How virtual recruiting events improve candidate engagement

Virtual recruiting events and online hiring platforms improve candidate engagement more, and faster, than traditional in-person career fairs ever did. For starters, virtual recruiting events draw more attention, with average attendance rates around 50-60%, typically much higher than in-person events. Virtual career fairs also make it easier to candidates to connect with recruiters at employers of choice, and to engage with multiple potential employers within a short period of time. Requiring no travel means virtual recruiting events save candidates money as well, an important factor for those who are job hunting on a tight budget. All of these factors contribute to an environment where candidates are more engaged, which can make it easier for organizations to identify and hire the right talent.

Making the job hunt easy and convenient

Virtual recruiting events offer a lot of perks for employers and candidates alike. Candidates benefit from the ability to join a recruiting event from the comfort of their home, while traveling, or even from their car while on a lunch break. The best virtual event platforms are optimized for mobile devices as well, making events more accessible for candidates who don’t have immediate access to a laptop or desktop computer. Virtual recruiting events accommodates flexible schedules, eliminates the need for travel (or pants), and multi-organization events make it easy for candidates to connect with multiple potential employers in a short amount of time. Even at an in-person career fair with many employers, candidates do not always get the chance to talk to a recruiter or hiring manager at each company they are interested in, adding up to missed opportunities for organizations and job seekers alike.

Virtual recruiting events are fun and interactive

Let’s face it. Traditional in-person career fairs can be boring and disorienting, often with a lot of job seekers packed into a space that is challenging to navigate. Candidates can easily feel like they are just a face in a crowd. However, virtual recruiting events offer a totally different experience. With personalized invitations and other pre-event messaging, employers help candidates feel special. During virtual recruiting events, features like one-on-one video chat give candidates time and attention they might not necessarily experience during a busy in-person career fair (even if you’ve been doing onsite interviews at those events). And when it comes to candidate engagement, this difference matters a lot. In a survey of healthcare job seekers, we found that more than 57% of respondents said that they are either likely or very likely to apply after talking to a recruiter.

Follow-ups leave no candidate behind

Online recruiting events make it easier to continue conversations with candidates, the key to building long term relationships. Automatic follow-ups make sure every job seeker who registered gets additional attention, whether it’s “it was nice to meet you, we’ll keep you on file” or “let’s schedule another interview.” These follow-ups also help employers connect with job seekers who didn’t make it to the event, so you can recapture the attention of candidates who might otherwise never be heard from again. While some 60% of job seekers are likely to abandon a lengthy or complex job application, using a platform that makes it easy to follow up with candidates helps you keep their attention longer, and improve those conversion rates.

Higher engagement leads to better hires

Improving candidate engagement throughout your recruiting process leads to better quality hires. And, as talent acquisition leaders know all too well, better hires leads to better retention, increased employee engagement, and better business outcomes. Using virtual recruiting events to connect with candidates is a straightforward way to boost candidate engagement, assuming you plan your events in advance and take advantage of the platform’s features, like embedded video and follow up messages. Successful online hiring events help you represent your brand, attract the right talent, and connect with candidates who are enthusiastic about the opportunity to join your team.