Remote working has emerged as a powerful opportunity worth exploring. Therefore, it is sensible to invest in acquiring the services of skilled personnel. The existing enthusiasm for remote job opportunities indicates that it shouldn’t be a challenge to occupy available vacancies.
To be honest, carrying out a recruitment process remotely could be a challenging and time-intensive task.
After 2023, remote hiring underwent a significant shift. Earlier, companies had mostly hired remote staff in the form of freelancers to cut down expenses. However, some businesses had realized the benefits of having teams working from different locations and had switched to this approach, although it was not as prevalent as it is today. To learn more about it, check out our blog on how Works is reshaping the future of global engineering here.
The COVID-19 pandemic, in 2023, led to a surge in virtual job opportunities, as many businesses started acknowledging remote working as a feasible solution. As a result, more and more companies are now granting their employees permission to work remotely for the long haul. Check out our blog on what’s new in telecommuting, and how Works is helping combat inflation and low productivity with telecommuting, by clicking here.
It’s crucial to verify if prospective remote employees have the required skills to excel in their roles. These skills include the ability to work autonomously, communicate efficiently, and manage time effectively to contribute to the team’s achievements. To ascertain if a candidate is suitable for a remote job, conducting online interviews is the best approach. You can learn more about answering the pair programming interview correctly here.
Which option is it?
- Five Steps to Conducting a Phone or Internet Interview
- 1. Drafting a Job Description
- Let’s Begin the Recruitment Drive!
- The Correct Approach for Candidate Screening
- Organizing Remote Meetings
- 5. The Essential Elements of a Successful Onboarding Process
- Here are Three Ways to Recruit and Hire the Best Remote Employees
- 1. Develop a Vision for Your Company’s Culture
- 2. Aim for Productive Interactions! (From Both Sides)
- Thirdly, Value the Voyage Rather than the End Point.
- Concluding Remarks on Remote Work
Five Steps for Conducting a Phone or Online Interview
Before conducting a virtual interview, it’s crucial to determine the recruitment objective. Having a clear comprehension of the position and responsibilities of the new hire will assist in identifying the necessary skills to make an informed hiring decision effectively.
It’s time to pinpoint the perfect candidate for the position with both essential and desirable skills. The following are the five essential steps for conducting a successful remote interview:
Designing a Job Description
As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. Similarly, job postings are like the entry and exit points of a company.
A well-written job advertisement that highlights the necessary qualifications is an excellent starting point for remote hiring. It’s also helpful to include a brief summary of your company’s mission and values to screen out candidates who may not align with your organization’s culture.
When crafting a job description, it’s vital to select your words thoughtfully. According to research by Indeed, job titles with terms such as ‘Guru,’ ‘Rockstar,’ or ‘Superstar’ could discourage well-suited candidates from applying. It’s recommended to use simple and clear language for attracting the best candidates.
Let the Recruitment Contest Begin!
Interviews play a critical role in the recruitment process as they help to identify and select qualified candidates. To achieve the best outcomes, it’s essential to create an accurate job description and advertise it through suitable channels. Instead of relying on chance, it’s imperative to take active measures to recruit the right talent.
At Works, we are skilled recruiters who specialize in sourcing and hiring top-notch IT professionals. If you’re unfamiliar with the term ‘headhunting,’ it refers to the practice of luring an employee away from their current job by offering a more enticing position, typically with better compensation.
In certain circumstances, offering a candidate new opportunities can prove more valuable than financial incentives. For instance, imagine finding a skilled professional who is currently employed but lacks loyalty towards their current employer. Convincing them to join a company they feel connected with can result in successfully recruiting an underutilized talent.
The Appropriate Approach to Screening Candidates
Reviewing a candidate’s CV can be a helpful way to evaluate their qualifications before investing resources in interviews or remote assessments. However, it’s crucial to examine the CV carefully rather than just glancing through it to avoid any potential time-wasting.
