective.”

    Clay Stallings, VP of Talent Acquisition and Development at Acceptance Auto Insurance

    About 90% of the companies we talk to already have an applicant tracking system in place, and more small and medium sized business are adopting pre-hire assessments after seeing how valuable they have been for enterprise organizations.

    Whether you’re using an assessment for the first time, or considering a new vendor, integration is going to be a key concern. Many companies require that all tools and technologies integrate with their core HR systems, but if you’re on the fence, here are the top three reasons to integrate an assessment with your ATS:

    1. Seamless candidate experience. Having an integrated assessment keeps candidates engaged, and makes the application and assessment one simple, seamless process. Candidates stay plugged into your ATS, and you reduce the risk of drop-off as you’re not requiring them to jump from one system to another.

    2. Greater recruiter efficiency. With an integrated assessment, recruiters will see a shortlist of top candidates for the job, along with job match scores, candidate rankings, and more—right within your ATS. The ease-of-use, plus the tremendous time savings in early screening results in a highly efficient recruiting process.

    3. Competitive edge in recruiting. Outmatch Assessment provides recruiters and hiring managers with critical data on culture fit, as well as a candidate’s likelihood of success in the role. By integrating the assessment into your process, you greatly sharpen your team’s decision making capabilities, and give your organization a competitive edge in identifying and selecting top talent.

    To learn more about ATS integration, check out our 1-pager: 5 Reasons to Integrate Outmatch with your ATS. Or, to learn more about adding predictive analytics to your selection process, download our eBook: The Essential Guide to Predictive Talent Analytics.

       

  2. How to Overcome Integration Frustration in HR

    Frustration in HR: How to Overcome it.

    With the rapid evolution of HR technology, the human resource function has become a high-powered machine. From applicant tracking to employee engagement and culture analytics, the HR space is jam-packed with systems and tools. Managing those systems and tools is a full time job.

    While many of the administrative functions in HR, like payroll processing, have been offloaded to technology, we’ve seen an entirely new administrative function emerge. Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) Administrators exist because companies need a person, or a team of people, to manage databases, tools, and security across their HR systems.

    Needless to say, there are a lot of moving parts within HRIS, and integration is a requirement. Period. The goal of integration is to create a smooth, seamless experience, but often the process of integrating is neither smooth nor seamless.

    HR Data Integrations Don’t Have to Be Painful

    Almost any HR tech vendor will tell you their tool can integrate with your core HR systems. But not all integrations are created equal. How the vendor handles integration could mean the difference between quick implementation and long, drawn-out development cycles.

    Here are a few things to listen for as you consider adding new technologies to your HR stack.

    1. Certified standard integration. This simple means, does the connectivity between systems already exist, or will it require a custom build? The answer will help you understand when you can expect to go live with your new piece of software. Without a certified standard integration, you’re looking at weeks, or possibly months, of development time.

    2. Self-managed, or point-and-click integration. This tells you if there’s a user-friendly interface that goes along with the integration. Some software vendors make it easy for a user, like your Manager of Talent Acquisition, to set up and manage the integration, while others require changes in the back-end that only a system analyst or a software consultant can do.

    As HR continues to evolve, so must HR technology. Look for vendors that are dedicated to making things like integration easy. That’s a sign that the technology itself is built around innovation and a desire to make work-life easier for users from the get-go.

    To learn about integrating a pre-employment assessment with your applicant tracking system, watch our webinar: How to Make Your Hiring Process Predictive and Pain-Free:

    How to Overcome Integration Frustration in HR

  3. 2018 HR Trends to Watch

    Organizational Culture. HR Analytics. Systems Integration. They’re more than hot topics, these are the trends that will be top-of-mind for HR leaders in the coming year. From talent acquisition to performance management and learning and development, these trends will set the tone for your talent strategy, and drive critical initiatives to keep your business on the cutting edge.

    Here are the top HR trends we’ll see in 2018:

    • Make people analytics actionable
    • Unify your culture across decentralized or remote workforces
    • Transform managers into HR ambassadors
    • Unite pre-hire assessments with post-hire outcomes
    • Integrate, integrate, integrate

    For more insight on each trend, download our full set of predictions for 2018:

  4. Tech-Savvy HR Execs All Share the Same Concern

    If you’re like the most of the HR organizations we heard from in a recent survey, then you and your team have already embraced HR tech. Nearly 75% of companies use an applicant tracking system today, and savvy HR organizations know that the improvements they’ve seen in hiring efficiency are just a preview of what’s possible. The ATS has become our industry’s gateway technology, and HR execs are hungry for more.

