Recruiting in the COVID era – key questions to ask prospective candidates

Recruiting in 2021 has changed, and there’s a global pandemic to thank for that. As workplaces are having to deal with new practices and ways of conducting business, so too have employers had to adapt to previously untapped interviewing processes.

But it isn’t just the process that’s had to change. With such upheaval to the ways in which we work, employers would do well to question potential candidates about subjects that are increasingly relevant to these times, and to the future of work.

On working remotely

It’s very likely that remote work will be adopted to some degree going forward, and it would be useful to gauge a candidate’s stance on this. Take the opportunity to ask about their capabilities to handle technical issues when they occur, how they feel about collaborating with others – both within and outside your organisation – online rather than face to face, and what they would do to help build and maintain relationships with fellow colleagues in a remote work environment. 

On how they perform in a crisis

It’s possible that everyone at some point throughout 2020 has had to deal with a difficult scenario – either at work or in their personal lives. Learning about a person’s capabilities for handling a crisis could reveal their capacity to problem solve on the job, so asking them to share a scenario in which they’ve had to step up could deliver an insightful reply. 

On their COVID-related concerns

With the labour market having been a pretty tenuous place of late, many job seekers have felt anxious about the idea of changing job during such an unprecedented time. Ask new recruits about their fears and concerns linked to starting afresh in the midst of a global economic crisis and whether they feel they can handle the uncertainty of an unknown future work environment – it might tell you something valuable about their personality.   

On their best qualities

We’ve heard countless arguments in favour of re-skilling, up-skilling and applying oneself to novel work scenarios as deemed necessary by these trying times. Knowing whether a candidate can respond to such changes in a positive way will tell you whether they’re suitable for your work environment. Ask them to share their best qualities and – among those needed for the role – look out for key traits such as ‘adaptable’, ‘problem solver’, ‘resilient’.

On their ideal work culture

Now more than ever, having a strong work culture that colleagues identify with is crucial to maintaining a low staff turnover and a happy workforce. Ask potential candidates what they consider to be an ideal work culture that they see themselves fitting in, and based on their reply, evaluate whether you can see them fitting in yours.