What is a virtual hiring event?
Hiring events are traditional ways for recruiters to connect with job seekers. Before the pandemic, this used to happen at job fairs and other related events. But ever since the pandemic, recruiters have had to rely on the virtual space for doing their job.
A virtual hiring event is an online event where job seekers and recruiters looking to hire virtual workers connect. A recent study has shown that 81% of recruiting experts believe that virtual recruiting is here at least for the immediate future. 70% of experts from the same study stated that virtual recruiting is here for the long run.
As we can see from the statistics given above, it is necessary to learn more about online recruitment. In this article, we are going to tell you how to host a successful virtual hiring event.
Steps to host a successful virtual hiring event
Hosting a virtual event requires a significant amount of time, planning, and work. Potential employees will have their first impressions about your company from such an event. So, you would want your event to appeal to as many candidates as possible.
Numerous companies are hosting virtual recruitment drives these days. So, to make sure that your company draws the right talents, you will need to ensure everything is in place for your event.
Let us outline the steps to follow to host a successful virtual recruitment event.
- Set distinct goals
Before everything, ask yourself what is the main goal of the event. You need to decide whether you are looking to provide information regarding your company to a general pool of job seekers or fill some particular positions.
Once you have decided on the goal of the event , you can set about deciding on other important things. Decide on the number of attendees you want to invite, the best virtual platform, cost estimation, and so on.
- Allocate a budget
Virtual events require a minimal budget compared to in-person hiring drives. But you still need to allocate a budget for the platform you are going to use. Moreover, if you wish to add some perks, or gift cards for the attendees, you will need to take that into account too.
- Decide on the hiring platform
Before you choose your hiring platform you will need to outline exactly what you need from the platform. Are you looking for live chat functionality, breakout rooms, ornetworking features? The platform needs to match with your requirements. Hosting an event on the wrong platform can harm your company’s image and put off potential recruits.
Perform a review of your needs and then research all the available platforms to find the one that suits you the best. Only then proceed with the platform.
- Decide on a date and time
While choosing a date you need to understand that your daily routine isn’t the only factor worth considering. You will need to research and find out which days would draw the most number of attendees. Most job seekers will have their current job on weekdays. And weekends are usually reserved for leisurely activities. So, you will need to find a date that works best for everybody. A mid-week holiday is an ideal time.
As for the time of the event, consider the demographic of the candidates you are looking to hire. If you are looking for office goers, or hybrid employees, they will most likely be local. But if you are looking to hire remote candidates, you will need to account for the time difference between your location and your prospective country of hire.
- Market your virtual hiring event
The world runs on marketing. So, no matter how great an event you put together, it will fail without proper marketing.Make sure you have a proper marketing campaign ready several weeks before the actual event is scheduled to take place.
You can send out emails to people in your guest list. Posting the event on job boards is also a good option. You can also spend some time on social media platforms like LinkedIn and send invites to the event to prospective candidates.
- Formulate an agenda
The agenda is meant to let your attendees know more about your event. This helps clear confusion and lets your candidates know which parts to focus on. Give a detailed time and schedule of the event. Also clearly mention how the event is going to take place. It can be live breakout rooms, one-on-one chats, and so on.
- Send out reminders
Send out reminders via emails a few days before the commencement of the event . In these emails, include the date, time, agenda, and any materials that you would like your attendees to familiarize themselves with beforehand. Apart from all these, make sure to include the link to the event.
Ask your attendees to check the audio and video of the link in advance to avoid unnecessary technical issues during the event.
- Follow up
Once the event is over, send out emails to all the attendees and thank them for their participation. You can also market the event on social media forums with any relevant information that you deem fit.
Ask people to look out for your next events and encourage them to join the future hiring events by your company.
Apart from these steps, here are some additional tips to follow for a successful virtual recruitment drive.
- Have a simple registration process
- Offer attendees networking opportunities
- Try to take advantage of the interview setting
- Have a Q&A session
- Give a virtual tour of your offices
- Hand out virtual swag bags
Final thoughts
Virtual events have become extremely popular, especially after the pandemic.. If you are looking to hire virtual employees from India, you have come to the right place. Contact us today to get started with the process. If you have any doubts, our experts are always available to help you out.
