By Jade Bennett.
COVID-19 has accelerated a change in pace for recruitment and we need to ensure that our current remote hiring strategies are up to the challenge.
The future of work has irrevocably changed and we will see an increase in companies adopting a remote-first approach. As such, we on the front line of talent acquisition, people ops and HR need to be ready. To start, we must applying Design Thinking principles, creating a hiring process that considers the people we’re creating it for.
To do this, here are the key areas that I recommend you consider and focus on.
Strengthen your EVP (Employer Value Proposition)
The misnomer that we’re now in a candidate-rich market, and will have our pick of top candidates, simply isn’t accurate in Product and Tech. More than ever, companies should focus on showcasing the company’s culture and benefits to potential candidates if we want to secure the ‘A-players’.
We also need to facilitate a recruitment process that allows potential employees to feel at ease during a virtual hiring process. Ask yourself: does your online process ensure candidates can feel comfortable accepting an employment offer? Have they been provided with all of the relevant job, organisation and on-boarding information to make that decision?
Consider including video in your candidate attraction and hiring process. Video is an amazing tool that enables you to promote who you are and what you’re about to the world. If you’re unable to create new content, try pulling together old videos and creating a fun new montage. Examples of this may include team get togethers, ‘all hands’ meetings, birthdays etc. I highly encourage you to incorporate video content as part of your overall hiring strategy as a great way to strengthen your EVP and attract candidates who are right for the role and the business!
Consider your tooling
Effective tools are crucial for remote hiring. What worked pre-COVID might not be up to the task now. But when was the last time you evaluated your hiring tools, and how can you be sure that you’re set up for success in our current climate?
Where possible, you want to make sure you have access to ‘best of breed’ tools. Start by considering the tools you can use to automate parts of your process so you can spend the extra time on high value activities such as nurturing talent through your pipeline. This is the perfect time to experiment with AI if you haven’t already.
And don’t forget to ensure that your hiring managers are using the rights tools too. Some great examples of tools you may want to check out include Codability for technical testing and Miro for whiteboarding sessions. Also, you may want to check out this blog for some other great recommendations by some Product Leaders in my network!
Review your remote hiring processes
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you can simply take your ‘old’ hiring process and just move it online. It’s not that simple – or maybe it is, but it’s unlikely to be as effective.
We need to make sure our hiring processes are agile, efficient and as nimble as possible to deliver the best candidate experience. We don’t want to make people jump through hoops online when a lot of people are already experiencing pandemic and online fatigue.
It’s crucial to promote your EVP and company mission, product value proposition and what a day in the life will look like throughout your hiring process to really get people interested in your opportunity.
We still want potential employees to be able to meet the team, and even better, meet people from other teams within your business where possible, so perhaps try including a team lunch towards the end of the process. This could be a simple online gathering where a handful of colleagues get together via Zoom, or whichever platform you use, and literally have a casual lunch together. To really enhance the company ethos, you may consider sending the potential employee a lunch – this really shows that you care and highlights the company culture and values.
Team coaching and support
Lastly, don’t forget to support your existing team on how to transition to a remote hiring process; to upskill and prepare. Many hiring managers are accustomed to interviewing prospective employees via phone or video. However, most haven’t had to pull the trigger and make a hiring decision having never met a person face to face. This is a huge shift for most, so take the time to coach your hiring managers through the experience.
Explain the process to your team and be there to guide them every step of the way; help them understand the purpose and desired outcomes for each step. We need to educate our hiring managers on how to ask the questions that will draw out sufficient information about the candidate from which you can make a hiring decision, thereby reducing the need to have met that person face to face in an interview.
Finally, we need to remind all employees that now more than ever we’re all brand ambassadors for the company, and that this includes representing the brand online.
To ensure we’re still able to attract and retain great talent in the ever-changing hiring landscape, we need to make sure that our EVP is on show to the world well before we meet them, and especially during the hiring process.
How does your current remote hiring strategy stack up? Can it complete with the best of the best? If you’re interested in learning more, reach out to Jade Bennett at Middleton Executive for a discussion on how we can help.
If you are an employer looking to hire your next product or tech recruit, or you are a product or tech professional looking for your next gig, contact the team at Middleton Executive. We’d love to help!
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