Inside the Applicant Tracking System
I’ve been getting a question a lot from candidates recently: “Why are you asking me to apply online?”
There are a variety of ways I might reach out to a potential candidate and regardless of the method, I’ll *always* ask a candidate to apply online for my position through our careers site. So why is this?
Well, there are a variety of reasons – though at the most basic of levels, it's simply, because. :-) Your online application itself is an intrinsic part of the Microsoft recruiting process. It’s a way for me to verify that you’re really interested in my position, and it is the first step in making your interest “official.”
Microsoft is not alone in this process. Each of the companies I’ve worked with have all used some form of Application Tracking System (ATS). Our ATS essentially enables me to manage the vast number of candidates I may be speaking with at a specific point in time. It allows me to know exactly where someone is in the process and make the necessary accommodations to ensure that progress is being made. (cue the 1984/Big Brother music. :-)) As a bonus, it’s also a handy tool for storing resumes!
Keep an eye out for my next post – where I go into some benefits you get from applying online and answer that eternal question: “Why the heck do I need a Live ID to apply?”
-Kenji
4 Comments
Dew Drop - June 24, 2008 | Alvin Ashcraft's Morning Dew said:
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Microsoft's JobsBlog said:
Here's the final post in Kenji's series about the Microsoft recruiting process! As promised in my last
David Burrows said:
Dont we have an account with realmatch.com?
Tayyab Javed said:
Nice post, although I was expecting a little more insight after reading the "inside..." heading :) Would it be suitable to ask which ATS you use? We use Simplicant and feel that it's quite handy for small- to medium-sized companies (Microsoft would fall SLIGHTLY out of that category) :-)