6 tips to attract the right candidates in the work-from-home era

So much has changed in the last year when it comes to the way we work. While work from home was a growing trend in many industries prior to COVID-19, even traditionally office-based industries, like finance and law, embraced the shift in 2020.

One of the biggest benefits of remote working is that businesses can tap into an enormous talent pool, finding the right person for the job anywhere in the country or even the world.  While this presents many opportunities, it is not without its challenges.

#1 Showcase the culture

Cultural fit remains a critical factor in hiring decisions, but in a work-from-home environment, it’s hard to give candidates a good sense of the culture they will be joining. Highlighting your culture in your job ad is a great way to introduce it from the very beginning.  It’s a good idea to continue this throughout the recruitment process, even having specific discussions with your candidates around culture and what the organisation expects.  This is even more important if your process doesn’t include an in-person interview where candidates may have had the opportunity to get a feel for the culture.

#2 Talk about how you support remote work

Of course, remote work is the norm now, but there are still different attitudes towards it or even a sense of them and us for in-person vs. remote staff in some organisations. If your role (or your client’s role) truly supports working from home, then let people know, don’t leave them guessing where you stand.

Another area to think about here is how you position career development/promotion opportunities. In some organisations, it’s considered to be more difficult to develop your career if you are working remotely, so highlighting how your business supports remote career development can give you an edge.

#3 Understand how to reach candidates

You probably already know where you are getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to hiring sources in your local market, but are you across that on a national or even global one? Doing some research into the different platforms and their popularity can put you ahead of the game, particularly if you are looking at an international recruitment campaign.

#4 Revisit your recruitment process

If you are trying to reach candidates outside your region, you’re probably not planning on face-to-face interviews.  Of course, there are a number of video-calling platforms that you can use to do these remotely, but it also does require a different approach. For more senior roles, you might meet with a candidate a few times before making a decision and some of these might be more casual discussions.  This isn’t as easy to replicate on a video platform.

More than just replacing in-person with video calling, remote interviews must be structured. Each video interaction should have a clear purpose and you should articulate this to the candidate so they come prepared for each interaction.

#5 Invest in the right tech

#6 Consider how you will engage team members in the long-term

Okay, so this one doesn’t strictly fall into your recruitment process, but if you’ve invested time attracting the right candidates, it goes without saying that you want to retain them.  Think about how you can continue to support their career development and keep them engaged when you aren’t seeing them face-to-face.   This article has some creative ideas, particularly when it comes to your younger team members or those who thrive in a collaborative, connected culture.

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