We’ve experienced the pandemic for several months now. But despite this, many recruiters and hiring managers still find the virtual and/or remote interview process to be tough. This is especially true when it comes to hiring the elusive and rare IT and Tech candidates.
Virtual hiring has always been popular. However, remote and virtual interviews have exploded in popularity recently as well, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While virtual interviews might be the new normal, it also means that many hiring managers, HR executives, and interviewers are still adapting to this method of job interviewing.
Despite the world slowly rebuilding itself after the pandemic. As an IT specialist recruiter in Singapore, we believe that remote job interviews could be here to stay. Especially for hiring managers, HR executives and interviewers actively recruiting for the tech field in Singapore.
1. Decide the best platform to conduct your interview on
Before the interview, discuss the best video conferencing platforms to conduct your interview on. Ideally, you’d want to use a platform that both you and your job candidate are familiar with. This should be no problem since there are multiple platforms to choose from (e.g. Zoom, Google Chats, Skype). We do recommend selecting a video conferencing platform that has worked well for you in the past. And communicating this to your candidate!
Additionally, it is also good form to test your video conferencing software and internet connection before every interview round. That’ll help alleviate any unforeseen problems and also give you some time to reschedule or choose a different video conferencing platform should you need to!
2. Decide the interview structure
Job seekers have the responsibility to prepare for their interview. The same goes for hirers and interviewers. There is a lot that hiring managers will have to prepare before disseminating the interview details to the general public. One of the many things a hiring manager will have to decide is the number of interview rounds they wish to hold. This is a number that you might need to research on, along with the other key decision makers in the company.
We recommend checking out the article, “How to Talk to C-Suite Executives Employees About Cybersecurity” for ideas on approaching and working with the key decision makers in your company.
3. Build your employer branding and company culture
Unfortunately, it is quite hard to tap into IT and Tech talent in Singapore. These candidates are often very high in demand. In addition, it is no surprise that there is a shortage of IT and Tech talent here in Singapore.
One way to win over the hearts of these “hard to find” Tech and IT talent is to create a well-known employer and company brand. Another major benefit of having a strong employer brand is the ability to retain talent once the hunt is over!
Some might gloss over the importance of both employer branding and company culture. However, with more and more job seekers utilising review websites such as Glassdoor and Reddit. Job seekers can choose to reject an offer based on what other employees have said about the company. This, unfortunately, is the world that we currently live in.
If you’re stumped for ideas on how to improve your organization’s employer branding. Below are some interesting ideas for you:
A. Work on your company website and social media presence
Has your company invested money to make their presence known in the online world? Job seekers often leaf through a company’s website to get a feel for the organization’s culture. People are often put off by a website that loads slowly or is poorly designed. The same goes for your company’s social media websites.
Showcase some of your more interesting employees and company events on websites such as Facebook and Instagram. In addition, consider investing in an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for an easier way to collate resumes from your company website.
To get an idea of what job seekers and candidates look out for in a company. You might want to check out:
Best Company Culture Review Websites For Singaporean Job Seekers
Smart Ways to Create a Personal Brand to Help Jump Start Your Career
B. Watch how your recruiters turn candidates down
The interview process is tough on both the job seekers and the recruiters. This might result in recruiters and hiring managers skipping a few steps and ghosting a few candidates that do not fit the required characteristics and/or bill!
It is important to keep in mind that the experience you provide your candidates with, even if you’re rejecting them. Instead of ghosting rejected candidates, the best way to turn them down would be through a polite email. Alternatively, letting candidates know that if they don’t receive a reply within a certain timeframe that their application has been rejected. This can be indicated on the job advertisement itself! That way, the candidate won’t be left hanging. It’s important to remember that no rejection is sweet, but rejection can always be handled in a civil way.
Learn more about the important tips on how to engage with talented job seekers in this article, here!
The way you treat your job candidates is important. Even the ones you choose to reject. Just because someone doesn’t fit the bill for the advertised job role. It does not mean that they won’t be a useful asset in the future.
4. Outsource the interview process to a specialist recruiter
If this sounds like a headache. One of the best ways to hire the best Tech and IT talents remotely would be to outsource the whole process to a specialist recruiter. Specialist recruiters often have talent pools to tap into. Additionally, they can speed up the hiring process, giving you the best match in the shortest possible time frame!
Learn more about the benefits of outsourcing your hiring needs with a specialist recruiter here!
As a candidate, what are some of the best ways for hiring managers and recruiters to optimise and speed up the candidate hiring experience? Let us know in the comments section below!
Read More: 3 Misconceptions Employers Have That Prevents Them From Accessing the Right Talent!