Written by: Talia Knowles
Talia Knowles is an avid reader, writer, and coffee enthusiast, with over five years of experience in writing and editing.
Reviewed by: Keca Ward
As a seasoned HR professional with over 20 years of experience, Keca is an expert in various aspects of Human Resources.
Updated on October 26, 2023
Even with the Covid-19 pandemic in the rearview mirror, many businesses have stuck with the shift to remote working.
One of the major benefits of this is that companies that operate remotely enjoy a much larger hiring pool — employees no longer need to live close enough to commute, literally opening up a world of possible candidates.
However, the shift to remote working also changed the game for recruiters, who can no longer count on wooing candidates in person. A new era of out-of-the-box thinking has arrived, as many businesses brainstorm how to recruit virtually.
Of course, virtual recruiting has long been an integral part of hiring, but if it has become your only option, you may feel like you’re quickly running out of ideas. Luckily, this guide will help you organize virtual recruiting events that deliver just what you need.
Recruiting events can range from traditional job fairs to Instagram live sessions, but they all have the same goal: to establish connections and attract new talent.
Though planning and organizing events take time and effort, the payoff usually makes it worthwhile.
At a successful event, your recruiting managers and the hiring team should be able to meet dozens of talented candidates within a few hours.
Suddenly, you’ve started conversations with a wave of promising job-seekers who, from their perspective, have a chance to get a feel for your company and their potential fit.
Some traditional recruiting events transfer easily from in-person to online, while others do not. Remote-focused recruiters may need to get creative to attract quality candidates, and we have some ideas to help.
A decade or two ago, a company with a distributed workforce, also known as a virtual or remote staff, had real difficulty finding and attracting top talent. These days, it still helps to have some creativity, but it’s doable thanks to the rise of virtual recruiting events.
Such events offer several major advantages. The first is that they are easy to organize. There’s no need to reserve the main conference room in advance or rent out a big space for the afternoon; just craft an agenda and send out the e-vites, and you’re good to go.
Nowadays, even companies looking to hire only in-office staff regularly organize online recruiting events because they understand and appreciate their benefits.
Another advantage of online events is greater accessibility for more diverse candidates. A 2021 study from the early career network Handshake found that women, students of color, and neurodiverse candidates preferred virtual events because they were more convenient and accessible.
In fact, nine out of 10 students preferred virtual events even post-pandemic, underscoring their growing appeal.
Virtual recruiting may seem less exciting than meeting people in the real world, but the truth is that it can often be more rewarding. For example, virtual recruiters can locate talent anywhere and bring top-tier international team members on board for a fresh perspective.
Because of their convenience, you may also notice increased turnout at virtual events.
After a long day at work, most people don’t want to get in the car and drive to an information session in an auditorium. However, if your event is online, they can tune in while cooking dinner or decompressing from the day.
Finally, virtual recruiting is much more cost-effective than in-person events! Because they are highly cost-effective, you can organize many more events with little financial risk.
Though you may choose to pay for some recruiting platforms, gone are the days of flying recruiters nationwide to attend job fairs, paying for expensive lunches, and renting out event spaces.
Now it’s time to dive into some ideas for virtual recruiting events. Feel free to put a unique spin on these events, as the more personal they feel, the more likely they are to attract the talent your organization needs.
Host a virtual career fair where job seekers can connect with recruiters and learn about available job opportunities.
Career fairs are the most common recruiting event — for a good reason. Everybody knows why they’re there, so employers and job-seekers get straight to business, seeking out candidates/opportunities and making connections.
Though you won’t be able to set up physical booths, separate chat rooms or breakout groups for each business in attendance will allow candidates to “mingle” with many different employers.
Especially since they often target recent graduates, career fairs are an efficient way to attract talented candidates and spread awareness about your company and its available positions.
A virtual career fair makes it difficult to attract candidates with free merch, but ensuring your online presence is friendly and informative will help keep attendees interested.
Talented professionals constantly seek to improve their skills and expand their knowledge. As a result, they find free training sessions and development opportunities highly appealing.
This means that online events offering free leadership coaching or customer service training, for example, would likely attract a promising crowd of potential applicants.
Webinars are a great way to showcase your company’s culture and values and provide valuable training covering career development, resume writing, or interview tips.
By sharing insights and perspectives on industry trends, company initiatives, and professional development opportunities, webinars provide a platform for companies to communicate their vision and mission to potential candidates.
Webinars are also a great setting for attendees to interact with company representatives, ask questions, and get a sense of the company’s culture and values. From the recruiting side, webinars can help to establish trust and build rapport with potential candidates.
Finally, webinars allow companies to assess candidates’ skills and expertise. By incorporating interactive elements such as quizzes, polls, and Q&A sessions, companies can test candidates’ knowledge and assess their ability to think critically and creatively.
Host virtual information sessions to educate potential candidates about your company’s culture, values, and mission. These sessions allow candidates to ask questions and engage with company representatives.
