We long for the day where we can talk about COVID-19 as a thing of the past and be back to normal, but I think we can safely agree that may still be a ways off. With that said, we are going to have to adjust and adapt to the new normal in order to meet organizational goals and objectives.

One area that has seen a drastic change in this new environment is the way organizations are hiring talent. While some industries are hiring as usual, some industries like medical, e-commerce, etc. are hiring more than usual. Some may only hire mission-critical talent now while others might hire now so that they can properly train new staff and get them ready/integrated into operations in anticipation for when business resumes as usual.
When hiring, we will likely need to do it like so many other things we did in 2020 – ‘remotely’; and not only hiring remotely but hiring remote working employees. Currently, almost all organizations have asked their employees to work remotely, hence the requirement to hire remote employees and remote teams are at an all-time high.

Earlier, the internet was full of articles helping recruiters to hire the best candidates, recruiting techniques, etc. Now, what recruiters need is advice on how to hire remote working candidates, what skills to look for in a remote candidate, etc. But don’t fear, we have you covered! In this blog, we will take away all your fears & worries and get you on your way to meet your hiring goals. Keep reading…

• Write a compelling job description

Before you start sourcing candidates for remote work, make sure you put in the extra effort to accurately define the job. Often, companies make a common mistake of writing a generic job description, which doesn’t accurately portray the job and makes it hard for a candidate to decide if they are a fit or even want to work for your company.

Since remote companies/remote jobs do not offer a chance to give a visual about your physical presence, it becomes all the more important to brand your organization just as much as the role.

Recruiters need to take a deep dive into understanding the role better and expectations with respect to availabilities when working remotely. After gathering all the details, write a compelling and detailed job description using all the necessary information to define how the role relates to the company and its success.

• Convey your company culture

Along with your job postings, it is equally important to convey your company culture to the prospective candidates. Conveying your company culture is not as easy when you are hiring remotely. In a virtual set-up the candidate is forced to make a judgement about your company culture with a much more limited set of information.

If you are not putting the proper information out there, this could wind up hurting your chances of hiring the right person. By sharing more about our organizational culture, we also post our commitment to applicants, which comprises our promise to respond to every candidate, our culture and values, and our code of conduct.

Use the right words and specific examples that encapsulate your work culture. For instance, you may share how one of your teams come together to raise money for a cause they care about or for a colleague’s critically ill family member. You may also share how an employee went above and beyond in a major way to solve a customer’s problem, etc.

• Demonstrate your diversity and inclusion efforts

Remote working has provided access to a wider pool of resources. Recruiters now have more opportunities to hire from different geographies and diverse cultures & backgrounds. If you have prioritized diversity, let your prospective candidates know about it. Go the extra step to highlight your diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts in your interview process also.

Tell them how you have been working on hiring for diversity and inclusivity, and that your organization strongly believes in everyone treating each other professionally while respecting their differences. Putting these out in the open helps candidates feel more comfortable taking that leap of faith when applying for the job.

• Adapt to new methods and technology

Successful recruiters are first and fast in learning new habits, gaining new knowledge, and mastering new tools. This is what separates them from the rest. So, own and master the remote hiring process, and recruiting remote employees.

Leverage technology tools to enhance communication, improvise virtual interviews, virtual onboarding, and other methods to manage the overall candidate experience.

• Ace the remote interview process

For the most part, Recruiters are used to doing interviews face to face. Now that things have changed, recruiters also need to upgrade their skills and advance their technical knowledge and savviness. When organizing a virtual interview, test your technology tools in advance and script out interview questions. If the interview involves multiple people, choreograph, and script the entire interview in advance.

• Train yourself for a video interview

A little training and practice are required to conduct a good video interview. It is important to maintain soft eye contact and not a glassed-out stare with the person on the other end. It is equally important to focus on the person you are interviewing and not the screen or the settings (another reason to have a well-rehearsed interview).

Look at the face of the person you are interviewing and transmit your reactions clearly. In a virtual environment, it is key to master your body language, voice, and intonation. All of this comes naturally and with ease after some practice.

• Prioritize candidate experience

Right now, people are under a lot of stress and this new hiring process can add to that for many candidates. Empathy and good communication are very important at this point in time to bridge the gap between digital and physical.

In situations like the one we are facing right now, when you cannot invite the candidate to the actual workplace/your office and in-person meetings are next to impossible, interview experience holds a great value. A mediocre, awkward, or tedious interview experience can lead to a bad impression of the company, its culture, and its processes.

• Update your career page and FAQs section

Right now, organizations are focusing on making the hiring process less tedious for candidates. Most recruiters are looking for ways to save time and resources by streamlining the entire hiring process. And the good news is it is working!

One of the common hitches in the hiring process is the need to get questions answered. To address this, keep your website and career page updated at all times and, let prospective job seekers know that you are hiring.
Also, re-visit your FAQs section and make required modifications as per the current hiring process and policies.

• Using AI-enabled chatbots for routine processes

67% of candidates have a positive impression of an organization if they receive regular updates from them throughout the application process. To address this, many organizations are using AI-enabled chatbots to help candidates with routine responses and follow-ups.
The way organizations engage and nurture candidates is usually the most neglected part of the recruiting process. If building a pipeline of candidates ready for when you have roles to fill is your objective, then this should be a serious consideration.

• Create a great on-boarding experience

According to BCG, onboarding is among the most influential factors when it comes to employee experience. Creating a great onboarding experience is way easier in a physical office. However, like many other processes in remote teams, onboarding requires way more documentation compared to how co-located teams operate.

AI-enabled chatbots also help in providing on-demand information. and kickstart the onboarding process with remote materials and coaching.

• Do not shy away from asking for referrals

People you have worked with in the past are great candidates to consider again. They are also good candidates to ask for referrals, apart from your existing employees. Often, many prospects are not actively looking for jobs, but they will confide in a friend that they are looking for a new role. So, do not hesitate to ask for referrals from employees and ex-employees.

Since location is not a constraint when hiring for remote working opportunities, there is a good chance that you will get many more references than normal. If you offer a referral bonus, it will be a good idea to mention it in your internal communication and career page on your website.

It is clear to see that while COVID has created many challenges and obstacles, there is an unparalleled opportunity here for everyone in the recruitment process. It is a great opportunity to shed some of the worst habits we still cling to in the hiring process, and evolve quickly. If we can lean on technology and accept that this is going to be a new normal, we can go to the next level, where we are able to recruit remotely for remote working employees and it will feel as if we have been doing it all along. If you are also facing any challenge regarding hiring remote employees, feel free to contact us. Our expert recruitment team will be happy to help you.