Katy McCreesh

Being proactive is key to building and maintaining relationships when working remotely. Reach out to people to set up calls/virtual coffee chats etc, discuss work topics but also personal life, ask how they are doing and take interest to show you are engaged in building the relationship. If you are aware of projects within the team, connect with colleagues and offer to collaborate and work together to achieve the goal, or possibly learn a new topic/skill from them. This can help you but also your colleague in feeling a sense of value they can bring.

An ATS can streamline multiple processes within the whole hiring process. Some of which include the ability to post the job description across multiple channels through one click, as opposed to signing into the different sites and individually posting on each one, saving time and potential human error. Another great benefit is the automation of communication to applicants, having their contact details parsed into the system and being able to message directly from that. This also correlates with managing your workflow, being able to track the applicants through presentation, interviews, offers, feedback, call scheduling etc, resulting in a more organised work system and enhanced candidate experience if they are kept in touch with.

From the offset, ensure there is a mutual understanding in the requirements and expectations the client has. Frequent communication throughout the process is necessary, particularly to prevent issues and provide them with a clear view of the market in relation to their needs/wants. Discussing any concerns such as the salary range not being feasible, maybe the "must haves" are too specific and the client needs to be a little more flexible... having that open and honest form of communication helps manage their expectations too so things don't come as a shock in the final stages.

I like to ask why a candidate is looking to make a move & what made them interested in applying to that particular role/company - the answers to these can determine how interested & dedicated they are to that role/company, or if the motivator is something as simple as a higher salary. Building a rapport with the candidate helps them feel more comfortable in being honest with you. I also ask if they have any other interviews and at what stages - not everyone will disclose this information but it's good to help manage your hiring managers expectations and interview timelines. Asking a candidate how the roles compare and their level of interest can help a recruiter understand if a counter offer was given, which way the candidate may sway.

- the least clicks the better! Being able to access, review and sort through many applications clearly and quickly without doing a lot of steps - Keyword matching / customising screening criteria per job posting to minimise irrelvant applications - Candidate scoring - list applications in order of score/suitability to the job requirements

Setting boundries is very important, but doing so politely and in a professional manner. Recognising the negativity and making small adjustments such as avoiding conversations, or twisting them into a positive one is something I try to do, though it can be hard! You can't always fix the issues, so asking the individual questions and directing the questions to a solution can shift the conversation in a positive way.