With the country staring at a major recession this year, now is not the time to cut back on recruiting, Henry Goldbeck, president of Goldbeck Recruiting, tells Glassdoor. Such a move would competitively disadvantage employers at a time when they can least afford it. “Recruiting may be even more important in a dire economy where companies need any and every competitive edge they can get to weather the storm and best position themselves for success after it,” Goldbeck says.

Savvy employers will not only prioritize their companies and workers weathering the crisis, but have the foresight to look beyond survival mode and position themselves to emerge stronger, Harvard Business Review reports. “The pool of available talent is suddenly both changing and expanding, and visionary leaders can make the most of it, preparing the ground for post-crisis recovery and growth,” HBR notes.

One lesson from the pandemic is how businesses have had to quickly adjust to working remotely. The technology that has enabled many businesses to have their employees work from home can be effectively tapped to conduct remote interviews and reference checks with the same vigor that would be done traditionally in person. “This pandemic has created unprecedented trauma around the world. The economic fallout will be equally painful for many. It can be tempting to focus on the short term of crisis management,” HBR notes. “But when we emerge from this unfolding tragedy, it will be the long-term thinkers who not only survive but thrive. If your organization is well-capitalized and visionary enough to hire for lasting greatness, now is the time.”

For companies that can afford to do so, creating a hiring committee is a wise move, according to Aytekin Tank, founder of JotForm, an online form builder. Tank shared his thoughts in a Fast Company article. While Tank was used to doing all the interviews and hires when he started his company in 2006, now that there are more than 140 workers, “I’ve learned to delegate,” he says.

Trusting your staff to vet and find new talent “can boost the morale of your current employees during these stressful, uncertain times,” Tank writes. “Setting up a small group or committee to navigate the hiring process is a great way to empower employees to find the best new hires possible... If resources permit, you can even create separate committees for different business groups or target sectors. Amazon, for example, has a hiring task force specifically dedicated to the military sector.”