The Tool Belt #7: WTF is an ATS?!

This is the Tool Belt, the newsletter that helps camp directors work smarter, not harder.

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Today’s estimated read time: 1m 16s

❓WTF is an ATS?!

So far, we’ve been talking about custom tools that make your life easier. 

But sometimes an off-the-shelf tool will do. Software doesn’t need to be made for camps to make an impact on camp operations. 

Today, I want to tell you about a type of tool that’s made a huge difference at my camp: an Applicant Tracking System, or ATS.

Why did we feel the need to buy this? (It’s not exactly cheap.)

Because our previous process had a ton of friction. It used to look like this:

1. Summer staff applies via our camp management tool.

2. We copy the application into Evernote so people can comment on it.

3. Email back and forth with staff to find a time to meet for an interview.

4. Create meeting link and send to staff.

5. Interview staff.

6. Go back to Evernote and update with interview notes.

7. Use an expensive third-party tool to send an electronic contract.

Our Staff Director tells me that the worst part of the process was dealing with the amount of emails we send in the process. (We were spending a lot of time copying and pasting email templates from a Google Doc.) It was also hard to track candidates through the process and who had spoken with them.

The process had evolved organically, and pretty much every aspect of it had what I call a paper cut - small pains that add up to frustration and inefficiency.

Enter the ATS. It takes the process I described and puts it into one system.

We use one called Pinpoint, and it’s worked well for us. But there are plenty out there.

Here are a few things it does:

• Allows candidates to apply through a landing page for each role.

• Stores email templates and allows us to send emails and texts to candidates.

• Tracks your communication with each candidate and allows you to move candidates to different stages.

• Schedules interviews and automatically calculates interview slots based on your calendar availability.

• Sends electronic offers and allows candidates to sign those offers.

Pinpoint has completely replaced our former process, and we use it for every seasonal and year-round role.

ATS systems are awesome. That said, my point here isn’t really about a particular kind of software.

It’s about noticing the parts of camp that are painful or inefficient and finding solutions for them.

Let me know if you have thoughts or questions. I write back. 😊

🔦 Tool Spotlight: Dear Scout

Dear Scout is a camp-focused employee assistance program dedicated to supporting the mental health and well-being of camp staff during the summer season. By offering confidential teletherapy sessions with licensed therapists through a HIPAA-compliant platform, Dear Scout ensures that staff members have access to flexible counseling services tailored to their unique needs.

⛺️ Around the Campfire

This discussion on the ACA forum about resources for abuse prevention training:

🤣 The LOL Lodge

Until next time,

Peter “Mess Hall Menace” Elbaum