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      3 Reasons Why We’ll Continue Remote Interviewing Post Pandemic 

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      Interviewing has gone remote. While some think this is temporary, it’s actually the future.
      When the pandemic began, businesses were focused on putting their heads down and weathering an uncertain economic environment. For many, this meant a temporary freeze on hiring. As things thawed, hiring came back; but this time, it was remote.
      A Gartner poll found that “86% of organizations were incorporating new virtual technology to interview candidates” by the second month of the COVID-19 pandemic. This mad scramble to integrate new interviewing tools was, for some, disorienting; but in tech hiring, it’s been a godsend. While we still appreciate face-to-face interaction, the digital nature of remote interviews comes with so many benefits that we won’t be whiteboarding coding challenges with candidates ever again. Here are three reasons why:
      1. Less Work; More Data
      I work in tech and love data. Tech companies evangelize harvesting data wherever possible, but before the pandemic, interviews were a data dark spot. Most of the information conveyed lived either in the mind of the interviewer or via their notes. Even if there were coding assessments that added a quantitative element to the interview, these were often done on whiteboards or pieces of paper that then needed to be digitally transferred. The result was that interviewers often spent an extra 30 minutes simply capturing what had already transpired.
      Today, the entire process is digital, which means that so much more data is automatically captured, and it’s now being put to use. We have transcription tools and video recordings that make reviewing the interview that much easier. According to HackerEarth’s State of Developer Recruiting 2020, 56.9% of recruiters said a major benefit of remote interviewing came from pair programming with a collaborative code editor, as this automatically captures and assesses a candidate’s coding skill in a collaborative, work-like environment. We even have automatic feedback generators that request performance input after specific questions. These are then compiled into an after-action report that simply needs to be edited rather than written from scratch.
      This means that interviewers spend less time writing and more time carefully weighing a candidate’s skill. Starting digitally puts all the data at our fingertips and allows us to make the most informed decision. Instead of a data dark spot, remote interviews are now richer than a resume.
      2. Geographic Flexibility
      There’s no question that tech has a talent shortage. Only 60% of all tech positions are filled. When we were dependent on in-person interviews, we constrained our talent pipeline even further. With tech roles only becoming more important over time, we can’t think locally about tech hiring anymore.
      The pandemic opened up new talent reserves in geographically diverse locations. We can now hire anyone from anywhere. According to HackerEarth’s State of Developer Recruiting 2020, 50.6% of recruiters say that remote interviews are beneficial due to their logistical flexibility. A further 40.4% said they saved significant time. Remote interviews with built-in features like pair-programming and real-time code editing, which now constitute 11.1% of all remote coding interviews conducted, have basically solved the problem of onboarding the most qualified candidates regardless of location.
      There is now a bigger pool of tech talent that can work from anywhere, and assessing them remotely has never been easier. In fact, 30.7% of recruiters said that remote hiring had actually increased their talent funnel. As the global workforce becomes even more accustomed to remote work, this means that remote interviews will be a feature of the hiring process for years to come.
      3. Reduced Bias
      57.6% of enterprises have placed extra emphasis on hiring for diversity in 2020. But as much as we love meeting candidates face-to-face, first impressions are often clouded by personal biases that can unintentionally limit diversity. Recruiters and hiring managers tend to prefer candidates that mirror their own backgrounds in what has been termed by researchers “Looking Glass Merit.” While interpersonal and other soft skills are absolutely important, face-to-face interviews sometimes overvalue them relative to hard skills.
      Thankfully, remote interviews add a layer of separation that gives interviewers input on things like body language without placing undue influence on them. While 10.2% of recruiters at SMEs say that challenging unconscious bias is still a major pain point, and 13% of recruiters are specifically choosing assessment tools that help eliminate bias in the interviewing process.
      One way to combat this problem is to mask personally identifiable information (PII) during remote interviews so a candidate’s skills can speak for themselves. This means things like their name, gender, academic background, etc. are hidden during the interview itself, so the interviewer’s impression of a candidate is solely based on their skills.
      A Remote Interviewing Future
      Even after a vaccine is widely available and things start to return to ‘normal’, we won’t be looking back at how we used to hire. We may still meet candidates for in-person interviews from time to time, but will certainly continue to use digital interviewing tools for a better interviewing experience. Pair programming is just better on a computer, and we shouldn’t want to go back to the days of whiteboards and hand-written notes.
      Today, tech hiring is more competitive and geographically untethered than ever, so we need to make the interviewing process as convenient and flexible for candidates as possible. In the end, remote interviewing saves the company and the candidate time, and more importantly, allows interviewers to limit bias significantly relative to in-person interviews. These more objective interviews are helping managers create the best tech teams where only skills matter.
      By Sachin Gupta, CEO of HackerEarth.

