14 Apr Virtual interviewing in a time of crisis
So, you have a vacancy which is an essential role within your business. You need to find a replacement, this is a key staff member and cannot be absorbed internally.
All of the traditional recruitment methods are out of the window! You cannot meet someone face to face, you cannot have a coffee with them or give that potential candidate a tour of your office or meet the team.
Or can you?
It is times like these we need to think outside of the box. We are fortunate to live in a time where we have access to technology. Our workforce have embraced talking over video calls in their personal life so we need to adapt to do this professionally. This is a great opportunity to expand and become flexible on the way Australia hires talent. Internationally, businesses successfully hire employees over video and have done for a number of years. In times like this the smarter businesses will come through to other end with the best talent in their team.
It is imperative to be clear to candidates during this time that the recruitment time frame is going to take longer than usual. Clear communication always results in a positive candidate experience and following on from that a good opinion of your company.
Many of our clients find virtual interviews awkward, it is important to have a sense of humour and build rapport straight away.
Relate to the candidate and explain that this is all new to you as well!
Be honest about the current situation with the recruiting process, give true time frames and set expectations.
Ask the candidate about how their current employer has implemented systems and procedures with COVID-19, this will give you a great understanding of the candidate’s expectations moving forward.
Ask about the candidate’s personal life and share something about yourself, this enables a more in depth understanding of the person and if they will fit into your business culturally. Sharing about yourself makes the candidate feel at ease and shows you are relatable.
The rest of the process including background checks, references, police check and BLA searches remain as usual.
Obviously, businesses will be looking to reduce costs during this time, we are all facing the same economic situation . We are working together to come out of the other side stronger and ready to support our clients.
BUT there can be long-term impacts on not hiring crucial roles. HRM says that during the GFC:
“There were less people doing more. Doing that in an uncertain environment is not great for team culture. What makes a difference is strong leadership. Even if there are gaps in a team, people are more willing to work for a good leader; they’ll step up and take on additional work in the understanding that we all need to get through this together.”
If you do not provide strong leadership and support to your staff then as soon as the economy recovers the staff will be running out the door.
At RECD we are here to support you throughout this period of time. We are a strong team of qualified, experienced recruiters paired with HR expertise.
We have a huge pool of qualified talent both temporarily and permanently available to support your team.
If you have any questions about staffing requirements or our services, we are here for you.
Kate Rowe – 0402 550 556
kate@recd.com.au