As the impact of Covid-19 becomes clearer, issues with staff levels and recruitment processes are becoming more strained. Every employer wants and needs great people working for them but recruiting talent can be difficult, now more so than ever. Having great people is a hugely competitive advantage in business but how do employers source it in the first place, especially in the midst of a pandemic? If finding talent is not one of your company’s core strengths, then it makes commercial sense to use a recruiter. Working in partnership with Staffline Ireland is one of the best decisions an employer can make, we have 10 branches throughout the island of Ireland and offer a 360 degrees recruitment solution. Our recruiters work with you on a consultative basis. Our consultants have years of experience in their fields, they will know your market and will understand your requirements, sometimes better than you! A good recruitment partner will provide insights into the market other than just offering you a shortlist of candidates. They’re also aware of which candidates are in big demand and which roles are the hardest to fill; therefore, they will be able to manage your expectations. Until the recruitment process actually commences, employers can easily forget how tedious and time consuming the process is. Working with our consultants means they take the whole process off your hands. They are experts in sourcing and shortlisting the right people for our clients, often working long hours, contacting candidates after hours to talk about your role and your company. Bringing new staff onboard takes time, especially with social distancing constraints and operational pressures. A number of our clients have expressed their concerns when it comes to their selection process, the reality is these new employees will more than likely be working remotely or from home for the foreseeable future. There are now a number of factors you have to consider. You need to make sure you’re prepared to hire without meeting a candidate face to face. You wouldn’t want to waste your time or theirs, nor would you want to impact your employer brand by providing a negative candidate experience. A lot of employers already use telephone interviews as part of their hiring process. You could look to have initial conversations with potential candidates over the phone. You’ll still be able to identify whether candidates have the suitable experience and skill set for the position you’re recruiting for. You’re also still able to gauge their character as a person. Ensure you’re asking the right questions in order to gain the information you’re looking for. If you prefer to “see” candidates when interviewing, you could hold a video interview. We all know the plethora of online video platforms available in the marketplace. For many, this can feel the same as interviewing in person, just virtually! You also have the added bonus of being able to record these interviews (as long as you’ve got the candidates permission) to be able to watch back or share with your colleagues – a benefit you don’t have when interviewing in person. Remember, at Staffline Recruitment Ireland, we can assist you through the entire interview process. Having a proactive, engaging interview and hiring process speaks volumes for your employer branding. For many of our employers it has taken a period of adjustment and they have found themselves outside of their comfort zone when adopting new methods of recruitment. You can still hire a candidate that meets your requirements and is the right cultural fit for your company without meeting them in person. If you remain open-minded and solutions focused, you won’t have any problems with recruiting. For more on how to build your business as an ‘Employer of Choice' or to find out more on how we can support your recruitment needs email [email protected] or [email protected] Staffline Recruitment is the UK & Ireland’s leading workforce provider, supplying at peak over 10,000 Temporary Agency workers/contractors throughout the Island of Ireland. We are working with clients old and new to support them on their recruitment process in these challenging times. We can also advise on different contracting options including payroll, HR and compliance.