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      3 Common Misbeliefs About Video Interviews

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      As someone new to the HR industry, I’ve been spending the past month familiarizing myself with commonly-used recruitment processes and technologies among HR professionals and hiring managers. A particular process that sparked my interest was video interviewing to screen candidates and determine their suitability for an available role.
      Video-interviews are pre-recorded, self-conducted interviews submitted by candidates alongside their job applications. Candidates are provided with a set of questions and are required to film their response within a specific time period. Video interviews are not to be confused with live-online videos conducted in real-time between a candidate and HR/hiring manager, via video-communication platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
      While learning about all the benefits, efficiencies, and capabilities of video-interviews, I thought to myself – Why don’t all recruiters use them?
      After a quick Google search – I found my answer.
      What’s the consensus?
      I came across copious amounts of news articles and Reddit threads condemning one-way video interviews. These sources, which were written by both job-seekers and HR professionals, referred to the video interview process as ‘impersonal,’ ‘dehumanizing,’ ‘awkward’ and even ‘disgusting’ that employers aren’t giving candidates the ‘courtesy’ to meet with them in-person or on a live-call.
      After reading these negative perceptions, it’s fair to assume that many HR managers feel deterred from incorporating video interviews into their recruitment process out of fear that it will be poorly-received by candidates and relevant stakeholders.
      This caused me to question; If a candidate feels this way after a video interview, doesn’t that say more about the company implementing the process rather than the process itself? It’s the classic saying that ‘a bad workman always blames his tools’. HR managers need to learn how to implement video interviews correctly and how they are intended to be used.
      I’m going to debunk common misbeliefs regarding video-interview technology and discuss why they are so valuable in the recruiting process – if used correctly!
      Misbelief #1: They don’t allow candidates to express themselves
      Of course, if candidates are asked run-of-the-mill interview questions (think ‘what are your strengths and weaknesses’ and ‘where do you see yourself in 5 years’), they won’t be able to authentically express who they are and what makes them unique to every other candidate. Asking these typical questions also leads candidates to believe that there is a predetermined ‘right or wrong’ answer, hindering their ability to speak freely.
      HR managers need to ask themselves – Does this question warrant a video response? Or is there a question that would better showcase the candidate’s potential?
      Video interview questions should require candidates to think outside the box and show (not just tell) the hiring manager why they’d be a great fit. The process should be interactive and engaging! Hiring a salesperson? Ask them to sell you a random object in their house. Hiring a bartender? Ask them to make their signature cocktail. Hiring a marketing specialist? Ask them to pitch a creative campaign idea. The questions asked during video interviews make all the difference when getting the most out of the candidate.
      Misbelief #2: They’re more of a gimmick than a necessity
      In my research, I saw articles that referred to video interviews as a gimmicky ‘recruitment trend’ rather than a legitimate, viable method to assist managers with making recruitment decisions. This could not be further from the truth!
      Video-interviews are a handy tool to assist with candidate screening. They are designed as an insurance method to rule-out candidates who may seem great on paper but aren’t the right cultural fit for the company or role.
      So, why not just stick to the ultra-familiar phone call screenings? As HR professionals, we need to leverage the available technology to our advantage! Video interviews have the capability to use artificial intelligence to analyze additional factors such as body language and eye-contact to determine who could be a good fit in only a couple of minutes.
      Once the interview is completed, hiring managers can view the responses and an AI-generated report outlining candidate insights such as personality type, emotional intelligence, and soft skills. With the help of technology, hours of manual work can be eliminated. As a result, the time-to-hire is slashed, recruitment-costs are reduced, and the overall efficiency of the candidate-screening process is maximized.
      Misbelief #3: They result in a negative candidate experience
      There’s no denying that many implementations of video-interviews have resulted in a poor candidate experience. Common candidate pain-points of poorly-implemented video interviews are that the process feels:
      Uncomfortable, and
      Impersonal
      These negative associations can be dispelled with just a few minor adjustments.
      Modern recruiting software allows managers to adjust the video interview guidelines. For instance, users can allow applicants to refilm their video interviews more than once if they aren’t happy with the outcome. Additionally, the time allocated to answer each question can be adjusted, reducing pressure on the candidate. It’s important to understand that video-interviews are not the same as live interviews; candidates cannot converse with the interviewee to ask questions or clarify their answers. Giving candidates a little extra time or the option to have a do-over can instantly relieve stress and discomfort – resulting in a better candidate experience!
      Incorporating a human-voice can also add to the personalization of video interviews. Let’s be honest; video interviews, in-essence, aren’t as personal as live interviews. Including a quick ‘introduction’ video from the recruitment team or even having a company representative read the interview instructions can add a personal touch, boosting the candidate experience.
      Concluding thoughts
      Video interviews aren’t designed to determine exactly who gets the job. Instead, they should be used as a supporting act, helping hiring managers to decide which candidates are worth investing time and energy into and which candidates aren’t. Yes, the technology is incredibly advanced, but it needs to be used correctly if employers want to reap the time and cost-saving benefits and provide their candidates with a seamless and enjoyable experience. So, if you aren’t using video interviews to their full potential, you’re missing out on finding the best-possible candidates!
      Lucy Hill is the marketing specialist at MyRecruitment+.

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      5 Ways Recruiting Leaders Can Help their Teams Beat WFH Fatigue

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      For the majority of the UK workforce, December now marks almost eight months of continuously working from home, for thousands of us this has been a shock to the system and a real shift from the norm.
      The balance between a healthy home and work life, for some, may have been blurred and now Google trends data suggests searches for ‘burnout’ peaking as the UK entered a second national lockdown earlier in November and with no respite to the working from home guidance as of yet, this trend is likely to increase.
      So with more people now experiencing a form of ‘work from home fatigue’, Sam Hill, Head of People and Culture at BizSpace shares tips on how business leaders can help to combat this unique form of burnout.
      1. COMMUNICATION IS KEY TO MAINTAINING A CULTURE
      Communication is a vital part of this strategy – with every element of running a business or managing a team, communication is the key to success in morale and for recruiters, a pivotal part in the day-to-day job. Many office workers across the country may be living alone, in shared accommodation, or having to juggle the added pressures of being at home more often, like childcare for example.
      All of this can lead to feeling a sense of isolation from the team and the company, something that can come as a shock to the system. Especially when concerned with the recruitment industry, where camaraderie and an office environment where feeling a sense of striving for targets is instilled and allows employees to excel. While many won’t have a choice but to be working from home, team leaders could encourage the use of instant messaging like Slack and Google Chat. While daily huddles and weekly catch-ups with a line manager/mentor using a mixture of video and voice calls help to keep updated and on top of targets, with managers offering a steer and guidance. Keeping this constant open door to communication can replicate that feeling of being in the office where teams can so easily communicate and celebrate wins.
      2. TRUST YOUR TEAM AND PROVE IT THROUGH YOUR ACTIONS
      Recruiters can work sporadic hours day-to-day but with working hours now no longer ‘normal’, this can lead to many feeling like they need to prove they’re doing the work, leading to overworking and in turn, burnout. Thousands of us are defined by the 9-5, taking lunch at the same time each day and having a physical presence in front of colleagues to prove we are actually working. At home, we don’t have this way of ‘proving’ ourselves.
      So team leads must show that they trust their team, they can do this by being flexible and less formal, where meetings are required, keeping these streamlined and avoiding typical lunch hours or times early in the morning where some may be taking advantage of the new hours. Setting attainable and broad deadlines with a lot of notice will allow flexibility and give enough time to be met.
      3. DEFINING THE PURPOSE FOR EVERY TEAM MEMBER
      Despite many recruiters and talent acquisition specialists having a clearly defined goal and working towards a commission-based salary, the peculiar times we’re living in can still see many questioning their purpose. It is vital that every member of the team is aware of what they’re doing and why they’re doing it, aside from simply logging the hours and getting through the day. Senior management, team leaders, and line managers must be communicating this from the top down through the likes of company-wide communication, keeping teams updated on business progress, any wins, challenges, and opportunities.
      This communication then needs to filter down through the hierarchy with each level of the team being aware of how their work contributes to the overall goal of the company. No role in a team is obsolete and everyone contributes to the success of the overall goal and defining this purpose, more now than ever before, is vital to give your team a sense of purpose and being.
      4. BE CLEAR ON THE PRIORITIES
      When delegating work, be absolutely clear of the deadlines and what the top priorities are. For the more inexperienced members of the team, being in the office has a monumental impact on their progression and will allow them to pick up skills and lean on peers for guidance. As a team leader or manager, making workload priorities explicit from the offset and checking in once a week on progress can help to guide the workload without micromanaging and guide those that may need more of a steer.
      5. ENCOURAGE MOVEMENT AND GET EVERYONE INVOLVED
      Taking a break from the dining room table or home office is key to keeping a clear and focussed mind throughout the day. Workers are likely to be spending more time at their screens with no need to leave the house, whereas heading out to get lunch is the norm when in an office setting. With longer nights, we must get the most out of the short amount of daylight we have. But how do you ensure your team is not neglecting their own need for fresh air and daylight?
      Using instant messaging, a social chat can be an escape for many employees to talk about everything that isn’t work. Encouraging a weekly thread where the team can share photos of their week and something they have done might be a nice way to encourage people to do more other than stay in the house. Apps like Strava that track exercise can also be a great team-building activity that encourages movement. Creating a leaderboard for the number of miles each person logs in exercise outside should encourage competition amongst the team. It doesn’t have to be strenuous exercise either, so whether they’re walking or in a wheelchair, riding or running, it encourages the team to get outside and spend time away from the screen.
      Sam Hill has been with BizSpace since 2017 and is the Head of People and Culture. She has over 10 years’ experience in HR roles and previously worked at The Football Association, Produban (a part of Santander), and Ascential PLC. Sam is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

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      Seven Tips to Measure If Your Talent Acquisition is Working

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      Attracting the best people into a business is one of the biggest challenges facing many companies, however, while most employers understand the need for an effective talent acquisition process to attract and hire the right people, many haven’t developed a way for evaluating its effectiveness.
      If companies fail to measure the success of their recruitment strategy, they will waste time and money recruiting people with the wrong skills and attitudes, but not understand why.
      As we move through the COVID-19 pandemic it is going to be essential to have the right people in roles to ensure the business can recover quickly.
      According to Gartner one of the top three priorities for HR leaders in 2021 is to build critical skills and competencies. Other data from Gartner TalentNeuron™ shows that the total number of skills required for a single job is increasing by 10% year over year, and one-third of the skills present in an average 2017 job posting won’t be needed by 2021.
      Here are seven metrics, which can give businesses deep insight into the performance and impact of their talent acquisition process:
      1. Time to hire
      This is the number of days between the start of the recruitment process and the moment a candidate gets hired. Most talented people are off the market in 10 days, so having a shorter process gives companies a better chance at attracting and hiring top talent.
      To optimize the time to hire, companies need to break down the hiring process and measure how much time it took to move candidates from one stage to another.
      2. Cost per Hire
      Companies need to understand the money they are spending to make a new hire including all costs related to recruitment, such as the purchase of equipment, onboarding, administration, and benefits. It can vary enormously depending on the company’s size, the seniority of the position, and the number of recruitment channels used.
      There are many strategies companies can use to reduce their cost per hire and optimize the recruitment process such as building a talent pipeline; allowing employee referrals; using social media to create a strong employer brand, and using an ATS to streamline and expedite the recruitment process.
      3. Qualified Candidates per Opening
      A “qualified candidate” is anyone who passes the application screening process and moves to the next stage of the recruitment process. This metric is more meaningful than the number of applicants, as it shows recruiters how good the candidates they are attracting are. This is an important metric because if a company is attracting unsuitable candidates, they will not fill a position but can set new strategies to attract better candidates.
      4. Sourcing
      This refers to the performance of the channels, job boards, or social media platforms where jobs are advertised. Companies need to understand which channels work best. To calculate this, candidates need to be tagged according to the acquisition source when they submit their application or to where the recruiter found the profile (LinkedIn, Employee referral, Internal, Facebook, Indeed, etc). Understanding the most effective source of talent ensures the best ROI on time and investment spent on recruiting.
      5. Quality of Hire
      Quality of hire is at the top of the list of useful performance KPIs for most companies, as it measures the value new hires bring to a company. Hiring quality employees means less turnover, more productivity, better culture, and greater overall success for the company.
      As quality is quite hard to evaluate, some quantifiable recruitment metrics can be used, such as new hire performance metrics such as sales targets or achieving good customer satisfaction ratings, turnover and retention metrics, hiring manager satisfaction ratings, or the percentage of new hires promoted within a certain time frame.
      Improving the quality of hire requires alignment with leadership to define the factors that make a quality hire and to set the strategies that will help hire the right people.
      6. Offer-Acceptance Rate
      The percentage of job offers accepted is a good indicator of how well the hiring practices are working. Although candidates can decline a job offer due to external reasons (counteroffer from a current employer, etc.), they can also refuse the company’s offer due to reasons related to the company culture, unattractive compensation, or job duties mismatch which could have been detected and managed by the recruitment team. It can be useful to send out a survey to candidates about their specific reasons behind their refusal.
      7. Satisfaction Rate
      Although this metric often gets ignored, satisfaction ratings allow companies to understand how candidates are experiencing the hiring process. To measure it, companies can survey candidates and new recruits. It is essential to understand what may be causing high numbers of interview cancellations, no shows, or high turnover rates in new hires.
      Build a survey that is easy and quick to answer, focusing only on key satisfaction aspects regarding the recruitment process, to get more answers. Also, do not forget to protect the candidates’ privacy.
      To Conclude
      Evaluating a talent acquisition strategy with a data-driven approach will give companies a more holistic view of how talent acquisition is impacting the business strategy and how they can improve it so that they can consistently attract and hire the best talent.
      By Nicolas Speeckaert, co-founder and director of skeeled. 

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      Why the Recruiting Industry May Never Be the Same

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      2020 has presented recruiters and job seekers with unimaginable circumstances and significant societal challenges, leading to the transition of key processes toward more virtual recruiting. As a result, this shift has created a profound change in industry concerns, challenges, and investments of recruiters, with many believing that recruiting may never be the same.
      These industry concerns were recently revealed in a new survey by Jobvite, which includes responses from more than 800 recruiters and HR professionals from hundreds of companies. It provides an in-depth look at the state of recruiting today and the challenges and opportunities facing recruiters as they continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic.
      Many professionals surveyed believe that these shifts brought forth this year – from investments and priorities to virtual interviewing and onboarding methods – are here to stay, and need to be considered by talent acquisition teams as they begin planning for the new year.
      Industry challenges, priorities, and investments
      Since the onset of the pandemic, stress levels at work have increased for the majority of recruiters, with one in five reporting a drastic increase in stress, according to Jobvite’s 2020 Recruiter Nation Survey. The impact of COVID-19 has also led to diminished headcount and hiring for about one-third of organizations, adding to the stress level.
      Beyond that, recruiting priorities have also changed, with growing the talent pipeline and improving time-to-hire fading and quality of hires growing in importance. Seventy-one percent of recruiters also revealed their recruiting priorities for the next 12 months are different from those they had in the past year.
      Regarding investments, nearly 80% of recruiters said social media is the area most likely to see increased financial investments in the next 12 months. No surprise, since social media has risen over the last three years for recruiting purposes. Untraditional social media channels such as TikTok and Snapchat have also been added to the recruiting mix, presumably for roles that might appeal to younger candidates.
      All in all, these industry insights are valuable and help recruiters understand that conditions are changing, so the strategy should too. Recruiters need to start outlining areas of priorities and financial investments for the upcoming year, so they can confidently navigate this new reality, gain job seekers’ attention, and hire highly-skilled talent the right way.
      Interviews will never be remotely the same
      Three-quarters of surveyed recruiters still believe in-person interviews are the most effective interview mode. However, recruiters have had to adapt with social distancing being enforced across the globe, especially as COVID-19 cases begin to see an uptick in many areas. Currently, the majority of recruiters conduct 50% or more of their interviews via video, and 40% believe virtual interviews will be the default moving forward.
      To some recruiters, video conferencing may seem more casual, but they should always be prepared and trained to properly conduct a professional video interview to ensure a positive candidate experience – the same as if it was conducted in-person.
      Any interview via video should be organized and well-planned, with a quiet space and professional appearance. The 2020 Recruiter Nation Survey also revealed that the biggest video interview mistakes made by candidates are poor connectivity, inappropriate attire, and poor eye contact, so recruiters should not develop the same negative habits.
      Diversity and inclusion initiatives gaining in importance
      With this year prompting many Americans to reflect on what is important to them and what their values are, it is fitting that those beliefs and priorities are being brought into the job search. One major shift is the increased importance of an organizations’ diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives, as one-third of recruiters reported that job seekers are inquiring about these initiatives more than they did last year.
      Companies are embracing this by placing a higher emphasis on developing D&I strategies, with it being listed as a top recruiting priority, according to the report. This is primarily in respect to race/ethnicity and gender, but also as it relates to age, veteran status, and other factors.
      While this shows the value for talent acquisition teams to have D&I initiatives in place, it’s important to remember that accomplishing these goals is a journey, not a destination. It requires people, process, and technology to work together to mitigate conscious and unconscious bias where possible, create opportunities for underrepresented communities, and build strong teams based on talent wherever it is found.
      To start or continue this journey, talent teams should work to revisit their existing strategies and implement technology and services where necessary, that are designed to attract and engage more diverse job seekers. Organizations are being held to higher standards for how they source, recruit, hire, and employ with increased diversity, so recruiters should use technology to reduce unconscious bias during the candidate resume review process. They should also track and measure progress within their D&I recruitment marketing initiatives.
      Looking forward to 2021
      Every year comes a new set of challenges for recruiters. While the recruiting industry reacted to dramatic changes in markets brought on by a worldwide crisis, it’s evident that these shifts will only continue to accelerate and represent the current reality of the industry. By following these best practices and making a concise effort to be nimble in the new year, talent acquisition teams will be able to further adapt to future complexities with ease and meet candidates where they are.
      Jeffrey K. Rohrs is the Chief Marketing Officer of Jobvite, the leading end-to-end talent acquisition suite provider. With more than 15 years of SaaS marketing experience, Jeffrey previously served as CMO of Yext during a period of rapid growth and a successful initial public offering in 2017. He also served as VP of Marketing Insights for Salesforce and VP of Marketing at ExactTarget during their IPO and acquisition by Salesforce in 2013.

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      What Student Job Seekers Really Want from Recruitment Post COVID-19

