When you interview prospective employees to fill a position at your company, numerous questions that seem obvious for in-person work are less relevant for people who will be working remotely.
And today, more than ever, our clients have been asking, what do I need to look for in terms of traits when hiring employees?
There are numerous unique considerations you should make when interviewing employees who will be working away from your office.
Respect the Differences in Working Remotely
When interviewing on-site employees, things like promptness, being on time, and reliable transportation to your job-sites are important. However, those are less important for people who are working remotely. Instead, things like the technology and internet connection speed at their home office are more critical. When interviewing for remote work, respect the different situations and circumstances that happen as a result of working remotely, and don’t be afraid to work from a different script than you do for interviewing more traditional employees.
The Traits That Make Great Remote Workers
When employees work remotely, you are placing a great deal of trust in them to work when they say that they are working, complete tasks on time, and stay focused during the day. The questions you ask should be aimed at looking for the traits of great remote workers. An ideal remote worker has some of these traits:
- Prioritizes results
- Self-motivated/Self-starter, or asks questions when they are stuck
- Strong communication skills
- Responsive and punctual
- Strong technology and troubleshooting skills
- Experience remote working at least part-time in the past
- Attention to detail
Interview Questions for Remote Workers
While the interview questions you ask should be customized to your business and the systems your employees are expected to use, here are some sample questions that can guide your interview process. Note that we highly recommend using Behavior Based Interviewing questions. These questions are phrased in such a way that the candidate reflects on past experiences. This past behavior is a good indicator of future behavior.
- Tell me about a time when you worked remotely in the past and communication was a challenge. Tell me about the situation, and specifically tell me how you solved it.
- This gives you an idea of their communication skills and what they have utilized in the past. Very specific details are critical to evaluate if the candidate has an experience using strategies for good communication when working within a remote team.
- Tell me about a time when you were unclear on a project. Tell me about the situation and specifically tell me the steps you took to solve that challenge.
- This gets at the candidate’s ability to solve problems and their willingness to ask questions and ask for help.
- Describe some of the challenges you have experienced when working remotely. How did you overcome these challenges?
- This will give you more insight on their problem-solving skills and teamwork skills when working remotely.
- Tell me about a time when you had a task to complete, but were very unmotivated to complete that task. Tell me what strategies you used to overcome that?
- Workers who are self-motivated and who are stuck practice strategies for getting unstuck. This is a good skill for your remote workers to have.
Help Employees Thrive When Working Remotely with Zenith Performance Solutions
Zenith Performance Solutions wants to transform the ways that you and your employees learn. We offer a comprehensive range of training course design services, including updating existing courses and consulting. We work with companies of every size to create innovative and instructionally sound materials that boost employee performance and satisfy your objectives. To learn more, please contact us by calling (970) 409-4013.