Let’s face it. Virtual recruitment is here to stay.
Popularised for recruiters globally drastically due to COVID-19, virtual recruitment truly has been given the push it needed to bring the recruitment industry onto the screens of our phones or laptops. We can probably agree that we’ve seen our colleagues or clients more through the all-so-familiar Zoom or Microsoft Teams window than we have in person over the last two years. You might have loved it, or you might have hated it! Virtual recruitment is probably the marmite of the technology world.
So – in this blog post – I think it’s important we address the elephant in the room and investigate the pros and cons of virtual recruitment, where we will dissect each point to crucially understand the way the world is headed.
What is virtual recruitment?
In a nutshell, virtual recruiting is a hiring process which takes place remotely, without face-to-face interaction between recruiters and candidates through an online channel. Technologies for virtual recruitment include video interviewing software, virtual event software, recruiting chatbots and communication apps.
The advancement of technology has made it easier for recruiters to use technology to their advantage, where processes can become more efficient. With this in mind, how has virtual recruiting impacted the overall recruitment market?
The stats are ridiculously in favour of virtual recruitment…
Before the global pandemic, many recruiters relied mostly on face-to-face interactions, where candidate interviews and client meetings would typically take place in an office or a coffee shop. Then, everything changed. As the government restrictions increased, a recruiter’s business faced its own restrictions. We couldn’t do what we were all so comfortable doing; organising meetings and interviews left, right and centre. Hiring companies were no longer allowed to interview, and candidates were scared to interview. So, what could we do? We were forced to adapt…
Since the pandemic, 86% of employers now favour video interviews at stage one of the recruitment process. This differs drastically since before the pandemic, when the average interview would take place face-to-face. While we can say that due to the lockdowns, recruiters had no option but to virtually recruit. However, since the lockdowns have been lifted, many recruiters have chosen to remain engaged in a digital approach. The pandemic momentously changed the DNA of recruiters across the world.
Arguably, we cannot say that these companies are entirely virtual. Those who have gone entirely virtual are around 15% in the UK. So, currently, most organisations are experiencing a hybrid method of bringing on new staff, where only certain stages are carried out via video call. But what does this mean for the future? Will we come to a stage where 100% of organisations recruit entirely virtual? Is face-to-face recruitment dead?! I can’t see it happening in our lifetime, but if it does, I’d love to see how it pans out.
Anyway – back to the statistics. Not only do a lot of employers favour video interviewing since the pandemic, but 81% of talent professionals agree that virtual recruitment will be something which will permanently remain a part of our lives for good. With the way that technology has excelled over the last couple of decades, it was inevitable we found ways to integrate these technologies with our recruitment processes – the pandemic just gave it a bit of a nudge to get there faster.
Why is virtual recruitment a great option?
Convenience. Flexibility. Efficiency.
Humans are lazy creatures. We’re always looking for shortcuts. We’re now asking Alexa or Siri to play our favourite song, whereas before we would get our phone out of our pocket to search for it manually – and even before that we would go to the shop to get the CD. We’re not lazy in a negative way though. The point I’m making is that humans naturally look for more efficient and less time-consuming methods to carry out our day-to-day tasks.
Energy is precious and our brains are wired to conserve it whenever possible. This derives from the basic human instinct of the principle of least action. This is terminology used in physics to describe that the path followed between any two points will always be the path requiring the least amount of energy. Now, when we apply this to basic human nature, we can determine that when humans have two similar options, we will habitually gravitate towards the easier of the two.
We can relate this idea to Japanese Lean production, which was originally a manufacturing strategy to eliminate as much waste as possible while at work. An example of lean manufacturing in Japan is factory owners in the 70s redesigned their workspaces so workers didn’t waste time twisting and turning to reach their tools. The implementation of changes like this meant that Japanese factories assembled colour TVs three times faster than American factories.
Since then, many companies globally have applied a lean process to their working environment. Perhaps you’re on a desk which is situated alongside your team, or you have to log candidate/client calls. These are things which help boost efficiency overall through adopting a Leaner approach.
