How to Find and Hire Great Remote Workers

Sourcing candidates for remote positions is tough, and with a global pandemic, the challenge is even greater. Lucky for you, we have come up with a list of qualities to look for when hiring, instructions for crafting a perfect job posting and tips for hiring stellar new employees. 

SPOTTING AN EXCELLENT REMOTE WORKER
It takes specific skills to be a successful remote worker, so it’s critical to hire the type of person who takes initiative to complete tasks, prioritizes projects and meets deadlines, communicates clearly and does the right thing when they are not in the office.  

Finding a candidate who possesses all of these traits is easier said than done. Behavioral interviewing is one of the best ways to determine if a potential employee would be a fit. Phrase your questions like, “tell me about a time...” or “describe a tangible example of...” followed by specific examples targeting an essential characteristic, like trustworthiness.

WRITING A DESCRIPTIVE JOB POSTING
Posting generic job listings is neither helpful for you nor a potential candidate. To fully understand the job, recruiters should conduct an interview with a hiring manager. This exploratory meeting will allow the recruiter or hiring manager to be fully informed about the typical day for an employee in the position, how the position interacts with others on the team and the specific qualitative and quantitative goals employees will be expected to reach. Your job posting should include a thorough description of company culture, values and details about how employees function in your company.

REACHING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE
The first candidates to target are those within your network. Reaching out to past employees, customers, partners, investors, family and friends is the best place to start. Many people aren’t looking for a new position, but they will often respond to a friend who suggests a position. Consider posting a hiring alert link in email blasts to your user base, especially since those receiving the email are already familiar with your company. Include your team in the job search process, encouraging them to help find the best new employee. Spreading the word in local meetup groups or posting on job boards can also significantly broaden your reach.

Focusing on the content of your company blog can also function as an application incentive. If someone is interested in the content you’re sharing, they’ll be more inclined to seek out a position at your company. Share the job posting on your social platforms to ensure maximum reach. You never know when or where you could hit the new hire jackpot. Last but not least, be sure to keep track of where you find these diamond-in-the-rough candidates so that you can continue recruiting successfully in the future.

ELEVATE THE APPLICATION PROCESS
You’ve done everything right so far by developing the interview process, writing a killer job description and blasting the job post out to your network. Now comes the real work: sifting through the applications to pick out your new employee.

Spice up the application process by adding in company and job-specific questions and think outside of the box if you’re including a writing sample. Instead of a generic cover letter, supply your candidate with more specific prompts so that they can communicate skills and experience. The right candidate will complete all application steps thoroughly and eagerly, which will help to narrow down the search.

Using online hiring tools can also be an enormous help during the application process. To maintain transparency on both ends, touching base during the hiring process will keep you connected with the potential hire and remind them that they are a valued candidate. Tools like TalentWall let you check in on the recruitment process and allow you to tweak the application if you identify a section that could be improved while it’s active. Additionally, an applicant tracking system (ATS) tool like Greenhouse can help ensure a purposeful hiring process that outlines the interview steps, questions and evaluation. Detailing the hiring process beforehand allows for clear communication, meaningful interactions and an overall positive experience for both sides.

Once you’ve selected a candidate, conduct a video interview to vet personality and communication skills, ask on-the-spot questions and evaluate timeliness and flexibility. Often, companies will follow a phone interview with some sort of test, which allows you to see how a candidate works under pressure and how they collaborate with teammates. Finally, send out an anonymous survey as a reference check. This functions as the last vetting step before you make an offer.

MEETING THE TEAM
Once you’ve invited your star candidate to join the team, have them interact with their colleagues on a video call so that they have a level of comfortability when asking questions and collaborating for projects. This makes the transition smoother for everyone.  

Building a team remotely during a pandemic doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, conducting the interview process online saves time and money for your company and your candidate. Implementing the strategies discussed above will create a seamless hiring process.