    Last year we began to see more companies move away from big “all inclusive” HR platforms, which don’t allow for much flexibility or customization, and opt instead to build a best-of-breed solution that better suits their needs. But there’s still one big concern keeping many HR execs from making the leap. They’re worried that combining multiple HR systems will disrupt their current workflows or create new problems like data silos.

    Do you have the same concern? Check out this infographic to see how you can take advantage of technology AND achieve a truly seamless recruitment process.

  5. Primanti Bro’s.: Finding Best-Fit Candidates for Grand Openings in 2017

    The assessment results help me decide if a candidate is the right fit for the position they applied for. The candidate receives a score from 1-5 on the assessment, and depending on the results, I know immediately whether to proceed or release the candidate from the interview process.

    Samantha Willing, Talent Acquisition Specialist
    Biggest challenge: Helping managers staff up for new restaurant openings

    About Primanti Bros.

    This sandwich shop, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, began as a food cart in 1933 and now has a cult following. With 37 current locations and several openings planned for 2017, the Primanti Bro’s. growth plan is aggressive and will launch the brand into new areas across the U.S.

    Company Quick Facts

    • 37 locations and growing
    • 55 employees per store, on average
    • Working with Outmatch since 2016
    • Using assessments for hourly and management
    • Integrated assessments with talentReef ATS

    Hiring Challenges

    • Establishing an employment brand in new cities
    • Attracting talent outside their “hometown” fan base
    • Being fully staffed in time for grand openings
    • Tracking and managing turnover

    Assessments to Help Staff New Stores

    As a unique restaurant concept, Primanti Bro’s. seeks people who are passionate about the brand and fit the culture. With rapid expansion as a key initiative, recruiters and hiring managers must quickly fill front of house (FOH), back of house (BOH), and management positions for new locations with no existing staff. That’s why Primanti Bro’s. began using Outmatch assessments in 2016—to speed up the hiring process by targeting best-fit candidates.

    Results—Better Recruiting, Hiring, and Talent Management

    I’ve gotten great feedback from hiring managers. They say that the assessment scores cut way down on the time they spend deciding if a candidate meets our company’s expectations.

    Samantha Willing, Talent Acquisition Specialist
    Biggest challenge: Helping managers staff up for new restaurant openings

    Outmatch helps me find the right people to hire. I print out the interview questions that come with the assessment results, and it really helps keep my questions relevant to that particular candidate.

    Josh Garrity, GM “Head Coach” at Erie, PA location
    Biggest challenge: Getting quality candidates for FOH and BOH positions

    We have a high percentage of internal promotions, which speaks to our ability to grow talent. The assessment results help us understand an individual’s potential and strengths and weaknesses so that we can align succession and development plans accordingly.

    Cheryl Domitrovic, Director of Human Resources
    Biggest Challenge: Winning talent in competitive markets

  6. Sold on Hiring Data, But Hate the Silos?

    If you’re thinking, Yes, my recruiters and managers need more data, but I can’t possibly manage ANOTHER HR system, we feel you. Technology is supposed to make your life easier, but often it becomes an administrative mess of logins and passwords. It can be a hassle for you in HR, and also for IT and your end users, but the real problem is that you’re not maximizing the value of your investments when these systems are silo-ed.

    Some data is better than no data—there’s no doubt about that. Applications, screening calls, assessments, interviews, and reference checks all deliver valuable data points (especially if you have a process for scoring candidate performance). Your ATS probably automates much of the up-front work, and that’s a great start. But if you’re ready to take your tech savvy-ness to the next level, then it’s time to get serious about integrations.

    When choosing a software vendor, it’s important to think about how integrations work. Will you be stuck in a bundle (think cable+internet+phone, but who really wants phone, anyway?), or can you “sync together” several systems from different vendors? With APIs (application program interfaces), anything is possible, but you need to find a vendor that’s willing to work with you.

