How to Hire Effectively, Remotely

Factors to consider in the virtual version of your hiring process

Companies that were hiring virtually before Covid are, for the most part, conducting business as usual. However, for the vast majority of businesses the global pandemic has upended many of their standard hiring systems and routines.

 

When considering a virtual version of your hiring process, there are many factors to consider – and obvious benefits and drawbacks. Some of the benefits can include reduced associated hiring costs and a larger talent pool, geographically speaking.
 
On the downside, the experience can feel much less personal and divining cultural alignment can be challenging. Making effective, long-term hires can be tough at the best of times, but in the current digital divide, it is even more problematic.
 
This reformatting of everything is unlikely to change any time soon. Most companies I work with are adapting and restructuring their work environments to remain virtual for the foreseeable future. Some have made the decision to forgo their brick and mortar leases and operate remotely, almost exclusively, going forward.
 
As a function of these changing work structures and environments, necessity is demanding that we adapt and modify our hiring practices to effectively recruit talent in this increasingly virtual world.
 
In my book, “The Affinity Principle,” I have described hiring as both an art and a science. I believe this remains true in this expanded virtual environment with many of the same principles of hiring applying equally in this digitized workspace. I also strongly advocate for putting people first, and this is one of the greatest challenges the pandemic has created throughout our organizations with social distancing and all the virtual separations we have had to adopt by necessity.
 
Even though there is a plethora of digital solutions that make a remote hiring process relatively simple, achieving a strong hiring performance is proving to be somewhat challenging for companies that have always relied on ‘in person’ interviews, tours and interactions.

In-person interviews and interactions always allowed for a full flow of information verbally, visually, auditorily, emotionally and energetically. Given that in-person contact is severely restricted under current conditions, companies must move to ‘digital’ extensions of their established hiring processes.

Things to consider in refining your virtual hiring process include outlining the format and expectations for candidates in advance. This digital world can feel very impersonal and if you want your candidate to have a great experience, things like introductions of the people who would be interviewing them and a virtual tour of your facilities, where applicable, may help to pave the road for a positive hiring experience.

Choosing a user-friendly interface is also extremely important. By now, most of us have established preferences in terms of video conferencing tools and platforms. In some cases, we may prefer to use a phone instead of video conferencing. If the phone is your preferred ‘virtual’ interviewing tool, I would consider exploring a videoconference tool for several important reasons. 

Video interviews offer verbal, visual and auditory elements. Even though the emotional and energetic exchange is not as strong as an in-person interaction, the video forum can give you a better sense of the candidate’s demeanor with the assistance of the visual element. You can also get a feel for their environment and the efforts they have made to prepare for the exchange.

If a video call is not an option, phone calls still offer verbal and auditory elements, but emotional and energetic elements are further dulled. I would only recommend using the phone during the vetting process when absolutely necessary. We are now firmly planted in the video chat realm and almost any candidate at this point should be in a position to be able to have a video exchange through their available digital resources.

I would also limit email or text exchanges for interviewing as they can blur the edges of a communication, and intent and motivations can be misinterpreted more easily. Email and text are often necessary logistically, especially for vetting roles which require text or email skills, e.g. online customer support roles. However, when we’re trying to divine more nuanced elements such as cultural alignment, the visual and verbal elements of a video or phone exchange remain essential. 
 
When you’re thinking about your hiring process in this new world order, many of the tools and processes we have typically used remain functional. Online vetting of resumes, pre-employment testing, personality or behavioral strategy analysis, and checking references can all function well in this environment. Candidates can easily complete tests, assignments, or questionnaires in a remote setting.
 
Some companies are using automation to streamline their hiring process. One-way interview systems and chatbots help filter candidates and answer their questions. Others have video studios set up for sound quality with professional backdrops. Most companies offer a variety of platforms for video calls to best accommodate a variety of candidates’ preferences.
 
As your virtual hiring processes form and evolve, your confidence in making effective hiring decisions will no doubt morph into some new form of normal. Regardless of the tools you choose and use, making more and more effective hiring decisions in this virtual world will be a process. The key will be to keep humanity in the process as much as possible to offset the deficits that will invariably exist in this digital space.