Trendy Hiring Tactics For 2020

It could be 1920 or 2020 and the fact is when it comes to hiring some things never change. The issues insurance agencies face are consistent across the board:

• How do we source and attract top talent?
• How can we gain a competitive edge in the recruiting process?
• How can we ensure new hires are successful, long-lasting employees?
• How can we combat the talent shortage and fill openings quickly?

Thankfully answers to these questions might lie outside of the insurance industry. Human resources and talent acquisition groups in other business segments are pushing techniques that insurance organizations can adopt. Here are a few of the trendiest topics you can use to screen, recruit and secure top talent.

Virtual Resumes

Reviewing paper resumes are a no-brainer, but do you know about virtual resumes? According to ZipRecruiter, most candidates are cyber-vetted before an interview. Takes the Google search you’ve done one step further. A virtual resume aggregates all forms of online information about a candidate to complement a traditional resume. Examples include:

• LinkedIn profile;
• Personal websites and social media;
• Video bios;
• Infographics;
• Multimedia presentations; and
• Biographical information.

Why Compile Virtual Resumes?

1. Learn more about the candidate’s social media behavior. Are they actively engaged online? Is this for personal or professional use? Do these posts positively or negatively match your company’s culture, goals and open positions?
2. Audit and verify resume accuracy. According to HireRight’s 2017 employment screening benchmark report, 85% of employers caught applicants lying on resumes/applications. This is up for 66% five years ago.
3. Supporting documentation. LinkedIn and other social channels allow professionals to upload documents, articles and presentations they’ve created so you can see their work product first-hand.
4. A list of references. Online recommendations and endorsements may be more honest and real-time than the standard 3-5 professional references listed on an application.

Virtual Interviewing

Phone screens will continue to be the first line of defense, but most hiring managers say there is no substitute for in-person interviews. This is where virtual interviewing comes in. According to Best Money Moves, with remote work on the rise, phone and video interviews will occur more frequently. How can you incorporate virtual interviewing?

• Zoom, GoToMeeting and Skype are your best way portals for a professional interview. Be careful with Facetime; it won’t give you the same desired face-to-face effect.
• Request the candidate’s Skype username. This can be added to your applications, questionnaires or a segment of their resume.

Passive Candidates

Desperation seeps through even the most highly automated application process. Sometimes active job seekers become aggressive and you do not want multiple applications cluttering your inbox. Social skills are the new frontier of writing job descriptions; it greatly improves passive candidate applicant rates. According to Page Up, the demand for social and emotional skills will grow across all industries by 26% in the United States.

Pro Tip: Your job postings should be littered with “skills of the heart” keywords such as:

• Collaboration;
• Agility;
• Communication; and
• Reasoning.

Portfolio Careers Are the New Contract

ZipRecruiter says by the end of 2020 more than 40% of the U.S. workforce will be “contingent workers.” That’s 60-plus million people classified as 1099 or “less than full-time.”

How can you match contract workers with current openings? Insurance is a conservative industry yet toying more and more with adopting contingency workers. Portfolio careers describes job seekers in non-traditional roles.

• Update your Careers page with categories and keywords people can use to search openings: Direct Hire/Permanent, Part-Time or Contract.
• Include this question in phone screens: “What type of employment status are you open to considering? Perm, Temp or Both?”
• Provide resources to 1099 employees. This is especially helpful for long-term contract employees.

Topics Talent Training Development