In-person recruiting may not be possible this fall, but many employers still need to hire new talent. It’s important for employers to adapt to the evolving hiring environment by creating a new virtual recruitment process. Virtual recruiting strategies allow companies to quickly and efficiently hire high-quality talent while giving candidates the flexibility they need. Here are some steps you can take to successfully hire new talent in a virtual world.
Tag Locations as “Remote” – When creating job postings be sure to tag the location as “remote” if you plan to hire remote workers. This will expand your reach to candidates in various locations.
Host a Virtual Career Fair or Company Presentation – Hosting a virtual career fair or company info session is a great way to interact with potential candidates. Employers can gain access to a more diverse talent pool with students from all over the country who don’t have to travel.
Before the Event…
Employers should always promote the event with an email or social media campaign and announcement on their company’s careers website. Recruiters should also reach out to top-pick candidates to invite them to attend the event and speak to them one-on-one. This will give students the opportunity to send their resumes before the event.
After the Event….
Send a follow-up email to the best-fit candidates that attended. Following up with attendees is critical if you want to keep them interested in your company.
Implement Video Interviews – In-person interviews may not be an option right now, but video interviews can be just as effective. Video interviews are ideal for high-volume recruiting and they reduce the amount of time it takes to hire. Employers should establish goals and a strong set of questions before the interview takes place. Understanding what you want to accomplish during the interview ensures that you achieve these goals.
Conduct Skill Assessments – Training is more difficult when it can’t be done in person, so it’s important that you’re hiring candidates who maintain the necessary skills. Conducting a skills assessment helps employers gain an understanding of a candidate’s capabilities. Skills assessments can include writing samples, projects, presentations, or standardized tests.
Maintain Communication – Effective communication is more important now than ever before. Take a proactive approach to find candidates and maintain a relationship. Keep them in the loop by checking in through email/text messaging and share company updates before their start date. Establishing clear and consistent communication builds trust with your candidates and new hires.
Send Out Welcome Packs – Be sure to send out welcome packs to new hires before their start date. Include an employee handbook, company policy packet, and any software they may need. This ensures they’re prepared for their first day and know what to expect. You can also include fun “company swag” like T-shirts, stickers, and pens to get them excited.
Are you prepared to recruit and hire in a virtual world? Got other tips? Share your story in the comments below: