You’ve put recruitment processes on hold, now what? 5 things to consider

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a huge amount of uncertainty for every business to deal with and it is understandable that your recruitment process may be cancelled, postponed or put on pause. Consider how your candidates are reacting and what your plan is for the future.

Don’t forget about us!

It is important to remember that the very candidates you are putting on hold are also the candidates you are potentially going to be wanting to bring into the business once this is all over. They will be gaining first impressions about your business by how you are dealing with the current situation.

At the very least, it’s important to keep them in the loop, but if you can stretch to finding the time to have a 30 minute video call in place of the original 1 hour interview, that can still go a long way. And let’s face it, in many circumstances you may have more time than usual to fit this in.

You are still “competing”

The likelihood is that some of your candidates will have been looking at other opportunities too, and may be in the same position with your competitors. This means that how you look after them now might have an impact should they be considering other options when you start the recruitment process again. More significantly, if your competitors restart the hiring process before you they could potentially be taking your candidates off the market without any competition to fend off.This is another reason that staying in touch will be crucial!

Candidates are a lot more understanding than you might think

Understandably, many businesses are concerned not to lead candidates on and have cancelled interviews if they are unsure whether recruitment will in fact continue. However we are all in this situation together and these are unprecedented times. Candidates understand you are having to make difficult decisions and many are more than happy to continue with interview processes, even if they are advised it may not be possible for them to be offered a job at the end of it.

The main takeaways

• Keep your candidates updated.
• Find the time to undertake interviews even if recruitment needs are unclear.
• Keep an eye on your competition and be aware of the risks that they start recruiting again before you.