Cappfinity led ISE’s recent webinar on the importance of an authentic candidate experience during the pandemic. Here we share our experts’ top tips.

The coronavirus outbreak has created a new wave of authenticity as home and work lives merge. In recruitment, the new reality is driving companies to overhaul their assessment processes and replace traditional approaches with innovative alternatives that provide an authentic, immersive experience for candidates, simulating the true nature of work in a digital environment.

In our recent ISE webinar, Cappfinity Co-founder Nicky Garcea and guest speakers Tom Banham, Director of Employability and Careers at University of York, Tom Chesterton, Chief Executive & Founder at Tonic Agency, and Cappfinity’s Development Solutions Lead Reena Jamnadas, explored how the unfolding pandemic is reshaping recruitment and the importance of an authentic candidate experience.

We discussed why taking the job to the candidate is more important than ever and the challenges businesses face in finding the right blend of humanity and technology.

Here are some of the tips our speakers shared – watch the full webinar to find out more:

We’re only human

If you’re in the people business, don’t ignore human emotions. Listen to these first, then use all the data you can. Act boldly and decisively and be prepared to iterate. People are worried and uncertain, so you’ll be rewarded for easing those concerns and forgiven for not being right all the time. In that respect, nothing has changed.

Re-imagine campus engagement

Campus activity will not go back to what it was. Organisations can add the greatest value by offering input to sessions that support:

• Skills development
• Collaborating with other employers on sector topics
• FAQ sessions

Transparent communication

Communicate with a strong sense of purpose, be bold in your transparency about the reality of your landscape, and be inspirational about where candidates and employees can make a difference.

Attraction is assessment

As you increase your automation and limit your ‘real-time-interaction’, increase intimacy:

• Storytelling
• Realism
• Transparency

What’s next?

Cappfinity have been thinking about how we can provide support for individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic.

Following the success of Cappfinity’s #StrengthsTogether campaign, which helped more than 25,000 people realise their strengths, we’re now working with New York Times best-selling author and workplace expert, Lindsey Pollak, on #2020Strong. This is a groundbreaking global research project exploring the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the graduating class of 2020 and the future of graduate hiring.

We’ll be sharing our findings with employers of entry-level talent and university careers services through a range of digital content including a webinar series. We’re also supporting the graduating Class of 2020 to realise their strengths and explore potential future career paths by providing a free online Strengths Profile and digital Career Guide until the end of May.

Register here to receive our research findings and digital content and to find out more about #2020Strong.

Watch ISE Webinar – the importance of an authentic candidate experience in the time of Coronavirus