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      A new report reveals how marketing and recruitment processes should be organized to ensure your business is attractive to student job seekers. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the class of 2020 are facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to trying to secure their place on the career ladder. Debut and the Institute of Student Employers (ISE) came together to survey 2,000 students about what they wanted to find from employers, their attitudes to COVID-19, and how they feel about their career prospects.
      One of the stand-out findings from the report shows that despite the pandemic and all of its challenges, 94% of students are excited to start work, with 42% still confident they will find their dream job upon completion of education.
      A rapidly changing world has led to rapidly changing career paths
      Before the pandemic hit, most students had a solid idea of how they would like their careers to go, including the paths they were going to take to get there. Now, 6 months on from the start of the pandemic, 57% of students say they are changing their ideas around their careers in light of the new challenges. Students are still determined to make the most of the opportunities presented to them though, with 74% still strongly focused on their career path, even if it’s not in the direction they originally thought it would take.
      Fair treatment is the most important factor when choosing a job
      For 98% of young job seekers and students surveyed, receiving fair treatment in the workplace was the most important factor when choosing a job or employer to work for. Being fair to your employees and mindful of the struggles they have faced in this over-competitive job market will go a long way to help them feel valued.
      Many have also stated how they would like to work for an organization that would allow them to ‘have it all’. Simply put they would like to work for an organization that provides a clear career path, work/life balance, interesting work, decent pay, and a strong stance on ethical standards while working alongside like-minded people.
      Communication and the recruitment process
      Students and young job seekers prefer formal methods of communication such as email and LinkedIn to be used when talking to prospective employers about their employment choices, with 95% and 90% respectively, in agreement with these channels. Some students said they would be comfortable with employers communicating with them through blogs (37%), Instagram (36%), Twitter (33%), or Facebook (28%) however most are skeptical about this approach as they feel it encroaches on their more personal platforms. Make sure you’re approachable yet professional in your communication methods with prospective employees, as the wrong type of method could turn them away from your organization.
      During the recruitment process itself, 91% of respondents said they preferred a face-to-face approach, but with the limitations on face-to-face interactions the pandemic has set on people, there is a greater emphasis on calls and video interviews. Luckily 86% said they were comfortable with an online approach where it was necessary, but the main concern was that a third of students don’t trust employers to actually treat them fairly during the recruitment process. We’re all going through a difficult time right now and it’s worth remembering that these students are potentially facing challenges no other generation has done before them, so empathy could go a long way during your recruitment process.
      Job seekers are hungry for information
      When communicating with potential employees, make sure you are providing them with as much information as possible about how to succeed in the recruitment process and what information you’re looking for in applications. Remember, when someone is looking for a job they aren’t just selling themselves to you, you’ve got to sell yourself to them too to make them want to work for you. Providing information on your company’s culture, including testimonials from current employees, career prospects, training, and social opportunities are key things to communicate during the recruitment process.
      Now more than ever though, students and job seekers are interested in what an organization is doing for charities and community work. They are looking for opportunities to get involved in volunteering as part of the positions they are applying for, to help the initiatives throughout the company.
      Excitement and enthusiasm are high despite the challenges
      Overall, despite everything that 2020 has thrown at them, 94% of students are excited to get started in the world of work, with 93% even willing to start remotely if they need to. There seems to be a great understanding amongst students that they need to be flexible and adaptable in the current climate, even if that means starting off their careers at home, getting involved in online inductions, and remote working for now if needed.
      The main worry seems to be focused on finding the opportunities available to them rather than making the most of the opportunities that are presented to them.
      Michele Trusolino is co-founder and chief operating officer of Debut, the student careers app that is revolutionizing the recruitment sector.

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      How to Hire a Data Engineer

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      Data Engineering is one of the fastest-growing job roles in the tech industry with LinkedIn Talent Insights categorizing demand for these roles as ‘very high’. This means that it’s harder than ever for firms to attract and retain talent in this pivotal role. Estimates on the number of unfilled positions last year range from as much as 33-50%.
      One of the reasons for the shortage is the rate at which the discipline is moving, with tools and technologies emerging and evolving rapidly. This leads to the absence of a standardized toolset and means that the definition of the role can be dramatically different across companies.
      Based on research with 50 Data Engineers, and in conversation with Dani Solà Lagares (Director of Data at Simply Business) research from technology recruiting firm Stott and May reveals what Data Engineers are looking for, and what potential employers can be doing to increase their chances of snagging top talent. Here are the four top tips to come out of the research.
      1. Give them a clearly defined role.
      When looking for a new role, Data Engineers need to see a detailed and realistic job description. 72% testified that this was the most important factor in whether or not they will apply. If an employer doesn’t have this nailed down, then Data Engineers will pass up the opportunity in favor of an employer who has a clear idea of what needs to be done. ‘Give candidates a sense of the projects they will be working on and the stakeholders they will be engaging with,’ says Dani Sola. ‘Even more importantly, provide some narrative on the type of impact you expect key initiatives to make.’
      2. Provide the right technology stack.
      48% of Data Engineers stated that the technology stack they will be working with is the most important consideration in accepting a role. Because the technology stack has so much to do with what their day-to-day work will look like, it’s important that the fit is right. ‘Technical skillsets could vary dramatically from Kafka, Kafka Streams, Scala, Kotlin knowledge, advanced SQL, data warehousing skills, Python, the list goes on,’ says Dani. ‘It is important, however, to paint a picture of your requirements without asking candidates to tick every skillset that’s ever existed in data engineering.’
      3. Benchmark to ensure you’re offering a competitive salary.
      According to the research, 42% of Data Engineers say they are most likely to jump ship because their salary and benefits are below market rate. It’s important to make sure you are benchmarking your salaries against your competitors, and offering a competitive compensation package if you want to retain in-demand talent. ‘In my view, one of the major reasons engineers move on is that the initial value proposition of the role in that organization has not lived up to expectations,’ says Dani. ‘Don’t sell a dream and deliver a nightmare. If you’re authentic and invest in your team’s personal development that can go a long way.’
      4. Don’t wear them out with excessive interview steps.
      Data Engineers’ time is very important, so if they are being asked to jump through too many hoops, they are liable to simply look elsewhere. If you’re looking to recruit a Data Engineer, try to streamline the recruitment process as much as possible so that you can make an assessment of their fit without losing momentum. ‘Keep talent engaged during the hiring process,’ says Dani. ‘Create a sense of your culture and values. Make great first impressions as a potential employer. Interviewing should be about making the candidate feel at ease and creating an environment where they can show themselves at their best.’
      David Struth is Head of Marketing at Stott and May.

