How to Craft a Smart Virtual Talent Acquisition Plan
Welcome to the new WiFi-powered normal. Our professional lives are still largely being lived in a virtual landscape—while this has undoubtedly yielded disruption—many significant benefits have also surfaced. As business begins to pick up—hiring numbers in June point to “the pause” shifting to hire — we can start to capitalize on what works in this brave new remote world – and craft new talent recruitment and onboarding plans.
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Talent retention is a smart place to start as you envision your organization’s path forward in this virtual landscape.
Commutes have been commuted, more balance has been attained, and as a result—productivity has shot up. Working remotely has done wonders for helping break down the division between work and personal life. Dismantling the work | life barrier has improved productivity and talent retention. Happier (and more productive) employees perceive their employer as a more integral part of their life than before, which translates to far better talent retention and devotion. Further, employees grappling with child care options, including potentially working while children remain at home, calls for flexibility and empathy from employers to ensure parents feel supported. Continue to practice cultivating a culture of balance post-pandemic—and you will reap the benefits.
Want to attract top talent? Lead with heart.
Not the usual business maxim, but one that has shown to be a winning strategy during these times. Empathetic. Highly communicative. Collaborative. Aware. Flexible. Compassionate leaders with these traits have been particularly effective during COVID-19. As we move forward, place value on these high EQ traits—they will go a long way to crafting a successful recruitment program in this market.
Virtual saves valuable time (and money) for businesses and candidates alike. Embrace it.
As companies become more comfortable hiring executives without a face to face meeting, valuable time is saved by eliminating the coordination of travel schedules between busy candidates and hiring managers. As well, overhead costs associated with in-person hiring, such as travel, food, and lodging, have now been pared down. Virtual interviews can be a net positive for employers and candidates as long as recruitment programs are well-defined and organized.
Clear and intentional wins the virtual interview race.
It is essential for the hiring and talent acquisition team, including internal and external partners, to be in alignment on all aspects of the position and search campaign before the role is released to the candidate market. You want to have proper alignment on assessment tools and approach. Some internal questions to answer:
- What is the timeline?
- Who are the key stakeholders and members of the interview team?
- What are the critical requirements for the role, and what are the nice-to-haves?
- Culture and dynamics of the team?
- Messaging plan to applicant pipeline and candidates selected for an interview?
Crafting a well-defined, structured virtual recruitment plan that take cues from lessons recently learned about remote work—work/life balance, leadership style, and time efficiency—will help you adapt to any business landscape and continue to secure top talent successfully.