The return to life and work is taking place gradually and, in recent months, recruitments have resumed with great vigor within companies. But how has covid-19 changed recruitment methods and what trends have emerged?

Before the pandemic, interviews were conducted in person. This approach allowed the recruiter to have an in-depth conversation with candidates, who in turn allowed them to form a picture of their responsibilities and their workplace. Video conferences were often chosen as a last resort.

But the COVID-19 pandemic quickly changed the way people recruit. Social distancing rules and remote work requirements are now pushing organizations to review their recruitment method. So, will virtual interviews become the new normal in the next few years?

According to a study conducted by Linkedin in early 2021, 81% of professionals believe that remote recruiting will continue in the future and 70% believe it will become the new normal (source). We observe that 55% of employers think of adopting remote work as a permanent option (source). We notice that remote work takes an important place now since according to an article published by Mr. Lewis Keegan during a study, 94% of companies that use videoconferencing declare that the company benefits from greater productivity (source). In addition, 87% of workers feel more connected with their colleagues when using video (source). 

And it is subsequently likely that some organizations will continue to hire virtually. So, we think it is quite possible that a new trend has developed!

Virtual interviews have been around for some time, but this process was rarely used before the COVID-19 crisis hit us hard and changed the way we work. The adoption of telecommuting and the cancellation of in-person events have prompted recruiting professionals to quickly adapt to a new environment in order to achieve their goals.

We could ask ourselves if this new form of recruitment which is tending to develop will not harm the exchange and human contact, which are important steps in a recruitment process and is it really beneficial for the company?

However, we can notice that on the contrary, all people seem to have acquired this new standard where everyone finds their place! The experience of video interviews for recruiters is a real discovery. This allows the recruitment pipeline to evolve and improve the candidate experience and thus, achieve much faster and more relevant pre-selection.

Indeed, the virtual interviews being highly interactive, it is easy to assess the gestures, expressions, engagement and body language of the candidates. By increasing efficiency, this not only helps meet recruitment needs more quickly, but also improves the candidate experience through better responsiveness and shorter wait times.
In addition, we note that the candidate is more at ease because he is in his environment and is therefore more relaxed, less stressed, which would not have been the case if the interview had traditionally taken place face to face. in an unfamiliar office environment.

According to a Forbes article and a study conducted by Cielo, (source) 82% of managers will continue to video interview candidates, and 32% are confident they will make offers without a first face-to-face meeting (source).

On the business side, we also find winning points.

In the first place, it shows that you are up to date and that you know how to adapt to new technologies. Indeed, it is part of a company's employer brand and helps to convey an attractive image and therefore attract more potential candidates.

It also allows organizations that need urgent recruiting to assess candidates quickly and efficiently, while respecting the distancing, which is likely to persist for some time to come. And it has already proven its worth with recruiters and hiring managers.

According to an article written by Forbes, 59% of respondents say that virtual recruiting could reduce the time to hire, and that means lower recruiting costs! (source).

We anticipate that virtual recruiting will become the norm and a must-have tool for many companies in the future, working in tandem with more traditional recruiting methods and complementing the overall recruiting strategy.