Hiring And Onboarding In The Virtual World

Learn how the virtual world changed the decision-making process for many companies

With more and more companies embracing virtual hiring, I’ve been asked as a recruiter, “How have things changed?”
 
Here’s the thing, this new virtual world has resulted in some back to basics for us in the recruiting industry. 
 
It has also changed the decision-making process for many companies. 

It’s All in the Details

Hiring is a challenging process. It’s hard to be a candidate, and it’s hard to be a hiring manager, especially when you have a significant need.
 
One of the biggest things that recruiters can do is prepare their team and hiring managers for virtual candidate searches and interviews.
 
This preparation starts with the job description.
 

Recruiters in every industry have faced the situation at least once in their career; someone shows up with the first draft of a job description and then push for it to be posted right away.
 
Here’s the thing— don’t rush to post jobs.
 
As the gatekeepers, which most recruiters are, our job is to make sure all ducks are in a row and that there is alignment from everybody on a role before posting. Don’t post and then say, “We can edit it later if things change.”
 
In the virtual landscape, ever-changing job descriptions can lead to candidate confusion, a mismatched talent pool, and delays in the hiring process.
 
Do take the time to talk to your hiring manager, calibrate profiles, develop solid job descriptions, and align firmly regarding compensation.
 
By doing the legwork at the beginning, recruiters can save time and make the new virtual hiring process smoother in the long run. 

Making Adjustments

As recruiters, we also need to actively manage interview process expectations when going through the virtual hiring process.
 
For years, recruiters and hiring managers have been used to getting a better feel for a candidate during an in-person interview. Now, it’s no longer “bringing people” to an onsite interview. It’s a virtual Zoom call.

During an in-person interview, a hiring manager might have said, “I liked candidate A, and you know they were nervous, and that’s okay, I understand.”
 
Now that it’s not an option, we have to change our mindset to what we liked about those specific interactions. So, hiring teams are really homing in on people’s skillsets when it comes to recruitment decisions.
 
This new world has also forced people to be more mindful in the recruiting and hiring process.
 
So, empathy and compassion come into play.
 
Interviewing is nerve-wracking no matter if you’re on a video interview or in person. For example, given our new virtual world, as a recruiter, you may be interviewing many people who are homeschooling kids. Their house is not going to be quiet, and if the only time you can interview with them is at noon, there is probably going to be background noise.
 
We can’t fault them for that.
 
Preparing hiring managers and managing expectations can help us recruit equitably and create an exemplary process for all candidates.
 
Otherwise, you are just going to keep saying no to people. 

Communication Is Key

One of the biggest things about hiring in this virtual world that I’ve seen reaffirmed time and time again is the importance of over-communication.
 
It goes back to the fact that we cannot walk into somebody’s office now and hash out concerns about a job posting or candidate.
 
As a recruiter, you need to have lots of communication with your hiring manager, so you know precisely the type of person you’re looking to hire.
 
We can all fall into the trap of “out of sight, out of mind,” but if you are working for a company with very aggressive hiring goals, hiring must be on top of everyone’s mind involved in the process.
 
Over-communicate, get on Zoom, get on Google Hangouts, Slack, email, and do it all. Everything that goes into the hiring decision needs to feel over-talked.
 
The same also applies to us as recruiters when we’re dealing with candidates.
 
Hiring someone in the virtual “now” can sometimes feel like you’re hiring someone sight unseen.
 
So do keep the lines of communication open.
 
Instead of just replying to an email, maybe reach out to a candidate and say, “Hey, let’s just hop on a quick call.” This kind of interaction can help you as a recruiter hear the candidate’s nuances and help discern culture fit in some ways.
 
Another one of our responsibilities now, as recruiters, is to ask candidates upfront if they are committed to a virtual work environment. You can’t just assume that if your job description says that it’s “permanently remote,” that someone is okay with that and doesn’t have the intention of returning to an office.
 
We can’t fault anyone for wanting to go back to the way things were.
 
It’s our job to find that out right away, so we are not wasting anyone’s time.
 
So, how can companies succeed in hiring virtually?
 
When it comes to virtual hiring, some tried and recruiting basics still ring true.
 
An accurate job description will get the right candidates in the talent pool, and communication still facilitates the process.
 
However, to succeed, we as recruiters need to help our organizations change long-held mindsets about the hiring process and adapt to the new normal.
 
By implementing those mindset shifts, companies can successfully navigate hiring in the virtual world. 

Sarah Dewey is the Recruiter and Career Expert at Jobscan. Sarah has been a recruiter for over four years with experience at Amazon and Microsoft as well as local and Bay area startups. Dewey is a Seattle area native and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Humanities from Seattle University. Connect Sarah Dewey Visit www.jobscan.co