Though the job market is a complex place right now, there are a plethora of businesses that are still hiring. With social distancing restrictions still in place and many companies operating remotely, traditional methods of recruiting have taken a backseat.
We asked seven business leaders for their best tips with regard to recruiting in the new normal.
Their responses will inspire you.
Hiring a Recruiting Service
Hiring during these unprecedented times can be overwhelming. There may be empty positions that need to be filled or new ones that have just been created, but the good news is that there is a pool of fantastic candidates waiting to be interviewed. Hiring a recruiting service takes the burden off of you as a business owner and allows you access to the best talent. It is a fantastic tool to use when looking for the right candidate to join your company.
Be Realistic With Expectations
As a small business owner, my best tip for recruiting in the ‘new normal’ is to be realistic with your expectations and make those clear in the job posting. It’s most likely that candidates will be interested in things like if working remotely is an option and how long that will be available. It’s much easier to just share that information in your initial job posting to not waste anyone’s time. Flexibility is key as everyone tries to adjust, but being clear on expectations is also important.
Rely on Certain Certainties
As my daughter’s second favorite Frozen princess would say, in these times, we rely on certain certainties. Everyone is feeling unsure, and as a leadership team, we can’t exactly describe how we think we’ll be working three months from now. Our strategy in recruiting has been to identify, and focus on pitching and articulating things we will continue to have – a great mission, a talented team of incredibly nice people, and always engaged leadership team. These fundamentals keep the organization functioning cohesively and allow us to engage, recruit, and welcome new team members.
Offer Incentives
The biggest thing we’re doing to accommodate current employees and attract new ones is closing our in person office and offering stipends for anyone looking to work from a coworking space. Not only will this save us money compared to our office lease, but it’s attractive to people who either (1) are more comfortable working from home most of the time but still want the option of an office and (2) people prioritizing flexibility during this period.
Lean On Social Media
Social media platforms will play a huge role in the recruitment of companies now that we are entering the ‘new normal’ way of living. Some announcements for openings may also be made through e-mails or newsletters which will be sent out by companies to their subscribers.
Lewis Keegan, SkillScouter
Take Advantage of Digitalization
Once we enter the new “normal” environment, companies will also start to resume their operations and some will hire for spots that were vacated during the crisis. One tip to follow for the recruitment process would be to take advantage of technology and digitalization. Have your job postings online and on social media platforms, make the applicants send their CVs and application letters through email, and evaluate those that qualify for an interview session. The interview and assessment can be done virtually which is more efficient and hassle-free for those applicants that were not chosen.
Samantha Moss, Romantific
Expand Your Search
There is no book on how to go about recruiting during a pandemic, but when you are looking for new talent, be flexible in your approach. If you typically just post job openings on your own career page, branch out and post to LinkedIn or Indeed.com. Expand the platforms that you would typically recruit on and lean on your existing network to also reach out to people they may know who are looking for employment.