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      in Talent Acquisition

      A-Players Sourcing Guide: 11 Steps to Landing the Industry’s Top-Performers

      by

      The most talented people build the best companies. It’s that simple. No successful business was built purely on market fit and a ton of investments. People are the #1 asset of any company, its biggest strength or weakness. The concentration of talent per square foot determines the chances for a business to skyrocket. That’s why having as many A-Players in a team as possible is crucial for any company.
      Who are A-Players, and why are they so valuable?

      An A-Player is an employee who has a 90% chance of performing in the top 10%.

      Brad & Geoff Smart
      A-Players bring an ownership mindset, self-awareness, intellect, depth, and curiosity to any organization. An A-Player is someone who would be enthusiastically rehired by previous employers. But the chances to find and hire one are slim: they comprise only up to 10% of the labor market in their industry. For an amateur to find an A-Player is a matter of luck, but for a professional sourcer, it’s a result of a defined strategy.
      The reality is that your team most likely consists of a mix of A, B, and C-players. But is it possible to create a team where 90% of staff are A-Players? Sounds like a daring dream, but applying the right sourcing strategy, it’s achievable. I would like to share an 11-step guide on how to do it properly.
      Step 1. Develop and customize a sourcing strategy for every role
      Create and share with the team a document with a sourcing strategy for every role. It should contain:
      a job description,
      Q&A and keywords for the role,
      a list of target companies, meetups, and organizations,
      search strings,
      possible role titles,
      useful search hints.
      Describe the steps you take to source potential candidates, but customize it for every individual case. Don’t let this document just sit there. Keep brainstorming with your team on new sources and add updated information.
      Step 2. Start your research before meeting a client or hiring manager
      Start working on the position before meeting the client or hiring manager. Study the job description and define gaps to ask the person in charge. Thoroughly research the tech stack. Tools like GlossaryTech will be beneficial for this purpose. Find 3-5 relevant candidates to calibrate your search better, and ask for feedback on them from the client. Prepare a list of questions and draft a plan for the meeting. It will help you have a fruitful conversation instead of just nodding along and returning with more and more questions afterward.
      Step 3. Schedule an intake meeting with the client or hiring manager
      After doing background research, schedule an intake meeting with hiring managers and decision-makers in the company. Ask all kinds of questions, starting from basic (job location, requirements, perfect candidate profiles, companies to source from) to advanced ones (value to a candidate, culture uniqueness, expected outcomes for a new employee). It’s your chance to clarify any confusion, so don’t hesitate to do so. Also, discuss profiles you have sourced for the meeting. A good tip would also be to ask a client or hiring manager how they would describe themself if they were looking for the job in question. It’s a great way to gather relevant keywords and get a sense of the natural language used by candidates.
      Step 4. Identify an A-Player
      A-Players can be identified by several markers, described below. Of course, not everyone can create a perfect LinkedIn profile or describe their strongest features. Most A-Players don’t even identify themselves as such. That’s why I recommend reaching out to any candidates who meet two or more of the criteria listed below.
      Product-focused description in their profile. A-Players don’t just list technologies they work with but point out their impact and contribution to the business.
      Entrepreneurship experience. Starting a company requires a healthy ownership mindset, self-motivation, and self-organization. People who started their own companies understand how business works as a whole and will be a good fit, no matter their business outcomes.
      Current or recent employers that hire top performers. With experience, you’ll get a sense of companies that have high hiring standards. Keep track of them on the list, and you’ll get a database of companies you can source from.
      Promotions. A-Players are performance-driven, motivated, innovative, and effective. They believe in self-development and maintain exceptionally high expectations of themselves and others. Hence, they are more likely to be promoted within a company.
      Three recent employments lasted at least 1,5 years. A-Players must make an impact within a company, and it always takes time. Also, their time commitment to an employer shows that they choose companies with a clear mission and vision, a problem-solving product, and values that coincide with their own.
      Open source experience. An innate need drives the growth of top performers. They have at least one area of expertise they know profoundly and share their knowledge.
      Good references. Top-performers love what they do and make an exponential impact on the business and the team. They also know how to build and keep relationships and are likely to receive good references from their employers and colleagues.
      Volunteer or mentorship experience. A-Players are interested in the success of the group more than their own. Volunteer or mentorship experience is a good indicator of a proactive community-oriented person who will sacrifice their own time or benefit for the success of a team.
      Step 5. Brainstorm sourcing ideas
