With quarantine in full effect, uncertainty is high, and your operations are probably not “business as usual”. However, that doesn’t mean your hiring processes need to stop altogether. In fact, waiting until the stay-at-home order has been lifted to restart your efforts could be costly for your business and with technology being the hero for most of us during this pandemic, there is a hiring strategy that is working despite COVID-19: hiring virtually.
We know what you’re thinking: Won’t virtual interviews be different than an in-person interview? The answer is yes, but we also know that virtual interviews are, have been, and will continue to be effective in helping companies worldwide acquire top talent.
This pandemic has forced businesses to adapt and utilize technology in so many new and helpful ways.
If anything, the past month has taught us that the workforce is accepting and ready for this new technology-driven world. With that in mind, here are some actionable tips to start hiring today.
Have the Right Mindset
If you’ve made the decision to hire during the pandemic, the first step is believing it can actually be done! If you have the confidence to find, interview and onboard an excellent candidate, it will generate their confidence in your company.
At Omada Search, we’ve seen several examples of this virtual hiring throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. A PE-backed manufacturing company hired their CFO through phone and FaceTime interviews with their executive team. Another manufacturing client went through several rounds of phone interviews and then video interviews, followed by a facility tour where strict social distancing was practiced before making an offer. After the acceptance of the offer, the company mailed her a computer, emailed detailed instructions on how to get on their VPN and set up a virtual training with her direct manager to get her started.
The saying “where there’s a will, there’s a way” is an appropriate mantra to hold on to right now. Consider brainstorming and working with your HR team on ways to make it happen.
Get Started
Don’t let uncertainty make you gun shy; take simple steps to get the ball rolling. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Determine which roles are most important. Ask yourself: What open roles did you have pre-COVID? What new openings have you identified? Which roles are critical? Be clear about what you need and why you need it!
- Update your job descriptions. Make it clear that you are actively hiring right now, and virtual interviewing and onboarding are an option. Our suggestion is to include “interview ASAP, start remote” in the title of the job posting.
- Post open jobs to your website, LinkedIn, job boards, etc. and share with your network that you are hiring.
- Start having conversations with candidates today! The unemployment rate is at a record high with over 25 million claims, so it’s a great opportunity for you to speak and engage with top talent in your industry and/or location that may not have been open to new opportunities before.
- Tip: Due to the job market, you will likely see a large response to job postings. Set up a separate email to keep things organized and consider setting up an automated message to applicants after they’ve applied to let them know there could be a delay in response time and you’re working on critical roles first.
- Remember, recruiting and talent management is a full-time job. Consider engaging with a specialized headhunter who can proactively sell your opportunity to the marketplace and give you your time back to do your job. For all your Accounting & Finance needs, call Omada Search!
- Remember that you are human and so are candidates. We are all trying to navigate a business landscape that has no historical precedent. Give yourself, and folks around you, grace and practice empathy.
Adapt to Interviewing and Hiring Virtually
If you had concerns about video interviews in the past, this pandemic has proved that technology is our friend! Here is a list of the best video conferencing apps that can be used to interview, as well as communicate with your team, clients and customers:
- FaceTime for one-to-one calls
- Gruveo for in-browser calls
- Slack for calls with team chat (also a great tool for instant messaging for your team)
- Zoom for reliability
- Google Hangouts for quick calls from a Google calendar
- GoToMeeting for professional video conferencing
- Amazon Chime for scheduled events
- BlueJeans for supporting multiple devices
- Pexip for presentations
- Join.me for screensharing
- WebEx for whiteboarding
(Source: https://zapier.com/blog/best-video-conferencing-apps/)
At Omada Search, we have been using the free version of Zoom meetings. It’s user friendly, has the option to “share your screen”, and is great to use if you typically conduct panel interviews.
Make the offer!
Once you’ve identified the candidate, make an offer! Have the offer letter prepared ahead of time and call the candidate directly to present the offer and walk them through the details. Decide on a start date based on whether you will start them virtually or when your state lifts any stay at home orders. Another good idea is to schedule a future call with HR to walk them through any paperwork or benefits information.
Coronavirus may be in full swing, but there is no shortage of great candidates looking for a job right now.
If you’re having trouble finding candidates or if your hiring process has currently been pushed to the back burner, Omada Search can help. Reach out to us if you need help sourcing top talent for your open positions.
About Omada Search:
Omada Search is a boutique executive recruiting firm dedicated to serving middle market manufacturing and distribution clients in the Carolinas. Omada specializes in Accounting, Finance and Operations. For further information on Omada Search, please visit www.OmadaSearch.com.
