How COVID-19 Has Improved the Hiring Process

Shot of confident business woman looking and speaking through the webcam while making a video conference with laptop from the office.

The pandemic has changed the world forever, from how we go out for meals to how we work in the office. In fact, it has even changed how we now recruit. Previous to this year, recruiting and interviewing was done almost exclusively in person; however, some of the biggest success stories during COVID-19 have been the seamless shift from in-person hiring interviews to that process being done completely at home.

Recruitment had no choice but to experience a quick rehaul. Discouraging in house interviews and in person contact is imperative to keeping people safe from the coronavirus. Luckily, we have the automation and technology to make these processes happen remotely.

Candidate Sourcing

Manually sourcing candidates can be a challenge; however, with more people working at home, more people are coming to the internet and searching for employers—the prospects are coming to the recruiters. There are more CVs online now than ever before, and with automation, sourcing efforts are much easier than they used to be. It doesn’t take long to find exactly the right person who has the right talent for the job.

Candidate Assessment

Previously, companies had to assess each candidate based on their own perceptions and judgement. Recent advancements in technology have brought artificial intelligence (AI) into the equation. Video conferencing software equipped with AI that reads candidates’ body language and facial expressions give recruiters an edge when interviewing.

Scheduling Interviews

It’s never been easier to schedule an interview; these days, everyone is using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and other online video communication software. It can be done from home or wherever each party has a stable internet connection. Cutting the travel and waiting time means that candidates get fit in more interviews with potential employers and recruiters have more time to survey more candidates for a job. 

Additionally, jobs that require a drug and health screening can have candidates complete these either remotely or at a wide variety of locations across the country. Health screenings can include testing for the coronavirus, if necessary.

Virtual Recruitment

Virtual recruitment is now becoming the norm. It can be super beneficial to both the prospective employee and to the company who is making hiring decisions. Key decision-makers, hiring managers, and stakeholders are more available to make these important calls. In terms of scheduling, their flexibility has increased with the rise of remote working.

COVID-19, while it has been challenging, has hugely improved the hiring processes for many companies. As businesses come to recognize this shift in efficiency, these changes that we are seeing as a result of the pandemic are likely to be the norm moving forward. Overall, virtual recruitment is faster and more efficient than it was before.