You might be wondering – what on earth has this got to do with virtual recruitment? Well, we can view virtual recruiting as a lean production method, where we are adhering to the principle of least action. Why drive 30 miles for a meeting when I can just pick up my phone to interview? Why print off my CV and deliver it to an office when I can just send it from my desktop? Virtual recruitment eliminates the waste created from travelling, utilising physical resources (e.g. ink and paper), face-to-face interaction, and any other inefficiencies which offices experience.
Not only is it fast and easy, but it’s also flexible! It’s incredible that you no longer have to commute to locations, you can do all of your recruitment remotely. The beauty of remote working is that you’re not restricted by distance – there are literally UK recruitment agencies who recruit for companies in the rest of Europe even if they have never been there!
Virtual recruitment truly has broken down the walls which were always with us as recruiters, employers and jobseekers. It has allowed endless job opportunities for all and changed the job market permanently. Now’s the time for us to take the leap and indulge entirely in the virtual recruitment scene.
To summarise the points made, virtual recruitment is a great option because:
- It accelerates the recruitment process
- It’s EASY!
- It increases flexibility for all those involved
- There are no distance restrictions
These points may seem great for employers and recruiters mostly, but what about the jobseekers?
What about the jobseekers?
Like employers, it appears jobseekers also favour video interviewing, with 94% of candidates preferring on-demand video interviews. Reasons behind this include increased candidate flexibility, better overall experience, lesser hiring bias, and promotion of innovative techniques.
Candidates – like employers – are given the flexibility to interview remotely, which offers more flexibility around the candidate’s schedule. They can interview from wherever, which can be seen preferable for those candidates with a busy diary.
Candidates also feel they can get a better experience through easier communication channels via an online platform. Where they can be left unanswered in traditional recruitment, virtual recruitment allows them to keep communication fluid with a recruiter through instant messaging, voice calls and video calls. This promotes a positive relationship, while it also saves their time – as they will not need to go into an office for an interview (which also breaks geographical barriers).
How does virtual recruitment remove bias? Well, some employers use AI hiring tools to ignore demographic information such as race, gender and age. This eliminates any conscious or unconscious bias that recruiters naturally and inevitably practice. This, therefore, encourages a diverse and inclusive workforce.
83% of jobseekers perceive employers as innovative when they use video interviews as a recruiting method. Thus, companies which adopt a virtual recruitment system may be seen as more desirable by candidates. If you’re looking to attract a larger audience of candidates to your jobs, it might be a good idea to look at virtual interviewing processes. Do you want to be the old, traditional recruiter? Or do you want to be the new, innovative and modern recruiter?
Is there anything bad with virtual recruitment?
We must take a step back and look at virtual recruitment from an objective viewpoint. While there are many great things regarding online recruiting, there can be some counteractive points to its effectiveness.
The following are some points which highlight potential problems with technology in recruitment:
- Technology Issues – tech can sometimes be prone to crash or operate slowly!
- High volume of applications – if virtual recruitment makes it easier for candidates to apply for jobs, then employers and recruiters are going to be flooded with tonnes of CVs and applications – creating more work for the recruiter
- Too impersonal – there’s an argument that face-to-face interviews create a more valuable experience, where the interviewer and interviewee can get a more personal feel, something which isn’t experienced as strongly via video calls
- Not everyone is tech-savvy – let’s face it, some people just don’t get on well with technology
- Limited interviewing tech – Zoom and Microsoft teams are more collaborative video calling software, rather than for interviews – we need tech which is designed particularly for interviewing!
While virtual recruitment is wonderful in many ways, it’s important to consider that there may be drawbacks in certain circumstances. Now we know the problems, how can they be solved?
How to fix problems with virtual recruitment.
First of all, I need to say that technology issues/crashes are something which is out of our control as consumers. This may just be an inevitable occurance at times – kind of like death and taxes. As a person with no technology experience, I’m sure it’s above my paygrade to offer solutions to resolve slow Wi-Fi. We can, however, look at the other points previously made and offer some type of solution.
