Whew! 2020 thus far has surely been one of the roughest roller coaster rides most of us have ever experienced in our lifetime.

While the dust is finally starting to settle, businesses are reopening and we’re all still adapting to elbow bumps and hand waves instead of handshakes and hugs. This pandemic and the subsequent fall-out, of course, affects almost every aspect of the hiring process from first contact to interviews as well as obtaining documentation and administering drug tests.

The effects of “social distancing” have kept people apart and has significantly changed work habits across almost all business sectors. Even before the pandemic, the rise of remote “work from home” jobs have increased 270% since 2017. Some of us even remember back in 2001 when it was said we’d all be working from home by 2010. Better late than never, I suppose! In any case, FirstOption adopted and nailed the novel “Covid” hiring process very quickly in mid-March. We had to, to survive. Since then, we conduct all interviews by phone, as well as send out “mobile device friendly” skills assessments, since most workers do not have desktop computers anymore. We request and obtain all candidate on-boarding documents via our state of the art ATS platform, Avionte Bold.

Social media, especially through the pandemic, has been a double-edged sword for almost anyone over the age of 25. However contentious, Social Media is where everyone “hangs out,” especially in the time of this pandemic. For some, it’s their only way to socialize and has literally been a lifesaver for many. Social media is where FirstOption searches and finds many candidates. We post timely, accurate and relevant ads to draw the best qualified candidates for a job. We have a presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter if you’d like to see some examples of our job posts.

I mean, remember when you couldn’t get any toilet paper in April and May? What was with that?

Since businesses are reopening in droves, the supply chain has been strained to a breaking point. In fact, the supply chain is where over 50% of the open positions are today, including logistics and transportation. It’s important to know where to hunt for the right candidates to fill these important roles. Our experienced team pools together every weekday morning to brainstorm where we might search and find qualified applicants. We discuss which companies/industries have recently laid off workers and which ones will be getting laid off next. We also highly value word of mouth referrals through our candidates’ family and friends who are looking for work.

While we all have a long way to go to get back to a sense of normalcy, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. FirstOption has risen to the challenge of the abrupt changes in the hiring process. We stand ready to assist you with finding the most qualified candidates who will be the best assets to your company. Contact us today to help you with your next quest to find the perfect employee for your opening.