Hiring remote workers?
Needless to say, as a hiring manager, your life didn’t get any easier over the last few months. The outbreak of COVID-19 totally changed the way we work, the way we do business, and of course, the way we hire. Now more than ever, people are working from home, and it seems as though this is something that may become pretty permanent for a lot of businesses.
This means looking that when you are hiring for a role, you may need to look for certain skills, other than the obvious ones that compliment the role itself. So, if you are looking to recruit a remote worker, what specific traits should you be on the lookout for?
Strong Communicator
Working remotely, naturally, means significantly less face time with colleagues (if any). When you’re not in the same location as your teammates, you need to communicate a lot. You need to look for a person that is a strong communicator, who can articulate their thoughts well, but also a person that is capable of listening intently to other people. No, this doesn’t mean hiring the most outgoing person you interview, it means looking for someone who can make their voice heard.
Self Starter
Whether you were looking for a remote worker or not, being self-motivated is important. However, when working on a remote team, it is fairly crucial. From taking initiative on various projects to being self-disciplined and organising their workload – remote employees will have to accomplish all types of tasks without anyone looking over their shoulder.
Autonomous
This is kind of the main factor when looking to recruit a remote worker. Can they function autonomously? You need to bring people on board who can manage their own time and make decisions independently. Consider people who have worked as part of a remote team before, or perhaps someone with experience in freelancing or consulting, who have working on their own initiative in the past.
Strong Collaboration Skills
When hiring remote workers, you’ll want to ensure that they have strong collaboration skills. Think about things like adaptability, open-mindedness, accountability, and good project management skills – these will help your new team members thrive in a remote environment.
