For the past 2 years, we’ve been closely watching the landscape in work environments change. From leaders rethinking how they interact and engage with their employees, to employees reassessing their day-to-day habits, all the way down to the interview process – the pandemic has undoubtedly changed the future of work. With travel restrictions being lifted and people going back to work with more flexibility than ever before, the question is – How do we resume?
As recruiters in the Fintech space, we’ve noticed that many of our clients who are hiring are still using technology to do interviews, even when they’re in the same city. And that technology offers some great advantages and benefits. Over the last 2 years, we’ve only had a small number of clients request in-person interviews with candidates. So has the interview landscape changed as a result of the pandemic, and has it changed for the better? Here’s our thoughts.
Catalysts for Change
As industry experts, we think the catalysts for change are many and varied, but actually mean we can do our jobs even better and provide a higher level of service as a result.
Without a doubt the explosion of video conferencing tools and software have become the lifeblood of the modern workplace. It allows people to collaborate whether they’re in the same hallway or halfway across the world, and as far as recruitment, it certainly makes the process faster and more efficient.
The Need for Speed
One of the main reasons why employers are missing out on top talent is because they aren’t acting on candidates fast enough. The need to act swiftly on candidates you think may be the perfect fit is crucial. Remote interviewing allows you to get a face-to-face conversation going within hours or even minutes of receiving someone’s application or making the initial contact if you’re headhunting. When you can show a candidate that you aren’t wasting any time and waiting around to see what other talent pops up, you have a better chance of securing that talent.
More Interviews, Less Time.
Recently we had a candidate for a very senior role speak to 4 different executives in 4 different interviews within one week. Had it not been for video conferencing, it may have taken weeks to schedule in-person interviews due to finding mutually convenient times in diaries. In the past, it would not have been deemed OK to have video interviews for such high-level roles. But now, it proves to be an efficient way to handle things.
Keep in mind that for higher-level roles, you could have 10+ interviews with people involved in different parts of the organisation before you’re hired, to really make sure the cultural fit is there. If you were to do in-person interviews, it could take weeks or even months to make them all happen. Nobody enjoys a long drawn-out interview process, and remote interviewing is a great solution for that.
Impact of Brexit and Remote First Organisations
Especially with Brexit, we’ve noticed that many companies with an E.U sales team are leaning towards a remote-first team. This addresses the changing requirements, but also allows employers to choose from a wider pool of global talent when hiring and reduces overhead business costs.
Most of the communication and most of the collaboration is happening online. So, for these organisations, conducting interviews the traditional in-person method doesn’t make sense. It’s more about assessing a candidate’s ability to perform well in a virtual environment. It also means that organisations are no longer hiring for likability alone, but are looking for new members that will boost the productivity of their team, are great communicators, and are able to problem solve on their own.
As Fintech recruiters that work closely with candidates and clients, we know the space well and are more than happy to help you recruit for Fintech sales roles or if you’re a candidate, find your perfect role. To learn more or to contact us, visit finitisearch.org.
