Tips for remote recruitment in selection processes

Nowadays, COVID-19, or coronavirus, has pushed recruiters to reinvent and make their recruitment style more flexible so that they can continue carrying out recruitment processes without putting the health of applicants at risk. As a result, many of these companies have begun to implement the remote recruitment method.

If your company has just adopted a flexible work program and is now planning to create some remote positions, it is important to keep in mind that interviewing and hiring remotely is very different from doing it the "traditional" way and that, therefore, the same techniques cannot be used. Below, we explain some keys to ensuring successful remote recruitment.

Write accurate job advertisements

Writing accurate job advertisements is a basic rule when hiring, but it is especially important when it comes to remote recruitment. Here are a couple of points to keep in mind when writing an accurate (and attractive) job description:

• Your company's communication and collaboration culture. It is important for potential candidates to know what to expect regarding the communication and collaboration practiced in your company.

• The reason that led you to choose this modality. It is always helpful for potential remote candidates to understand why the position they are applying for is remote.

• Work policies. A great way to attract new talent to your company is to include your company's flexible work policy in your job descriptions.

• Necessary logistical requirements. The position may require remote workers who live or work in a certain time zone or who are available to travel to the company's headquarters, for example.

Take advantage of technology

Thanks to video conferencing applications such as Skype and Zoom, remote recruitment is easier than ever. This type of interview, because it involves technology, will not only give you an idea of the person's general character, but also an idea of how much technology they know.

However, not all interviewees may feel comfortable speaking in front of a camera, not to mention unstable software or connection. Therefore, to have a calm and smooth interview, it is advisable to take some important points into account when inviting potential employees to a video conference:

• Use video conferencing tools that have good ratings, such as Zoom, Skype or Join.me.

• When writing the interview invitation, be sure to give your candidates all the information needed to take part in the interview.

• Offer your candidates tips on interview protocol to ease the concerns of those who are unfamiliar with the video conferencing tool.

• Test that all your technology works properly before starting the call and make sure you have a plan B in case the connection is unexpectedly cut off.

• Before starting the interview, make sure the interviewee feels comfortable. A brief, friendly chat of no more than a minute can be ideal to put them at ease.

Evaluate soft skills as if they were hard skills

Beyond the basic requirements of the position, a remote worker must have a certain set of skills necessary to perform efficiently in remote work. Regardless of the position they are applying for, it is advisable that a candidate who wishes to work remotely have the following characteristics:

• Compliance

• Self-discipline

• Problem-solving skills

• Collaboration and communication skills

• Basic to intermediate technological knowledge

• Organizational and time management skills

There are many ways to evaluate these characteristics; Evalart's psychometric tests, for example, are an excellent evaluation tool for these skills. You can view the catalog at the following link: https://evalart.com/en/tests.

Include testimonials from current employees

In the job posting, include honest testimonials from your employees about what it is like to work at your company, why they decided to join it, and what inspires them to stay. Reading these stories will inspire people who are considering joining your company and give them the little push they need to decide to apply.

Consider assigning a test task.

You can consider assigning a test task or a trial period, preferably paid, to the best candidates in order to evaluate their potential performance in the position.

It is advisable to time the task so that you can evaluate the performance of different candidates under pressure and the amount of time it takes them to complete the task. It is also a good idea to introduce this strategy toward the end of the process, since at this point you already have a smaller group of candidates.

Also, don't forget to…

• Use your company's social media. In remote recruitment, it is important not only to write an accurate job description, but also to communicate it through the right medium. Don't limit yourself to job boards to post the vacancy; take advantage of your company's social media to post your job offers. Investing in good management of your social media will help you increase the reach of your recruitment campaigns.

• Keep your candidates informed. It is natural for candidates to feel left in the dark if you don't communicate with them after the interview, and in the face of uncertainty they may lose interest and assume that they will not be contacted. And this may cost you a couple of good candidates. Keep them up to date on the status of their application and the process in general, whether to give them details about another round of interviews or simply to let them know that you don't have any updates yet.

Conclusion

Recruiting the ideal remote staff is not an easy task; it is a completely different field from traditional recruitment. However, it is not impossible, and with these basic tips it will undoubtedly be much easier for you.