In this article we won’t stress the economic impact COVID had on recruitment agencies around. Rather, we will focus on some personal challenges we found during the time. We were reflecting on the past few months now that it seems situation in Ireland and Croatia is returning to normal. And below you will find some of the challenges we faced.
1/5 challenges – Lack of social interaction
Most consultants who work in recruitment agencies are used to meeting their candidates and clients face-to face. This is especially true in hospitality industry. But COVID stopped all that for what seemed to be a long while. For us, it’s not just about meeting candidates. It’s also about preparing them for their job interviews. We love finding people their ideal hotel jobs. However, we also value the connection that develops when you’re working with someone for a long time and when you build their hospitality careers together.
2/5 challenges – Different social protocols
Initially, it was strange to be in the presence of other people. Especially, when the rules first relaxed a bit. In other words, we were conscious of our distance when meeting someone. It was no longer ok to shake hands. Moreover, online job interviews became a new normal. People got more and more used to using video and internet. And, it seems that will be the norm for a while.
3/5 challenges – Work – life boundary
For some of our recruitment consultants with young kids, life proved to be slightly extra interesting. Imagine being on a Skype call and hearing in the background: “Mommy/Daddy, I want eggs.” (Any similarity to actual events is accidental). Not to mention how intense it can be to juggle homework and work-work.
Others, however had dogs with postman issues or cats with no respect for boundaries. Take your pick. Thankfully, all this provided much needed comic relief during otherwise a very different type of meeting.
Additional challenges – Staying in touch
With less amount of work in hospitality recruitment, everybody was in their own new routines. At times, it was difficult to stay in touch with all the people you’re used to seeing. However, we did find a way to combat that. Weekly Friday Quizzes were our way of staying in touch. And to also have some fun. We also made goofy videos. You can check one out here.
New routines
Some of our consultants also said they found it difficult at times to ensure they get enough exercise. Others however found new hobbies and the frustration that go with it. For some, their gardens weren’t growing the way they wanted them to. For others, it was about pushing themselves to finish a class.
So, now you’re up to speed with what we’ve been doing. Tell us in the comments what your challenges were. Also, let us know what you’d like to read about.