For recruiting teams that want to interview as many qualified candidates as possible, virtual hiring events are a no brainer. Not only do they let you talk to candidates in different locations, they also facilitate more accessible hiring experiences, and remove a lot of the administrative burden from hiring managers and applicants alike.
In this article, we’re doing a deep dive on all things virtual hiring events so you can learn what they are, their benefits, and how to run one successfully.
What is a virtual hiring event and how does it work?
A virtual hiring event enables candidates and hiring managers to interact online and in real time via a choice of technical channels (e.g. text, audio, or video). While this can happen using a combination of scheduling and video platforms, they typically take place using a virtual event platform. In other words, virtual hiring events are similar to in-person hiring events, but are held online.
Like in-person events, virtual hiring events come in various forms. They can be virtual hiring fairs with multiple booths where candidates join “lines” before speaking to a recruiter. Alternatively, they can be events where scheduled or unscheduled applicants attend interviews for a particular role.
For recruiters, a typical virtual hiring event is set up so that they can quickly and easily talk to candidates either to educate them on the employer or interview the candidate for a role.
Withe's hiring event platform is helping recruiters run seamless and integrated virtual hiring events.
The benefits of virtual hiring
Virtual hiring events have a number of benefits, including:
- Reduced costs for employers and applicants: Virtual hiring events are cheaper and simpler to execute as they don’t require a physical space. In addition, applicants don’t have to spend time and money commuting.
- A larger attendee pool: With a virtual hiring event, candidates can interview with recruiters regardless of their location. This is particularly useful for remote jobs, and can also make it easier to build a robust talent pipeline.
- Increased accessibility Virtual hiring events make it easier for candidates to request accommodations and for potential employers to provide those accommodations.
- Higher efficiency These events can happen more succinctly than in-person events and don’t need as much preparation and clean up.
- Improved data tracking With the right integrated tools in the mix, virtual hiring events make it easier to track candidate performance and have visibility into broader hiring data.
Ultimately, virtual hiring provides a more efficient experience for both candidates and recruiters alike, while also benefiting the business as it works to meet its hiring objectives.
Related resource: How to scale your high-volume hiring with virtual hiring events
5 tips for running a successful virtual hiring event
1. Set goals for your event
Establish a set of goals and objectives for the virtual hiring event. This could include a number of attendees, a number of successful interviewees, or an overarching cost for the event. These may be aligned with existing hiring metrics.
2. Choose the right date and time for your event(s)
Set an appropriate date and time for your event. Consider where your candidates may be attending from, the work hours they may have, or when they might be most alert. You should also consider your recruiters and their preferences in this decision.
3. Market your events effectively
Marketing your virtual hiring event will be key to ensuring you get the right candidates to attend your events. This will work hand in hand with your sourcing strategy, as it makes the most sense to market to candidates that are most likely to apply.
4. Choose the right technology
Support your virtual hiring process with a hiring event platform that integrates seamlessly with your HR tech stack. This platform should be able to host exchanges between candidates and recruiters, and make it easy for recruiters to evaluate the candidate they are interviewing.
5. Set your team up for success
Make sure your team is educated on the process and the technology you’ve adopted so that they can run it seamlessly without negatively impacting the candidate experience.
Withe makes virtual hiring events easier than ever
As mentioned above, virtual hiring events are best facilitated by a hiring event platform like Withe. In Withe, recruiters can build custom job postings that include details such as the job description, location, salary, work arrangements, benefits, and more.
They can then book one or more hiring events for each role, customizing it as needed with:
- Their time zone, start time, and end time
- The length of the interview calls
- A maximum number of candidates per time slot
- Instructions for the candidate (e.g. attaching a resume)
- The hiring managers that will run the event (for internal tracking and accountability purposes)
Once the details are set, the recruiter can share the job posting as an external link, which will also have a hiring event registration window that candidates can sign up with directly. Here, candidates are able to choose a time slot and make specific accommodation requests.
To support recruiters in the broader virtual hiring process, Withe also tracks where candidates come from so that they can get better insight into which candidate sourcing strategies are the most effective.
During the hiring event itself, recruiters have a list of candidates to interview that’s automatically populated by the platform. Operating within Withe, they can speak with the candidates, write notes about their interview, and determine whether or not the candidate was successful. Meanwhile, candidates join and speak to their assigned recruiter in a seamless interview experience using the video interview software.
After the virtual hiring event, the team of recruiters has access to all the data in a central location that facilitates decision making.
Optimize your virtual hiring events
In today’s hiring market, having a process that is speedy, seamless, and optimized is a must-have if you want to remain competitive. Virtual hiring events are a great way to get there, especially when they’re bolstered by a hiring event platform that connects the dots with the rest of the recruiting ecosystem.
Withe’s hiring event platform is helping recruiters run seamless and integrated virtual hiring events. Learn more about our product.
