Some organisations are in the midst of recruitment freezes, others need to recruit but are being flooded with applications. With the economy uncertain, some businesses being closed and a huge portion of the workforce working from home, there are a number of challenges talent leaders need to address. 

So, what can you do? Kate Neilson reporting for HRM spoke with five recruitment experts about how to hire when things are “business as unusual”.

“It’s hard to offer specific advice during times where facts are changing at a rapid pace, but there are emerging trends we can already see.”

Certain industries will have an advantage 

The airline and tourism industries are feeling the pinch harder than most. But there are other industries where demand is outweighing supply and recruitment efforts are skyrocketing.

“For example, Woolworths has offered to redeploy some of the 20,000 Qantas and Jetstar employees in a bid to cater to the panic buying tendencies of a worried Australia. Amazon is reported to be recruiting for 100,000 workers to cater to a spike in online shopping. There is also increased demand in the healthcare industry and investments in IT specialists across many industries.” 

Things will continue to change, but it’s still early days. Many organisations are working to ensure they are properly resourced for remote work. 

Recruitment experts state institutions will be judged by the public about how they treat customers and other businesses going forward, so they must be vigilant in ensuring they are compliant with obligations. 

It’s an opportunity for Australia to rethink how we hire and work. Traditionally, we’ve been focused on face-to-face meetings, but now the current situation has forced us to adopt virtual recruitment and online interviews. 

Interviewing candidates online 

There’s a way to conduct video interviewing recruitment correctly. Firstly, manage and adjust candidates’ expectations. Let them know the recruitment process may be longer during this time, and you may be using virtual onboarding. 

“Be more candid than you might normally be. Virtual recruiting can be clumsy and awkward. Someone’s laptop might be sitting at an unflattering angle. The internet connection could lag and distractions can emerge from off screen on both ends. 

“To combat this…[set] aside some time at the beginning to iron out any wrinkles. It’s about hiring managers taking the time to ask, ‘Can you hear me? Can you see me? I’d like to make sure we have good eye contact. I understand you might be more nervous because this is over video, I want to assure you this is all new to me too.’ 

“Or, ‘You’re actually sitting a little too far away from the camera, would you mind sitting closer so we can have a better conversation’. Or, ‘The quality isn’t that great, perhaps your internet is down.’ You just have to be really upfront. Because if there is a lag or you can’t have good eye contact, you’re never going to be able to make a good assessment.”

“This pre-interview time also acts as a buffer for the candidate to catch their breath. When they’re meeting you face-to-face, they have a commute to calm their nerves and consider their responses. In a virtual meeting, none of this space exists. They’re just sitting in their lounge room or home office and then, all of a sudden, a stranger is asking a series of probing questions through their computer screen.” 

Have a back up plan, such as mobile numbers, in case technology fails. 

Changing times, changed questions

Be transparent about the type of environment candidates are joining. 

“In times like this, you can’t afford to invest in new people only to have them jump ship during the middle of a global crisis. Setting hiring managers up with consistent questions around values is important. And be really upfront with employees about the environment they’re about to enter. For example, saying ‘We’re a start-up. We work in a really fast-paced environment and there are times where there is some ambiguity’. Then ask for examples of where they’ve dealt with ambiguity in the past.”

Consider the challenges that may come with onboarding someone without face-to-face inductions. Can they pick up things quickly? 

Include competency-based questions around learning capabilities, such as, “What was the hardest task you had to learn and how did you go about doing it?” 

Use creative solutions

Are you confident assessing cultural fit via computer screen? It can be tough, but some recruiters are coming up with creative solutions, such as inviting candidates to submit a short video that encompasses their personality (a great way to get a glimpse into their personality, humour, and communication and presentation skills!). 

“We had one candidate who said, ‘Outside of work, I’m all about family’ then moved the camera to show his mum standing next to him. Someone else just pointed their camera at their dog. They might say something like, “I’m an accountant, but outside of work I like rock climbing, badminton and I’m a chauffeur for my two kids for the majority of my weekend.” 

“Our conversion rate of candidates who are willing to do it is currently sitting at 65 per cent. It’s not a deal breaker or a decision-making tool. It’s just an extra ingredient to bring someone to life.”

Understand the consequences of leaving gaps

“Organisations have to get strategic about which gaps they fill and which they leave vacant during a pandemic. It makes sense to hold onto pennies, times are tough, but there can be long-term impacts to not hiring for crucial roles.” 

With less people doing more, it can be tough to maintain a good team culture. Strong leadership can be something that makes all the difference. People are more willing to work for a good leader, and will rise to the challenge knowing that the team will work together to get through it. 

“While staff are likely to stay with a business during a crisis, if they’re not treated right (having their efforts acknowledged and their wellbeing accounted for) they’ll be running for the hills the second the economy recovers. This is where HR can really step up by supporting leaders to take a people-lens to every decision they make to ensure business longevity.” 

HR and recruitment skills, such as implementing a shorter working week or working remotely, can become critical to the survival of a business. 

