Four Steps To Successful Remote Recruitment

Learning how to ace the remote recruitment process is essential for companies seeking to hire top talent. 

Hiring processes changed drastically over the past two years as the pandemic forced interviews and candidate assessments to occur remotely. Virtual hiring can be far superior to its in-person counterpart — remote recruitment is faster, easier, and more accessible. 

Even though remote arrangements nix the opportunity to meet candidates in person, observe how they act in a team setting, and assess how they fit the company culture, the latest research concludes that the benefits of virtual hiring surpass the challenges. 

Remote recruitment is now more of a necessity than a privilege.  Seventy-five percent of organizations that have been hiring during the COVID-19 crisis have changed their recruitment processes since the pandemic began.

Let us explore four ways in which organizations can improve the way they approach remote hiring. 

Allot sufficient preparation time

Significant preparation, from writing an appealing job description to troubleshooting video platforms, is required before a single candidate can be interviewed, and all of it takes time.

Organizations should carefully craft job postings that are focused, clear, and free of bias to attract the most qualified and diverse candidates.

The way your job post is written predicts who you’ll hire because the language affects who applies to your job. 

To effectively identify the most qualified candidates of the applicant pool, recruiters should determine in advance what they want to see in applications — and, critically, should ensure that they’ve blocked out enough time to review applications and to interview candidates properly.

Another significant preparation activity is to become familiar with the interview platform — whether it be Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, or Skype — so that interviewers can prevent potential tech problems and effectively troubleshoot any that arise.

Pay attention to detail

When candidates lack the opportunity to visit an office in person, many attributes of the organization and the role itself may not be as self-evident as they once were and will now require clear descriptions or explanations. 

Organizations should, in both the job description and interview, be deliberate and detailed in describing the position and the responsibilities it will entail.

Instead of falling back on the generic “Tell me about yourself,” interviewers should ask specific questions for the candidate to address — such as, “What was most challenging about your role at organization X?”  

More than 60% of candidates were distracted by virtual backgrounds. To ensure that interviewers represent the organization well, they should choose a suitable image — such as a virtual office or corporate branding — as a background if required. 

Conducting interviews from a well-lit place with excellent internet connectivity not only improves the employer brand image significantly — by more than 80%. It also eases the communication between the interviewer and interviewee. 

Spark engaging conversations

Video interviews may now serve as the first substantive interaction a potential employee has with an organization. But the fact is, Zoom calls are dull; 80% of respondents deemed video calls more monotonous than their in-person alternatives.

Interviewers should instead spark a genuine conversation with each candidate and tailor each interview to the answers they give, to stay engaged and present. This approach increased candidates’ satisfaction by more than 90% and made them feel at ease. This in turn enabled their interviewers to glean useful information that improved the recruitment process.

Address candidates’ uncertainties head-on

It is crucial to address any uncertainty head-on. In several interviews, candidates look to their interviewer to address questions about pandemic-era remote work arrangements and organizational culture. 

The rise of the remote workspace

Remote work arrangements spiked in 2020, creating a new dependence on effective home office setups. Before accepting a remote role, a candidate will want to know what technology they need to be successful in their position. 

Aware that organizations worldwide have adopted new policies in light of modified work arrangements, candidates will also be eager to learn how the company culture has changed as a result of the shift to remote work. 

Interviewers should share details with candidates detailing how the organization has fostered a community spirit or improved productivity virtually. 

Closing thoughts

Remote hiring is here to stay. The benefits of access, speed, and ease can significantly enhance the candidate’s interview experience while helping managers make better, more informed hiring decisions.

Also read: Benefits Of VR Employee Training In A Remote World