Hiring Remotely – What You Need to Know

More businesses are hiring remote employees to help manage their companies. Whether you’re looking to hire a freelance accountant or need extra help answering phones, you’ll want to find candidates with the skills and characteristics required to succeed at your company. Here are five tips for hiring remote workers who fit your business needs:

1. Discuss why the employee wishes to work remotely. Everyone is different. Take the time to talk about why candidates desire to work remotely. Maybe they need flexibility due to child care, or they don’t have jobs in their field within their community. Knowing “why” a person desires to work remotely can help you present the right benefits to attract him or her to your company. Plus, it will help you make a more informed hiring decision.
2. Know where to look. Don’t use traditional methods to find remote employees. Harness the power of social media to help you find candidates, particularly looking on sites such as LinkedIn to find quality remote job candidates.
3. Be flexible. If you want to find a strong candidate, you’ll need to develop a flexible work policy that appeals to the remote worker, including flexible workdays and hours. Then, post your policy within your job listing to attract top remote talent.
4. Focus on soft skills. While many candidates may appear to look good “on paper,” some may not have the ability to work remotely. As you interview candidates, look for soft skills, such as time management, project management, and the ability to communicate smoothly via phone, video, or email. You should also discuss how the individual intends to work from home – office space, access to and comfort with technology, etc.
5. Bring out the perks. With so many companies hiring remote employees, flexibility alone may not be enough to entice a strong candidate. Discuss your company’s culture, dedication to worthy causes, and even the ways you celebrate success. All of these things can help your hiring process by attracting candidates who would be a good fit for your company right from the start.

Ideally, once you hire a remote employee, you should put them on probation for up to 90 days to make sure it’s the right fit. Additionally, it will give the employee time to learn more about your company and allow you to define expectations further. If it doesn’t work out, you can part ways professionally and amicably.