The concept of remote work is here to stay. It has already changed the way people work and businesses run drastically. Tech giants and prominent companies have agreed to let employees work from home, at least partially even after the pandemic. Everything about businesses is happening virtually. So it should not be any different for recruiting.
Moreover, due to massive uncertainty about opening office doors for employees, companies preparing for remote hiring make huge sense. However, for organizations recruiting remote employees the first time, the process may seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. Luckily, technology has made it all easy. This article walks you through simple tips to start recruiting remote workers and keep going.
9 effective tips for recruiting remote workers
1. Create engaging job posts
Most big companies have already revised their recruitment practices and started hiring remote workers. So, you are not alone in the job portals during this pandemic. Despite layoffs, the competition for top talent is still high. Hence, your job ad should stand out to grab talent. There’s no other way out.
Find the best places to post your job, make the job description exciting and engaging, so it gets you more applications. The whole recruiting process will be virtual, and there’s almost no chance to meet your candidate in person. So, outline the responsibilities, working hours, your expectations very clearly. Also, mention the next steps of your hiring process to make it straightforward for your applicants. Simply put, ensure you provide applicants the maximum necessary information in your job ad in a clear, crisp, and unique way. This way, you can save a lot of time by avoiding chunks of unmatched resumes.
2. Take advantage of technology
No matter how descriptive and clear your job ad is, not all applications you receive match your needs. So, take advantage of technology, save time by relying on tech for parsing resumes, remove duplicate resumes, and schedule interviews for matching candidates. You can depend on an ATS or recruitment software and save a massive amount of time by skipping the lengthy process. However, make sure the quality of the recruitment process (from sourcing to onboarding) is not compromised with the ATS you’ve chosen. Do proper research and pick the best software that helps you throughout the recruitment cycle, cut short your expenses and save time.
To further save time, include applicant questions while asking for the resume. Consider assignments along with the application. This way, you will get a clear picture of applicants’ skill sets even before you interview them.
3. Ask for referrals
Whether you are hiring virtually or in a pre-pandemic way, asking for referrals is the best and easiest way to fill the open positions. Ask your employees to share referrals with you and share the job profile in their network. Before that, tell them clearly about the skills and expectations to avoid resumes of unmatched candidates on your screen. Announce points or extra perks for the employees on successful hires to encourage them to spread the word in their network.
4. Be equipped for remote work world
Prepare your mind to adopt this transition. Virtual and video interviews are not new. Be ready to take virtual interviews. Learn the video interview etiquette such as dressing professionally (okay, at least top or shirt) and looking into candidates’ eyes, paying attention to them. Before all, sit in a calm and private place. Check your equipment: internet connection, audio, and video. Ask the candidate to switch his/her video in prior communications. So that they get prepared for the interview as if they would for an in-person interview. Don’t forget to check with the candidates’ equipment before starting the interview.
5. Involve your team
Keeping your candidates engaged is quite important throughout the hiring process. Assign a dedicated team member for the candidates for follow-up and guiding them further. You can also introduce your team to the candidates before offering the job to inspire them with the company culture.
Your employees play a crucial role in attracting candidates. They serve as the advocates for your employment brand. You can also pair the new joiners with someone in the same team to help them adapt to the work culture faster.
6. Prioritize candidate experience
Don’t let the best candidates slip through the cracks. Candidates turn their heads when they feel your hiring process unorganized or poor. Candidate experience has become one of the crucial factors in the complete recruitment cycle. So, make sure you create a positive impact on them through your strategies. Following up after the interview, sending reminders before the interview, answering their questions patiently, ensuring a smooth hiring process make them feel positive about your company. About 15% of candidates who have a positive experience in the hiring process put more effort into the job.
7. Create meaningful benefits to attract candidates
While the competition for top talent is already huge, make sure you attract the best candidates with your perks. Revise your strategies and come up with meaningful benefits that attract the talent. Today, perks are more than salary and incentives. However, make sure you offer competitive pay as your competitors also offer them. In addition, highlight remote work, flexible timing, work from anywhere, health insurance as perks.
Don’t hesitate to send your new employees practical welcome gifts if your budget allows. Also, invite them to your official employee network to share their onboarding or work-life stories and promote your employer brand.
8. Be clear about your expectations
It’s not everything about what you offer. It’s equally important to tell them your expectations during the interview process to avoid difficulty later. Be clear about your remote work culture, ask if they can arrange a home office or private desk to work smoothly, if they have uninterrupted internet, etc. Also, tell them about the software or hardware you use to work or monitor their work and mandatory work timings beforehand.
9. Build a strong employer brand
Now comes the most essential tip for recruiting top talent faster- build a strong employer brand. In this competitive world, it’s crucial to have a solid employer brand. Because applicants will check for your credibility, work culture, pay range on the internet even before they reply to your email or sometimes apply. So, start building your brand credibility right away, no matter if you are hiring right now or a month later.
Hiring when everybody’s at home, including your hiring team, sounds complicated. But it can be made easy with simple recruiting practices. Hope the above tips help you find the right talent faster and without much stress.
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