The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the US economy and left many people fearing for their jobs. For businesses that play their cards right, this presents unique recruitment opportunities. Here is a short guide on how to tackle recruitment during a pandemic.

Put Your Business Out There:

Many of the usual channels that businesses rely on to provide them with a steady flow of new workers have dried up due to the pandemic. Waiting for talent to come to you is no longer an option, if it ever was. If you want to keep recruiting during the pandemic, you're going to have to let people know that you have vacancies. Advertising job postings online is always a good idea. However, it is now the only way that many businesses can realistically promote job listings.

If you've never recruited online before, don't panic. The same rules apply to online recruitment as offline recruitment. If you are already recruiting new staff online, you should consider either expanding your recruitment efforts or streamlining them.

Expanding your online recruitment simply means looking to recruit more staff online than you currently are. On the other hand, streamlining your online recruitment will involve focusing on the platforms and channels that are likely to provide the highest quality candidates. Additionally, streamlining your recruitment process using recruitment software would be helpful in increasing the efficiency of your HR department.

Be Realistic in Your Ask

The pandemic has made things difficult for everyone. It isn't just businesses that are struggling. Many workers are looking for a job when there is significant uncertainty in the market, and most companies are reticent to take on new staff.

That's not to say that there aren't opportunities for both businesses and workers despite the pandemic. However, if you're expecting workers to sign with your business right now, you are going to have to make it worth their while.

If your industry is a particularly high-risk one in terms of exposure to COVID-19, this is something you should factor into your recruitment. Every employer has a moral, if not legal, obligation to ensure that their staff and customers are as safe as possible. Job listings for your business should specify that you are taking measures to keep everyone safe from the coronavirus.

It is also essential that you are realistic and honest about how much work you can offer. Things are unpredictable right now. Many full-time workers are having to take on part-time roles owing to the lack of business right now. There are many people out there who would be happy with a part-time job right now, especially those who have been laid off elsewhere. There is no sense in taking on new members of full-time staff if there is any doubt about whether you will be able to provide them with full-time hours.

Use International Recruiters:

With most of the world still subject to strict travel restrictions, flying abroad to head up a recruitment drive overseas is difficult logistically. Most managers would also probably prefer to avoid unnecessary travel right now.

Covid-19 has hit different businesses in different ways. To some companies, recruitment is the last thing on their mind. This attitude is hardly surprising, given that COVID-19 has decimated entire industries. But that doesn’t mean the need to recruit new staff internationally has dried up.

For businesses that still need to recruit workers overseas, it might be time to start looking at other options. If you can’t oversee recruitment in person, you can turn to an international recruitment agency like New Horizons Global Partners. They offer numerous services, including international recruitment across the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions. You can read more here if this sounds like the kind of service your business needs.

Be Flexible:

No one can say with any kind of certainty what the American economy’s future will look like. All we can say at this point is that we have yet to see the full extent of the damage that this pandemic is going to cause. Around the world, advanced economies are bracing themselves for mass unemployment and the failure of businesses. The businesses that stand the best chance of surviving through the current crisis are those that can be flexible in their approaches. Before the pandemic, you may have had some stringent requirements in place for new recruits. Of course, you should never compromise on your standards. But if you are willing to be a little bit more flexible about who you employ and under what terms, you will find it much easier to plug any holes in your company as soon as they become apparent. Covid-19 has thrown up innumerable challenges for businesses and workers, many of which were entirely unprecedented. Everyone has had to make rapid adjustments to their lives and lifestyles because of the virus, which has had knock-on effects for the economy. The job market is all over the place right now, but that doesn’t mean that recruitment has stopped entirely. It is still essential to make sure you are adequately staffed by talented workers. Sticking to the advice above will help you achieve that.