Hiring a remote working team for your virtual office business crosses the traditional expectations and rules for hiring practices. Get creative and embrace the process as it may become integral to your business growth and success.
Face to face interviews are not necessary. As this is a remote position, plan for a video conferencing interview to connect and really get a feel for personality, passion, and cultural fit. There are a couple ways to do this. The best is to do live video interviews where you actually get to talk face-to-face on screen with your interviewee, but if for some reason that isn’t feasible, you can also have candidates record video answers to a list of questions you send them.
With a remote position, there are no geographical borders or limitations on the number and quality of applicants that may apply to work for your company. In other words, offering a remote work option can attract top talent.
Telecommuting is different from working in an office. Someone who has never done it can’t know for sure whether he or she is suited to deal with the differences. Working remotely requires a comfort with solitude and a respect for deadlines that many people lack.
Be clear about the job expectations and time commitment. Writing down the scope of work will help to clarify this for you and the candidates. It will greatly assist in the recruitment process if you have a clear idea on the qualifications to meet the scope of work. It will also save you money if a candidate can multi-task. Communication will be extremely important. Decide what means of online communication will be necessary to keep your team connected and be transparent.
If your company is seeking to reap the benefits of a distributed, agile workforce through remote work should be strategic in its approach. Ensure you have a trustworthy virtual office address and physical meeting room space accessible if needed.