How The Global pandemic has fuelled a rise in Virtual Recruitment

Early next month I’m talking with Nicolas Speeckaert, skeeled’s Co-Founder and Managing Partner for a live chat show; Predictive Hiring – The Key to Talent Acquisition Success.  Ahead of that he shares his thoughts on how the Global pandemic has fuelled a rise in Virtual Recruitment:

When Covid-19 first struck earlier this year recruitment was put on hold for many companies. Initially lockdown meant the usual recruitment processes couldn’t happen and firms played a waiting game to see what would happen before committing to new hires.

However, as the weeks went on and as remote workers were increasingly using tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams for meetings and to engage and connect with their colleagues, the world of recruitment adapted too and moved into the virtual world.

Now, as the Government has U-turned on workers returning to the office and many employees are expected to continue working at home until well into next year it is clear that virtual recruitment is here to stay.

Interestingly, many companies managed to recruit perfectly well during the pandemic. According to a report by recruitment outsourcing company Cielo two thirds of businesses had successfully interviewed and onboarded new starters during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Cielo also highlighted that most employers are now comfortable using technology for talent acquisition, with 82% of hiring managers saying they will continue to interview using video once the pandemic is over. Two fifths are also happy to onboard staff virtually and 32% are not concerned about making job offers without meeting candidates face to face.

Other research by Jobvite found that an overwhelming majority of talent acquisition teams, 84%, are adapting their processes to work remotely. They say this demonstrates the agility of talent acquisition teams, their leadership and commitment to deliver candidates to their companies to help build the business, even in times of adversity.

So how does virtual recruitment work and what are the benefits?

At skeeled we provide predictive talent acquisition software that enables companies to manage the entire recruitment process remotely. It allows them to vet and screen, select and appoint staff no matter where their team is based.

One of the major benefits is that it can streamline and automate processes including helping companies manage high numbers of job applications – which is likely in the coming months, with increased unemployment resulting from the impact of the pandemic.

A key USP is that it is powered by innovative predictive AI technology, which screens talent to ensure it matches the job brief. The software’s pre-screening tool accurately sifts through CVs and selects candidates that are the best match with the job description.

The system either rejects applicants that clearly do not fit or puts them forward for further analysis. The great thing about this technology is that it saves companies hours of time and money screening candidates and ensures a fair and objective selection process.

The system also incorporates video in its pre-screening processes and employers can invite candidates to take part in a pre-recorded video interview to answer some initial questions.
These can give a far more holistic view of the applicants to check if they are a good fit before progressing to a socially distanced face-to-face interview, if needed.

For businesses operating in multiple locations the system enables companies to share candidate information with colleagues and teams no matter where they are based, ensuring a collective, objective, and fair hiring decisions are made.

Additionally, the system enhances the candidate experience with a modern approach to the way the candidates apply. Rather than simply sending their CV by email, candidates submit an easy to fill application form and afterwards they complement their profile with preemployment assessments and/or a one-way video interview.

There’s more to a candidate than education and experience. In today’s world, soft skills and personality are what makes people thrive in a role. With this system, the candidate’s soft skills are always at the heart of the recruitment process, and they count just as much as professional experience and education. The best CVs don’t always go with the best personality, and the opposite is also true.

Covid-19 has brought many challenges for companies, but recruitment does not need to be one of them. Using innovative talent acquisition software like skeeled, companies can ensure its business as usual as they adapt to the new normal.

Also, join us for Predictive Hiring – The Key to Talent Acquisition Success on Monday, November 9th at 11:00am