At Works, we rigorously review every applicant’s profile and verify essential information before presenting them to our clients. If we have invested resources in scheduling an interview, it means that we have already deemed the applicant unsuitable. Our clients can rest assured that the candidates we recommend possess the necessary qualifications and are eager to excel in the position.
Keep in mind that there are additional vital strategies beyond CV analysis that can help you select which candidates to screen.
- If a CV has caught your attention, but you’re still uncertain, requesting references could be an option. Contacting a candidate’s previous manager or co-worker could offer you valuable insights into their work ethic and major responsibilities.
- Depending on the type of position you’re recruiting for, assigning a small project might be appropriate. For instance, to assess a candidate’s design skills, task them with creating an online banner. This allows you to evaluate their ability to deliver promptly and ascertain if they possess the required expertise for the role.
Conducting Remote Meetings
It’s not just you; many individuals also feel uneasy about online job interviews. However, there’s a chance that you might be making some mistakes.
Switching on the camera during a virtual interview can make the interaction with candidates more personable and prevent you from coming across as impersonal. Instead of attempting to recreate the physical work setting digitally, it’s advisable to embrace the new virtual environment.
Commencing the interview with some casual questions can be a successful approach to alleviate tension before addressing the more significant questions about the job opening.
To have productive remote interviews, having a well-structured plan is crucial. This involves scheduling a suitable time and medium (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, etc.) with the candidate. Besides, it’s important to go into the interview with a specific objective in mind, with the same purpose as any other meeting—to determine if the candidate is suitable for the position. To extract relevant information, it’s essential to ask the right questions.
- To what extent do they match your preferred candidate criteria?
- What types of skills should they possess? (Skills that are negotiable and those that are non-negotiable)
- What are some of your most desired traits?
- What makes this individual a valuable asset to an organization?
Avoid procrastinating preparations until the eleventh hour!
Unlocking Success in Onboarding
According to Glassdoor, onboarding can have a substantial influence on both employee retention and productivity. In fact, research suggests that an effective onboarding process can boost new employee retention by 82% and productivity by 70%.
Research indicates that it takes roughly a week for a new employee to become acclimated to the culture and procedures of Works. After conducting a decade-long study, a handbook has been developed to offer direction on this subject. To ensure a trouble-free handover, it is advisable to arrange meetings that explain the company’s processes, establish expectations, and provide as much clarity as possible until they become accustomed to the organization and its culture.
Based on our experience, we’ve learned the following key points about orientating new employees:
- Set up an onboarding process: Developing an onboarding protocol can facilitate seamless and prompt integration of remote workers into the workplace, reducing the need to begin anew with each new hire.
- Prior to moving forward, it’s crucial to verify that all essential documentation is complete. This comprises the contract, employee information, and relevant communication guidelines. Devoting time to these aspects will guarantee that all requirements are satisfied.
- Allocating time to clarify the tools they’ll be using will yield significant benefits when they’re eventually deployed.
- When hiring remotely, special challenges arise, especially with regards to factoring in cultural backgrounds. Culture extends beyond just organisational values; it’s also the bonding element for employees. In order to offer a formal welcome to the new hire, it’s recommended to arrange a conference call with your team. Furthermore, a social gathering like a happy hour could be organised to inspire colleagues to become better acquainted.
Encountering Challenges with Virtual Interviews?
We realise the potential obstacles of conducting interviews online. As a business leader, it’s imperative to ensure that your team collaborates seamlessly towards achieving success. Therefore, when hiring remotely, it’s crucial to assess not only the candidates’ expertise and experience but also how well they align with your company’s values and objectives. In terms of boosting team morale and productivity, an individual who is a good cultural fit could prove beneficial, whereas the alternative may result in expensive and fruitless outcomes.
According to a recent CareerBuilder survey, 74% of companies are experiencing a collective annual loss of $14,900 due to hiring the wrong employee. This can significantly impact productivity and team spirit, irrespective of the company’s size, particularly in a digital landscape in which trust and effective communication are fundamental for successful operations.
