New Applicant Tracking System Chosen as Part of Effort to Streamline Recruitment Process

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The Division of Human Resources has selected Cornerstone OnDemand as the University's new provider of the applicant tracking system used in recruiting faculty and staff.

The milestone is part of a larger effort – the Applicant Tracking System Project – which aims to automate and streamline the recruitment process, improve candidate and University communication, and reduce administrative burden.

"Cornerstone OnDemand allows the University of Arizona to utilize the latest technology and features supporting talent acquisition," said Helena Rodrigues, associate vice president for human resources. "It will aid in our goal to attract the best candidates and create a positive applicant experience."

Cornerstone was chosen after a monthslong request for proposal process. The goal was to find a system that could ease the logistical hurdles faced by UA employees involved in recruiting while also giving applicants a positive first experience with the UA.

The new system is expected to be launched in January. The existing system can be seen at UA Careers.

"The new system will create efficiencies and save time for hiring teams. They will benefit from features that make it easier to review candidates, schedule interviews and create offers," said Lisa Gundy, director of recruitment and outreach and the applicant tracking system project manager. "It's our hope that they can focus more on engaging and onboarding new colleagues. This is a great opportunity for them to strengthen their relationships with applicants and reinforce our position as an employer of choice." 

Rodrigues, Gundy and Endeliza Ramos, HR recruitment and outreach lead, have been speaking with stakeholder groups throughout the University, along with members of the wider Tucson community, to get feedback about the applicant experience.

"We heard from our community that there is a strong desire to find an applicant tracking system that automates recruitment processes and simplifies hiring," Rodrigues said. "In addition to simplifying the search process, we want to make it as easy as possible to comply with federal data reporting requirements. Cornerstone will allow us to do these things and provide an improved experience for users."

To make the transition to the new system easier, representatives from across the University community have been asked to serve on an ATS Project council, which will provide input during the implementation phase.

Members of the campus community also are invited to share their ideas for shaping the final product.

Next Steps

• The Division of Human Resources and Cornerstone OnDemand will build the system.
• Updates will be posted to the ATS Project website.
• System adjustments will be made based on the University community's feedback.
• Talent acquisition policies and procedures will be updated.
• New, comprehensive trainings will be developed and delivered.

Questions or insights related to the project can be sent to hr-ats@email.arizona.edu.