As the world slowly moves past the Covid-19 pandemic with the arrival of the vaccines, the job market is starting to gather itself and get back into momentum. But the newer challenges for organizations that arise daily have rendered recruitment to take a back seat. A well-established recruitment strategy can be your redeemer in the coming post-COVID era as you start re-establishing your company, even though it may be tricky to envision what HR will look like in a post-pandemic world.
While some companies might begin by scaling up their workforce and focus on accelerating the recruitment process, some might adapt newer technology to attract specialized candidates.
Before you reopen your firm for recruitment, there are certain questions you will have to answer to move in the right direction. Is your company equipped to hire, onboard and train recruits? If yes, cheers to you. If not, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with my list of tips for a winning, high-quality recruitment strategy. Start adapting them now, and you are sure to outrun your competitors!
1. Trust Technology for Remote Recruiting
You might have already guessed what I am referring to here. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing us to limit face-to-face interactions, remote recruiting is here to stay for the upcoming months as well. So, it falls on you to adapt to the technological advances for HR that have offered us software like an applicant tracking system (ATS), and other screening and on-boarding tech solutions as soon as possible.
2. Assess Skills Gaps and Talent Shortages
Did you know that the U.S. economy hit an exceptionally high unemployment rate of 14.7 % in April 2020? Imagine the amount of talent pool that is waiting to get rehired due to this. Use this opportunity to assess the talents you have lost and need now with the rise of work-from-home culture. The employee skills that might have been crucial earlier will not hold similar value now. So, take your time to study and refresh your EVP for current and future workforce to hire only the best talents.
3. Screen for Apt Skills
Before you hire someone new, carefully figure out the appropriate skills needed for the profile to lower your chances of hiring the wrong candidate, save precious resources like time and money, and ensure that you as an employer are clear about what you are looking for in a new recruit. For instance, now that the world is going through digital disruption faster than ever, the most significant skill set presented by a candidate would be their digital skills and adaptability to this rising change.
4. Focus on Your Brand
There is no denying that focusing on building an engaging brand will determine the status of recruitment applications you receive. The more efforts you divulge into establishing your brand, the more likely that potential candidates will notice and connect with your company. For that, you will have to create a detailed yet appealing company portfolio, website and social media presence. Showcase company values and mission in a way that attracts relevant candidates.
5. Dive into Your Existing Talent Pool
Older applicants, people you had to let go or furloughed, and people who had expressed an interest earlier are known as warm targets for recruitment for a reason. These are the candidates who might still be available for the job, and you need to inform them about your company opening to rehiring. Make sure you communicate with these potential candidates via digital mediums like emails and SMS campaigns.
6. Raise Your Benefits Game
Although the job market is employer dominant, there are specific offerings gaining importance post-pandemic that applicants expect you to provide if you want to hire the best of them. Some of the benefits include improved sick leave policies, comprehensive health coverage or a genuine need for employee well-being.
7. Align Recruiting Strategies with Business Strategies
It is quite obvious that you have a completely new set of business development goals planned for the post-Covid world. Consider the idea that you will have to match these with your recruitment plans for both to fit profitably. Conduct discussions with your team about changing the type of roles that your company currently seeks.
Above all else, rely on a sturdy recruitment strategy to identify vital skills to look for the right talent, whether in-house or external. You can also use working models to enhance employee preferences in addition to cost savings and productivity gains.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly Barcelos is a content marketing manager for Jobsoid and specializes in HR. When Kelly is not building marketing campaigns, she is busy creating content to help people hire better. She shares tips, industry insights, innovations and several other topics that helps a wide variety of audience in their hiring efforts. As a working mom of three, she knows the importance of time management and counts on her multitasking ability to get her through her to-do lists.