We all know that remote workers are a valuable asset to the modern workplace. They can help your business save money and increase productivity by letting you hire employees from all over the world. But while they may seem like an easy fix, there are still some things you should keep in mind when hiring remote workers. Here's how you should vet your candidates:
Review applicants' resumes and cover letters.
Make sure that the applicant has included all relevant information, such as work experience and education, in his or her resume. Also, ensure that the candidate is up-to-date on any skills or certifications they have earned since submitting their resume. You can also ask for examples of projects your candidates have completed, which will help you see how they work in practice.
Check for the right attitude and technical skills. It's essential to find someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to get results—someone who aligns with your company culture and shares its values. You should make sure that candidates are able to communicate effectively through email, phone calls, or video chats; this is especially important if they'll be working most of the time remotely! Regarding technical skills, some jobs require knowledge of certain software packages (e.g., Microsoft Office/Adobe Creative suite). Be sure that applicants have acquired any necessary knowledge before hiring them permanently so they don't drag down productivity later on by searching endlessly for tutorials online rather than completing tasks quickly when needed at work!
Assess applicants' skills and capabilities via video call
When vetting a remote worker, the first thing is to assess the candidate's skills and capabilities. This is what an interview is for, but you can also ask about their experience, motivation and attitude, goals, willingness to learn new things, ability to work in a team (or on their own), and so on.
You could include a video call with an applicant to assess whether their communication skills are sufficient for the role. If you're looking for help with programming and IT tasks, consider asking applicants to complete a coding challenge during this portion of the interview process. Our favorite video call tool is Google Meet.
Contact the candidate's references
When you are considering a candidate for a remote worker, you should always check their references. The best time to do this is before you hire them so that if there are any red flags or concerns about the candidate's work ethic or ability, they can be addressed before they begin working for you. It’s also essential to get feedback from people who have worked closely with the hired person; these references typically fall into two camps: colleagues and former employers.
Do a background check
Background checks are essential when it comes to vetting a new hire. Background checks can help you determine how long someone has been working in their field and what kind of experience they've had—but they can't tell you anything about the person's character or motivations. That's why most remote workers have both an employment history and references that you'll want to talk to before making a hiring decision.
Conclusion
We’ve covered a lot of ground here, but remember that in the end, hiring is always a balancing act. You want to make sure you’re not missing out on good candidates by being too strict, and you also don’t want to be so lenient with your vetting process that the wrong person gets through and does damage to your company or brand. The key takeaway from this post is that there are four key steps for making sure your remote workers are trustworthy: reviewing resumes and cover letters, assessing skills and capabilities via video call (if possible), contacting references or previous employers via phone call or email (depending on their preference), then finally conducting background checks using public records.
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