“The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.” - William Gibson, author of Neuromancer
The quote above captures the essence of the innovation that is reshaping the world of work. Virtual recruiting is one such idea that has come of age in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual recruiting is the process of hiring talent remotely, using online tools and platforms to source, screen, interview, and onboard candidates.
Benefits of Virtual Recruiting
Virtual recruiting can offer many benefits for both employers and candidates, such as:
- Cost savings: Virtual recruiting can reduce the expenses associated with travel, relocation, and office space.
- Time efficiency: Virtual recruiting can speed up the hiring cycle by eliminating scheduling conflicts, delays, and logistical issues.
- Talent pool expansion: Virtual recruiting can widen the reach of employers to access talent from different geographies, backgrounds, and skill sets.
- Candidate experience improvement: Virtual recruiting can enhance the candidate experience by offering convenience, flexibility, and transparency.
Challenges of Virtual Recruiting
- Technology issues: Virtual recruiting relies on the availability and quality of technology tools and platforms, which can malfunction, glitch, or fail at any time.
- Communication barriers: Virtual recruiting can create communication gaps or misunderstandings due to the lack of non-verbal cues, cultural differences, or technical jargon.
- Trust issues: Virtual recruiting can make it harder to establish trust and rapport between employers and candidates, especially when dealing with sensitive or confidential information.
- Legal compliance: Virtual recruiting can expose employers to legal liabilities or violations due to the different laws and regulations that apply in different jurisdictions.
To overcome these challenges and risks, employers need to adopt best practices and strategies for virtual recruiting. In this article, we will explore some of the latest trends, tips, and tools for virtual recruiting in 2021.
Trends in Virtual Recruiting
Virtual recruiting is not a new concept, but it has gained more prominence and popularity in the past year due to the pandemic. According to a Gartner poll of 334 HR leaders in April 2020, 86% of organizations are incorporating new virtual technology to interview candidates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, 82% of organizations anticipate a decline in external hiring across the next three months.
As the pandemic continues to disrupt the normal operations of many businesses, virtual recruiting has become a necessity rather than a choice for many employers. However, virtual recruiting is not just a temporary solution for the crisis. It is also a long-term opportunity for innovation and improvement in the talent acquisition function.
According to a survey conducted by LinkedIn and supplemented by data generated by more than 760 million members on the professional networking site, 70% of respondents believe that a hiring process that combines virtual and in-person processes will become increasingly standard due to the associated cost and time savings.
Some of the key trends that are shaping virtual recruiting in 2021 are:
More use of video interviews
Video interviews are one of the most common and effective ways of conducting virtual interviews. Video interviews can be either live or pre-recorded. Live video interviews allow for real-time interaction and feedback between employers and candidates. Pre-recorded video interviews allow candidates to record their responses to a set of questions at their convenience and employers to review them later. Video interviews can help employers assess candidates’ communication skills, personality traits, and cultural fit.
More use of online assessments
Online assessments are another way of evaluating candidates’ skills, abilities, and potential remotely. Online assessments can include cognitive tests, personality tests, situational judgment tests, skills tests, or simulations. Online assessments can help employers measure candidates’ aptitude, attitude, and fit for the role and the organization.
More use of virtual hiring events
Virtual hiring events are online events that allow employers to showcase their employer brand, culture, and opportunities to a large number of potential candidates at once. Virtual hiring events can include webinars, live chats, Q&A sessions, panel discussions, or networking sessions. Virtual hiring events can help employers attract more talent, generate more leads, and increase their conversion rates.
More use of artificial intelligence (AI)
AI is a technology that can automate or augment various aspects of virtual recruiting. AI can help employers with tasks such as sourcing candidates from various channels, screening resumes for keywords and qualifications, matching candidates to jobs based on their preferences and profiles, scheduling interviews with candidates based on their availability, providing feedback to candidates based on their performance, and analyzing data to optimize the hiring process. AI can help employers save time, reduce bias, improve quality, and enhance candidate experience.
