How to hire a remote team effectively

Hiring quality employees is obviously critical for any company. It is especially important for a remote team. Good news though, you’ve come to the right place : - ) We’re here to help.

We are lucky enough to have some of the most qualified remote worker user base in the world, so step one is done (yay!). Pat yourself on the back, you deserve it.

Here are some more tips to ensure that you find the right employee for your business.

Check the references for those possible employees who have worked remotely. I mean really dig in.

Duh. You’d be surprised about how many people gloss over this. Really dive deep into the references. Ask for examples of initiative and effective independent work. Ask this of all of the references provided. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by finding red flags during this stage of the process.

You need people who will work without someone looking over their shoulder or harassing them to get things done. These people should have clear and verifiable examples of taking initiative and attacking challenges. References should be able to provide this from previous remote work experience. If there’s hesitation in their voice, or you get the sense that they’re just coming up with stuff just to say it, then a red flag should go up.

Test competency for possible hires

This could take the form of a skills assessment or an interview scenario, depending on what you’re hiring for. If you’re hiring for a customer support worker, give them a real past support issue in your interview and ask them how they’d handle it. Don’t nudge them into an answer you’re looking for - even if you like them. Remote work is about independence self-reliance. Be objective about the quality of their answers. Although, keep in mind that interviews generally suck and are anxiety inducing. Separate nervousness from competency.

If the person appears honest in their interview, there’s a good chance they will be honest when they work for you.

Allow for an onboarding period where both parties can get a sense of the remote work dynamic

If this is a new experience for your new employee, make sure to allow for an onboarding period where both parties can get a sense of the remote work dynamic. This is a time where communication is very important and you need to be paying attention. Your new employee needs to be honest about how they’re spending their time, and you need to understand what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Have a specific initial project that allows them to showcase their skills and then evaluate after completion. Trial runs are nice because it gives your new employee a chance to show their eagerness and initiative, while allowing you to assess how the employee fits within your company. The people you want should dive in and take on a challenge right away.

Getting the hang of the workings of a company is more difficult without being physically in the same space. Book yourself some time for video calls more often than typical during the initial few weeks. There are no hard and fast rules here, but allow for more time to connect that you think is necessary. Better to make overly sure that your new team member has the support they need, rather than have them overwhelmed and isolated.

The bottom line is If you can’t trust the person you’re looking at hiring - just don’t hire them. You’ll save yourself plenty of hassle down the road.

The nice thing about the We Work Remotely is that the community is huge. You have a much larger pool to draw from than a typical a geographically restricted business. If you’re doing it right, this is a huge advantage. This requires a little more effort, but it’s well worth it.

Once again, this is easier said than done. But if you keep this in mind, you are setting yourself up for success in finding a quality employee.

Good luck, and thanks for being here. We appreciate it : -)