Virtual Hiring – A Trend to Stay

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The pandemic has changed the way we live, work, or even entertain ourselves. And while there were many virtual trends pre-pandemic, virtual hiring was not really one of them.

That’s changed with the pandemic – it’s now not uncommon for people to not only get interviewed virtually, but even join an organization remotely after being hired. So, you could be working for an organization and could have never met the team physically.


The trend of virtual hiring


LinkedIn’s global report on the Future of Recruiting records 70% of recruiters saying that virtual hiring will become the standard recruitment practice post-COVID. Virtual hiring events are conducted which include virtual career fairs, live video conferencing meetings, virtual office tours, Q&As, as well as chances to “meet” hiring managers and company members to learn about the company culture in detail.

How does virtual hiring work?

Virtual interviews are conducted via telephone interviews and video conferences, and are often very similar to face-to-face, in-person interviews. Often these are group interviews where orgnizations screen and talk to applicants in both group and individual formats. Often the application process is the same. Platforms have a “virtual lobby” where RSVPs queue to be interviewed. Sometimes, assignments and tests are conducted in real time, which enables a company to assess multiple applicants in shorter duration.

Which organizations are hiring virtually?

Many. It’ll be best to go a Google search with the phrase “virtual job fairs”, or “virtual hiring event”, and see what comes up in your area. But, here are some organizations that have been doing successful recruitments virtually – Amazon, Walmart, Samsung, Hyundai, UPS, to name a few.

Virtual hiring is now seen as a great option for optimizing budget and time, as neither the organization (or recruiter), nor the applicant have to bear travel costs, or spend strenuous hours in waiting for the process to be wrapped up. In the long run, a well-designed virtual hiring system streamlines effective finding of suitable candidates and automates manual tasks, making it flexible to suit busy schedules. Indeed Hiring Events and HireVue are few platforms that have made virtual conferencing solutions accessible and easy to use.

Companies are well aware of the introduction and induction that occurs online, and thus pay special attention to honing the culture pitch of its workplace, emphasizing on creating a positive image of the company in the minds of aspiring candidates.

And now, the metaverse

What’s more, is that with the advent of the metaverse, organizations are upping the ante and hiring people here. Siemens and Hyundai, for instance, have used virtual worlds for hiring talent – so you may want to work on your meta avataar!

What to keep in mind when in a virtual (meta) interview

People have begun to adapt themselves to the demands of such evolving recruitment processes.

Here are a few important tips to follow while preparing for such an event

  • Master the platform – Zoom, Teams, Skype, or any other platform should be mastered by the candidate. They should know how to share their screens, share important documents such as CVs and cover letters, or links to their portfolios. It creates the impression that the candidate is adept at grasping a virtual work culture and has made the effort to optimize their time slot by being hands-on. So do a trial run with a friend before your interview.
  • Trouble-shooting – Technology and the internet can be errant at times. Prevention is primary, and thus it is extremely important to double-check that strong internet connection is available, for an uninterrupted session. If the video stops working, call, email or text them directly and explain your situation. Try to complete the interview over the phone or reschedule for a later date/time, and ensure the internet connection is not disrupted.
  • No interruptions – Candidates must ensure they won’t be interrupted in their workspace while the interview is being conducted. Lock doors, informing people present in a shared space about the interview, or people at home. Also, try and minimize any external noise by shutting windows. In case of disturbances, apologize and alert others about unwanted interruptions.
  • Avoid Noise – To avoid audio disruption and minimal noise, use the ‘Mute’ button whenever required. Keep other tabs closed and phones on silent. It is the candidate’s responsibility to scout for a quiet location before participating in the interview.
  • Clean Space – Candidates should always participate from a decluttered space, with a clean desk, and neutral clean background to make a good impression.
  • Lighting and dressing– Make sure that your face is not against the light. Try and sit in a place where the light is falling on you – instead of being behind you. Also, wear something formal (as you would in an in-person interview). If possible, wear something without patterns – since they don’t translate too well on screen.

Also, remember that your body language should express interest, confidence, and adequate research. Engage with the interviewer, maintain eye contact, and convey optimism. Good posture and energetic responses convey a candidate’s attention and seriousness about the event. Sending follow-up emails is important to stay in touch with recruiters and is a polite way of thanking them for their time.

With the world being plunged into a pandemic, work culture has irrevocably changed. Graduating into an evolving and altered job market might seem daunting, but it is easy to adapt to the new rules of virtual recruitment and maximize accessing opportunities.

Find out more about changing role of HR.

Date added
20.05.2022

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