Hiring remote employees can benefit your organization by bringing in skills that are scarce in your location. In turn, remote work benefits employees by offering them the option to pursue the job they really want, without the need to relocate. Hiring a great remote employee isn’t that different from hiring someone who will work in the office every day.
However, the process of hiring a remote team member can feel more daunting and stressful since you can’t rely on firm handshakes and face-to-face conversations. In this post, we’re going to share the process for hiring a remote team member.
Write a compelling job ad
One of the advantages of hiring remotely is that you don’t necessarily have to limit your talent pool to one geographic area, so you can attract the best talent possible. The flip side is that you have more competition. This means you need to convey what it’s like to work at your company and what the role entails.
Then you can share the job ad on your website. Recruit Hero as well using Smart Sourcing which is maximize chances of hiring the best talents in Malaysia by sourcing and reaching millions of active and passive talents through more than 20 job sites and social media.
Use video calls to interview candidates
Allocate 30 to 45 minutes for the initial interview so you can build a little rapport. During the interview, ask open-ended, process-oriented questions. This allows gauging not only what a candidate would do but how they would do it. For example, you might ask how they would manage a certain project. This shows you their thought process, how they would manage the workflow, and the steps they’d take.
Pay attention to any red flags
One of the biggest red flags we can see is a lack of preparedness. We want candidates to do some research on the company before their interview. This ties into enthusiasm. If a candidate doesn’t put in the effort to prepare for the interview, they likely aren’t enthusiastic about the role. And if they don’t ask me any questions, that’s an even bigger red flag. When a candidate asks questions, this shows that they are curious, enthusiastic, and excited about this particular role, not just the prospect of a job.
Examine the writing
With writing being so important to working well remotely, it’s no wonder that hiring folks who are strong writers are key. It’ll show immediately, as you begin to work with the person. The numerous chat messages, write-ups, and emails will accrue and you’ll want those communications to be as clear and crisp as possible. Basecamp strongly discusses how when two candidates are equally qualified, they always hire the better writer.
Make a list of key traits that a superstar candidate should possess
The two biggest traits that we should learn to hire for are enthusiasm and communication. I think they’re intertwined because someone who’s enthusiastic about a position will over-communicate. They’ll send a number of follow-up emails with lots of examples. They also follow up quickly and include a lot of detail in their messages.
These are perfect traits for remote team members because communication is a lot trickier when you’re not in the same location. Someone who’s comfortable asking questions and reaching out when necessary, and who can clearly convey what they’re doing, is critical.
Another trait that’s important for remote workers is being organized. In a remote role, you don’t have the luxury of tapping someone on the shoulder and asking if they want something this way or that way or what the deadline is. A fourth trait that I look for is self-motivation. Self-motivated people are terrific in-office employees. This trait is 10 times more important when you work remotely.
At the end of the day though, your remote employees are similar to their office-based colleagues in that they want to be respected and have resources to be productive and successful. Build a culture that gives all that to every employee, even if they’re miles or oceans apart. Get started now with Recruit Hero and start hiring top talents. Enjoy a 14-days Free Trial of Professional Plan. Do follow our Facebook, LinkedIn, and Youtube channels for more.