
Remote Work Is Here to Stay: 3 Common Challenges Faced When Hiring Top Executive Talent for a Remote Position
While the COVID-19 crisis has resulted in hiring freezes, there has been a substantial number of executives still being hired.
In many situations, hiring is continuing remotely and in non-traditional ways. Remote hiring is likely here to stay, and this environment offers its own unique hiring challenges that companies must address. Below are three common challenges that must be considered when hiring a top executive remotely.
Three Common Challenges Companies Face When Hiring Top Executives
1) Holding a Remote Interview Process
For both applicants and employers, a completely virtual hiring process can undermine confidence in the process. To make up for this, some businesses have leaned into the amount of time they invest in candidates, intending to make them comfortable enough to make a significant career change. For the executive team, this means investing much more time teaching each candidate about the organization and culture at all stages of the hiring process.
Usually, executives at a company spend around an hour talking to each top candidate on the phone before moving into the assessment stage. Right now, candidates need more time with company executives to understand the organization and the position at a granular level.
Executive candidates have typically searched for back-channel references on potential employers. This involves talking to both executive peers and clients of the company. Given that executive managers may not be able to meet with crucial back-channel references in person, candidates ought to be provided with a shortlist of individuals that can speak to the character of both the executive team and the organization as a whole. Prospects will benefit considerably from talking with clients to comprehend its value through its goods and services.
2) Conducting Assessments
A structured hiring process is a lot more vital in the current environment, and a big component of candidate assessment is broad reference checks. This will include talking to formal and back-channel references, both of which involve talking with those who have substantial direct experience with an applicant. For each reference, it’s essential to determine how closely they worked with the candidate in question.
Typically a scorecard based on a list of five 5 to 8 critical abilities, qualities, and experiences, can help with the hiring process. The key is to make sure the candidate hired is the correct fit for the position. When used in addition to other best practices, scorecards considerably improve hiring success. Remember to keep scorecards confidential. Also, everyone on the hiring team should agree about the essential abilities and attribute list ahead of starting a search. These assessments also make it easy to compare the pros and cons of different candidates
3) That Personal Touch
Given the status and unique nature of executive positions, a personal touch is key to attracting and hiring the best candidates. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has made offering a personal touch more complicated.
Currently, one way to do that is to send candidates a package of company-branded swag. To do this, make up a care package with items they would usually get if they visited company offices. Another possible step is to offer a virtual office tour. Using a live stream or a prerecorded video is a great option.
We Can Help You Find Your Next Executive
At ZDA, we have years of experience helping our clients find the best executive candidates for their open position. Please reach out to us today to learn more about how we can support your next executive search.