How to Hire the Right Candidate During COVID-19
As companies begin to gear back up during the COVID-19 pandemic, they may be surprised to see a significant pool of qualified candidates coming their way. Should you interview and hire someone right this moment? Even despite the fact that you may not have the bandwidth to vet talent? Human resources are busy dealing with worker’s compensation, benefits, safety, payroll, sick leave, and more. So, what should you do? Someone meets your checklist; you hire them. That seems easy enough, but is it?
Staffing Companies
Did you know, on average, it costs companies around $4,000 to hire for a position, and 42 days to fill it? Partnering with staffing companies can help alleviate these burdens. So how does your company decide to go it alone or form a strategic partnership with a staffing company? Especially if your business is unsure of what the future may look like? For instance, it may seem to make more sense to hire temporary positions and move these candidates to permanent roles in the future. Could you form a recruiting partnership, much like some grocery store chains are doing?
Whether you are going to handle staffing in -house or form a strategic partnership, here are five key points to consider:
Promote Positions
In most cases, resumes don’t just magically appear on your desk. A company must advertise for job openings. If you don’t have it in your budget to advertise for positions, however, you may want to consider social media as a way to with candidates, including LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Decide whether to meet with candidates in person or via virtual interviews
Even though many states are still under COVID-19 restrictions when it comes to re-opening, many in healthcare, technology, telecom, manufacturing, and construction are hiring. However, this doesn’t mean you need to meet with candidates in person to get an idea of their qualifications. Here are some easy ways to ace the virtual interview. It’s a good idea to get a sense of the tools you can use to learn about candidates from a distance.
Communicate with job seekers using artificial intelligence (AI)
The word artificial intelligence may seem out there for some, but what it really means is “machine intelligence,” and includes such things as chat boxes for instant messaging, databases with built-in intelligence that automatically flag the next steps in the interview process if the candidate is qualified for a position. Have you ever called the cable company or doctor’s office to make an appointment and get directed by an automatic menu? This is artificial intelligence.
Automated Resume Review
If you have the resources to do so, scan resumes using software that searches for specific qualifications and skills. This process can help reduce the pile on your desk but still leave time for a more personal (virtual interview).
Videos
In addition to creating written job summaries, consider producing videos which showcase the work environment so a candidate can envision themselves in the space. You may even want to mention what safety measures are in place during COVID-19. Then repurpose the video on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Once hired, there will still be skills training and onboarding methodologies to consider. Many companies have taken this time during COVID-19 to update existing policies and amend them. As we mentioned in previous blog posts, moving forward, prepare to be flexible. As always, hiring top talent is essential to the success of your business, and our team is here to help you find the right people with unmatched expertise.
Let’s collaborate today to fill your open positions. We are ready to source your next top performer for continued business success.
