Recruitment tips for managers hiring remote jobs

There’s no doubt that remote working has revolutionised the way businesses operate. Now that the world has had a taste of working from home, candidates hold more power than ever before and flexible working is considered a right as opposed to a privilege.

In a candidate-short market where employees can and will wait for a role that meets all of their needs, managers need to step up their game. Finding creative solutions in order to secure talent is crucial. Hiring remotely is a great way to achieve this. By removing the barrier of having to be close to an office, managers can access qualified candidates while also providing the flexibility of a remote job.

But how exactly should you go about hiring remote jobs? And what’s the best interview process for the recruitment of remote staff? If you’re looking to hire remote workers but not sure where to start, here are some of the things you should focus on.

1) Role Requirements

This may sound obvious but when it comes to matching qualifications and experience to a role, hiring remotely is no different to hiring office workers. So, before you advertise, make sure you have a clear idea of what you want and need.

The huge advantage to hiring remotely is that you remove logistical barriers and get access to talent anywhere in the country (or the world). This can make it a lot easier to find someone with the right skills and experience. Of course, just like any other recruitment process, it’s important to be realistic. There’s no point making crazy demands for no reason as this will only end in disappointment and frustration.

It’s also important to remember that even when you hire remote staff, it is still a candidate short market. If, after a while, you are simply not finding candidates with the desired qualifications, you may want to consider making compromises such as hiring a more junior person and up-skilling them.

2) Key Skills and Qualities

One of the downsides to remote working from a managerial perspective is that you can’t physically see your team as they work. Things that you would normally just know from working alongside someone now need to be actively communicated.

There are many technological solutions that allow you to check progress but being able to trust and communicate with your employees is still essential. You should therefore look for skills and qualities such as:

Time management skills
Ability to be self-sufficient
Good work motivation
Organisational skills
Communication skills

Managing a remote team can be challenging and hiring someone with this basic skill-set will make your job a lot easier in the long run.

3) Expectations

Although remote working is considered common practice these days, employers and employees are still adjusting. Your idea of remote working may be different to the candidate’s, so it’s important to be clear about your expectations. Will you require the successful candidate to visit the office once every few months? Will they need to be available for daily team meetings at a fixed time? If so, this needs to be discussed upfront.

Likewise, it’s important to find out what the candidate’s expectations are. Will they be working 9-5 or completing a certain amount of hours per week while working around kids or other responsibilities? Don’t leave it until you start onboarding your new remote hire, make sure you discuss it thoroughly at interview stage.

4) Logistics

Before you hire a remote worker, make sure you consider practical aspects like internet connection and computer hardware & software. Will you be supplying everything they need or will they need to provide their own? Another important factor to consider is time zones. If you’re hiring someone who will be working from different countries, remember that the time difference changes depending on the time of year. Make sure you consider how this will impact your ability to collaborate effectively.

5) Team Culture

Even though they won’t be sharing a desk or heading out for Friday night drinks with colleagues, it’s still important to consider how your new hire will fit into your team. Just like in an actual office, your team will work more efficiently if they can communicate effectively. They don’t need to be best friends but having a positive team culture will make everyone’s job more enjoyable. Taking a little bit of time to think about this at interview stage will make your life far easier in the long term.

Need support with hiring remote staff? Talk to the consultants at Michael Page – Australia’s leading recruitment agency.

the Michael Page team