Articles 
All very suddenly, virtual recruiting events have jumped to the forefront of our minds after playing second fiddle to the now coveted and much missed face-to-face events. As a lot of events that were going to be carried out in-person have now been canceled or postponed over the last two years, virtual job fairs and recruiting events have never been more important.
But, even before we found ourselves working remotely, virtual recruiting booths had already made their way into many hiring processes and were fast becoming commonplace at many events. Last-minute meetings, travel problems or timing issues meant many attendees have had to connect virtually to conferences and events they would have usually attended in person.
Not only has this strategy been effective in including those individuals who cannot physically be there but fully virtual events have been added to event calendars in their own right to bolster recruitment strategies. Many of Avature’s clients have already been carrying out virtual events to engage with a wider audience and capture candidates they wouldn’t have normally been able to connect with.
This article will provide an introduction to virtual events, including how effective engagement often depends on using the right virtual events platform.
When Social Distancing Makes Us More Sociable
What was it that led us to spend the first two weeks of quarantine catching up with everyone in our address books, even people outside our address books, some of which we hadn’t spoken to in years? The answer lies in the fact that despite the physical distance between us, we all want to continue to feel connected.
This is no different from how candidates feel towards their prospective employers. Despite hiring freezes being commonplace, many who would have normally been attending your recruitment event or your booth at a job fair have not suddenly stopped thinking about their careers. As such, you shouldn’t hold off attracting, engaging and nurturing them.
It is also important to mention that there are a lot of talented people who have unfortunately lost their jobs due to unprecedented economic circumstances.
Two years into the pandemic, there exists ample opportunity to show candidates that you care and support them by creating an event that allows them to keep their fingers on the pulse of the job market. This doesn’t have to be a pure recruitment event but can be centered around industry commentary. For example, providing expertise from within your company that delivers value. When the time comes for candidates to apply in the future, you can be sure that an event like this will keep your brand fresh in their minds.
Give Your Virtual Recruiting Event the Love It Deserves
Just because your event is virtual does not mean you shouldn’t give it the love you normally would, so allow your employer brand to shine with customized sites and landing pages. Promote your employer brand through all your invitations, promotion, registrations and interview scheduling portals.
Also, be sure to nurture talent post-event with automated and tailored communications. Make it a point to provide attendees a great candidate journey – from their first interaction to their final touchpoint.
Whether it’s virtual campus events, virtual job fairs, virtual open days or another type of virtual recruiting event, Avature can help you connect and engage with candidates, wherever they are.
It’s no secret that many candidates are currently on social media, probably more frequently than before. Subsequently, allowing them to register for upcoming events through social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Xing or Monster means your organization will always be in the right place at the right time.
To add the cherry on top, Avature can help you assess the success of your events as you normally would with comprehensive dashboards and reports. Measure email campaign analytics, time-to-hire, applicant conversion analytics, event expenses, program and event performance – and more – with built-in, real-time reports. Remember, KPIs will help you hone your event strategy and improve your results.
Keep Your Candidate Pipelines Flowing
The conclusion?
Don’t turn your employer brand off even though candidates are home – they are thirsty for engagement and have more than enough time on their hands to contemplate their next career move. Soon enough, we will return to a recruiting landscape where in-person events will be the norm. It will be those companies who connected through virtual events during this period of uncertainty that will have full pipelines and top-tier candidates to come back to.
But remember, virtual events are here to stay, even once the health crisis comes to an end. Even though there will always be a desire for face-to-face networking and interaction, the undeniable benefits and subsequent ROI mean that virtual events will continue to sit alongside physical events to play a significant role in comprehensive recruitment strategies for the foreseeable future.
