The sudden impact of COVID has shaken the economic institutions all over the world. Many businesses had come to a standstill. However, as the dust begins to settle, we realize that this could be the new “normal”, businesses are thinking of ways to reinvent themselves – their offerings, value proposition and operating processes.

Of all business processes, the ones that are people and contact intensive, will have to go through major rehaul, one such process is recruitment.

Very few soothsayers are denying this, but recruitment leaders, especially of small and medium sized enterprises are certainly dealing with different kinds of insecurities.

Apart from wait and watch, is there more that you could do?

Businesses are turning to creative digital solutions – providing simulated screening system and interviewing experience, rather than holding in-person interviews. The use of electronic testing as part of the recruiting procedure has been expanded to effectively check the applications and transfer applicants to the next stage of recruitment.

Through utilizing technological innovations, including online and video conferencing, networking apps such as Skype and WhatsApp, they have managed to retain a progressive recruiting strategy that is now essential in these unforeseen circumstances.

Helpful Tips to manage the recruitment process during COVID-19 

Get on a single unified recruitment platform for better collaboration

This is the time to evaluate and adopt a cost-effective recruitment software that will help you

• Create a virtual bench of candidates who would be interested in opportunities that your organization may provide
• Increase the speed of hiring
• Improve over-all efficiency and visibility in the recruitment process

Use live video interviews or filmed video interviews 

Anytime that you get back to hiring, you will need to find a way out to enable remote interviews. You have two options: perform live online interviews or use video interviews that are previously recorded. How are they different?

Live interviews via Skype, Zoom, or other video conference services can be conducted online. On the other hand, video interviewing options come with standard questions designed as per job descriptions. This takes away the task of coordination off the recruiter’s plate. Applicants can submit their answers to the questions to the platform which can generate a test report and forward to the customer organization.

Evaluate tools that will save time wasted on recruitment administrative tasks

More than being able to speak with candidates, recruiters spend close to half of their productive time in providing information to internal stakeholders.

Focus on laying down processes which help recruiters in easy sourcing, screening, reporting and analyzing. Recruitment teams will have to respond to changes faster, if not anticipate and prepare for them. More than gathering data, leaders should spend time in analyzing data.

COVID has caught us all unprepared and has brought about some unprecedented changes. This is the right time to pause and prepare for the next development period.