How to hire successfully while working remotely

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

Charles Darwin’s famous words have never been more relevant than they are today. Businesses are making decisions and potentially changing course on an almost daily basis. The coronavirus epidemic has forced business leaders to reconsider how we work, which business goals we prioritise, and the ways we achieve those business goals.

During all this disruption, the focus has shifted to business basics like keeping the doors open and keeping workers in jobs, while projects deemed trickier to manage from home are being put on the backburner. While we work through these new business challenges, however, is an ideal time to look at your staffing strategy for today and in the future.

In these challenging times, and perhaps even more so, it is essential you have the right team at your disposal. Whether your role is business critical, or you want to get ahead of the game, you don’t have to wait for business as usual to get back to hiring. While it may seem challenging to source candidates and onboard a new team member in the current climate, we have provided some advice to guide you and make the process less daunting.

1. Job description

While working from home, you have a bit more space and time to spend on each project, therefore this is the ideal opportunity to give extra attention to your job descriptions. Your job description is the first direct contact the candidate has with your company, so you want to make a good first impression while convincing the candidate to apply. Consider the following:

• Is it up to date?
• Does it reflect your company today?
• Does it convince quality candidates to apply?

Remember, your future staff want to hear about you as a company and what you can offer them. Make sure all the positives about your company shine through.

2. Promote

With your job description looking it’s best, make sure to show it off! Talk to your colleagues to assist with adding your vacancy to your careers webpage and on your social channels. Ensure your role has a clear closing date, details on how to apply and contact details should the candidate have any questions.

3. Candidate Selection

Once your closing date has passed, look through your applications and choose candidates suitable for the job. Contact them by phone or email to confirm their availability for a first stage interview.

4. Interview process

With social distancing in place, opt for a stage one phone interview and a stage two video interview. The initial phone interview gives the opportunity to ask those essential questions to identify the best candidates. A follow-up video interview then allows you to ask more culture and experience questions to ensure they are the right fit for your organisation. By choosing a video format, you can observe the visual cues you would normally receive during a face to face interview.

At Entrust, we offer a unique Avatar-led online interviewing platform. An avatar asks the interview questions and the candidate’s responses are recorded for you to review at your leisure. This is a more time efficient method for completing early stage interviews to help identify the best candidates.

If you are still unsure after a second video interview, or if you would prefer a face to face interview before making an offer, we recommend communicating transparently with the candidate. Is this interview just a formality? Will they be offered the role? The longer the candidate waits on an offer, the more likely they are to be snapped up by a competitor, but clear communication may discourage them from interviewing elsewhere.

5. Offer

You can once again use a video platform to formally offer your candidate the position. A video conversation offers the opportunity for negotiation around salary, terms and start date.

6. New Start Onboarding

If your candidate is available soon and can work from home, your IT support can send the required equipment and set up their laptop remotely. On their first day, schedule video calls to introduce them to key colleagues so they can meet the team and get to work!

The Entrust service

Your hiring plans don’t have to go on hold while we’re in lockdown. With some advice and a good plan, you can ensure your key roles are filled and business can continue as normal. If you have competing business priorities while we’re in lockdown, the Entrust team are available and ready to take on your recruitment projects.

Our team are working from home at full capacity to help take the stress away from your next hire. Our service includes:

• Writing a compelling job description
• Candidate search and selection – we source the best candidates available through our extensive database and network
• Interviews – we will liaise with the candidate to schedule interviews and you can choose to use our innovative avatar-led online interviewing platform
• Negotiating salary and terms with your preferred candidate for an equally beneficial outcome
• Advice and support on getting the candidate started, including relocation support.

To discuss your upcoming hiring strategy with our expert consultants, contact us today.