COVID-19 continues to spread and cities and states are increasingly mandating isolation measures in an attempt to avoid overloading hospitals. Schools are closing, restaurants are open only for delivery or take-out, and large gatherings are banned. Most of us are dealing with fear and anxiety, not only due to stress about our health and that of our loved ones, but due to economic concerns and uncertainty about current or impending layoffs. While it’s difficult to plan ahead during a time like this, it’s vital that we continue to meet our business needs so we’re ready to rebound once the crisis passes. If your hiring needs haven’t slowed down, how can virtual recruitment assist your efforts, especially with the extra challenge of working from home?
What Industries are Hiring?
While certain industries, like restaurants, airlines, and tourism, are already seeing the negative effects of COVID-19 and reacting by laying off employees, the needs of other industries are actually spiking. A recent study found that the healthcare industry is seeing a surge in job openings, particularly for nurses. While a shortage of nurses has been a topic for decades, it’s of particular importance during this crisis since nurses make up the largest percentage of the medical workforce and provide the majority of hospital patient care. South Carolina in particular is so short on nurses that the government is issuing emergency nursing licenses.
Outside of the medical industry, other virus-related positions are in high demand. Data specialists and computer systems analysts are important for collecting and analyzing information relating to the coronavirus and those infected with it, as well as economic activity. Communications specialists are another highly valued position during this crisis. From working with hospitals and providing the public with recommendations and guidance to digesting technical information and sharing it through the media, the ability to communicate clearly and consistently is one that is always important.
Lastly, retailers are significantly ramping up their capabilities as more consumers are turning to home delivery as a means to more safely stockpile supplies from their local grocers. Many grocery stores are hiring workers, especially temporary workers, to meet the increased demand for positions in warehouses, checkout lines, and deliveries. Amazon is planning on hiring 100,000 workers at a rate of at least $17 per hour in order to handle increased consumer demand.
Benefits of Virtual Recruitment
Luckily, if your business is recruiting or even increasing hiring efforts during COVID-19, virtual recruitment is an effective, convenient, and most importantly, safe method for hiring new employees. What can virtual recruitment through an applicant tracking system (ATS) do for you?
Reduce Time-to-Hire
A lengthy time-to-hire wreaks havoc on your workflow, your budget, and your employee morale. When hiring at a vital time like this, you don’t want to waste hours or days struggling to find qualified employees. Instead, utilize the time-saving features of an ATS. Automate processes that used to be performed manually. Set up custom workflows, utilize a keyword tagging system that easily identifies, categorizes, and ranks applicants, and simplify the onboarding process with custom forms and offer letters. By automating these critical hiring tasks, you’ll find the best candidates in a shorter amount of time and hire them more efficiently.
Reach More Applicants
Numerous features make it easy to source high-quality applicants without having to step foot in an office. Post to multiple free and paid job boards with one click, immediately getting your vacant jobs in front of job seekers. Integrations with social media let your followers easily share your postings within their networks, ensuring your job is seen far and wide. Customized career pages strengthen your brand by mirroring the look of your website, enhancing brand recognition and promoting a positive perception of your company. Text to apply gives applicants the ability to text a code for a link to a job list or a careers page, which increases mobile applications. Since job hunters increasingly want mobile-friendly job applications, this is a great way to ensure your recruitment is giving applicants what they need.
Conveniently Communicate, Schedule, and Interview
Take care of all your communication and scheduling needs through one convenient interface. Communicate with candidates through email or SMS messaging and receive all responses directly in your account. Share information with internal stakeholders and integrate with your calendars so you can see free and busy times when scheduling interviews with multiple staff. Best of all, phone and video interview options let you get to know candidates without ever leaving your home workspace.
About HiringThing
Approachable and adaptable, the HiringThing platform empowers everyone, everywhere, to hire their dream team. Try HiringThing’s easy-to-use, feature-rich applicant tracking system with a free 14-day trial today!
