How to hire remote workers

Recruiting talent for remote workers requires special strategies. To avoid the stress and expense of making the wrong hire, try these five hiring tips specifically aimed at remote workers.

Explain what remote talent means to your company

Not all companies have the same expectations of remote workers, and virtual roles can be structured differently in different organizations. Due to this fact, Daniela HerreraThe Director of Recruitment Operations and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion R/GA recommends including a brief explanation of what “remote talent” means in relation to your company and the position you are hiring for.

“For example, some companies may be interested in hiring remote talent but do so in certain states because of tax restrictions,” Herrera said. “Others may want to make talent available for regular travel, and others may have a global work-from-anywhere policy. The more information you give your candidates beforehand, the better.“

Melissa Terry, who works in HR VEM toolingAgree with the importance of explaining what your remote role entails in your job ad.

“The job description Remote is a key aspect of attracting candidates, and where you talk about the benefits of an open position as well as remote roles will be different,” said Terry. “Be transparent about what you’re after: Is the job remote-first, remote-friendly, or mixed remote? Are you looking for workers to work in a specific time zone? Are there any travel prerequisites for team retreats or quarterly conferences?”

Include specific details about your remote work requirements in your job description so that job seekers clearly understand your remote work policy without reading between the lines.

Use the language included in your job description

Herrera adds that creating deliberate, equitable, and accessible talent-attraction strategies is the best and most inclusive way to attract, interview, and hire remote candidates. “Recruiting remote talent will help you build a stronger diversity recruiting strategy,” Herrera said.

per Make sure you reach a broad and diverse pipeline of remote candidatesShe recommends using inclusive language in your job description.

“Add alt text to any image you have on your website [which is designed to make posts more accessible to users with visual impairments]Add subtitles to any company video, partner with organizations that promote talent from historically excluded communities, and train your interviewers and hiring managers on inclusive hiring strategies,” says Herrera.

Advertise that you won’t micromanage

According to Sergio Diaz, most people who work remotely want their own independence because they do. CEO of Diaz Keynote speakers, a fully remote company that books business experts to conferences and meetings around the world, including remote work speakers. By making it clear in your job listing that you’re not a micromanager, you may be able to attract more remote workers.

“People are tired of being micromanaged and forced to sit through useless time-wasting meetings,” says Diaz. “Our philosophy is simple: Get your work done on time. I don’t care how you do it or how many hours it takes, just get it done.”

As an example of how his company takes A hands-off approach that helps recruit remote talent, Diaz explained that he has an employee who lives in Costa Rica and loves to surf. “So, he can spend all morning surfing and then work in the afternoon and evening,” Diaz said. “Our employees like this philosophy because they feel like they’re freelancing but with a fixed salary.”

Flexible salary offer

Along the same lines of flexibility to remote workers, Diaz noted that flexible pay can also help hire virtual workers.

“While we pay a base salary, we offer a lot Incentivize our employees where they can earn commissions and bonuses,” she said. “Because there are so many moving parts in our event planning business, there are so many ways for employees — mostly agents and event organizers — to earn commissions. We empower our people to be creative and don’t ‘box them in.’ They’re a booking. Can help facilitate or upsell a client with a service, we encourage and reward it.”

Hold a working interview

While Jordan Fulmer, the owner of Solve for the momentum property, a real estate investment firm in Huntsville, Alabama, needed to hire a remote worker, he knew the importance of ensuring the right fit. While most managers rely on traditional methods of hiring—posting a job, collecting applications and resumes, conducting interviews, and making a selection based on that process—Fulmer acknowledges a limitation of this process for remote hiring.

“The problem with this approach is that you have to make predictions based on how a worker is based on their prior experience and how they’ll conduct themselves in the interview, both of which can be fake,” Fullmer said.

So, instead of relying on her own judgment when hiring a remote worker, she turns the interview process around and conducts a job interview. In this manner, he brings in about a dozen prescreened applicants based on their resumes and experience levels. He then assigns them a work-related task for a week, pays each candidate for the work they complete, and makes his hiring decisions based on their performance.

“It may sound very expensive, but it’s actually very cheap compared to the money and time it takes to hire and train the wrong person,” Jordan explained. “On top of that, not every candidate who starts a job interview actually completes the job. This not only keeps costs down, but it helps you Narrow down the candidates who are willing to work hard“

Refine your remote recruiting practices

Individuals targeting remote work have specific needs and preferences that differentiate them from traditional job seekers. At the same time, managers of remote workers need to exercise due diligence to ensure authentic candidates. When you recruit in this market, make sure you Understand what these unique candidates are looking for and then give it to them—when using techniques that can help you secure a difficult assignment.

For more information on best practices for remote companies, check out our Q&As with top remote companies and virtual teams!

By Robin Madel | Category: Create a remote team