How to Recruit Remotely: Benefits, Challenges and Tips

Remote and virtual recruitment is a time-saving way to find and hire talented candidates from anywhere. Location is no longer a factor, so you can hire applicants for remote, hybrid or on-site roles regardless of where you are.

While WFH jobs and remote hiring are nothing new, the Covid-19 pandemic forced organisations to find alternatives to in-person recruitment processes. This shift showed that remote recruiting can be quicker and easier for both recruiters and candidates. With remote and hybrid work remaining the most popular ways of working, particularly in the non-profit sector, hiring processes need to adapt to support candidate onboarding.

This guide considers the benefits, challenges and tools to make virtual recruiting a successful part of your recruitment strategy. Plus, discover seven handy tips for remote recruiting.

What is remote recruitment?

Remote recruitment, or virtual recruitment, involves advertising, shortlisting, interviewing and hiring for vacancies through digital methods – rather than meeting candidates in person.

Tools needed for virtual recruitment processes

Your organisation will almost certainly have access to the digital tools needed to support remote recruiting, including email and video conferencing software.

• Initial contact with candidates is usually via email, followed by a brief phone screening to narrow the shortlist. 
• Interviews typically happen over video calls, using software such as Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams – all of which have become commonplace tools for working from home. 

Recruitment-specific tools and software are designed for virtual use and fit seamlessly with remote hiring.

• An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can help you manage candidates from end to end. CharityJob’s ATS has a range of features to support the virtual recruitment process, and is free to use when you post a job with CharityJob Apply.
• Candidate assessment software can help test the technical skills required for a role, and even run psychometric tests to see whether a candidate suits your organisation.

Benefits of virtual recruitment

1. Schedule interviews more easily

Conducting interviews in person requires time and effort from all involved, from finding a time slot that suits everyone to travelling to the interview location. Remote interviews offer more flexibility. You can schedule them with less notice for both interviewers and candidates, without taking significant time out of your day. Interviewing virtually also means you can assess more applicants in less time, which is great if you’ve got a large number of candidates to assess.

2. Recruit top talent from anywhere

Recruiting remote workers expands the geographic boundaries of your applicant pool, allowing you to access the best talent. Candidates won’t be deterred by potentially having to travel long distances for an interview. It also doesn’t matter where you’re personally located as the recruiter, so you can still drive recruitment forward from home.

When remote candidates have a smooth virtual recruitment process, it reassures them they can work from home with confidence, thanks to the power of technology.

3. Improve diversity in the workplace

Many highly qualified and passionate candidates face barriers to work, some of which can be removed by virtual recruitment and remote working. Several groups face additional challenges, such as people with disabilities, mothers looking to re-join the workforce after a career break, and older people who are often overlooked.

For people who already need to work harder to stand out in a competitive employment market, in-person interviews add unnecessary strain to their job hunt. Remote recruitment supports a more inclusive process and a more diverse workforce, helping you find brilliant people from all backgrounds.

4. Candidates can relax in their own environment 

Most of us have felt job-interview nerves before. With casual phone calls and virtual interviews, candidates can speak to you from the comfort of their home. When people are in their own territory, they often feel more relaxed and perform better. They also don’t have to worry about travel costs, running late, or taking too much time out from their current job or responsibilities.

5. Quicker to hire

Recruitment is often fast-moving, making it even more important to fill roles quickly with the right people. The more efficient your recruitment process is, the more likely you are to hire someone great in less time. 

Virtual recruitment is a great solution when you’re looking to improve efficiency and save time as you can act immediately to secure and onboard the perfect candidate. 

Virtual recruitment challenges

Although remote recruiting has plenty of benefits, a few challenges are worth keeping in mind. You could potentially put measures in place to prevent them from becoming problems.

Technology issues

Outdated tech, video lag and connection dropouts are the three arch-rivals of virtual recruiting. Candidates and interviewers need clear video and audio to communicate smoothly throughout a video call. Constant video delays, requests to repeat yourself, and difficulty sharing screens can create a frustrating, awkward experience for everyone in attendance.

Technology tip: make sure your internet connection is reliable, and have a backup ready in case it drops, such as a phone hotspot or agreeing to call the candidate if the connection fails.

