Recruiters at Global ERE Expo 2006 in Amsterdam were warned to take their time and assess the options before investing in applicant tracking systems.

Michael Hernandey, eStaffing program manager at Agilent Technologies, advised recruiters to do research and compare systems for usability, performance, quality, functionality, price and future direction. "Know what you're looking for and try before you buy," he said. "We've spent a lot a time talking to recruiters and candidates who would use the system."

Hernandey said that other areas to consider are global data privacy legislation, whether to have multiple databases or a pooled database, and whether systems should translate to other languages.

Stephen Carr, manager of recruitment sourcing at T-Mobile UK, said companies should make sure their provider would be around in the long-term. "T-Mobile in the US has had seen two suppliers go bust overnight, taking their database and job postings with it," he said.

Kent Kirch, global director of recruiting at services firm Deloitte, said his company had saved $18.8m since implementing Taleo's global recruitment management system in 2003. He said that it had also increased retention, and improved the quality of hire. "Keep it simple. Use a collaborative approach. Develop global strategies but execute them locally," he advised.

Elizabeth McFarlan, director of international recruitment at UnitedHealth Group International, said the challenge was to find a system to support growth, and to leverage best practice processes across the world. She added that firms considering a new IT system should carry out a thorough analysis of needs, and should design a change management strategy.