When hiring remotely, keep in mind these three crucial practices:
Discover Three Approaches to Recruit and Hire Top-Notch Remote Workers
- Establish a Vision for Your Organisation’s Culture
Here at Works, we recognise the significance of corporate culture, which is why we’ve dedicated ample time and resources to discuss it. Technical abilities among team members aren’t the only factors that contribute to success; relationships among them are equally important. Relationships with family and friends are just as essential as those formed in the workplace and are critical for long-term happiness. The notion of Frodo succeeding without Sam by his side is unfathomable.
Prior to making a hire, it’s crucial to comprehend yourself, your company’s values, and the role you expect the new hire to fulfil. Inquire within:- What is your company’s ultimate objective?
- Regarding team culture, what precisely are your objectives?
- How will your principles aid in your firm’s success?
- Can you provide details about the company’s plans for growth?
- What kind of colleagues will I be working with on a daily basis?
With the increasing prevalence of digitisation and globalisation across various industries, it has become more frequent for companies to assemble multicultural teams. However, in order for diversity to translate into a competitive advantage, team members must be able to interact with one another effectively. When recruiting a new remote staff member, it’s crucial to ensure that they are a “cultural fit” for the team.
Asking these questions can aid in assessing your current standing. It is not an opportune moment to begin the recruitment process when communication has broken down between parties. To create an effective virtual team, it’s essential to define the company’s values clearly, so that potential employees can recognise the possibilities of the position beyond the salary.
- Efficient Interactions are Key! (For Both Sides)
Effective communication is crucial when recruiting remote staff members for teams situated in different locations. During the interview process, you can determine the candidate’s suitability for your team by evaluating their communication skills.
For instance, an individual who avoids looking at the camera may come across as reserved, while someone who appears relaxed may seem excessively confident or even arrogant based on their body language. - Both types of individuals can showcase positive traits.
The question is, which one do you believe would integrate with the rest of your team the most efficiently?
Video interviews can be a great method to rapidly assess a candidate’s communication abilities. Their responses, including body language and attentiveness, are still visible during a video call. If you’re seeking to recruit a remote staff member, it’s critical to communicate your company’s mission and values clearly. Finding a way to connect with potential employees in their language is essential to locate those who share your vision.
By defining the company’s primary objectives clearly, it’s possible to identify candidates who are incompatible with the organisational culture, and who may eventually become disengaged.
Value the Journey, Not Just the Destination.
Monitoring the productivity of remote staff can be a daunting task. According to research, on average, employees can only accomplish three hours of work during an eight-hour workday. Distractions are likely a significant factor contributing to this issue.
In his book Surviving Remote Work, Works’ President Sharon Kofiman posed a thought-provoking query: “If we can’t measure time, what can we measure?” This leads us to consider alternatives to traditional productivity metrics, such as the time spent in front of a computer. Instead, we should concentrate on output or the amount of work completed. By evaluating the bottleneck, we can identify and eliminate distractions to enhance team productivity.
If you’re seeking a remote job, it’s crucial to be upfront about your expectations for the role and the results you aim to accomplish. Rather than seeking additional hours, it’s advisable to inquire about the applicant’s typical workflow and tools. The expected completion date may vary depending on the skills and experience of the team members involved. To assist team members in managing their time and staying focused, it’s best to highlight the quality of the work and the significance of meeting deadlines, instead of tracking their every minute.
As we mentioned earlier, prospects are more likely to be open to your vision if you communicate your values and goals effectively. By hiring someone who can collaborate well with your team, you can avoid having to monitor their every minute spent on the task, instead concentrating on the final output.
Concluding Remarks on Remote Work
According to research, poor hiring practices can harm a company’s profits. In addition to having financial consequences, it can also deplete resources, such as time and manpower.
Works is devoted to taking care of all of your recruitment needs. Our team of skilled headhunters is dedicated to finding the most appropriate candidates for your vacant positions. We make sure that each candidate is a good fit for your company, considering both their abilities and how they will integrate into your existing culture.
If you need to fill a remote technical position but don’t have time to conduct interviews, we can help you identify qualified candidates.
