Virtual recruiting has come a long way in a short amount of time. And after months of reacting, responding and adapting, best practices are beginning to emerge.
If you’re hiring right now, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Focus on must-haves, not nice-to-haves.
As available talent floods the market, you may find yourself inundated with resumes and portfolios. A focused, definitive job description will help streamline your search.
From software requirements to past experience, if you are tempted to include anything that is “preferred, but not required,” remove it. Craft your description around what you absolutely need for the role. We are in a period where must-haves should be the only “haves” on your job spec.
Consider the person, not just the resume.
Before COVID, personality traits and emotional intelligence had already begun to play a larger role in hiring. Now, behavioral attributes should 100% be a part of any recruiting process. The majority of our clients will continue to work remotely throughout the summer (possibly longer). Hiring someone who is self-motivated, able to pick up on non-verbal cues, and can build relationships with a new team virtually will be of the utmost importance.
Gain consensus before you post the job.
Getting buy-in from multiple departments and stakeholders can be tough even when you’re in the same building. If you’re now remote, don’t skip the important step of confirming what your ideal candidate will look like with all decisionmakers before you begin to recruit.
Determine if you can cast a wider net.
Hiring while your entire organization is WFH begs a unique question—can you open up your search to a wider geographic audience? If the perfect candidate is in Rhode Island and your office is in downtown Boston, would you consider long-term, WFH flexibility for someone who is a great fit for your role? It’s worth determining if the current situation changes the way you would typically hire.
We have a number of clients who have successfully recruited, interviewed and hired over the last few months. If you would like to have a conversation about your process, have one of our senior recruiters review your job spec, or discuss how we might be able to help with your search, please get in touch.