How has the interview process changed?

Since COVID19 opened the door to online everything, many businesses are still grappling with online recruitment experiences and working out the best way to attract the best hires to their business.

Therefore, remote hiring is a trend that anyone going through the hiring process can no longer ignore. Despite the devastating effects of the pandemic we’ve all lived through, it has also opened us up to being creative with working and hiring processes. The result? The recruitment process has changed, remote hiring has provided access to a wider talent pool, fewer staffing and office costs and has even improved the work-life balance of many employees.

Many companies have moved to virtual interviews, especially in the early stages of the hiring process. At first, candidates couldn't come to in-person interviews during the pandemic - now, candidates have come to expect the flexibility these video interviews provide.

The hiring process overall has transformed dramatically since the early 2000s. The processes are all so different - what seems common now (like LinkedIn, video messages, and texting) didn’t really exist only two decades ago.

Beyond just the rise of the internet, tools like video interviewing and interview scheduling have helped streamline the hiring process. But there are some other, more subtle, differences between how people acquire talent now versus two decades ago.

Whilst meeting face to face may not be possible for one reason or another, you should still be interested in selling the business to your prospective candidates. Remember that recruitment is now very much a two way process and even more so these days when candidates have a lot of choice available to them.

Don't fall into the trap of making the recruitment process endless, but do think about how you can involve team members and enable your candidates to meet some of the team. If it is feasible to invite them into the recruitment process then do so. You might be able to do this through a lunch and learn session. Make it informal and get your candidates to join your team for a virtual lunch session. Give them the opportunity to ask questions of the current team and see what the dynamic is like for themselves.

Before social media and the internet, a person looking to expand their team had to hope that a qualified professional saw their job posting in the local newspaper or a trade magazine. Their reach was fairly limited when it came to hiring, and hiring managers often found they were talking to the same candidates over and over when it came time to fill a job — or worse, choosing less-than-qualified individuals for open roles, simply because they had no one else available to them. The internet has truly revolutionised hiring. There are so many more touch points available to a hiring manager looking to fill an open role. From LinkedIn to your company’s website to Twitter, Facebook networking groups, and beyond, it’s never been easier to access a deep pool of qualified candidates.

Of course, it’s important to thoroughly vet your potential candidates, especially if the role requires specific knowledge and expertise. However, a lengthy and convoluted recruitment process can be off-putting to your candidates, while not always producing the desired results for your company either. When faced with a war for talent, there isn’t the time for a 3 stage interview process.

Remember first impressions count and onboarding is now key to retaining your talent so you need that first experience with your organisation during your onboarding/training process to leave a lasting positive impression. Take time to perfect your onboarding process, ask for feedback and make sure that it reflects your organisation and is overall a positive experience - remember we all learn and process information in different ways so allow flexibility and time

Speak to Auxeris

If you are struggling with the time for pre-screening applicants or finding the time to schedule and book interviews it might be time to work with an experienced recruiter. Our network of specialist recruiters have years of experience in recruitment and identify the right candidate for their client’s roles. They will take all of the prescreening stress away from you to enable you to meet with the best matched candidates to role and company culture. They will be able to identify why these candidates match your brief and help you to nail the interview times to ensure that there is no bad feeling created by continued rearranging of times.

Get in touch with Auxeris to find out more today.