When Normal Recruiting Returns, Will You Be Ready?

COVID-19 has caused us all to hunker down – physically in our homes, and financially with our businesses. 30 million Americans have filed initial unemployment claims since mid-March. More people than ever are looking for work.

The good news is that we are slowly starting to emerge. Many states have begun measured steps toward reopening, and we can expect the business environment to continue to improve. That means that before long, hiring and recruiting will return to normal.

Well, almost normal – in reality, the candidate pool will be larger than we’ve seen in decades. Will your business be ready to move through thousands of applications quickly and accurately?

 Here are some tips if you’re not sure.

Keep Your Normal Due Diligence Strong

The companies that will suffer the most from the upcoming hiring craze are those that decide to skip their standard reference checks and background investigations temporarily. Unfortunately lying on applications is rampant, and the cost of a bad hire includes money, time, morale, productivity, and more.

At the same time, you’ll have an unprecedented opportunity to snag incredible employees. Folks that are currently out of work weren’t fired due to bad performance; they are the victims of an unforeseen worldwide pandemic. That means they have excellent credentials and are looking for their next chance to contribute.

When you have the right pre-screening and reference check system in place, you can maintain your usual due diligence without losing precious speed – which will make you the ideal employer for these top-quality candidates.

Use Pre-Screening to Cut Down Interview Time

Keeping your application-to-hire time low is essential if you want to snag the in-demand candidates. Everyone will be looking for them, and the company that offers first will have the advantage.

One of the best ways to keep your hiring process efficient is by using a pre-screening questionnaire to find out more about an applicant without needing an initial interview. You’ll save a tremendous amount of time and be able to narrow your focus to the best of the best quickly.

You can gain information about their job experience, preferences, career goals, and preferred management style. This data is priceless and often doesn’t surface even in a preliminary interview. Best of all, you can send them out and receive them back quickly, without needing a hiring manager’s time! 

Automated Reference Checks Give You the Background You Need

No one can afford to skip reference checks. Too many applicants are happy to embellish their job responsibilities, accomplishments, and more. You need to know if someone is truly the right fit.

However, HR spends countless hours trying to connect with references. It’s often a losing battle. The voicemails, missed return calls, and not being able to reach people during business hours are genuinely frustrating.

Automated reference checks put an end to that. In 60 seconds you can send out an online reference request, which the target can fill out at the time that’s best for them. They return it, and you have all the details you need – in writing! – to make a great decision about an interview.

There’s no need to waste time with phone reference checks where you might forget to ask a critical question. Instead, use a custom reference questionnaire or choose from already-existing templates.

When you have the hiring technology you need, you’ll be able to multiply your efforts and end up with the most highly-qualified work team available. 

Leverage Your Data in a Passive Applicant Database

When you receive reference information from your applicants, you’re discovering the coworkers and associates they’ve had in the past. If the candidate turns out to be a great hire, that network can be a goldmine of new talent for your business.

When you use HR technology from Hiringcue.com, you’ll naturally create a passive database full of first-rate potential hires. The next time you have an opening in a similar area, you can leverage this to help you save time and money on promoting your job opportunity.

Best of all, because these are associates of your best staff, you know they’re more likely to be excellent themselves. It’s a true win-win. 

Post COVID-19 the Most Prepared Company Wins

As the pandemic lifts and life returns to normal, applicants will flood the job market. Who is going to be able to identify and hire the top talent out there? It will be the companies that have the best HR technology and preparation.

We’d love to help you be the business that wins the hiring race. If you’re ready to see how HR technology can revolutionize your hiring process, contact us today!

Gary Kirksey – CEO

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