How to manage the hiring process remotely

When you’re looking for new employees, face-to-face meetings tend to be the ultimate decider in whether you will hire someone to join your organisation. However, sometimes face-to-face meetings are not possible. Digitising your recruitment process can provide multiple benefits including speed to market, diversified shortlists and wider reach of employer brand.

Here are our top tips for digitising each step of the process and hiring great talent remotely.

Create a job advertisement that sells

Having a quality, well-written job advertisement is an incredibly important component of finding possible hires. You must always consider what will motivate the applicant to click the ‘apply here’ button. A job description should make the role stand out and be effective in communicating its responsibilities. Optionally, you could also film a short video so that candidates can see what your organisation is all about. Don’t worry too much about how polished the video is, you want to present something authentic, showcasing your team.

Screen and shortlist candidates appropriately

Screening is an essential procedure in any successful recruitment process. All candidates should be thoroughly screened to ascertain their suitability, interest level and alignment with your organisation’s core values.

In candidate-short markets and locations where the exact skill set required might not be readily on offer, a more nuanced screening process should be adopted. However, as more professionals potentially find themselves without work, there is likely to be a significant increase in the number of applications. In this instance, you may wish to use pioneering AI chatbot technology. It can rank applicants on their knowledge, skills and experience to identify the best applicants in the shortest time frames.

Utilise video interviewing tools

Even though employers are currently unable to complete interviews face-to-face, it doesn’t mean an interview can’t take place. Most companies have access to digital tools to help with remote hiring. Interviews can be hosted from the comfort of their own homes. Always provide login details to the candidate in advance. Make sure you are familiar with the digital tools you are using to avoid any technical issues. To have a fluid conversion, make the candidate feel as comfortable as possible. This is even more important when an interview is being conducted via video. Finally, as well as selling your company benefits, describe your current remote working situation. Be transparent about expectations from employees that are working remotely.

Keep candidates up to date

No candidate wants to feel like they’re being ignored by a potential employer or that their application has disappeared into a black hole. So communication is key throughout the hiring process. There are indeed plenty of application tracking services available these days. However, keeping candidates well-informed doesn’t necessarily need to depend on the latest technology. Some larger employers will prefer a branded candidate portal with real-time status data. Meanwhile, for other companies, a simple call or email with feedback, next steps and timeframes can work just as well.

Making the right hiring decision

If the interview is completed remotely, it should be structured in a way that leaves you feeling confident in which candidate is right for your organisation. Using the right tech in the right capacity before the interview (video profiles) will support this, but don’t be afraid to be creative and challenge the candidate so that you can truly understand how they think.

Don't keep candidates waiting

A common mistake made when recruiting new employees is to take too long to decide on the preferred candidate. In the current environment, employers should be reacting quickly to hiring. Although it may depend on how many candidates are at the final interview stage, a decision should be made. The, successful candidate should be informed within two to four days. It’s important to move fast to avoid losing out on top talent and ensure your preferred candidate feels valued.

Don’t underestimate the importance of remote onboarding

Once you have made the hire, don’t forget the importance of your onboarding process. Employers need to ensure a smooth transition for their hires and process them as effectively as possible. As much as possible, try to ensure your onboarding process is completed digitally (i.e. create and ask your hire to e-sign their contract). Share reading lists prior to your new employee start date, so they feel educated and ready to start on day one. Finally, and most importantly, there is always an element of hand-holding needed. Send a friendly welcome video prior to the start date, from an HR representative and/or their manager. Once the employee has started their role, schedule a welcome meeting (via tools such as Zoom) with their team members. And schedule a quick chat with any mentors they may have. This will create a sense of familiarity and belonging from day one, which is incredibly important when not able to meet in person. Scheduling regular virtual meetings and providing ongoing support will be paramount to maximising the efficiency of your newest hire.

Focus your sourcing strategy

In times of economic uncertainty, sourcing quality candidates may become increasingly difficult. If a person has a full-time contract with their current employer, their willingness to change roles is likely to be lowered. It's because most candidates value job security. You should, therefore, take a proactive approach and close the loop on all open communication with your current active candidates. This will help build trust and candidates are more likely to remember you in the future.

Partnering with the right recruitment firm can bring a wealth of industry knowledge and market insight to your hiring process. A professional recruitment consultant will have established talent pools. They will be able to access high-quality, passive candidates who may be more selective or less willing to respond to traditional job adverts.

Finally, don’t forget that right now, people are staying at home on their computers. With cleverly targeted ads, you can get their attention. Robert Walters offers an online advertising strategy to promote your recruitment campaign across a variety of job boards, LinkedIn and the Robert Walters website.