ATS and Recruiting Ops

99 topics across 7 chapters

Chapter 1

Recruiting Ops Foundations

Recruiting lifecycle & operating model

3 subtopics

Map the end-to-end hiring funnel for your org

Create a RACI for recruiter/coordinator/HRBP/hiring manager loops

Define how exceptions are handled (urgent hire, backfill, executive)

Stakeholders, service levels & handoffs

2 subtopics

Draft SLAs for scheduling, feedback, and offer turnaround times

Create escalation paths for stuck candidates and aging requisitions

Intake & workforce planning basics

2 subtopics

Build an intake form: scope, must-haves, interview plan, scorecard

Turn hiring plans into a req tracker (priority, headcount, dates)

Documentation & SOPs

2 subtopics

Write a SOP for each stage: move rules, required fields, owners

Create a reusable runbook template for incidents and outages

Chapter 2

ATS Architecture & Configuration

Requisition (job) structure & approvals

2 subtopics

Design req types (new headcount/backfill/evergreen) and approvals

Standardize job templates and required req fields

User roles, permissions & security

2 subtopics

Define role-based access (recruiter, coordinator, HM, interviewer)

Set up security reviews and user provisioning/deprovisioning steps

Pipelines, stages & statuses

2 subtopics

Define stage taxonomy and move rules (incl. auto-reject/auto-advance)

Build standardized reason codes (rejection, withdrawal, offer decline)

Custom fields, forms & templates

2 subtopics

Create structured scorecards and interview kits

Implement offer letter templates with version control

Data quality & governance

2 subtopics

Set required-field rules and validation checks for critical data

Create a data dictionary (field definitions, owners, sources of truth)

Chapter 3

Workflow & Process Design

Standard recruiting workflows (by role/region)

2 subtopics

Create a standard interview plan and stage gates by job family

Design exception workflows (executive, contractor, global mobility)

Scheduling operations

2 subtopics

Define scheduling rules: lead times, panel sizes, time zones

Create templates for candidate comms (confirmations, reminders, delays)

Offer management workflow

2 subtopics

Build an offer checklist (approvals, comp bands, equity, start date)

Define offer versioning and redline process with legal/comp partners

Onboarding handoff & closing the loop

2 subtopics

Define the closed-loop handoff to HRIS/onboarding (data & timing)

Create a “start confirmed” checklist and rescind/deferral playbook

Chapter 4

Compliance, Privacy & Risk

EEO/OFCCP & recordkeeping (US)

2 subtopics

Define disposition rules and timing to support compliance reporting

Set retention rules for candidates/reqs and implement deletion workflows

Privacy & consent (GDPR/CCPA basics)

2 subtopics

Implement consent capture and candidate privacy notices in the ATS

Define data access and DSAR support steps (what, who, how fast)

Background checks & adverse action basics

2 subtopics

Map background check package selection rules by role/region

Document adverse action steps and required communications

Audit readiness & risk controls

2 subtopics

Create audit trails: approvals, stage moves, offer edits, access changes

Set up periodic access reviews and control testing calendar

Chapter 5

Analytics, Reporting & Forecasting

Recruiting KPIs & definitions

2 subtopics

Define KPI formulas (time-to-fill, time-in-stage, source quality, etc.)

Create a KPI governance doc (definitions, owners, refresh frequency)

Dashboards & reporting cadence

2 subtopics

Build dashboards for execs vs recruiters vs coordinators

Establish weekly/monthly business reviews and narrative templates

Funnel analysis & conversion optimization

2 subtopics

Analyze drop-off by stage and identify top bottlenecks

Run controlled experiments on stage gates, content, and process steps

↗ Data quality & governance (see Chapter 2)

Capacity planning & forecasting

2 subtopics

Create recruiter capacity model (req load, complexity, time in stage)

Build forecast scenarios and assumptions (seasonality, hiring freezes)

Chapter 6

Integrations & Automation

Integration catalog & vendor evaluation

2 subtopics

Create an integration inventory (purpose, owner, data exchanged, SLA)

Define vendor evaluation criteria (security, reliability, support, ROI)

HRIS & identity integration

2 subtopics

Define identity lifecycle (joiner/mover/leaver) for ATS access

Map ATS↔HRIS fields and ownership (new hire export, org structure)

Calendar, email & scheduling tools

2 subtopics

Standardize calendar permissions, templates, and candidate time zones

Implement monitoring for scheduling failures and email delivery issues

Assessment, background check & e-sign integrations

2 subtopics

Define when assessments trigger and how results are stored/used

Set up e-sign and background check integrations with fallback steps

Automation & low-code workflows

2 subtopics

Identify automation candidates (alerts, nudges, task creation, routing)

Build and document low-code workflows with error handling and logging

Chapter 7

Enablement, Change Mgmt & Continuous Improvement

Change management for recruiting teams

2 subtopics

Create a change plan: stakeholders, comms, training, rollout phases

Run UAT with recruiters/coordinators and capture feedback systematically

Training, enablement & knowledge base

2 subtopics

Build role-based onboarding for recruiters, coordinators, and HMs

Create a searchable knowledge base (FAQs, SOPs, templates, videos)

Quality assurance & audits

2 subtopics

Set up QA checks: stage hygiene, missing data, overdue feedback

Build a recurring audit cadence and remediation workflow

Continuous improvement & experimentation

2 subtopics

Create a continuous improvement backlog and prioritization rubric

Measure impact: before/after metrics and stakeholder satisfaction