The Impact Of Coronavirus on Recruitment

These are strange times we’re experiencing, with every day bringing more bizarre news and unprecedented challenges. Therefore, we felt it appropriate to write this blog post to keep our clients and candidates up to date. Of course, the situation changes daily, and we will keep this blog post up to date with how our business is responding to the current situation. What we’re referring to is, of course, the COVID-19 crisis and the significant impact of coronavirus on recruitment, especially in the United Kingdom.

We are monitoring the latest government advice and will do whatever we can to prevent the spread of the disease. Whatever happens, rest assured that the safety and wellbeing of our candidates, clients and employees remain our primary concern. First and foremost, we deeply value your loyalty. While we aim to place candidates in fulfilling jobs, we are committed to doing so as safely as possible.

Business As Usual?

Fortunately, the nature of recruiting means that the current situation has had minimal impact on our business. Recruitment agencies are lucky that most of a Recruitment Consultant’s job can be done digitally or over the phone. For the time being, the majority of our team are working from home. However, that does not mean we are any less productive!

We are continuing to receive new instructions to hire from our clients. Candidates also seem to be taking advantage of any downtime by applying for jobs. Thanks to the technology available to our clients, the majority of roles we advertise offer some degree of flexible working or home working. So while we can’t say, it’s quite business as usual, we are doing what we can to facilitate business continuity.

Using Technology To Lessen The Impact Of Coronavirus on Recruitment

Our clients are doing all they can to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. But obviously, still have roles they want to fill. By communicating with clients and candidates, we are doing all we can to ensure that job interviews go ahead but with minimal contact. Online communication tools such as; telephone interviews, conference calls, video interviews and Skype are proving invaluable in making this possible.

One of the most significant shifts we see at present is employers’ attitudes towards notice periods. For example, ordinarily, hiring managers are more drawn to candidates available for an immediate start or shorter notice periods. Under the current circumstances, however, getting these candidates settled in their new roles presents new challenges. 

We wouldn’t exactly say this is creating more opportunities for candidates with more extended notice periods. Although it certainly seems to have levelled the playing field, thus making it easier for candidates with longer notice periods to find work.

Of course, some candidates are on shorter notice periods, and our clients are keen for them to start. In these situations, we are doing all that we can to overcome any obstacles standing in the way.

Advice to Job Seekers And Businesses

Businesses – Is It Safe To Advertise a Vacancy?

Many employers are concerned about the impact of coronavirus on recruitment and it’s hardly surprising given the media coverage we’re seeing. It’s true that the knee jerk reaction of many companies was to immediately implement a recruitment freeze. This had an enormous impact on the recruitment sector, which saw several recruitment businesses closing their doors.

However, the short term dip within the technology sector of the recruitment industry was over very quickly. Certainly, our clients were very quick to adopt remote working, and adapting their recruiting process to interviewing candidates remotely. In fact, this new way of working seems to be so efficient that many clients intend to maintain these new working practices long-term, post covid-19.

So, if you have a role, you need to fill, our advice would be that now seems a great time to go ahead! Just bear in mind that you might need to be a little more creative than usual with your interviewing techniques.

Here are five ways a recruitment consultant can help in the current market conditions:

1. We subscribe to all the major job boards so you can keep your costs to a minimum
2. There are still a healthy pipeline of applications coming in for the vacancies we are currently advertising
3. Many businesses are not recruiting at present. Their hesitation presents the perfect opportunity to take your pick of the available talent within our database
4. Recruiters only charge for their services once a candidate accepts an offer of employment. Therefore, if we don’t fill your vacancy, it won’t cost you a penny
5. We have the recruitment technology available to facilitate remote interviewing while keeping your staff and candidates safe

Candidates – Is It Safe To Apply For Jobs Amid The Current Coronavirus Crisis?

Applying for jobs in times of crisis is a whole separate discussion, which we have tackled in a separate post. In short, the answer is yes – absolutely! From a health perspective, we are working with our clients to ensure our candidate’s physical safety.

As far as your career safety is concerned, we are not currently advertising any roles which are not likely to come to fruition. All the jobs you see posted on our site are active jobs that we are currently recruiting for.

Wishing you Well

We want to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones, all the best at this difficult time. Please, stay safe and take care of one another.

If you have any questions regarding how coronavirus is likely to impact your vacancy or job application, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are still here to support you!

If you know anyone who is worried about how the coronavirus is affecting recruitment, please feel free to share this post with them on social media. They will be sure to thank you for it!