17 of the Best Tools to Find and Interview Remote Candidates. Kelsey is looking for a job. Unfortunately, you don’t know Kelsey exists because she lives 1,691 miles away. An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is software that helps managers and recruiters streamline the hiring process by digitizing and automating essential hiring functions, like scheduling interviews or performing background checks. Lever helps companies source, interview, and hire “top-tier” talent, people who may not even be job hunting at the moment. Price: The basic package will run you $399.99 per month. Proven streamlines the hiring process for small businesses, letting you post a job ad to more than a hundred popular job board sites, then categorize your responses into buckets for quick, convenient reference. Or you can send her a link and watch her work, in real time on your screen, as she takes your test remotely. Codility, like the other tools on this list, will help you source, screen, and interview technical talent. “Hi, Kelsey,” you say, “how was your flight?” “It was quick and easy, thank you for asking,” she says, smiling.
You don’t know it yet, but you need Kelsey.
She’s an ideal fit, the right mix of smarts and experience, temperament and personality. She’s the missing link your department has been looking for, needing. Thankfully, the need is mutual. Kelsey is looking for a job.
Unfortunately, you don’t know Kelsey exists because she lives 1,691 miles away. And you probably never will because, right now, there’s a room full of candidates sitting outside your office, eager to impress in a face-to-face interview.
You’d hire one of them before spending the time and money to source long-distance talent, right? It’s more convenient, after all. Not to mention less expensive, less risky. Kelsey can’t compete with that local, in-person pool … right?
Wrong. There’s a trove of online tools designed to help you easily find and confidently hire Kelsey. You just need to start using them.
17 Tools to Find & Interview Remote Candidates
If you’re not sourcing talent outside of your zip code, then that’s too bad because your competitors are. They’re using a variety of tools that streamline how they find and connect with candidates, specifically knowledge workers.
Most of these tools fall under one of three categories:
- Basic video conferencing tools, which create authentic connections.
- Applicant tracking systems, which automate the recruitment process.
- Technical assessment platforms, which test critical knowledge and skills.
Let’s take a closer look …
Basic Video Conferencing Tools
I live in Chicago. My three nephews live in Maryland. Physically, we’re hundreds of miles apart. But that reality, somehow, melts away as soon as my sister picks up my FaceTime call. That’s when the boys rush in from every direction, vying for their piece of on-screen real estate, giggling through their gap-toothed smiles.
It’s a wonderful experience, warm and personal. It feels real, like I’m there with them.
That’s what makes video calls so potent and powerful: They help us forget we’re not in-person. They cut through the distance. They put Kelsey on the same plane as all those in-person candidates.
Use these tools to achieve an authentic connection with anyone, regardless of how many miles separate you:
Google Hangouts is available to anyone with a Google account. Beautiful, simple, and intuitive, the Hangouts icon has become a standard fixture on desktops around the world. Your candidate will have it.
Price: Free.
Skype is proven. In addition to video chats, it can also be used to place high-quality global calls.
Price: Free. The “Business” plan, however, runs around $2 per user per month.
Spark Hire is like Google Hangouts or Skype, except you don’t have to be present during the interview. The tool lets candidates record their video answers on their own time, while you’re off in another meeting, or eating lunch, or sleeping.
You can then watch and evaluate on your time, when you’re ready.
Price: $99 a month will get you started.
VidCruiter can display your logo in the corner of the screen during a video interview, giving the process a professional, official veneer. The platform offers a variety of similar customizations that are simple to test and apply.
Price: Tailored to each customer, true to the platform itself.
Applicant Tracking Systems
Hiring only one person can be a long, involved process. Hiring many people, all at once, successfully, can be impossible. There are too many boxes to check, too many tasks to juggle. You’d need a team to make the process efficient and economical … or would you?
An applicant tracking system, or ATS, is software that helps managers and recruiters streamline the hiring process by digitizing and automating essential hiring functions, like scheduling interviews or performing background checks.
An ATS can also be programed to crawl resumes and find great-fit candidates, like Kelsey. This will save you time and energy. There is no doubt it’s a valuable tool, especially if you’re hiring several positions at once.
Curious? Here’s our list of…
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