Delayed start dates

In prioritising the health and safety of your people (new hires included), if any new starter comes down with flu-like symptoms, be flexible in moving their start dates. 

“Delays to start dates aren’t unusual. It’s more about the employer [feeling comfort] in knowing they have someone in place. Also, there are candidates out there with one, two, three month notice periods.” 

In these challenging times, it’s okay not to know what to do. But there are plenty of resources becoming available to share knowledge and help us fill in the gaps. 

“We’re all finding our way in the dark. That goes for everyone in society at the moment. But there’s a lot of noise out there, so we should be focussing on what we can control, rather than what we can’t.”

What are your best tips for virtual recruitment? Share a comment below. 

If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in Recruitment Marketing Magazine, let us know. 

Source 

Ask a recruiter: Recruiting during the COVID-19 outbreak

Kate Neilson

HRM

The post Business as unusual: How to recruit effectively during COVID-19  appeared first on Recruitment Marketing.

The problem is, hiring people without experience can be hit or miss. But some roles consistently transfer exceedingly well. Why? Because of the nature those jobs. And more importantly, the types of people drawn to those professions.

In reviewing recruiting teams in 1100 organisations, six roles have shown up consistently in producing transferable talent who become great recruiters. Great in how quickly they’ve ramped up, fit in, and gone on to meet or exceed expectations.

Does everyone from these six roles become a stellar recruiter? Of course not. There are no absolutes, especially in hiring. However, the consistency among these six makes them top contenders for your next recruiting hire.

Role #1

Commercial Collection Agents

The skip tracing skills of commercial collectors help them efficiently research the whereabouts of top talent. Since persistence is the name of the game when collecting debt, they tend to have better than average abilities at following through and staying in touch. Add this to the B2B focus of their work, and you’ve got a potent combination that’s made this a favourite hire of recruiting leaders.

Role #2

Professional Fundraisers

You hear lots of “no’s” when selling people on an idea to get them to part with their hard-earned cash. The thick skin of professional fundraisers makes them well prepared for handling rejection and savvy at selling top talent on the idea of parting ways with their current employer.

Role #3

Retail Managers

Managers in retail spend long hours and many weekends dealing with difficult customers. The typical weekday schedule in recruiting is a welcome change as they apply their customer service and problem-solving skills. Retail managers are particularly successful in organisations where recruiters spend more of their time in face-to-face meetings with candidates.

Role #4

Political Campaign Staff

The fast-paced high-octane environment of a campaign prepares these prospective recruiters with important skills. These include managing competing priorities, dealing with challenging expectations, and achieving difficult deadlines. A recruiting opportunity offers them many of the adrenaline filled opportunities without the career interruption that comes at the end of a campaign.

Role #5

Professional Organisation Staff

People from trade associations, chambers of commerce, and other membership organisations often have superior networking skills and extensive contacts. Selling opportunity is second nature as is building rapport. The income potential for recruiting frequently exceeds the compensation ceiling in their current line of work.

Role #6

Call Center Managers

Recruiting teams seeking people who can create a positive candidate experience over the phone are having success with call centre managers. Their background helps them effectively compete for top talent and efficiently make and receive a high volume of calls.

As you consider people with these backgrounds take steps to ensure their fitness for the unique needs of your team. Here are three methods that will help.

Define cultural attributes

People who come from transferable roles don’t always fit it. The most common reason is culture. Cultural fit on a recruiting team can be quite different from fundraising, retail, politics, and the other roles. Look for patterns among the backgrounds and personalities of the people who’ve succeeded on your team. These attributes codify your culture as it relates to hiring. Make these attributes a requirement for every person you hire.

Show instead of tell

The verbal skills of people from these six roles tend to be above average. Don’t let them talk themselves into a job on your team. Leaders who do frequently regret these hires. Instead, have candidates show you (by performing sample work in an interview) that they possess the transferable abilities and traits required for success.

Do a reality check

Nothing kills a new hire quicker than unclear expectations. Required daily activities is a repeat offender. Too many people coming into recruiting don’t understand the sheer volume of work required on a daily basis. During interviews make clear the number of calls, documentation, interviews, e-mails, paperwork, and other activities that come with the job. But don’t leave it at that. Include these expectations in writing and have the candidate sign-off their acknowledgement. Will this scare off some people? You betcha! Better that a glimpse of reality end a future bad hire than having to terminate someone for real.

How do you find great recruiters? Tell us in the comments.

Scott Wintrip is the author of High Velocity Hiring: How to Hire Top Talent in an Instant, named a must-read book by SHRM’s HR Magazine. Over the past 19 years, Scott has led the Wintrip Consulting Group, a global consultancy that has helped more than 22,000 organisations build talent-rich companies that have eliminated their hiring delays forever. For five consecutive years, Staffing Industry Analysts, a Crain Communications company, awarded Scott a place on the “Staffing 100,” a list of the world’s 100 most influential leaders. He’s also a member of the Million Dollar Consultant Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Staffing 100 Hall of Fame.

The post 6 professionals who become great recruiters appeared first on Recruitment Marketing.