With Covid-19 shuttering the doors of retailers and restaurants alike, many businesses are thriving by thinking outside the box – sit-down restaurants have shifted to carryout service, grocery markets and butchers are now offering home delivery, salons are selling do-it-yourself dye kits, breweries are now manufacturing hand sanitizer, and apparel companies have shifted operations to make masks.
As a recruitment firm, you have likely been affected as well. Maybe your clients have shifted to Zoom video interviews, rather than bringing candidates in. Or, they may have slowed the hiring process or stopped it altogether. This means that, like the businesses mentioned earlier, you might want to start thinking creatively as well.
During an economic downturn or period of turmoil, some organizations will innovate and make adjustments, from which they will see the success continue long after this pandemic passes.
According to this article about wholesaler retailers thriving during the pandemic, “a successful long-term strategy involves identifying the aspects of your operation that you simply cannot afford to lose and focusing on the big picture.” Instead of scrambling and cold-calling and pushing sales on those who may not be interested… focus your efforts on your top clients or candidates. Call your client to assist with ideas on how to manage the crisis. Start a conversation with them, even if they are not hiring now.
If your client is hesitant to bring candidates in due to social distancing efforts, offer to facilitate video interviews. If your client has instituted a hiring freeze, think outside the box and ask them if they would consider contract/temp hiring, which often comes from a completely separate budget. Or, offer to build a pipeline of candidates for when the economy bounces back. If you are in an industry where jobs have completely dropped off, ask your clients if you can help them in another sector that hasn’t seen a dip – you can be their ‘one stop shop.’ If there really is just no job reqs you can work on for them, offer them other services, like competitor assessments or salary mapping. For candidates, offer resume reviewing, social media profile tidying up, or a salary benchmarking chat.
This is the time to think creatively and offer solutions, when most everyone else is scared and panicking. When this pandemic is all over, people will remember those recruiters who reached out and offered help.