1. Personalize Communication To Build Relationships

Candidates know when they get the same email response as everyone else. These stiff one-size-fits-all messages can alienate candidates and make them feel like just a number among other applicants. Your ATS can help you personalize your communications and build relationships with candidates.

You can personalize your messages by addressing candidates by name in your correspondence, referencing specific details from their application and tailoring your message based on the role they’re applying for.

Personalize shows that you’re interested in the candidate as a person and potential team member, building a stronger relationship during hiring and after. Dover can help you automate personalized messaging to save you time and keep candidates engaged.  

2. Automate Candidate Follow-Ups and Updates with ATS

Candidates are likely actively applying for multiple jobs, and you can easily lose out on great options if you’re not timely with communications. Ensure you send follow-ups and status updates regularly to keep candidates in the pipeline. 

You can use Dover’s ATS to schedule automated emails to update candidates on their application status. You can also send reminders for upcoming interviews or deadlines. These automated workflows ensure candidates aren’t in the dark about the hiring timeline and process. This saves you time, improves the candidate experience and gets you a new hire faster. 

3. Provide a Seamless and Engaging Application Experience

A slow and cumbersome application process can deter qualified candidates. Use your ATS to simplify and streamline the experience.

A few ways you can streamline the process include:

• Limiting the number of steps for the application process. 

• Let candidates upload resumes to autofill information

• Send automated messages to let candidates know their application was received and next steps

A seamless application process keeps candidates engaged from the beginning. 

4. Use ATS To Tailor Job Recommendations for Candidates

Your ATS does more than just track applications. You can also match candidates’ skills and interests with open jobs. Even if a candidate isn’t a fit for the job they applied for, you can engage quality talent by suggesting opportunities they might not have considered.

This also helps you reduce your time-to-hire by finding candidates for your open roles. An ATS allows you to keep these candidates on file, strengthening your talent pipeline and nurturing candidates for future openings and opportunities. 

5. Leverage ATS for Real-Time Candidate Feedback

Candidates value transparency and feedback during the hiring process. An ATS can let you keep candidates engaged with real-time updates about their progress and next steps in the hiring process.

Use your ATS to communicate with candidates and share updates on their interview performance. You can also provide constructive feedback to candidates who aren’t selected, which helps them improve for future opportunities. Showing candidates you respect their time helps build your employer brand. 

6. Improve Candidate Engagement with Transparent Timelines

Waiting and uncertainty are some of the biggest sources of frustration for candidates in the hiring process. Your ATS can help you establish and communicate clear timelines for interview stages and hiring.

To maintain transparency, make sure to keep candidates in the loop with updates about:

• When they can expect to hear back after their initial application

• Expected timelines for each stage of the hiring process

• Any unforeseen delays or changes in the role

• Next steps

Automating reminders for each stage is a good idea so candidates are always informed about when they can expect to hear back.

7. Encourage Candidate Interaction Through Surveys

Surveys are a great way to engage candidates while gathering insights into their experience. You can use your ATS to send out surveys and gather feedback. 

Some great ways to gain insights from surveys include:

• Pre-interview surveys to learn about a candidate’s goals and job preferences

• Post-interview surveys to get feedback from all candidates about the hiring process

• Onboarding surveys to get feedback from new hires about the hiring process

Encouraging this type of interaction shows your candidates that their opinions matter. It also gives you valuable insights you can use to improve hiring and bring in more top talent. 

8. Offer Valuable Content and Resources to Candidates

Engagement doesn’t end with communication. Providing candidates with helpful resources can increase their interest and investment in your company.

You can easily send a follow-up email after they apply that encourages them to follow your company page on socials, check out your blog or sign up for your emails. Ensure you have resources like blog posts, social posts and other forms of content to send out.

Having valuable content and resources readily available can improve perception of your employer brand. It can also teach candidates, potentially increasing their knowledge and skills while keeping them engaged. 

9. Make the Application Process Mobile-Friendly 

Many candidates are applying whenever and wherever they can. To make applying on the go easy, make the application process mobile-friendly. This means your ATS should support mobile optimization, and your hiring forms should all be easy to fill out on a mobile device.

Making your application mobile-friendly also means responsive design for application and mobile integrations, like submitting applications through LinkedIn and other mobile-friendly job boards. Taking these steps expands your talent pool and reduces friction for candidates.