Tips for remote recruitment in selection processes

These days, the COVID-19, or coronavirus, has pushed recruiters to reinvent and make more flexible their recruiting style so that they can continue to carry out recruitment processes without risking the health of its applicants. Therefore, many of these companies have begun to implement a remote recruitment method.

If your company has just adopted a flexible work schedule and you are now planning to create some remote positions, it’s important to keep in mind that interviewing and hiring remotely is very different from doing it the “traditional” way and, therefore, you cannot use the same techniques. But no worries, we have listed some keys to ensuring successful remote recruitment.

1. Write accurate job advertisements

Writing accurate job advertisements is a basic rule when hiring, but it’s 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 culture. Potential candidates must know what to expect in terms such as how communication and collaboration work in your company.
• The reason that led you to choose this modality. It’s 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 a flexible work policy in your company’s job descriptions.
• Necessary logistic 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.

2. Take advantage of technology

Thanks to video conferencing applications such as Skype and Zoom, remote recruitment is easier than ever. This type of interview, by involving technology, won’t only give you an idea of the person’s overall character, but also how much technology they know.

However, not all interviewees may be comfortable speaking in front of a camera, not to mention an unstable software or connection. Therefore, to have a calm and smooth interview, it’s advisable to take into account some important points when calling 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 specify to your candidates all the information needed to participate in the interview.
• Offer your candidates tips on the interview protocol to alleviate the concerns of those unfamiliar with the video conferencing tool.
• Test all your technology before you start the call and make sure you have a plan B; in case the connection is unexpectedly cut off.
• Before you start the interview, make sure the interviewee is comfortable. A brief, friendly discussion of no more than a minute can be ideal to make him or her feel at ease.

3. Evaluate soft skills as if they were hard skills

Beyond the basic requirements of the job, a remote worker must have a certain set of skills necessary to perform efficiently in remote work. Regardless of the position for which you are applying, it’s recommended that a candidate who wishes to work remotely should possess the following characteristics:

• Compliance
• Self-discipline
• Problem solving skills
• Collaboration and communication skills
• Technological knowledge from basic to medium
• Organizational and time management skills

There are many ways to evaluate such characteristics; Evalart’s psychometric tests, for example, are a great evaluation tool for such skills. You can take a look at the catalogue by following the link https://cdn.evalart.com/es/questionnaires/.

4. Include testimonials from current employees

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

5. Consider assigning a test task

You might consider assigning a test assignment or a testing period, preferably paid, to the best candidates to evaluate their potential performance on the job.

It’s advisable to time the performance of different candidates under pressure and the amount of time it takes them to complete the task. It’s also a good idea to introduce this strategy towards the end of the process, as, 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’s not only important to write an accurate job description, but also to communicate it through the right medium. Don’t just use the job boards to post the vacancy; take advantage of your company’s SM to post your job offers also. Investing in the good management of your SM can help you increase the reach of your recruitment campaigns.
• Keep your candidates informed. It’s natural for candidates to feel that they’re being left in the dark if you don’t communicate with them after the interview and they may, in the face of uncertainty, 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 your application and the process in general, either to give them details about conducting another round of interviews or simply to inform them that you don’t have any updates yet.

Conclusion

Recruiting the ideal remote personnel is not an easy task, it’s a completely different field than traditional recruitment. However, it’s not impossible, and with these basic tips it will certainly be much easier.