Read our blog or watch the webinar! Get our step-by-step approach to successfully recruit and hire top talent in 2020.

By Luisa De Jesus, CHRP, CHRL

Businesses across the globe have experienced economic results that span the spectrum as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have slowed and are struggling to meet business objectives and others are thriving. So much so, that employers are in need of additional support and human capital to keep up with demand.  As a result, business owners are faced with exploring new and unchartered recruitment and hiring strategies. This includes exploring short-term and contract opportunities and creating a variable workforce to avoid employee layoffs should the market go into lockdown once again.

The recent economic downturn means a high caliber of talent were laid off and looking for work, potentially at a more affordable salary for owners of small-to-medium sized businesses. Remote work positions have also become the norm, meaning many industries are casting a wider geographical net in the search for top talent. The market changes also mean increased scrutiny during the hiring process to ensure the right employees are hired to do remote work. Statistics show that 30% of people report working for a company that's fully remote (Buffer).

Organizations know it is safer to keep employees working from home where possible, while many employees are not ready to return to work for reasons such as childcare, eldercare or personal health risks. Understanding your obligations as an employer to accommodate the individual needs of your team while continuing to meet business objectives is vital to success.

Now more than ever, it is crucial to have an effective recruitment process to help you navigate the unpredictability of 2020. Watch our webinar recording for a step-by-step approach to successfully recruiting and hiring your most important business asset - your people:

Step 1: Needs Analysis 

To begin the recruitment process, you will need to understand the requirements and preferred qualifications of the position. Consult with the hiring manager and get a clear understanding of these details. Our webinar outlines the specifics!

 Step 2:  Post and Market

The job post description, including where and how it is marketed, will attract the right talent and also help to filter out those who are not a good fit for your company and culture. Once a post is written, determine the target market and how to search for the right candidate. Consider job boards, social media, recruitment firms, headhunters or a combination of these strategies. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind the most qualified candidates typically apply within the first 48 hours. Therefore, be quick and diligent with responses, so not to miss out on top talent for the organization. 

Step 3: Pre-Screen

By this point, a set of candidates have been selected for a short phone assessment to evaluate the overall fit before inviting them to do a formal interview. It’s a good time to verify the required skills for the role and basic information such as whether or not they have access to a car, if that’s important to the role. Our webinar provides the full details of what to ask so the interviewer can save time and resources.

Step 4: Interview Phase 

At this stage, several candidates will be invited to have a formal interview, typically in person, but during COVID-19, more likely they will connect via video call. The interview questions should fall into one of three categories: The first set of questions should be skills-based, where candidates are being evaluated on their technical skills relating to the job itself. The second set of questions should be behavioural to get a better sense of their soft skills such as leadership, organizational abilities and communication. This will allow the candidate to provide past examples of they behaved in similar scenarios. And third, by providing situational questions, the interviewer can assess how a candidate might manage in an unforeseen situation. These questions are helpful to assess their judgement and decision-making skills. It is important to remember that just as you are evaluating the candidate, the candidate will be evaluating the interviewer and their organization. Maintaining a fair, equitable and professional image is imperative.

Step 5 & 6: Decision-Making, Conditional Offer & Background Check

First, select the candidate to move forward to the next round (and have one backup in mind!). Reach out to them and present an offer which is conditional upon a successful background check. It is perfectly okay to ask for reference letters and contact information, university transcripts, criminal record checks, or valid pieces of identification, depending on the role and level of responsibility. Our webinar offers up a few other ideas for background checks.

Step 7: Finalize the Offer

Having successfully identified your ideal candidate and verbally communicated the offer to them, it is time to finalize the agreement. Prepare and deliver a written offer of employment, finalize the start date and commence with the onboarding process. Refer to our blog and webinar on effective onboarding strategies for a simplified and engaging onboarding process (even if it is done virtually) that will help you welcome the new employee to your organization.

Understanding what a solid and effective recruitment process looks like, will help to attract and retain the best candidates while saving hours of time to search, screen, interview and finally, select a candidate and make an offer. The HR consultants at LD Human Resources are here to support employers and help them navigate through COVID-19 and beyond.  We welcome you to reach out to us for a complimentary consultation.

About the Author

As the Founder and President of LD Human Resources, Luisa is a highly motivated and results-driven human resources professional with over 20 years’ experience in HR. Luisa is a Certified Human Resources Professional and holds a BA from the University of Toronto. She also graduated with honours, obtaining her Human Resources Management certificate in 2010.

Luisa’s expertise spans professional and financial services, construction, travel and tourism, IT, not-for profit and retail. Her key strengths include: strategic consulting; performance management, succession planning; recruitment and employee relations; organizational development and learning; and, compensation and benefits. Luisa is committed to high professional standards that link HR best practices to business objectives, delivering results within changing environments. She is a proud mother of two strong-minded young girls, and an advocate for mental health and wellness.