The Virtual Hiring Process
Bryn Davis, Executive Senior Partner, Accounting & Finance
Madison Parchman, Senior Executive Search Consultant, Accounting & Finance
Over the past nine months, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed nearly every component of the hiring and recruitment process. The nationwide transition to remote work has made it necessary for employers across industries to adopt a wide variety of new procedures and best practices. From an HR perspective, the most radical of these changes has been the sudden and complete transition to the virtual hiring process. Job candidates, too, have been struggling to adapt to the new reality of virtual hiring.
As professional recruiters we’ve spent the better part of 2020 working with employers and candidates to overcome the challenges posed by the virtual hiring process. But the new paradigm has its upsides. In other words, employers and candidates can leverage the virtual hiring process to achieve optimal results.
In a recent interview, we highlight some of the specific challenges (and opportunities) of the virtual hiring process, and how partnering with a professional recruiter can help clients and candidates to navigate them most effectively.
Challenges of the Virtual Hiring Process
The transition to virtual hiring has not affected all employers and candidates equally. As a result, professionals at every level have had little choice but to adjust to the new reality a day at a time. We’ve found most are figuring this out by trial and error, which means that everyone’s approach has been unique.
In the midst of this steep learning curve, certain obstacles to hiring and recruitment have manifested themselves. For one thing, there are the technical difficulties that inevitably occur when clients and candidates are communicating through platforms like Zoom or Google Hangouts. But aside from that, there is also the issue of expectations. With millions of professionals now working from home (and many of them living with children), it’s become more difficult for employers and candidates to keep the ball of communication rolling steadily forward. In reality, we could have an interview a day and get to an offer in three days, but that’s not always going to work for a candidate.
Opportunities Posed by the Virtual Hiring Process
But it’s not all bad news. Though the challenges are certainly great, there are also some potential benefits to the virtual hiring process.
In some cases, the new technological model can actually facilitate (rather than hinder) the hiring and recruitment process. For example, Â recently I (Madison) had an incident in which a candidate was able to meet with a prospective employer via Zoom on a Saturday and get a comprehensive picture of their future workplace; they were able to really show this candidate everything, as if they were together in person. So that was definitely a success story.
How can Partnering with a Recruiter Help?
In order to be able to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities posed by the virtual hiring process, it’s essential for candidates and employers to be prepared. And the best way for both parties to maximally prepare for the new normal is to partner with a professional recruiter.
It’s been eight months that we’ve been doing this, so we know what we’re going to run into at this point. We know what to inform candidates and clients of to ensure a successful process.
With the help of a professional recruiter, clients and candidates can rest assured knowing that they’ll be able to quickly meet their professional goals in an increasingly virtual business landscape.