While the pandemic has certainly changed how we work, it’s also affected the relationship between job seekers and the companies that are hiring. For instance, companies are now going to have to answer questions pertaining to remote work, flexible scheduling, and health and safety in ways that may be new to them. 

Due to the layoffs caused by the pandemic, there’s talent out there that had never even had to look for work but are now sending out applications, says Julie Godshall Brown, president of Godshall Recruiting in Greenville. It’s an opportunity for employers to reach out to those individuals from the employment-seeking pool.

“Talent is available that [employers] wouldn’t normally be able to tap into because of where we are in the world right now,” says Godshall Brown. 

She says she’s seen many industries continue to recruit — even as unemployment is at 10.2%. 

“Certainly [in] the months of March and April, everyone was a little bit paralyzed, but we’ve seen during May, June, July and starting August that companies are moving forward with business in most cases,” Godshall Brown explains. Industries like health care-related insurance, labs and legal businesses have continued to recruit. Even some manufacturers have kept up hiring. 

Lee Yarborough, president of Propel HR, says that even industries that are downsizing, an opportunity exists for those still running. “There’s even an opportunity for them to get talent that is familiar with their business model and their services,” she says. Yarborough recommends keeping your pulse on your industry and keep up with what companies are doing. There could be an opportunity to “grab some talent…somebody that already has the skill sets” your company may need.

The boom in some industries has opened a lot of positions for candidates to apply to, says Leslie Hayes, president of Greenville HR company, The Hayes Approach. But the hiring process and what applicants are looking for isn’t quite the same as it was pre-COVID-19. 

“The things that employees or candidates are a little uncertain of is how a new employer is going to handle safety and health in the workplace,” Hayes says. “Is there any openness to working from home? Is there any flexibility, you know, with school starting?” 

It’s not about people not looking for work, Hayes says. “There is some really good talent out there, especially if companies are willing to look across industries,” Hayes says. “If they’re willing to look more for transferable skills than maybe they have in the past, there are definitely some talented folks out there.”

Employers still might need to be a bit more accommodating than in the past. There’s the added element of pandemic-induced stress many job applicants are under, so maybe there’s something off with the quality of some applications you’re receiving. “[Job candidates] may not come across as quite as confident as they have in the past. They may need more time to make a decision,” says Hayes. 

In order to overcome that and connect with those quality candidates, Hayes recommends screening a bit more closely. “Really pay attention to the things that the employees or the candidates do have control over.”

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