Uncertainty leads to chaos, but it doesn’t always have to be so. Even as the Covid19 pandemic pushes our limits, the recruitment industry can ensure business continuity using virtual recruiting strategies. In fact, one can even say that it is even more imperative for recruiters to step on the accelerator right now. Layoffs are everywhere, and recruiters will be the ones to break the news to most people. However, it’s not all dull and gloomy. As the saying goes, “If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.” Right now is the time for recruiters to come up with innovative recruitment methods that will help the company lift up as soon as the situation improves.Like most others, recruiters are also working from home, and now is the best time to implement all the modern recruitment techniques that may not have been possible during the hustle and bustle of older times.Here are some ways recruiters can expand their horizons during Covid-19.Communicating with CandidatesWhen uncertainty strikes, communication halts. About 82 percent of companies are looking at a decline in external hiring in the next three months. For the recruitment industry, if there’s no hiring going on, there’s no communication with candidates. But, right now is the best time for recruiters to build a long-lasting relation with candidates. Now is the time to just strike up a conversation with eligible candidates when the market sentiments are low. Look up quality candidates, establish a bond with them and keep in touch so that when the market opens up, you have potential candidates ready to take up the offer. When you call without an agenda, it elevates your importance in the candidate’s eye.Virtual recruiting strategies will play a key role in nurturing quality candidates and building the right bridges.Study Company RequirementsRecruitment during uncertain times, such as the current Covid19 crisis, can be difficult for recruiters to wrap their heads around. Hiring has frozen in many places, and companies are restructuring portfolios. However, there are opportunities to be found here, as well. Most businesses are now focusing on new business strategies that will involve a realignment of roles and requirements in the future. Recruiters can spend time with various departmental managers to understand future business prospects and come up with innovative recruitment methods. Here are some checkpoints:
What does the company’s future look like?
What kind of growth is expected?
What new roles will be required?
What new skills should candidates have?
What benefits can the company offer in the new work environment?
In some cases, you may find that the role can be filled by internal candidates. Companies can help their employees acquire new skills through online courses and ready them for the future. By taking the time to understand, recruiters can plan, create online recruitment strategies, and overcome the uncertainty in hiring.Follow Virtual Recruitment EtiquettesGone are the days when face-to-face interviews were a must to get hired. For at least the foreseeable future, virtual recruiting strategies will play a major role in the hiring industry. The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed 86 percent of companies to incorporate virtual recruitment tactics in their hiring. Telephone calls, Skype meetings, and video interviews are the new norms.Recruiters need to follow certain etiquettes even while interviewing virtually. Here are a few do’s and don’ts:
Find a quiet space without any background noise or distractions
Schedule times that are convenient for you as well as the candidate
Prefer video calls at all times
Always be presentable when interviewing via video
Treat these interviews just as if you’re sitting face-to-face. Virtual interviews can be new for many candidates, so help them ease into the situation. If the candidate is unaware of using technology, take some time to guide them. While interviewing across countries, remember to factor in the time difference as well. Before getting on a call, have a test run to ensure there are no glitches. Leverage Artificial IntelligenceThe near future is visibly one where human interaction will stay at its minimum level. In-person meetings, conferences, and gatherings will be called for only in exceptional circumstances. Therefore, reliance on technology will be high, and for recruiters, this is the right time to understand and leverage the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Predictive hiring will be the future of recruitment. Companies that innovative recruitment in uncertainty using AI can seek to stay ahead of the competition. One of the key benefits of AI is cutting down on sourcing time as well as eliminate poor hiring through unconscious biases. JoinEight’s proprietary technology helps companies implement predictive intelligence for optimal recruitment outcomes. AI is quick and helps scan through thousands of resumes to identify candidates who are the best match for the company or the job. Let AI handle the manual work so that you can put in maximum efforts into the best candidates it finds for you. In the new post-Covid19 era, virtual recruiting strategies will enable recruiters to focus on building relationships with candidates while routine administrative work is taken over by AI. Company Branding In the post-Covid19 world, branding will depend on online presence. A proactive company will provide information and updates across its social media pages as well as its company page using a variety of mediums such as blogs, images, videos, and infographics to attract candidates. While earlier, companies would highlight the benefits of working in the office, recruiters now have to focus on benefits such as health insurance and medical aid. The world of recruitment needs a change where people can take ownership of the recruiting world. As virtual networks gain prominence, is there a better way to make use of these connections? When every individual has the power to be a recruiter, is it possible to rely less on consultancies and evolve into moreinnovative recruitment methods? We will soon find out.
