Remote hiring: Now and into the future

As the ongoing COVID-19 crisis continues, we hope you’re safe with your family, coping as best as you can.

Many major industries have been affected by the Coronavirus, but recruitment hasn’t completely frozen. Remote work is still highly in demand across the globe, and finding qualified candidates to fill these roles will involve changing your mindset about traditional hiring. Switching to a remote hiring platform will help you stay ahead of the curve now and in the future after COVID-19.

Here are some prerequisites for building a remote hiring platform:

Build a strong employer brand online

An employer brand refers to a company’s identity and reputation as an employer. Having a good employer reputation helps you to attract and retain qualified talent. Provide a great candidate experience right from the start by accurately describing the way your company operates. Assure your online presence defines you as a trustworthy, high-profile company that allows candidates to visualize themselves as a member of your team.

To get to that level, create a powerful careers page and an attractive social channel that explains the culture of your organization. Include employee testimonials from remote workers to serve as inspiration for people who are considering applying.

“I was the first-ever remote employee at Zoho. When I joined back in 2008, remote working wasn’t really a thing. Fast-forward to now, and the world has changed drastically. The Coronavirus has accelerated this change, but the change was coming all along. Our modern-day technology and the internet allows most office professionals to do their jobs no matter where they are.
In all these years of working remotely, I have truly come to believe that work is what you do, not a place you go.”
Meera Sapra- Product Manager, Zoho

Digitize your recruitment process

Still figuring out ways to move your team to a fully virtual work environment? You’ll need a comprehensive set of tech tools to run your business from a distance. Screen applicants virtually with video interviewing platforms and connect with top talent from all over the world. Reduce time to hire and automate your recruitment process by creating a video interview invitation email template. Send them to your huge database of candidates, and shortlist the best fit.

With e-sign, you can get rid of the pen and paper and authorize all paperwork online. Send call letters, interview invites, non-disclosure agreements, application forms, and offer letters directly to your candidates’ email inboxes for digital signing.

Find talent and let talent find you

Select the best places to broadcast your job openings. Reach out to the most talented candidates, and stay updated on all ways they apply for jobs. Consider advertising on popular job boards and social networking sites. If your job is location-specific, it might be a good idea to advertise your job openings on local job boards. Looking to fill remote positions? Here’s the ultimate list of the best remote job websites.

Interact with candidates in real-time

Recruiters need new, innovative tools to reach candidates where they are actively looking for jobs. One way to achieve high candidate engagement is through text recruiting. With the highest open and response rate, text recruiting offers an incredible opportunity to reach and connect with candidates in real-time. Proactively reach passive candidates and draw from a library of quality questions.

If candidates can’t easily apply for your jobs using their mobile devices, texting won’t be as effective. A mobile-friendly application for your job listings is important.

Participate in virtual career fairs

A virtual career fair is an online event where employers meet job seekers in a virtual environment using chat rooms, teleconferencing, webcasts, and webinars to exchange information about job openings. Applicants can upload their resumes and match with an employer’s job description to move on to the interview process. This limited duration job search has proven successful for many.

Virtual career fairs can be much more targeted than traditional career fairs. Eliminate bias and encourage candidates to give their first best impression.

Collaborative hiring is the key

Whether you’re hiring for remote roles or you are a remote recruiter yourself, connecting applicants with the perfect job will remain a priority no matter where you are. Bring your entire recruitment team onboard and collectively discuss your next great hire. They can be involved in the initial stages of remote hiring. Review candidates together, add notes and comments, and assess based on the skills required for the job.

We hope this checklist will help you break away from traditional hiring methods. With modern technology, you can make the most of the increased demand for remote work. Long after this crisis is resolved, one of the lasting impressions will be in the area of remote employment and recruiting. Get started now, and stay competitive as your business grows.