Hiring Techniques for Finding the Perfect Virtual Employee

June 23 2020 - People would have thought you were crazy if you said we would be moving to a remote workforce 20 years ago. The good news is that those people were wrong.

Remote work is on the rise and not expected to slow down any time soon. According to reports, 4.3 million people were working remotely at least 50% of the time in 2018.

Working with remote employees is different than those that come into the office. Keep reading to learn the hiring techniques you need to know for hiring the right remote worker for the job.

Figure out What Makes a Good Remote Employee

Your employees aren't the only people who need to change when you move to a remote workforce. You're also going to have to change. Both your management style and workflows will need to adjust for new working conditions.

Before you start the hiring process, learn more about remote work from the business owners who already run a remote workforce. They have written extensively about their operations. You can apply their experiences to your business.

You also need to get a handle on the technology required to manage remote workers. Investigate project management tools, video chat, and online chat channels. Each of them is unique, so you'll need to find employees who are familiar with the tools you use.

Refine Your Hiring Process

The chances are that you have the hiring process down well. When you sit down with a candidate in the room you can read their body language, ask great questions, and have them demonstrate their skills. Doing this isn't as easy when you conduct remote interviews.

The first place to start is your tech. You aren't going to have potential employees lining up in your office. You're going to need the technology in place to conduct your interviews online.

Many remote interviews start with a phone interview. Once you finish those, the qualifying candidates will move on to the next round of interviews.

You can make use of screen sharing and video calling for these. Give your candidates a small project to work on and let them show you what they can do.

Post on the Correct Job Platforms

There are a lot of well-known job platforms on the internet that do a great job of finding local talent. Unfortunately, it isn't as easy to find a virtual employee on those platforms.

The good news is that there are job boards available that cater exclusively to remote workers. Many of these job boards cater to specific industries, as well. When you post on one of these sites, you're more likely to find a qualified remote worker that can start right away.

Typical job boards are a bigger shot in the dark. Even if you find someone qualified, it isn't guaranteed that your candidates are willing to work from home.

Start With a Test Project

Even if someone comes off well in a job interview, that doesn't mean that they are the right fit for the job. A candidate can exaggerate their skills and not be a great culture fit for your company.

You can start with a paid probation period. Your worker will get paid the same amount of money as they would be working full-time. The only difference is that you hire on a contract basis until you decide to make a full-time job offer.

Use this time to test their skills and how they work remotely. It isn't enough for them to be able to do their tasks. They need to mesh well with your team, communicate well, and be able to use your tools to get the job done.

Hiring on a contract basis will also save you money. You can thoroughly vet a candidate before you take on benefits and payroll costs.

Know When to Be Flexible

You might have a tough time finding qualified people to work for you when you stay local. When you go remote, you can hire from anywhere in the world.

This also means the people you work with will have different expectations. Many people choose to work from home to get away from the office grind. They want to work the hours they choose.

While you can set a requirement that your employees stay available at certain times of the day, try to give your team some flexibility on when they work. You'll be able to attract more talent when you show that you're a flexible employer. The future of employment is moving to remote work, so getting used to it now is better than waiting until the future.

Check for Remote Work Experience

It takes time for a regular office worker to get accustomed to working from home. They have to change their routine, deal with social isolation, and stay on schedule. If you want to skip past this training period, it's smart to work with someone who already has experience working from home.

An experienced remote worker will already have the skills needed to work from home. The only thing you need to do is give them proper procedures to follow. If the person you hire has been a remote worker for a while, they'll be able to adapt to these procedures better than most people starting remote work for the first time.

Don't Neglect Hiring Techniques for Remote Workers

Things change when you start working with remote employees. You need a new set of operating procedures and learn how to make sure your team stays on track. Use the hiring techniques above to make sure you find a new team member that can rise to the occasion.

Do you want to learn more tips that can help you manage your team more efficiently? Keep reading our website to discover our newest tips.

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