Recruiters have seen a profound change in hiring practices over the past two years.
The show had to go on, in spite of hiring freezes. This is why a lot of TA professionals have adopted remote hiring.
Upwork estimates that 1 in 4 Americans (over 26% of the American workforce) will be working remotely through 2022. They also estimate that 22% of the workforce (36.2 Million Americans) will work remotely by 2025, an 87% increase since pre-pandemic.
Why Remote Recruiting?
Remote recruiting poses to be more competitive than ever, but it also comes with the advantage of a larger pool of talent than ever before.
With the obvious benefit of social distancing, remote hiring can significantly speed up the traditional hiring process.
As a result, many companies believe remote work is getting easier, not harder, as time passes.
As per a Gartner HR Survey, 86% of organizations are hiring candidates virtually.
Increased productivity and flexibility greatly benefit remote work and hiring models.
Quite obviously, remote hiring will require a “remote transformation” as your traditional hiring practices will not be effective in a remote setting.
To better understand your approach to remote hiring, here is a list of do’s and don’ts to follow.
When Remote Recruiting, Please Do the Following
1. Invest in an Applicant Tracking System
Recruiters come across countless tasks and have to stay on top of all the candidate data that comes their way.
Applicant Tracking Systems effectively simplify recruitment tasks by automating tasks and managing data.
Initially, ATS’ primarily functioned as a resume parser, but with the takeover of intelligent technology and AI, modern-day ATS’ comes equipped with several features.
78% of recruiters say using an ATS helps recruit better candidates much quicker.
In today’s competitive job market, old hiring tactics are not cutting it anymore. Instead, with changing candidate expectations, job seekers have more options than ever before.
To keep up with recruitment trends, invest in an intelligent ATS to streamline hiring and work more efficiently.
Read more: 10 best Applicant Tracking Systems & their features.
2. Restructure the Interviewing & Application Process
If you’re switching to a remote hiring model, it’s time to ditch your old hiring practices. Remote recruiting requires a much different approach than traditional hiring methods.
To begin with, make sure your hiring process is mobile-friendly so that interested candidates can apply to a position on the go.
Most importantly, make sure you create a step-by-step plan for hiring more clients. With these structural changes, keep your candidates updated about each step so they know what to expect.
Instead of lengthy interviews and long applications, use brief questionnaires and video interviewing to optimize the hiring process.
Make sure you accommodate the needs of remote working and hiring without compromising the physical barriers.
Create a checklist of all the stages of the hiring process, which will need a remote alternative. Then, think of how to make this experience as efficient as possible for you and streamlined for the candidates.
Read more: Top 6 skills you should look for in your remote new hires.
3. Rethink Communication & Engagement
With no face-to-face contact, communication and engagement become all the more important.
To make the most out of your remote hiring strategy, make sure your team of recruiters are connected through a shared communication network and are consistently updating each other.
The same should apply to candidates.
Consistent and clear communication should be maintained with candidates to provide the best candidate experience.
Consistent video calling candidates is a great way to get to know them better and see if they are culturally fit for your client.
With everyone isolated, always make sure you clearly state your expectations promptly to mitigate any misunderstandings. Allow candidates to ask questions or provide feedback.
Don’t forget that active listening is also an essential part of effective communication!
Read more: How can Recruiters create a successful candidate experience survey?
4. Make Use of Online Screening Tools
Screening and assessing candidates is more than simply sifting through resumes. It’s identifying if a candidate has what it takes to succeed in a role.
To make candidate assessment easier, use the plethora of online tools available, including; online assessments, video interviewing tools, onboarding tools, and more.
Online assessment tools are a perfect fit for remote hiring and make your life so much easier. Investing in new technology may seem daunting in these unpredictable and worrying times, but it’s essential if you want to keep pace.
When done correctly, online skill assessment tools can significantly raise the probability of hiring top talent. Online assessment tools provide a more objective selection process than interviews based on subjectivity.
Pre-determined questionnaires, prescreening chatbots, and automated online assessments significantly reduce the time spent on hiring!
When Remote Hiring, Please Don’t Do the Following
1. Don’t Miss out on Social Recruiting
Social recruiting has become all the rage in talent acquisition, and remote hiring is quite possibly the best way to make use of this!
Glassdoor states that 79% of job seekers use social media when conducting their job search.
Social media isn’t just a great way to source talent; it helps you keep your candidates warm by staying engaged through social posts and messages.
As remote hiring becomes the “new nor
mal”, as a recruiter, you will have to increase your activity on social media sites like LinkedIn to engage with candidates effectively.
Take out time to review your social media platforms through the eyes of a desirable candidate. Consider sharing content that showcases your work culture so that candidates feel more connected.
Most job seekers are guaranteed to be on social media multiple times a day, so make sure you don’t miss out on this opportunity!
Read more: Recruiters must use these powerful strategies to attract candidates via Instagram.
2. Don’t Come Unprepared
Hiring requires a great deal of candidate research and planning. The same applies to remote hiring, but on a larger scale. One of the drawbacks of remote hiring is that distractions and physical barriers can hinder your judgment.
Ensure you are prepared for these drawbacks and have a backup plan for any hindrances. Remote workers commonly face technological issues.
When scheduling an interview with a candidate, mention tips for troubleshooting in case your candidate faces any issues regarding the connection or call quality.
Other than technical barriers, make sure you have a well-functioning and standardized process in place for the most smooth experience.
For example, create a list of interview questions or a sequenced checklist to mark what is done and what requires attention.
Pro Tip: Incorporate interview scorecards for candidate interviews to spot the most suitable hire!
3. Don’t Keep the Same Job Description
With online job boards saturated with remote opportunities, it can be hard to reach the right audience for an open job position.
Fortunately, technology has created a network for candidates to connect with prospective employers through many search and filtering options. Therefore, your job description will require some tweaking, just like the rest of the hiring process.
Think strategically about where you post your job description and how you are presenting the given role. Keep in mind that your job postings and descriptions should be a direct extension of your recruitment brand.
Read more: 6 common mistakes to avoid while writing a job description.
Clearly mention the remote features of the hiring process and the position. If it’s a remote position, mention the attributes required by a remote employee.
Most importantly, make sure your job description includes contact information or social media handles.
Read more: How can recruiters create a more compelling job advertisement?
4. Don’t Lose Sight of Company Culture
Just because a candidate won’t be physically working with you or your team does not mean company culture is less important.
35% of job seekers in the U.S said they wouldn’t accept a job if the company culture were not a fit.
Implementing the best remote hiring practices requires that your company culture be more than a mission statement.
It must shine through to the candidates during the hiring and onboarding process. Moreover, in remote recruitment, employer branding, and company culture are what attract top candidates.
Therefore, take the opportunity to showcase your employer brand through social media posts and while communicating to portray your company culture.
Culture can be conveyed and reinforced remotely. But more so than in physical work settings, it requires ongoing mindfulness as there is a lack of face-to-face communication.
Read more: Positive candidate experience and organizational culture: how can recruiters keep top talent?
The revolution of virtual recruitment is in full swing! So there’s no surprise that the future of recruitment will include more remote hiring models.
Therefore, ensure you adopt the best practices for the most effective remote hiring strategy.