    Some assessment vendors, for example, have their own ATS and don’t integrate with others. Getting two systems from the same vendor sounds convenient, but only if you happen to need an assessment and an ATS at the same time. Already have an ATS? Then you’re out of luck for integration, and you’ll be using the assessment as a stand-alone system.

    When you find an assessment that meets your needs AND integrates with your ATS, you should consider it. Here’s why:

    Better reporting—no silos!

    Having ATS and assessment data all in one place makes life easier for everyone. You’ll have greater visibility into candidate job fit, plus a comprehensive view of hiring recommendations and assessments scores within the familiar interface you use to move candidates through the hiring process.

    Seamless candidate experience

    You don’t want high potential candidates falling through the cracks as they jump from one system to another. By integrating assessments with your ATS, you simplify the experience. This provides a “home base” where candidates can work through the process and get to know your employment brand.

    Early screen-out for high volume hiring

    Depending on the workflow you choose, you can include the assessment in the initial application process (“auto launch”), which will automatically screen out bad fits early in the hiring process. For recruiters, this means HUGE time savings and a higher quality candidate pool to work with.

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    See what Acceptance Auto Insurance says about the benefits of integrating, or check out 5 Reasons to Integrate with Outmatch.

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  7. Tips from Clients: Setting the Stage for Hiring Success

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    Today’s tips come from Clay Stallings, VP of Talent Acquisition & Development at Acceptance Auto Insurance. Acceptance has used Outmatch assessments and automated reference checking for hiring since 2013, and according to Clay, “the results are impressive.”

    Clay explains how he set the stage for success when implementing these hiring tools at Acceptance: “First you have to commit, then you have to learn it, then you have to get buy-in. We did those three things, and it all fell into place beautifully.”

    Specifically, Clay points out two best practices that greatly contributed to their improvements in efficiency and quality of hire:

    1. “Provide a well thought-through job description to the Outmatch team, including notes on the most important traits needed for a candidate to succeed on the job. For example, if a candidate doesn’t have a dominant personality, he or she won’t succeed in a sales position. This really helps to dial in to individual job assessments.” 

    2. “Integrate Outmatch into your Applicant Tracking System. The time saved was phenomenal. Recruiters went from spending anywhere from 90-120 minutes per day identifying potential candidates, then that number dropped to zero. When you calculate time saved over the course of a week, it adds up to a full 8-hour work day.”

    These best practices can help any new client succeed with assessments, automated reference checking, and more. Thanks, Clay!

    For more best practices, check out this video: 5 Tips to Get the Most out of Being an Outmatch Client.

  8. When Should I Assess?

    Timing matters when it comes to implementing an assessment. Should it be part of the initial application process, or should it come later, after the screening call, for example? Should everyone take the assessment, or only select candidates?

    These are important questions to ask. Whether you combine the assessment with an existing step in your hiring process, or add a new step for assessing candidates, it will inevitably impact your candidate experience. But not all candidates need to have the same candidate experience, and the workflow you choose will depend on your candidate pool and the type of role you’re filling.

    High-Volume/Hourly Roles

    When hiring for high volume roles like retail cashiers or restaurant servers, for example, the assessment is done early in the application process, and might even be an integrated part of the application (meaning all candidates will complete the assessment before submitting their application). This workflow will lengthen the application process for candidates, but not significantly because hourly assessments are shorter than professional assessments and take about 10-15 minutes to complete.

    Benefits:

    • Helps recruiters and hiring manager quickly filter through a large pool of candidates
    • Saves times by prioritizing candidates who are most likely to succeed in the role

    Low-Volume/Professional Roles

    When hiring for low-volume or professional level roles like store managers, for example, candidates are invited to take the assessment after passing an initial screening process. This gives recruiters and hiring managers the chance to review applications and other criteria, and also communicate with candidates before the assessment. Professional assessments require more time (usually 20+ minutes), but being invited to take the assessment based on their qualifications for the job can help boost candidate completion rates.

    Benefits:

    • Requires a time commitment only from candidates who are qualified to move forward
    • Allows for personal interaction with the employer before completing the assessment

    One of the great benefits of using assessments is that you can use the results to conduct better interviews. So no matter where you place the assessment, make sure it’s early enough in your hiring process to provide insight at each of the following stages.