Tips for Virtual Recruiting
Virtual recruiting can be challenging but also rewarding if done right. To ensure a successful and productive virtual recruiting process, employers need to follow some best practices and tips, such as:
Define the goals and expectations
Before starting a virtual recruiting process, employers need to define the goals and expectations of the process. They need to clarify the role and responsibilities, the skills and qualifications, the compensation and benefits, and the timeline and milestones of the hiring process. They also need to communicate these clearly and consistently to the candidates and the hiring team.
Choose the right tools and platforms
Employers need to choose the right tools and platforms that suit their needs and preferences for virtual recruiting. They need to consider factors such as the cost, functionality, reliability, security, and user-friendliness of the tools and platforms. They also need to test them beforehand and provide training and support to the candidates and the hiring team on how to use them effectively.
Prepare for the interviews
Employers need to prepare for the interviews in advance to ensure a smooth and professional virtual interviewing experience. They need to check their equipment, internet connection, lighting, and background before the interview. They also need to review the candidates’ resumes, portfolios, and assessments before the interview. They also need to prepare a list of relevant and behavioral questions to ask the candidates during the interview.
Engage with the candidates
Employers need to engage with the candidates throughout the virtual recruiting process to keep them interested and informed. They need to provide timely and personalized feedback to the candidates after each stage of the process. They also need to follow up with the candidates regularly and update them on the status of their applications. They also need to showcase their employer brand, culture, and values to the candidates through various channels such as social media, blogs, podcasts, or videos.
Evaluate the outcomes and results
Employers need to evaluate the outcomes and results of the virtual recruiting process to measure its effectiveness and efficiency. They need to collect and analyze data on metrics such as time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, quality-of-hire, candidate satisfaction, and retention rates. They also need to solicit feedback from the candidates and the hiring team on their experience and satisfaction with the process. They also need to identify areas for improvement or optimization for future virtual recruiting processes.
Tools for Virtual Recruiting
There are many tools and platforms available for virtual recruiting that can help employers with various tasks and functions of the process. Some of the most popular and useful ones are:
- Video interviewing tools: These are tools that allow employers to conduct live or pre-recorded video interviews with candidates remotely. Some examples are Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, HireVue, Spark Hire, VidCruiter, InterviewStream, Outmatch, Breezy HR, EasyHire.me, RecRight, Talview, Wepow, Sonru, Montage Talent, Jobvite Video.
- Online assessment tools: These are tools that allow employers to administer online tests or simulations to candidates remotely. Some examples are Criteria Corp., SHL, Wonderlic, Berke, The Predictive Index, Plum, HireSelect, eSkill, Codility, HackerRank, TestDome, Devskiller, Interview Mocha, Mettl, AssessFirst, Traitify, Harver, Pymetrics.
- Virtual hiring event tools: These are tools that allow employers to host online events that showcase their employer brand, culture, and opportunities to a large number of potential candidates at once. Some examples are Brazen, vFairs, Paradox, GR8 People, XOR, Recruitics, TalentAdore, Avature.
- Artificial intelligence tools: These are tools that use AI technology to automate or augment various aspects of virtual recruiting. Some examples are Ideal, Eightfold AI, Hiretual, Entelo, SeekOut, Beamery, Mya Systems, X.ai, Textio, TalentSift.
Virtual recruiting is a trend that is here to stay in 2021 and beyond. Virtual recruiting can offer many benefits for both employers and candidates but also poses some challenges and risks. To succeed in virtual recruiting, employers need to adopt best practices and strategies for virtual recruiting. They also need to leverage the latest trends, tips, and tools for virtual recruiting. By doing so, employers can attract, hire, and retain top talent in a competitive and changing market.
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Kevin Mitchell, CPA
Senior Manager and CPA with over 20 years of experience in accounting and financial services, specializing in risk management and regulatory compliance. Skilled in managing audits and leading teams to deliver exceptional services. Proud father of two.
