Interviewing Tips for Successful Remote Hire

Are you Hiring Remote Workers?

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect economies across the globe, few industries have been left untouched by it. This is having huge implications for the workforce & recruitment processes that are likely to become permanent features of the job market. 

Remote-working technology and collaborative tools available today make it easier and more beneficial for remote working than ever before. It's time for the world to re-evaluate the way we think about remote work and start understanding what we can do with these new technologies.

Why is remote hiring increasing across multiple industries? 

As the global pandemic forced many people to work from home, we've now reached new heights in the number of remote workers. Companies have found remote working increased job performance, with productivity increasing by 47%!

Most companies today are open to hiring remote workers. What began as a perk, is now a normal part of the workplace. Leading to an ever-growing rise in remote working. 

With remote hire, employees have an improved work/life balance as the time and cost of their daily travel has reduced significantly. Reports have even shown being away from the office has reduced procrastination, as there are no distractions with other employees and managers. 

While it keeps employees happier, companies implementing remote work options reap the benefits of increased productivity and reduced costs. 

Benefits of remote hire

Remote hire is an on-demand work style that enables people to work remotely from their homes, coffee shops, coworking spaces or other places. It’s more than just telecommuting. This new style of working offers benefits for both employers and employees.

Benefits for employers

A remote worker provides many benefits to companies, including reduced operational costs and lower employee turnover rates. As a result, companies are looking for ways to balance the advantages of remote workers with the challenges they may pose. These advantages include: 

• Increased productivity by 77%
• Reduced operational costs as office resources are used less. 
• Employers benefit from hiring remote workers because they can find talent wherever it is available, regardless of location.
  
• Wider talent pool to choose from, drastically improving the standard of employees. 

Benefits for employees

For employees, remote work can mean less commuting time and higher job satisfaction. Here we look at the range of benefits remote working gives employees. 

• No commuting saving on average 8-10 hours a week
• More time for hobbies increases happiness
• improved work/life balance
• Increased exercise 
• Have more autonomy over their workdays

Challenges with remote hire

Remote working is becoming more and more popular with the general consensus that it provides a better work-life balance. Despite this, remote hiring has a few challenges that companies need to overcome.

For employers

As an employer, it is important to understand the challenges that come with remote hiring. These include:

• Technical issues

Interviewing remotely is difficult for technologically illiterate candidates. Resulting in technical issues that may arise, but there are easy solutions for this problem.

• Teamwork and collaboration

Remote work arrangements can be challenging for employers to manage. They require a different approach for hiring and managing employees, as well as more flexibility in terms of company policies and workplace culture. However, they also present opportunities to attract talent who might not otherwise consider working remotely.

• Different time zones

One of the main benefits of remote hiring is choosing talent from more places. While you benefit from a more talented employee, communication and team collaboration may be difficult due to different time zones.

For employees

Remote working doesn't suit everyone! Up to 20% of the workforce prefer to work in the office than at home. Employees may face these challenges with remote working: 

• Isolating

As an employee, being at home working remotely can be isolating. Especially if living alone, the office is your main social connection of the day.

• Distracting

Maybe your home is too much of a distraction with young children, and the office is a more suitable environment to work.

• Lack of managerial support

For employees who need encouragement and support, working home alone may be difficult for them and they feel unmotivated to work with managerial support. 

How to successfully operate with remote employees

We've covered the benefits and challenges of remote working, highlighting potential problems. But with these in mind, remote working can be carried out successfully by following these tips: 

Interview specifically for remote hires

Reworking Colleague Interview Collaboration

When remote hiring, there are some things to keep in mind. 

Set up an interview process that allows you to evaluate the skills and personality of the candidate without meeting them in person.

One of these things is the candidate's work style. Remote employees can have different work styles as those working from the office location.

Other factors include how much independence the individual needs as well as their work ethic. When interviewing candidates for remote working you should aim to discover how self-motivated they are. You should also seek to find how well they work alone. 

Communicate well

Remote workers are not always as engaged as their in-office peers. 

