The world has definitely changed after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when it comes to the way we work. While it used to be that everyone drove to and worked in a physical office to do their eight hours, safety concerns and the need to socially distance required companies to turn to a remote workforce or close their doors. Many companies have since clung to this new way of working and are deciding to keep their employees at home.
This officially began a digital age where we meet online more than we do in person, and many employees only see each other over video conferencing apps. The way we find jobs has also changed, with many job seekers attending digital networking events. If you are an employer who hopes to capture this audience, then you need to lead smart and effective digital recruitment events. Let’s talk about the importance of these get-togethers and how you can ensure that you find the best candidates.
The benefits of digital recruitment events
There are many companies and recruiters that may believe that in-person events are still the way to go because they allow people to shake hands and create an instant connection. While that is true, there are actually many great benefits of digital recruiting that you can’t get in a physical atmosphere. For starters, you can reach a candidate base that is exponentially wider than anything you could get at the in-person level.
Think about it. Instead of just relying on the people in your town or within the radius of your business, you could instead reach candidates on an international scale and hire anyone from anywhere. In our new digital world of email and cloud systems, many companies can have people outside of the country complete their tasks, so you should not limit the potential for finding the right person for the job.
There are numerous other perks to recruiting events, such as their positive environmental impact. When you have a gathering in a physical location, you are asking people to drive cars that produce dangerous carbon emissions. Plus, in-person events often have food and beverage services, and wherever is left over is typically thrown out, which creates unnecessary waste. Digital events eliminate these risks.
Finally, by having your event online, your organization is saving a ton of money since you don’t have to secure a building, add decorations, order food, potentially pay for parking, and other miscellaneous costs. The gathering won’t be free, but you will save a lot of money which could enable you to have more recruitment events in the future.
How to make it work for everyone
So, now that you know why digital recruitment events are a good idea, you need to plan yours accordingly so you can get the best results and find the ideal candidates. There are many techniques and tactics that you can try. Start by choosing the best software for registration and attendance analytics so you can successfully launch the event and make sure you are attracting the right people. There are many great programs to choose from, including Eventbrite, which allows you to easily sell tickets online and enables you to communicate and spread the message of your event over social media.
Many software packages also give you the tools you need to encourage collaborative discussions during the event. A good program is Eventee, which offers options to launch and moderate live questions and polls. In many cases, the video hosting platform that you choose can ensure that everyone is seen and allow for open discussion. For instance, Zoom has the option to have a live chat right there on the platform so all attendees can see the questions and answers.
When hosting recruitment sessions, it is important to keep in mind that everyone should have a chance to experience the meeting to its full potential, so remember to make the event accessible to all users. In this digital world, you must remember that all attendees won’t be able to see your online content in the same way. Some people may be color blind, deaf, or just not as familiar with computers as someone else.
To cater to all employees and prevent the potential of ableism in the workplace, make your invites and presentations easy to see and provide subtitles for everything. Also, choose high-contrast colors on your website that are easier to read and give your links descriptive names, so everyone knows where to click.
After the event
While the recruitment event itself is important, how you follow up with all of the attendees could be a game-changer. After the conclusion, send everyone a thank you note that expresses your gratitude for their attendance and provides any next steps if necessary. You can also inform them of any other future events that you plan to hold so that they can mark their calendar. Make sure to personalize each attendee’s name, so they feel valued when they receive the thank you note.
You should also put some thought into offering and sending out promotional products after the event. It is not necessary to go overboard. Sometimes even a pen or bottle of hand sanitizer with your company’s name emblazoned on it will be enough. There are many benefits to promotional products, starting with the fact that the candidates will remember your company and apply online. Promotional products can also help your company’s bottom line by promoting brand awareness because if someone walks around with your tote bag or water bottle, then other people might notice and ask about the company or look you up online.
Finally, if during the event, you promised to follow up with all attendees by a given date, then make sure that you follow through. If you don’t, then that candidate might think that you were not serious about the job opportunities, and they may choose to look elsewhere. You do not want to lose a potentially perfect employee like that.
As you can see, there are a lot of great rewards that can come from hosting a digital event, and you could find great candidates in the process. Consider the tips above to make your gathering a true success.
About the Author:
Jori Hamilton is an experienced writer residing in the Northwestern U.S. She covers a wide range of topics but takes a particular interest in covering topics related to business productivity and marketing strategies.
