How To Hire During A Pandemic
The current Covid-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of our lives including the way we conduct business activities. The hiring process is no exception.
For those companies continuing to hire, they have had to switch to a completely remote model. This means attracting and screening candidates remotely. Many companies are also having to onboard and train new hires remotely using digital communication methods only.
There has also generally been more demand for positions. Certain companies may also be seeing more qualified candidates apply although others may be getting a larger number of under-qualified candidates.
While many companies are putting hiring on hold, it is still possible to recruit for positions during a pandemic. With some adaptation to your process, you can find the candidate you’re looking for. Continue reading for our tips on how to hire during a pandemic.
How To Hire During A Pandemic
If you need to recruit during the pandemic, it can be done just as effectively as before. Use the following suggestions to make adaptations to your hiring process that will help you secure the candidate you’re looking for.
Look to New Places for Talent
Hiring during a pandemic is a good time to expand the platforms you use to find new talent. As unemployment is high, there will be lots of qualified people looking on different platforms for jobs. Try to reach as many of them as possible.
Some places to advertise your open positions include:
Recruitment Agencies: many recruitment agencies are still open and helping connect employers and potential employees remotely. Using a recruitment agency is an easy, low hassle way to find a great new hire. In fact, many recruitment agencies have increased the amount of strategy they’re providing to both candidates and the hiring companies. This includes providing more coaching to candidates and helping go through a higher volume of applications for clients in order to find the right fit for them
Online Job Boards: use websites like Indeed and Glassdoor as well as less known platforms. There are a range of job search engines focused on niches that you could benefit from using. For example, Mediabistro for looking for media jobs. Doing some online search can help you find lesser-known job boards for your niche.
Hiring during a pandemic is a good time to expand the platforms you use to find new talent.
Social Media: there are many job posting groups on social media websites like Facebook. These are frequented by students, new graduates, and those looking for less skilled work as well as those looking for more experienced positions. Again, search around to find groups best suited to the position you’re hiring for.
University Job Boards: posting on university job boards is a good way to attract new graduates if looking for interns or entry-level employees. Many universities also have job boards for alumni. So even more experienced positions could be advertised here.
Your Network: don’t forget to ask your network for referrals. Reach out directly or post job listings on your LinkedIn asking for recommendations.
Run Ads: you could even promote job openings through online ads such as web display ads or social media ads.
Pay More Attention to Your Job Listings
Despite increased demand for jobs during a pandemic, you may not be getting as many qualified applicants applying. To attract the best candidates, refresh and repost your job listings frequently and make the deadline to apply date clear. You should also be using multiple job search platforms, as mentioned. Additionally, you could consider paying for sponsored job posts on these platforms to give your listings more visibility.
Along with outlining the position and qualifications needed in the listing, outline if the position is currently remote. Make it clear if it will stay that way or the candidate will eventually have to work in the office. Also briefly explain what working remotely with you is like.
Rely on Referrals and Check References
As mentioned, your network can be a great source for finding applicants. Referrals are more important than ever during a pandemic. Knowing a contact has had success with an applicant is helpful when you can’t be as hands-on in the hiring and onboarding processes.
Checking candidate references is more important than ever and can provide valuable insights into the work history and performance of potential hires.
When a new position comes up to hire for, reach out to any contacts you have that may know a good candidate. Post the position on your company and personal LinkedIn too. If you directly ask your business network for suggestions, you may get some great and already vetted candidates.
Additionally, check references in more detail than you did before. Getting a good read on how the candidate works and what their professional strengths and weaknesses are, is crucial to making a successful hire, especially during a pandemic.
Conduct Digital Interviews
Interviews will need to be conducted via phone or video conferencing. To make this go as smoothly as possible, let interview candidates know well in advance how the interview will be conducted and when. Make sure they know what video conferencing platform will be used and how long you expect the interview to last.
Virtual interviews can be a very effective method of assessing a candidate’s skills and competencies when an in-person meeting is not possible.
Set up your interview times early in the day. Then assess if the candidate appears fresh and professional on the video call. Are they in a bright, quiet, and clutter-free area? These small details can show how serious candidates are and what kind of remote worker they will be. Additionally, ask questions about previous remote work experience, if any, and how they manage their time and work remotely.
Provide Supplemental Questions or Tests
Many companies already ask their top candidates to complete tests as part of the hiring process. These can include aptitude tests or answering questions relating to more precise scenarios they may have to deal with in the job.
This is even more critical when you cannot meet the applicant in person and may not be able to manage them in person, at least for a while. You need to understand how they complete tasks, how they will respond to client emails, how they deal with problems, and anything else you feel is important to understand about your candidate.
Provide More Information to Candidates
To make the candidate accepting a job offer more likely, you will need to provide more information on the position and company culture to the applicant. Focus on explaining your company culture and exactly what the applicant can achieve career-wise if they take the job. Companies can no longer rely on attracting applicants thanks to perks such as happy hours, office dogs, or company retreats and the like.
Make it clear how long the candidate will work remotely if hired and explain what remote onboarding will be like.
It’s now important to attract based on what you offer to help them advance in their career. While companies really should always solely focus on those points when attracting employees, it’s necessary to do so during a pandemic. The career experience they will get is now one of the only “perks” that you can promote.
You also need to make it clear how long the candidate will work remotely if hired. Explain what remote onboarding will be like and if the position will be back in an office eventually.
Some employees are happy to work in the office or remotely. Others will be intending to get back in-office while others may have decided they want to permanently work remotely. Make it clear to the candidate what the current and future work environment will be (to the best of your knowledge) to avoid the employee quitting or not taking the job in the end.
If your office is opening up again soon and the candidate will be working there, outline what you’re doing to keep employees safe. For example, explain what cleaning and social distancing protocols are being put into place.
Explain What Working Remotely is Like for Your Company
Along with giving a good idea of how long the candidate will work remotely, you need to explain what working remotely for you is like. As with in-office processes, working remotely is different for every company. The applicant may also have never worked remotely, for example, if they lost their last job due to the pandemic or are new to the job market.
Understanding your remote culture is important. An independent worker who was left to complete their tasks with little assistance in their last position may not adapt well to a remote environment with a lot of meetings to check on what they’re doing.
Some things to outline include:
• The average number video-meetings and calls per day or week
• How teamwork is managed
• How employees are managed in general
• What hours they are expected to work (or if this is flexible)
• How tasks are assigned and checked
• How employees can communicate with each other
Also mention what “social” events your team has. For example, if you have a weekly group lunch via video chat. Fitting into a group of employees is always a concern for new hires. This is even more difficult when working remotely. Showing how they can still build social relationships with co-workers, even from a distance, can make the position more appealing to applicants. Include information on this in your job posting and your interview conversation.
Use Remote Trial Periods for Chosen Candidates
If you find a candidate that you think is a good fit after your interview(s), see if they’re willing to work a trial period. Have them connect with your team and undertake some tasks that they would have to do in the position.
Keep these tasks relatively simple with little training needed. Taking time to train during a trial period can be a waste of time and resources if they end up not taking the job. This period could be for a day, a few days, or even a week. Compensate them for their time and then make a final decision. This can help both the hiring company and the employee get a feel of what working with the other is like and if it’s a good fit.
In Conclusion
If filling one or multiple positions is on your to-do list, don’t let the pandemic stop you from recruiting. While you’ll have to adjust the hiring process from attracting applicants, through interviewing, and onboarding, it can be done. With just a few simple changes to your process, you can successfully find a great new hire during a pandemic.