Over the last few weeks, the way we work has completely changed. Organizations have swiftly adopted work-from-home policies to ensure business continuity, and despite the uncertainty surrounding the economy, some companies and industries are experiencing high hiring demands. As a result, managers are scrambling to implement hiring models that accommodate the current virtual landscape.
According to a recent forecast from Global Workplace Analytics, 25-30 percent of the workforce will spend multiple days working from home every week by the end of 2021. While the full impact of COVID-19 remains to be seen, as long as companies are encouraging remote practices, they’ll also need to encourage remote hiring. In light of this, talent leaders should take note of some established best practices for seamless virtual interviews:
1. Don’t Compromise Standards Just Because the Interview Is Virtual
Virtual meetings often carry an unspoken sense of informality. Despite this, interview rigor and expectations should remain as if the process were being conducted face to face. Instead of formulating an entirely new process and set of standards for virtual interviews, remote hiring should mirror in-person practices as closely as possible.
As Barry Deutsch, IMPACT Hiring Solutions partner and coauthor of You’re Not The Person I Hired, told Forbes, “Most companies do a terrible job preparing managers and executives to hire effectively, including remotely interviewing candidates.” It’s important, then, to establish clear guidelines for managers to follow as they embark on remote recruiting initiatives.
We know that open communication with candidates before, during, and after the interview is key to creating a great candidate experience in a traditional hiring process, and the same holds true for virtual interviews. Transparency is just as valued in a virtual interview context.
Also, be sure to extend the same level of support and courtesy as you would during an in-person hiring process. Share meeting invites with plenty of notice — at least 48 hours in advance. Offer support should the candidate encounter any issues with video conferencing platforms or other virtual interview software.
When candidates know what to expect and feel supported, they feel more comfortable with the process — and more respected by their potential employer. That matters: Company culture is a key consideration in many candidates’ employment decisions. According to a 2019 survey from TopResume, culture is second only to compensation when employees are evaluating job offers. Remember, they are assessing you as much as you are assessing them…
Source: Recruiter.com – Daily Articles and News