      Create lists of target Companies, Schools, Meetups, and Organizations to source from and update them every day. Having a ready-to-go list will dramatically speed up the search process. You could use Owler, Google Search, or tech companies guides to identify target companies. A good lifehack: check-out relevant conferences and their sponsors who are usually companies interested in a particular industry.
      Step 6. Make a list of relevant keywords
      Compose a list of keywords based on a job description, intake meeting, and surface research. Make sure to include technologies, tools, and natural language phrases. Pay attention to specific words that the candidates use to describe themselves. Come up with as many variations and descriptions as you can, using tools like GlossaryTech or a thesaurus.
      For example, to find a candidate who has participated in some coding challenge and won, the list of keywords would include (programming OR coding) AND (competition OR challenge OR contest OR hackathon) AND (won OR selected OR achieved). Avoid general phrases like self-motivated or competent team players that stand for nothing in particular.
      Step 7. Check your database
      Start your search with the list of former candidates who were among the finalists for past openings but weren’t selected or responsive. Those second-runners, also known as silver and bronze medalists, may have grown enough to be a good fit now. They also may be ready for a change and be more likely to engage this time. Come up with an idea of how to re-engage them. It’s always better to send a message with an update about a company and its product, an invitation for a meetup, or to congratulate the candidate on an achievement. Don’t reach out to those warm contacts out of the blue. Make your message personalized based on the information you already know about the candidate.
      Step 8. Stretch your search to alternative channels
      Now, when you have all the necessary information, you can start your search. Don’t limit yourself to traditional channels like LinkedIn, GitHub, Google, etc. To advance your sourcing strategy and find unique information about a candidate, go further and include social media, articles, and personal websites. You can also use professional tools like TurboHiring or AmazingHiring that provide necessary resources and contacts.
      Information from alternative channels will help you personalize your outreach messages and demonstrate that you genuinely care about the candidate. People appreciate it when recruiters research before sending a message and provide essential points on why the offer would be a perfect match.
      Step 9. Outreach smart
      Compose messages in advance. Prepare one note and two follow-ups to send to a candidate. Be assertive but not annoying. Check your writing using tools like Главред (for Russian) and Grammarly (for English). Don’t trust only your own eyes in this case. Those tools will identify possible mistakes and help you compose a stylistically correct message. They will prevent you from awkward typos that may ruin a connection with a candidate.
      Remember to follow-up. Don’t rely on your memory for that. Set a reminder to write back to the candidate or use an email automation tool like Yesware. It will not only follow-up with non-responsive candidates but will track open and reply rates. This information will be useful when measuring your results.
      Outreach through different channels. Don’t limit yourself to one channel. LinkedIn connection and InMail are reliable alternatives to reach out to a candidate.
      Test your message. Write a couple of variations of the same message, and A/B test them. By measuring and comparing the response rates, you will identify the most effective one and can increase the overall rate in the future.
      Step 10. Source continuously
      The best practice is to create your database of potential A-Players and update it is as soon as you spot a top-performer. Keep looking for A-Players even if you currently don’t have an opening. Because when you do, it will be easier to have a ready pool of talented people and pull relevant ones out of it. To make this internal search faster, mark your candidates as you add them with appropriate tags (e.g., #python, #marketing)
      Step 11. Measure your results
      Measuring your results will help you identify the most effective strategy and, if needed, provide a report about the work done to the client or hiring manager. It’s also useful to reflect on your performance to know how you can improve. Here are a few metrics to keep track of:
      the number of sourced candidates
      open and reply rates
      contact to interest ratio
      interviewed to introduced to a client ratio
      interviewed to hire ratio
      Consider only metrics relevant to your initial inquiry and goal. To determine them, ask yourself what you would like to measure why you need to know it, and how to do it.
      Finding and hiring an A-Player is like mining for gold: it looks like a matter of luck but is, in fact, a guaranteed result if you know where and how to look for it. Following the steps described above and adjusting them to your particular case will result in an A-Player hire. It may seem like a tedious process on the surface, but this strategy saves a lot of time and will increase your effectiveness in the long-term.
      Sourcing A-Players isn’t just about bringing the most experienced people on board. It’s about finding someone who has high standards of work and performance, a sense of ownership, clear values, flexible and critical thinking, curiosity, and a passion for what they do. The quality of the people in the team determines an organization’s capacity to deliver extraordinary value and exceed customers’ expectations.
      Kate Hotsyk is an A-Players Talent Sourcer with more than five years of experience in talent acquisition for start-ups and fast-growing environments. More information at aplayersrecruiting.com.

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