This can be due to the lack of face-to-face contact. Or maybe the feeling of being detached from the team leads to disengagement from work tasks. Employees may even get frustrated with technology at home vs. at work. 

In order to combat this problem, companies should make sure to have regular digital check-ins with their employees. They can also take other steps such as ensuring employees have a good internet connection at home.

Provide support to remote employees

Reworking interview multiple devices

The company needs to have a clear policy on remote working before they will even consider an applicant for a remote position. As well as a comprehensive training program for those who do ask to work remotely.

Choose proactive employees

The employee also has to be willing to take full responsibility for their career progression without daily guidance from a manager. But in order to support employees in this new environment, managers should be keen to provide ongoing learning opportunities for remote staff. 

Make sure you have a digital presence

Establishing an online company culture is crucial for management to connect with their remote workers and create that bond of loyalty.

Creating a company culture where technology use is encouraged, helps support remote workers.

Frequent video calls and online group meetings may be one way to connect employees. Some companies have relaxed around social media, and see it as a beneficial way to connect and bond with work colleagues digitally. 

What to look for in a great candidate for remote hiring

Selecting the ideal candidate for remote working is key to how successful they'll perform alone. Some key interviewing tips for successful remote hire are: 

• How great their set-up is during the video interview
• If they can use technology when recording their video interview
• Look for someone who is self-motivated

What to avoid when hiring for remote jobs

• Avoid hiring the candidate who says they work best in a team
• Don't select candidates with poor communicators
• Decline the candidates who failed to follow instructions when recording their video interview

Why use a Virtual Interview for remote hiring?

Virtual interviewing is ideal for hiring remote workers as you'll have a huge insight into the capability of the candidate for remote working.

The first step is to find suitable remote workers by offering them an interview either through video chat or phone call. A growing interview technology is to use one-way video interviewing. 

Why consider a one-way interview?

A one-way video interview puts all the emphasis on the candidate. Candidates record themselves answering the interview questions from the app screen. When finished, the interview gets sent directly to the recruiter for review.

This not only saves the recruiters hours and hours of their time but also widens the candidate pool. Allowing recruiters to consider more applicants than if they were to interview in person. 

One-way video interviewing makes it easy to see which candidates are suited to remote working and who aren’t right from the get-go. 

Remote working Interviewing Tips

Whether you’re an employer or an employee, it pays to know the right interview questions for successful remote hires.

Successful remote hires are those that can prove they can meet deadlines, work independently, and collaborate with teammates without any supervision. All of these traits will contribute greatly towards success in a virtual workforce environment.

Below are some interviewing tips for successful remote hire:

Get The Tech right

A video interview tests candidates' technological skills. If they can set up, record and apply for the job remotely then they are demonstrating basic technological skills, necessary for remote working. 

Interviewing Etiquette

As the candidate, you must always look into the camera lens. This tells the recruiter you are making eye contact with them, and they will become more engaged. 

Listen Attentively

Follow all the remote interviewing tips and instructions. This will speak volumes to the recruiters on how well you can take direction remotely. A very important skill for working independently at home. 

Consider How Each Candidate Fits Company Culture

Without face-to-face interviews, it can be harder for a candidate to see the company culture and meet the team. To combat this potential issue, you should showcase to all your candidates your company culture, and how this works in a remote setting. 

Does your company create remote team bonding activities? How is the company work ethic? Is everyone required to work at specific times, or is working time flexible as long as results are achieved? 

Presenting your company culture to candidates is every bit as important as fitting the candidate to the role. The candidate may love or hate your company culture. In either way, it's important they understand what to expect prior to accepting or rejecting a job offer. The last thing you want is to offer the role to the candidate and for them to leave the role 6 months into the job. 

Conclusion

The internet has made it possible for people to work remotely. It has created a new era of “remote hire” which is often seen as a great opportunity for people who would like to work from home. The internet offers the ability to interact with colleagues and clients instantly, without having to be in the same room or even the same country.

This is especially beneficial for those who are looking for more freedom and flexibility in their work schedule. As a result, companies are looking for ways to balance the advantages of remote workers with the challenges they may pose. 

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