When you’re hiring remotely, many of your best strategies are rendered obsolete. The dynamics of the remote hiring process are completely different from traditional job interviews, but you can still incorporate some of the best aspects into your new strategy. As more companies are considering making remote work a permanent fixture, digitalizing the hiring process is fundamental to long-term success.
As you improve your hiring process, you can include new digital tools that make remote hiring more effective and less time-consuming.
These five tips will help you take remote hiring in your company to the next level; you’ll be able to redefine what the process means for your business and find candidates who are not only perfect for the job but also possess the ideal qualities to create a strong remote work culture.
1. Implement Remote Work Compatibility Tests
There are some core skills every remote worker needs to thrive, regardless of their position. When you screen candidates for these ahead of time, you can reduce the risk of hiring the wrong candidate and having to repeat the entire process. Some skills you need to hone in on when you’re hiring remotely include:
- Self-discipline
- Time management
- Accountability
- Prioritization and organizational skills
- Skilled teamwork and collaboration skills
Self-awareness is also fundamental to working effectively remotely. Although your new employees are working from home, they’re still a part of a team. Using self-report questionnaires is a good way to gauge how a person is likely to behave in the remote workspace.
2. Place Your Ads in the Right Place
The remote hiring process is more effective when you place your content in front of the right audience. Sites like LinkedIn and Indeed are common fare, meaning you’re likely to attract anyone and everyone for a job, even those who have no remote experience.
Instead, position your job directly in front of your ideal candidates on the sites they use the most. WeWorkRemotely, Stack Overflow and remote.co are some of the most popular sites used by experienced remote employees.
3. Keep Interviews Personal
Avoid a remote hiring process that is entirely text-based. You may not be physically in the same space, but that doesn’t mean you can’t connect one-on-one. Encourage candidates to put their best selves forward from the start with video-based job applications. You can also opt for open question interviews that give applicants a space to write responses in their own words.
Conduct interviews face-to-face via Zoom, Skype or a similar platform. This will give you a chance to connect with the person behind the name, similarly to how you would during an in-person interview.
4. Offer Paid Trials
To ensure that a candidate can perform well in a remote role, consider offering a paid one- to two-week trial that has them performing all the duties they would as an employee. You will be able to observe the quality of their work firsthand before offering a contract, as well as determine how effectively they can learn and adapt to the remote work lifestyle.
Offering paid job trials ensures that candidates are fairly compensated for their time and efforts while protecting the company’s interests. Make sure all candidates sign a letter acknowledging their understanding of the work trial, its duration, compensation and the company’s right to terminate the trial early for any reason.
5. Use Online Requirement Tools
When you start hiring remotely, you’ll likely experience a much larger applicant pool than you normally would. Without any physical barriers, you’re able to connect with some incredible candidates, but this also means you’ll have to sort through dozens of resumes that don’t fit the bill.
To shorten the remote hiring process without sacrificing quality, consider utilizing virtual recruitment and hiring software. Sourcehub, Textio and recruiting CRM platforms like Paycor can help you pinpoint the best candidates for your open positions based on specific criteria.
With these tips in mind, you can optimize your remote hiring process and find exactly who you’re looking for sooner. Keep in mind that there are many valuable candidates who may not be fluid in remote work but who can adjust easily with the right orientation program. It’s a shift for everyone, but remote hiring is the next evolution in recruitment; mastering your own process now will put your company ahead of the competition and enable you to build the best team right from your computer.
Shane Zilinskas is the founder and CEO of Los Angeles software development agency ClearSummit, and the co-founder and CTO of TuneRegistry, music rights SaaS platform. He also provides consulting services to startups and enterprise companies. Prior to working in the agency space, Shane built news media backends and part of the FAA’s air traffic control system. He has a B.S. in Computer Engineering from UVA. He has a passion for efficiency and combining the best tech and design to solve complex problems.
Hiring stock photo by fizkes/Shutterstock