Virtual recruitment causes a high volume of applications. This is something we can look at from two perspectives – glass half full/half empty type situation. Getting too many applications can be a major challenge to applicant management, however, it gives you an abundant supply of candidates (would you complain about having too much money?!). With this huge pool of applicants, it’s better to focus on how to manage these rather than complain about having too many to handle.
One method is Resume Parsing – which is where you can use AI to keep track of applicants. This tech uses algorithms to recognise desirable criteria of an application – where it recommends the candidates who may suit the job role best.
Additionally, you can ask applicants to send a YouTube-style video which answers several questions. Not only does this provide a more personalised application, but it also prevents timewasters from applying.
Not everyone is tech-savvy, and that’s fine! If you’re someone who struggles to get to grip with using technology, then there are many avenues for you to learn. Firstly, the internet is an endless portal to learning (ironic I know). YouTube can provide millions of videos on how to use certain technologies – you’ll certainly find at least one YouTube video on how to do anything. Additionally, Udemy has hundreds of thousands of video courses which can help you learn. If you’re not fancying that, then there are plenty of technical books you can read. I have compiled the following list for readers looking to know more about technology:
- The Age of A.I. – By Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Daniel Huttenlocher
- Doing Agile Right: Transformation without Chaos – By Darrell K. Rigby, Sarah Elk, and Steve Berez
- Everyday Chaos: Technology, Complexity, and How We’re Thriving in a New World of Possibility – By David Weinberger
- Technology & Society: Second Edition – By Deborah G. Johnson and Jameson M. Wetmore
Limited interviewing technology is something which prevents some people from using video interviewing software. Things like Zoom and Microsoft Teams aren’t specific to recruitment. We’ll discuss this more in the next section, as this is something Rekkruut is looking at tackling…
You may have noticed that I didn’t mention the impersonality of video interviews. I think this one is just down to personal preference. It doesn’t bother some people that they’re meeting the interviewer through the screen of a computer, and others may only decide to meet face-to-face to add that personal touch. Neither way is bad in my opinion – some people are traditionalists, while others are open to new methods for recruiting. There is no right way when it comes to choosing the method that best suits you. That’s your decision and your decision only.
Where does Rekkruut come in?
Rekkruut will be an app (currently under development) which operates as a tech business in the sharing economy. We want our users to share their services with one another so that everyone benefits. Our three main users are: Recruitment Consultants, Hiring Employers and Jobseekers (all in the technology and construction sectors).
Our main functionality revolves around video calling interviews, instant messaging and profile building – where we aim to promote all the benefits discussed in this blog post. We want to reach maximum efficiency for our users and make it as easy and convenient as possible with remote working either from your smartphone or desktop.
Our video calling software will be tailored specifically for interviewing, where we will eliminate all face-to-face interaction, and every interview stage is completed via our app. Our instant messaging service allows for users to communicate with each other faster, rather than having to leave a voicemail in a busy office or wait days on end for an email response.
We eliminate the need to travel, so there is no problem with speaking to Rekkruuters who are cross-country. Our profile creation allows you to add that personal touch, where you can connect with one another and build a strong, trusting relationship – which is reinforced with our review-based system. We allow jobseekers and employers to leave a review for Rekkruuters based on their experience, which promotes an overall trusting environment.
Rekkruut is looking to change the world one step at a time, we want to empower the individual recruitment consultant and help them grow their independent business. We want to improve the overall UK employment market, while also helping employers find the right employee, and jobseekers find their dream career.
For more information as to how we can help you, please do not hesitate to email us at [email protected].
To Summarise…
All in all, it’s important that we agree that virtual recruitment just isn’t for some people – and that’s not a bad thing! It’s entirely down to personal preference, but it’s essential to consider both the pros and cons of virtual recruitment. Is there a way that you can apply it to your day-to-day activities? Will it help your situation or not? Have a think about it…
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By Leon Simpson – Company Director at Rekkruut