“Ask Me Anything,” or AMA, events are often popular with applicants as they offer an informal opportunity to familiarize themselves with the company and its culture.
These events can be held in person or online, as participants can submit questions through chat or directly participate in a call. Generally, the recruiting team works alongside the hiring manager to organize and host events and will spend a few hours answering relevant questions from attendees.
Other employees can also host or attend AMAs and provide insight into their position.
Another alternative to a formal information session is to use a fireside chat format. This is similar to an AMA but facilitates back-and-forth conversations rather than just Q&A. As the name implies, fireside chats are cozy and laid-back, so they are easy to plan and don’t require a schedule or slides.
Host virtual networking events to connect with potential candidates and build relationships with them. These events can include virtual coffee chats, Q&A sessions, or panel discussions with company leaders.
Host a series of virtual coffee chats where attendees can connect and discuss industry trends, professional development opportunities, and career goals.
Who doesn’t love a good happy hour? Virtual happy hours make space for attendees to unwind and socialize with each other over drinks and snacks.
A virtual speed networking event allows attendees to meet a variety of people quickly, exchange information, and build connections.
Host virtual panel discussions featuring industry experts, thought leaders, or company executives. These discussions can cover various topics related to your industry and provide attendees with valuable insights while recruiters get a feel for their potential as candidates.
Offer mentorship programs that pair experienced professionals with up-and-coming talent. These programs can provide a valuable opportunity for attendees to receive guidance and support from seasoned professionals and simultaneously grow your organization’s hiring pool.
Host virtual hackathons to test the skills of potential candidates and identify those who are a good fit for your company.
These events can also be a great way to showcase your company’s innovation and technology. Holding a contest that’s open to the public can be a great way to attract top talent and bring attention to your business and its available positions.
In a hackathon, participants generally work to solve a tech challenge to prove their coding skills.
But contests can prioritize an array of skills. One company looking for the world’s greatest salesperson invited contestants to deliver a sales pitch for a brick.
Though hackathons are primarily for the tech industry, you can design a hiring contest for almost any role. With a bit of luck, you’ll find your next rising star! Even if you don’t, you’ll likely have fun and meet a lot of talented job-seekers that might come into play down the line.
Offer virtual job shadowing opportunities where candidates can get a glimpse of what it’s like to work at your company. This can be a great way to showcase your company’s culture and values.
Allowing potential candidates to sit in on meetings, help out with daily tasks, and chat with current employees will give them a sense of what their daily routine would look like at your organization.
Virtual job shadowing will also let your employees get a sense of candidates and could indicate whether or not they would be a good fit for the company culture.
Though somewhat challenging virtually, you can also include an element of an open house in these shadow experiences. Rather than assigning one candidate to work with a current employee, designate a time when anyone with the link can pop into a virtual event.
Whether it’s an informal meeting or staff training, attendees can meet current employees, get a feel for the organization, and learn about available job opportunities.
Launch social media campaigns to attract potential candidates and build brand awareness. These campaigns can include contests, quizzes, and other interactive content.
However you choose to engage with your followers, the more familiar they are with your employer brand, the more likely they will be to send in an application when positions become available.
After all, remote recruiting no longer has to distinguish between customers and candidates, as future hires may already be big fans of your brand.
Countless job-seekers today place great value on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts, which are key to combating workplace discrimination.
Holding DEI training events and educational opportunities sends a positive message about your company culture that will appeal to a diverse candidate pool.
You could organize a panel discussion between knowledgeable staffers, a guest lecture, or interactive workshops on improving DEI in the workplace. Such events usually provide valuable education, initiate insightful conversations, and boost your firm’s brand as an employer.
Virtual recruiting is a constant challenge for all businesses, but scheduling the right events at the right time can work wonders for your hiring process.
Recruiting is far from a one-size fits all proposition, so it’s best to take the time to examine the best options and your company’s needs before starting to make plans.
But with a bit of preparation and planning, you could soon be hosting enjoyable, lively virtual events that attract waves of impressively talented candidates and put your company on the road to long-term success.
Virtual recruiting is becoming more popular because it allows companies to reach a wider audience of potential candidates and engage with them more conveniently and efficiently. It also helps to reduce the costs and logistics associated with in-person recruiting events.
Companies can make virtual recruiting events more engaging by providing interactive content such as games, quizzes, and polls, offering virtual tours or job shadowing opportunities, showcasing employee testimonials, and using video or live streaming to connect with attendees in real time.
Some potential challenges of virtual recruiting include the need for strong internet connectivity, the potential for technical glitches or difficulties, the potential for lack of engagement or interaction with attendees, and the need for effective follow-up and communication with attendees after the event.
Companies can measure the success of virtual recruiting events by tracking metrics such as attendance rates, engagement levels, the number of job applications received, and the number of candidates hired as a result.
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