Employers have benefitted from the time and cost savings of virtual events, but how can you make the experience better for candidates? Candidates are seeking virtual experiences that are humanized, transparent, and authentic. Candidates want to be engaged and have a unique experience they cannot get elsewhere when attending virtual events.
CareerEco recommends the following best practices for providing engaging experiences for candidates.
Best Practices – Before Your Event:
Use Social Media to Promote Your Presence in the Event
Let candidates know you are going to be at this event at this time. Present an opportunity that you are excited to talk about during the event. Mention any presentations that will be going on and any incentives for signing on! Use relevant hashtags and cross-promote in target groups.
Personalize Event Specific Content
Take the time to create an organization profile geared towards your target candidates. Include pictures, videos, testimonials, and other information about recent hires and/or alumni to demonstrate organization culture and showcase what it is like to be an employee. Provide a point of contact, career website, and social media links. Encourage all recruiters to upload profile pictures and include their position titles.
Create a unique Room Name and Greeting to pique candidates’ interest in your organization. Include custom content on how candidates can learn more about your openings and apply directly. Upload room content candidates can view within your Room on event day.
Post current job or internship opportunities or offer links to career application websites.
Prepare Your Team
Encourage your team to practice on the platform prior to event day. Understand the technology and the nuances of the system. Attend a training or work with the vendor to get your questions answered about how the platform works. The experience will be much smoother if you are familiar with the functions and features.
Ensure your team is also well-prepared to discuss the organization culture and any current openings. Studies show that social responsibility, meaning of work, and continuous learning and development are crucial to candidates. Understand the audience you are looking to reach, and be ready to answer the key questions that candidates are asking. Being well-prepared shows the candidates you are invested in learning about them!
Target students of interest, and reach out in an authentic way that references specific interest in them as a potential candidate. Candidates are more likely to respond to personalized messages and dismiss mass generic forms of outreach.
Best Practices – During Your Event:
Share Engaging Content
Share engaging content using our new content engagement window feature, host presentations, and provide information that is not available on the company website. Provide active opportunities, if possible, and if you are pointing candidates to your website, let them know why. Candidates expect to learn something they don’t already know (or can easily access online).
Use Available Platform Features to Connect with Candidates
CareerEco offers video and audio tools for presentations, panels, interviews, and pre-scheduled and impromptu private one-on-one meetings, giving you the face-to-face interaction needed to have meaningful interactions. Don’t miss out on using these features during the event to actively engage with candidates.
Use the “Messages” section on your Event Dashboard to send in-mail to candidates within the event who you would like to encourage to visit your event room.
Designate Candidates for Follow-up
Add candidates to your Prospect list, during the event, for easy identification later. Include Next Steps for each candidate so you know who you would like to follow-up with.
Best Practices – After Your Event:
Connect with Candidates (Personal Outreach is Key!)
CareerEco allows you to export all of the candidate information from the event according to keyword search criteria so you can continue engaging with candidates any time post-event. Before, during, and after an event, organizations can view a candidate’s resume, profile information, credentials, and other uploaded content.
Reach out to the candidates that you identified as prospects or assigned next steps to.
Follow these tips to help you and your candidates have a more productive virtual experience.
Contact events@careereco.com for additional assistance with preparing for a virtual event.