COVID-19 FAQs: finding your next tech hire while staying at home

With markets constantly changing during the coronavirus pandemic, many recruiters are unsure about how to approach hiring. Luckily, the tech industry hasn’t been as negatively impacted by COVID-19 as other sectors and there are many  in-demand tech jobs for tech workers to progress their career.

Nevertheless, finding job candidates at this time can be challenging. To help recruiters and hiring managers fill their vacant roles, we’ve put together this guide to answer some of the most pressing questions that recruiters face.

Are tech candidates still looking for jobs?

People may be working from home, but that doesn’t mean tech candidates aren’t still looking for jobs.  In April  2020, we received over 200k applications to our roles and recorded 27k active candidates within one month on our platform.

In the near-future, we’d expect to see a further increase in tech job applications as companies become fully-equipped to manage remote working and as markets pick up.

Companies that are able to offer jobs as remote positions, even if only temporarily, will likely see a higher number of applicants at this time. During the last two months, we’ve received over 13k searches for the keyword ‘remote’, showing there is real appetite for tech workers to work remotely.

How should remote interviews be conducted?

Lockdown doesn’t mean that interviews need to be put on hold.

At CWJobs, we recognise the need to continue interviewing remotely that’s why we offer our clients free video interviewing to help you find the people you need, quickly and efficiently.

We’ve written about the interview process before, and how companies can ensure they hire a good fit. Here are some of our top tips for conducting interviews remotely:

Carefully consider the interview team

Before conducting a remote interview, companies should decide how many people to have on the panel. One-to-one interviews can be effective in second or third interview rounds, but for a first interview, having multiple perspectives can lead to a more informed hiring decision. It’s also important to assign a role to all interviewers, i.e. who will ask questions, who will score answers and who will observe the candidate’s body language and communication style.

Use active listening

Conducting an interview over video conferencing software requires active listening skills. Background noise and intermittent WiFi connections can make it more challenging to hear the candidate’s responses. Given that communication is 93% non-verbal, interviewers should maintain eye contact with the candidate as much as possible to provide communication cues.

Provide a good candidate experience

Providing a good candidate experience is more important than ever when interviewing remotely. Interviewers should remain flexible during the process and consider the circumstances under which the candidate is interviewing. For example, there’s a chance that candidates with young children may be interrupted during the interview. Companies who are empathetic of the candidate’s circumstances will put them at ease and leave a positive lasting impression.

How should job offers be made during COVID-19?

The process of making a job offer during COVID-19 shouldn’t change all that much. If company policy is to make a verbal offer prior to asking for signed documents, then the process should remain the same.

The main difference will likely be in outlining candidate expectations in the current climate. The offer letter should make it clear whether the role will be remote or office-based and whether current remote working will be temporary or provided as a permanent option.

As well as outlining salary and benefits, companies may want to include added extras to support candidates as they start their new role working from home. Offering a paid subscription to a wellness app, or a subscription to online fitness classes can help welcome a new worker to the team.

How can companies onboard candidates remotely?

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of recruiting during coronavirus is onboarding new team members successfully. The most important thing is to ensure that new hires have access to support in the form of documented guidance and interaction with other team members and management.

Companies should research what software and tools will help new workers get to grips with internal processes and policies. Online workflow tools like Trello can help provide new recruits with an overview of how a project is typically managed from start to finish.

Likewise, it’s important that new recruits have the opportunity to get to know their fellow team members socially. During the coronavirus crisis, some companies have set up WhatsApp groups for casual and non-work-related discussions to help workers switch off from work mode while working from home.

To help companies onboard new candidates, we’ve created this handy checklist:

• Make sure new recruits have all the equipment they need to work from home, e.g. laptop, mouse, keyboard, pen drives
• Send out a welcome pack that includes essential company information as well as some perks like a branded mug, pens, etc.
• Ensure they have access to internal servers and know where to find all relevant documents and files that they’ll need
• Send policy documents so they understand how internal communication works in regards to emails, group messaging, video conferencing etc.
• Share an onboarding schedule that outlines how their first few weeks will look. E.g. will they require shadowing, training etc.
• Schedule a weekly catch-up call with management to discuss progress and other work-related matters

At CWJobs, our CV Database has some great features to help recruiters find the best candidates. Hiring managers and recruiters can use our platform to search over 1.2 million profiles and filter their searches by variables such as current job title, location, level of education and salary.