Onboarding can feel isolating

Traditional onboarding involves spending time with existing employees to learn ways of working and share skills. The first few months in a new job are crucial to making an employee feel welcomed and part of the team. If an employee works from home all the time and completes the onboarding process virtually, they might not get exposure to key parts of the organisation.

Onboarding tip: consider a ‘buddy system’ where new colleagues are paired with people outside of their immediate team to create company-wide connections while they settle in, or set up ‘coffee dates’ with each member of the team so people can get to know each other, ask questions and find ways to work together.

7 tips for recruiting remotely

1. Decide how to interview candidates

Video calls are usually the default way of interviewing remotely. However, there might be cases where video interviews aren’t suitable or necessary – perhaps because of the nature of the job or the candidates you want to attract. Some candidates may not be able to access video technology, or they may just not feel comfortable talking on screen. Depending on the job, a phone interview may be a more effective way to speak with candidates.

To be fair to all candidates, consider these points before you book interviews so you can choose the right option and run them smoothly.

2. Be fair and patient with your candidates

Make sure you’ve allowed the candidate to prepare. Send them clear instructions in advance on how to use your chosen video software. Different people use different apps regularly, so don’t assume they’ll immediately be familiar with yours.

If you’re asking the candidate to complete any tasks, tests or work samples remotely, email these well ahead of time and allow them the opportunity to ask questions if anything is unclear.

3. Choose a suitable place to conduct video interviews

We’re all pretty comfortable seeing our colleagues’ spare bedroom wallpaper, but for a job interview, try to find a quiet place with a decent background. You can always use a virtual background to hide a messy office or protect your privacy at home, if you prefer. Avoid unexpected interruptions by turning off notifications on your phone and computer.

Also, you may not need to be dressed as you would for a day in the office, but it’s generally best practice and respectful to make an effort to look reasonably smart – even as the interviewer.

4. Prepare for interviews

Take just as much time to prepare as you would for a face-to-face interview. If there’s anyone else interviewing with you, make sure they’ve read the candidate’s application and CV in advance. Our Applicant Tracking System can help with interview prep, as you can share applications and notes with all members of the interview panel, so you can collaborate easily. Plus, it’s free to use when you post a job with us using CharityJob Apply.

When it comes to note-taking, you don’t want to spend all your time looking down and typing, as this can be off-putting, so work out how you can take notes discreetly and securely. If you can’t avoid looking away occasionally, briefly mention that you’re taking notes to reassure them you’re paying attention. You could also consider using an AI note taker, though it’s common courtesy to inform the candidate and get their permission to use one.

5. Give the candidate time to speak

In video interviews, it’s harder to gauge pauses than in person. When a candidate is answering a question, pause a little longer than you would in person to ensure they have finished. This also helps to account for time lags or lack of usual social cues.

6. Respond to candidates when you say you will

Even if you never meet candidates in person, their time and efforts should still be respected. Provide them with a time frame of when they can expect to hear back – and stick to it. Even during busy recruitment periods, keep applicants well-informed at each stage of the interview process. Make every effort to respond to candidates when you said you would, and be upfront and honest about any delays. Our Applicant Tracking System makes it even easier to mass email candidates (plus you will have access to email templates) so it’s easy to ensure the candidate experience is a positive one. 

7. Put the candidate at ease and thank them for their time

No matter what the market looks like, the candidate experience matters. If your first-choice applicant has been offered two roles, you want their positive experience with you to mean they choose your offer. It could come down to being extra vigilant about treating people courteously.

Without being able to welcome and wrap up an interview as you would in person, you can unintentionally come across as a bit of an automaton on screen, which can make candidates feel disconnected. Emulate warmth virtually by asking how they are before you start, making usual small talk to break the ice, and ending the interview by genuinely thanking them for their time and effort.

Improve your remote recruitment processes with CharityJob

Looking to make the perfect hire through remote recruitment? Post a job with CharityJob and connect with qualified candidates effortlessly. Find the right talent and fill your not-for-profit vacancies with the skills you need, with our ATS by your side every step of the way

We offer four job ad packages to suit your needs and budget. Choosing the right package matters, as it determines the pool size, type and quality of candidates your ad will reach.

This post was originally published in 2020 and has been fully updated to ensure relevance and to reflect the current job seeker experience.