It’s officially spring, and with spring comes spring cleaning! Whether that is cleaning your house, your office, or maybe just cleaning up your everyday practices, spring is an opportunity to start fresh. It can also be an opportunity to clean up your ATS data and processes.

Once you onboard with an ATS provider, it’s rare to take the time to re-evaluate your processes and clean up the data in your system. Sometimes this is only done when moving to a new ATS and sometimes it’s not even done then! Taking the time to do this can have instrumental results on your recruitment efficiency and success. If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned up your ATS data and processes, it’s almost certainly time to do so.

In this article, we will dive into 8 ways you can clean up your ATS data and processes this spring to drive recruiting results.

1. Contact Candidates and Clients You Haven’t Contacted Since Last Spring

Dust off those candidates and clients that you haven’t touched since last spring and start fresh with a sparkling new clean slate. Use your ATS to identify candidates and contacts that haven’t been contacted over the last year and reach out to them. For the candidates you’re reaching out to, it can be a simple text, email, or phone call to check in and see if they are ready for a new job this spring. You can even include a few job opportunities in the communication so they can see what opportunities are available to them.

Also, it may be worth it to reach out to those client contacts that you haven’t touched base with over the last year. See if they need help filling positions, note the pain points they may be having in their hiring process, and share what sets your staffing agency apart and how you can help.

Communication with candidates and clients you haven’t reached out to in a while will not only start new relationships but also remind them that you are there if they need your services in the future.

2. Re-Evaluate Your Codes and Templates

Just as you make a pile of things to get rid of when spring cleaning, you can also get rid of information in your ATS you no longer use to eliminate clutter. When you clean up your ATS data, your status codes, other system codes, and email templates are all items that can be re-evaluated. Are there any specific codes you are no longer using or don’t want people to use? If so, remove these codes and keep it simple for your team. You can also pull a report to check on the accuracy of your status codes for candidates, clients, job orders, etc. Are all your statuses correct or were some left unchanged? Cleaning up your statuses will give you an accurate picture of your business.

Templates, such as email and text templates, can also be evaluated. Do you have old templates in your system that you are no longer using? Are there templates you have that are not effective? Take the opportunity to remove old and ineffective templates. While you are removing these, see if you have any ideas for new templates that can be added for fresh communication!

3. Evaluate Information Being Input into the System

Spring cleaning is also a great way to get organized! One way to do this in your ATS is to evaluate the notes and information that is being inputted into your system. It is imperative that everyone uses the system the same and inputs information the same way. Are all notes properly being entered? Or does it seem like notes are missing? Do your employees have the information needed to fully complete the ATS data process for new engagements? When a new job order, client, or candidate is added, is their profile being filled out to its fullest or is information left blank?

Data and data processes are EVERYTHING in your ATS. When information is left out, there will be holes in your reporting. Good data in your system though lets you see a complete birds-eye view of your business, what’s working and what’s not, and helps you make strategic business decisions. That is why inputting good data in your ATS system is imperative and gives you a competitive edge.

4. Assess Current ATS Data Processes for Bottlenecks

Now is also a good time to assess your current processes and any bottlenecks you are having. Are there any steps in your recruiting or sales process that can be eliminated and streamlined? What processes, in terms of ATS data or the business overall, are taking the longest to complete? See what current processes aren’t working that can be revamped. ATS technology is constantly evolving, so if you have a current bottleneck in your process, chances are, there is a better way for it to be done.

5. Ensure You are Taking Advantage of the Features in Your ATS

An ATS has A LOT of features. Chances are you aren’t taking advantage of all of them. There are probably even tools you didn’t even know were available to you! Spring is a great time to schedule time with your ATS provider and see if there are any features you are not taking advantage of. Also, see if there are any new tools that you should be aware of.

Your ATS is extremely valuable to you and is often an underutilized resource. Taking advantage of all the tools available to you will help you maximize your recruiting efficiency.

6. Update Your Internal ATS Handbook and Host Training Sessions

Once you assess the above ATS items, make sure you update your internal ATS handbook that outlines how everyone should be using the system at your company. If you don’t already have an existing handbook, it’s important to put one together so everyone has a guide on how to properly use the system. It is also helpful when you hire new employees, so they have a guide to reference.

In addition to updating your internal ATS handbook, spring is also a good time to host an internal training session on using your ATS. Refresher training is important to remind everyone how they should be inputting information and also review best practices when using the system. The more people use the system the same way, the greater results you will see across the company.

7. Create a Training Program for New Hires

If you don’t already have an ATS training program for new hires, one should be created. Your ATS training program should be part of your internal onboarding program. To ensure your ATS is being used to its fullest potential, new hires also must receive training on using the system and best practices. This will further ensure accuracy and consistency in your ATS, especially when it comes to reporting as noted earlier.

8. Appoint a Person to be Your ATS Lead

Your last spring-cleaning tip is to appoint an internal person to be your ATS lead and expert. This person knows your ATS inside and out. If any questions arise, they are the point person your internal staff goes to. They can also be the main one that communicates with your ATS provider. Having an internal expert at your company will help questions be answered faster and they can also help ensure the system is being utilized as it should be and to its fullest potential. When you decide to clean up your ATS data, this person is going to be critical, helping you determine what is and isn’t necessary to keep.

Spring Cleaning Has Sprung!

Spring has sprung and so has spring cleaning! While the traditional form of spring cleaning isn’t something most people get excited about, taking the time to clean up your ATS and processes can have big results for your staffing and recruiting company. It will help you:

Declutter unneeded information in your ATS.
Ensure the system is being used consistently and the way it should be.
Pull accurate reporting and staffing data analytics to see key insights into your business to make strategic decisions.

Happy Spring Cleaning!

Questions about spring cleaning your ATS? Reach out to Ultra-Staff EDGE staffing software, a complete ATS/CRM solution with back office, web portals and onboarding, mobile staffing solutions, scheduling, and data analytics. Schedule a demo of Ultra-Staff EDGE to see it first-hand!

Written by Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels

Jennifer Roeslmeier Mikels is a Sr. Digital Marketing and Brands Manager at Automated Business Designs, developers of Ultra-Staff EDGE Staffing Software. Jennifer regularly publishes articles about key topics surrounding the staffing industry with both local and national staffing associations.

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