101: Virtual hiring
Some Central Massachusetts companies have been hiring employees remotely – with the application, interview and onboarding process done online – all along. COVID-19 has prompted many more to take up the practice. Here are some things to keep mind for business owners who are considering or looking to refine their virtual hiring habits.
An organized candidate pipeline maximizes efficiency. WeWorkRemotely.com’s Guide to Hiring Remote notes virtual hiring can bring in hundreds of applicants. A big candidate pool is a plus, but going through those applications takes time and long waits can cause good candidates to lose patience and look elsewhere. Structured roles, with a designated hiring manager to oversee the process; team members to evaluate culture fit; senior manager to do a final interview; human-resources manager to prepare contracts; and recruiter to support the hiring manager are part of this organized approach.
Believe in the benefits. Going virtual helps standardize hiring, Ryan Holmes, founder of social-media-management software Hootsuite tells Inc.com. Virtual hiring, with the same set of questions, in the same order each time, has been a better predictor of job performance, according to studies, he says. “With everything taking place through a screen, there's consistency and control over the interview process. Social and situational variables can largely be minimized or eliminated … with little or no time for small talk or extraneous impressions to be formed.”
Invest in your company’s virtual interviews. Without an in-person visit, the on-screen experience is all your company has in terms of making a good impression on a candidate, and it matters, says Meghan M. Biro at Forbes. “Mediocre, awkward, tedious interviews will transmit the message that the work culture at this prospective employer is likely lacking,” she writes. She recommends upgrading technology and testing it in advance; and scripting and choreographing interviews, especially if they involve multiple people.
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