While the pandemic has certainly changed how we work, it’s also affected the relationship between job seekers and the companies that are hiring. For instance, companies are now going to have to answer questions pertaining to remote work, flexible scheduling, and health and safety in ways that may be new to them.
As it has always stood, hiring qualified, hard-working people is essential to any company’s potential success. To secure your company’s future, keeping good hiring strategies is imperative. Check out some strategies for recruiting in a post-pandemic world.
Cultivate your culture
Your company culture is arguably the number one element potential hires are looking for. If you’re looking to build a team that’s committed to your vision and mission, you need to hire candidates who are ready to buy-in. A finely-cultivated company culture plays an increasingly important role in this. Ask yourself the following questions: how is my culture working? How does it benefit my business? What is missing? Challenge yourself to continue to reassess your culture, and eventually reset it in line with the "new normal."
Allow remote work
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc, employees found themselves suddenly shifted to remote work positions. Such a rapid change in the work landscape has opened the doors and a long-debated discussion about the feasibility of remote work. As quickly as employees are realizing, companies must adapt.
Some companies will go permanently remote, and others will offer part-time remote. Decide where you want to fall on the spectrum but do keep in mind that zero flexibility will likely result in a stunted applicant pool.
Ask excellent and consistent questions
If you’re looking to build an outstanding team, you need to vet your candidates well.
Skip questions like:
“What are your biggest strengths?”
“What interests you about this position?”
“Why should we hire you?”
Make better use of your time by coming to the interview with more thought-provoking and situational questions that give you a better idea of the candidate’s work ethics, background, and history. Fine-tuning your questioning tactics can help you better gauge whether or not the candidate is a good fit for your company.
Try out these stellar interview questions:
“How would you describe yourself in 5 words or less?”
“Can you describe a situation where you have gone above and beyond?”
“How will you contribute to this team?”
Test your candidates
When hiring for a role that requires specific skills, you can assign tests or assignments to job candidates to ensure they meet your standards. These tests offer evidence of the skills candidates mention in their resumes, cover letters and other application materials. For example, a manager hiring a web developer may give candidates an assignment that tests their coding skills or comfort with a specific programming language. If you test candidates on a routine task they would perform, it can offer you insights into their potential job performance.
Whatever the job, we cannot overstate the importance of hiring the right employee. If this is your first time hiring an employee, check out MBIE’s approach to Covid-19 Employment by clicking here.
