As we approach the mid-point of 2021 and see the impact of the pandemic begin to wane, it is time for MSPs to reflect on what has changed in the past year. It is hard to say that we are not living in a different world than it was 12 months ago. Most of us have been working remote as have our clients. And that remote workforce is probably here to stay, at least in some hybrid fashion. The concept of the video conference call and collaboration is now well engrained in the corporate culture. Geography has far less impact on our interactions than it used to.

 As the economy improves, hiring is bound to increase. So what does that mean for talent acquisition for MSPs?

 For one thing, your talent pool just got a lot bigger. You are no longer limited to your local market for candidates for certain jobs. Those positions that can be performed remotely, such as collaboration software architect, telesales, or helpdesk, can be filled by anyone with the right skillset regardless of location.

 However, this also means your competition has gotten tougher. You will be competing with companies outside of your local market for workers as well.

Even prior to the pandemic, IT talent was a precious commodity. And the IT industry, in general, was not impacted nearly as hard as many others. In order to attract the talent we want we all have to step up our game in recruiting, both locally and remote.

As we get back to normal operations, here are few tips MSPs can use to ramp up their hiring funnel:

• Identify any changes in the skills that you will need to be competitive, For instance, you may not have had strong collaboration software (Sharepoint, Teams, other, etc.) skills in the past. Look at the changes that have occurred within your client base and the industry and use this as an opportunity to fill gaps in your offerings.

• Recruit now! Don’t wait for a position to be "open" before identifying candidates to fill that position. Determine the skill sets you are looking for and begin seeking out candidates with strong skills in those areas. Using resources such as Linked In, referrals, your own website, etc., begin the conversation to see if your company is a good fit for the candidate. Get the prospect on "the list" for when a position does become open. Your best candidates are those that are relatively happy in their current position but see your company as the next step in their career. If you find the right person, you may decide to create the position for them now.

• Hone your video interview skills:

  • In today's market, you are being interviewed by the candidate as much as you are interviewing them. Make sure you are familiar with the video platform you are using prior to the interview. A poor technical experience can reflect poorly on your company.

  • Provide the candidate with proper instructions on the video platform and encourage them to troubleshoot any potential issues prior to the interview. Make sure they download any required software well ahead of the interview. Still, allocate additional time for the meeting to account for any unanticipated technical difficulties.

  • Set up unique meeting rooms for each interview. This will avoid having a candidate showing up early and potentially "bombing" another meeting.

  • Keep the setting professional. You may still be working from home and that has its own challenges. Control background noise such as pets, children, and the neighbor's leaf blower as much as possible. Dress professionally, at least from the waist up. Again the candidate is determining whether they want to work for you as well.

  • Make the candidate feel comfortable. Exert as much of your personality as possible. As you are listening facial gestures such as smiles, nods, and even quizzical looks give the candidate visual queues as to how you are reacting to their answers. In a video interview, "eye contact" with the candidate is accomplished by looking into the camera, not the image of the candidate on the screen. Avoid projecting the candidates video image on a screen above the camera.

• How many times have you seen a resume that looks interesting but you don’t have the 30-45 minutes to do a phone screening interview? It usually sits on the pile of to-dos that never get done. Consider using a virtual interview platform. Solutions such as Sparkhire and Hireflix allow employers to create a virtual screening interview whereby applicants record their own video answers to prerecorded questions. This allows the applicants to take the interview on their own time. Employers can view the resulting video recording and determine if the candidate should be interviewed further. This improves the overall funnel of potential candidates and help "weed out" unqualified candidates quickly.

 The second half of 2021 should be a whole new ball game for all of us. Get your recruiting funnel going now to be prepared to take advantage of it.