Candidate Management System: 6 Best Key Features To Have (2024)

75% of recruiters use an applicant tracking system/ candidate management system!

The candidate management system is a part of recruitment software. Earlier companies used spreadsheets to keep track of candidates. But now, there is modern candidate management in a recruitment process that does this job better.

A candidate management system, also called an applicant tracking system (ATS), is a tool that helps with hiring. It makes it easier to attract, talk to, and manage people who apply for jobs. It helps HR and hiring teams set high standards for hiring and keep everything organized.

Having good recruitment software to manage candidates is super important for hiring people. With a good candidate management system, you won’t miss out on hiring great people.

What Is a Candidate Management System?

A Candidate Management System is a subset of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is software designed to help businesses find and hire the best people. These kinds of candidate management systems help HR teams and hiring managers organize and manage the entire hiring process.

The hiring process has many steps that need to be done accurately and quickly. The candidate management system handles these tasks and tells us how you can improve our hiring process. It’s important to note that a CMS is not the same as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

Here’s what this recruitment software typically does:

• Posts job ads on job websites

• Sorts resumes

• Sets up interviews

• Evaluates candidates

• Manages communication

Effective candidate management ensures that the best applicants are not overlooked.

What Is A Candidate Relationship Management System?

How companies treat applicants is defined by candidate relationship management.

It includes tools such as HRMS software- recruitment tools, methods, and steps used to give applicants a good experience.

Good candidate management means –

• Keeping in touch with all applicants,

• Understand their issues,

• Whether they get the job or not- but maintain the recruitment and hiring process.

But for a recruiter handling many applications, it’s hard to give every applicant a great experience manually. These systems help recruiters manage lots of candidates at different stages of hiring more easily and effectively.

Why is a Candidate Management System Important For Your Organization?

As the name suggests- CMS- Candidate Management System – it is the main hub of all recruitment tasks.

A good Candidate Management System doesn’t just handle hiring tasks; it also offers recruitment analytics and reporting. This helps companies understand hiring trends and make smart choices to get the best people.

A candidate management system is vital because it helps manage relationships with applicants, making the hiring experience better.

Activities you can do by adopting CMS- self-service portal:

• Post A Job

Instead of posting jobs on different sites – one by one on various sites! Many candidate management systems let recruiters post on several sites and social media all at once by just clicking.

You can make it easy to keep track of applicants, notes, and messages for each job.

• Set Up A Career Page

With a good system, a candidate manager can add a careers section to their website. This system gives a user-friendly experience to people applying for jobs. You can even customise it to show off your company logo.

• Custom Application Screenings

Recruiters can add specific filters for the screening. It can be filtered out based on skills or experience needed for a job. This helps speed up the review process and find the best candidates faster.

• Track Applicants

A good CMS- management system lets recruiters set up a custom process to see where each applicant is. This process could include steps like reviewing applications, taking interviews, and making offers.

• Track Communication

Candidate management systems are crucial for handling and recording all communications with candidates. Having a history of all interactions helps with decision-making and staying organized.

6 Key Features of a Candidate Management System

Finding the right recruitment tool – software can be tricky, but certain features can make your hiring process smoother and more efficient.

1. Job Posting and Candidate Search

This system should be able to post job openings on various platforms social media platforms and job websites. This system helps attract a wider pool of qualified candidates from different locations, making candidate sourcing more effective.

2. Easy Interview Scheduling

A good system should have integration with the calendar that lets employers as well as candidates pick suitable interview times. This feature makes scheduling interviews hassle-free and convenient for both parties.

3. Effective Candidate Communication

Keeping candidates informed about their application status and the next steps in the hiring process is crucial. This can automate this communication through emails and chatbots, ensuring timely updates and engagement.

4. Resume Screening

With the help of resume screening in applicant tracking systems, it can quickly filter out resumes that don’t match the job requirements. This saves recruiters time by presenting only relevant candidate profiles.

5. Data Storage and Organization

This system should centralize all candidate information in a secure database, reducing the risk of data loss and ultimately simplifying data management. Managing candidate data is vital for making informed hiring decisions.

6. Candidate Tracking

The system should offer tracking features to monitor each candidate’s progress throughout the hiring process. This allows employers to keep track of all applications and make informed decisions at every stage.

Traditionally, recruitment focused mainly on finding the right candidates without considering the candidate’s experience.

Advantages You Can Get By Having A Candidate Management System

Higher Quality Hires: This system helps you make better hiring decisions by evaluating candidates more thoroughly, leading to higher quality hires.

One Place for Candidate Info: A system keeps all candidate information in one cloud-based database, making it easy for recruiters and HR managers to find and review profiles.

Automatic Workflows: A system handles tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling, making the hiring process smoother and faster.

Sort Candidates Easily: You can categorize candidates in a system based on their experiences, and skills and help you match them with suitable roles.

Manage Talent Pool Effectively: With this system, you can easily build and manage a talent pool, ensuring you have qualified candidates ready for new job openings.

Access to Potential Candidates: A system stores a pool of potential candidates, making it easier to find the right fit quickly when you have urgent hiring needs.

Good Experience for Candidates: This system provides clear communication and a transparent hiring process, enhancing your employer brand and attracting top candidates.

Quick Updates for Candidates: Candidates value transparency and this system provides real-time updates on their application status and feedback.

Detailed Candidate Evaluation: This system allows recruiters to track and evaluate candidates’ qualifications, skills, and performance throughout the hiring process.

Wrapping Up With Final Thoughts

Choosing the candidate management system is essential for improving your hiring process and standing out in today’s competitive job market. Whether you want something easy to use, and packed with advanced features, you can choose recruitment software- HR software for your organization.

Remember, the experience candidates have during the hiring process is really important. Taking good care of all applicants can boost your company’s reputation and make it more appealing to top talent. After all, most people want to work for companies that have a good name in the industry- Get Superworks to get all kinds of solutions for your company.