For the first time in history, the Recruiters Websites Bracket Tournament is canceled.

Like it did for many of you, our March Madness turned to March sadness last Friday when the NCAA announced the 2020 men’s basketball tournament would be canceled due to the growing coronavirus pandemic. When we learned that the selection committee would not be releasing an official bracket, we decided to swear off college basketball for good—at least until 2021. 

The only question remaining is what to do with the time we had all set aside for watching the tournament. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of five things for recruiters to do now that the NCAA Tournament has been canceled:

1. Make placements! Even though it seems like the entire world is in a weird limbo, most people are still working—some in their traditional office setting and others from home. As recruiters, this gives you a unique advantage to reach people when they may not be as overwhelmed with work or, alternatively, be more interested in making a move due to their current company’s response to the disruption.
2. Keep learning. During the time you had previously reserved for hot wings and the Wildcats, try reading or listening to some experts instead. We’ve put together lists of great books, blogs and podcasts that can help you hone new skills, embrace new processes and advance your business.
3. Clean up your ATS. No more first and last name in the same field, incomplete email addresses or outdated contacts. If you’re looking for help making your ATS work more seamlessly with your email system or other databases, let’s talk about integrations.
4. Test new tools. Now is a great time to try video conferencing applications like Zoom, Google Hangouts, GoToMeeting or Microsoft Teams. Or, maybe test out a virtual scheduling assistant like Calendly or Acuity. Part of a team that works remotely (temporarily or normally)? Try a company-wide instant messaging app like Slack or Glip by RingCentral.
5. Refresh your website. With most of the world socially distancing themselves, a great online presence is more important than ever. A beautiful and modern design, engaging content, relevant SEO, great speed and accessibility and useful integrations set you apart from your competition. Not sure if your website is checking all the boxes? Take our quiz to find out if it’s time for an upgrade.

Hopefully, this list will help you get through the next three weeks and you may even come out a better recruiter for it! In the meantime, wash your hands and try to stay well.