The pandemic has put many lives on hold. Some lost jobs while others began working from home. The coronavirus changed how people live and how businesses strive. More and more companies today are moving towards digital operations, and remote work is nearly a guarantee for new hires.

Working from home is now the new norm, and most services require a digital option. Business leaders are finding and adjusting to new digital recruitment and hiring methods. Most are still new to this venture, so how will they recruit and hire talent for their remote team? 

If you are hiring remote workers, here are tips to help: 

Consider an Applicant Tracking System 

Remote hiring can be taxing once you start receiving multiple applications. And once your job opening gets attention, you’ll find yourself drowning in thousands of resumes. An ATS or applicant tracking system helps you sift through the documents to uncover the top contender for the job. 

An ATS is a software application that collects and sorts resumes based on keywords. The application scans documents for pre-selected keywords that best fit a position’s requirements and a company’s vision. Using an ATS for your application process ensures you’ll get to the best applicants with the right qualifications more quickly. The system passes you the best ATS-friendly resumes and the best candidates. It saves you time and gets the job done. 

Get the job description right

An integral part of the hiring process is creating a well-written job description. An organized job description creates understanding between the company and applicants about the company’s expectations. According to FlexJobs, a good job description includes

  • Concise, exciting wording 
  • A clear title
  • Inclusive language
  • All key job requirements

For remote workers, you’ll include details about the working format. With remote-work-related keywords, your job opening is easily found by those desiring such a position. Be specific about your company’s location so applicants know upfront about potential taxes or state requirements. Make sure you clearly define words like “flexible” and “remote” concerning your specific posting. Avoid leaving applicants in the dark about what you’re seeking and offering. 

Use a shortlisting process

Getting a couple of promising resumes can indicate a quick selection. A practice that boosts your efficiency more is using a shortlisting process. This process allows you to identify top-notch candidates and quickly progress to the interview.  

A shortlisting process is more effective when you’ve already narrowed in on essential applicant criteria. You can create a scoring or check system that helps you rank experience and skills. As part of the process, you can also employ pre-employment assessments that will only advance those best-suited for the role. 

Consider multiple online platforms 

Do not rely solely on a single tool for selecting applicants. Widen your perspective. Job hiring platforms such as Upwork.com allow you to hire from a large pool of remote workers. You can also use the professional networking site LinkedIn. When it’s time to schedule an interview, you can choose various tools like Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, FaceTime, and even phone interviews. 

Your recruitment process determines the parameters of your hiring options. There are a lot of available platforms and tools at your fingertips. Broadening your reach and capabilities broadens the applicant pool from which you can choose. Do some research to familiarize yourself with some commonly used tools and techniques to maximize your hiring efforts. 

Communicate with candidates

You must practice proper etiquette when recruiting or hiring employees for your company. Remember, you are carrying the name of your business, and through hiring, people have heard about your work. Thus, if an individual fails to pass any part of the selection process, tell them. 

No one wants to find out they missed out on a job opportunity from a secondary source. You can control the narrative by being honest and timely with your applicant pool. Avoid rumors and gossip negatively affecting your business. By keeping your candidates informed of their progress, you help strengthen your company’s reputation. 

Additional tips for remote hiring: 
Data Privacy 

Ensuring data privacy, even at the hiring level, is vital when dealing with the digital world. Once you introduce your company to remote work, you are potentially exposing confidential information to the world. And a significant increase in the digital workforce puts data at risk, says DataInsider.

To lessen security risks, you must protect all data associated with your company, employees, and clients. Develop a comprehensive data policy, make use of security applications, and safeguard all business devices. Refrain from allowing the risks to reveal themselves; taking proactive measures makes all the difference.

Basic tools

When transitioning to remote operations, using the best tools can make the hiring process easier for everyone. Now that you’re aware of those hiring instruments, it’s time to prepare some other basic ones. Confirm you have a secure and reliable internet connection, a working headset with a microphone, a web camera, and a quiet environment. Catch these critical details so that the interview and hiring experience is as smooth as possible. 

Takeaway

As more and more businesses transition to work-from-home situations, it’s crucial to address the recruitment process. Hiring managers and recruiters must strategize to benefit the firm and stay competitive. With the tips mentioned above, you’ll have all the tools to create a successful hiring process for your company.