Chances are you're now a pro at remote work. Since COVID-19 has moved so many jobs to home offices, businesses are looking at remote teams with new eyes and considering how this change affects their business strategy going forward. You may even be considering expanding your team with new remote workers. This offers some important advantages:
\r\nYou have access to a larger talent pool. With remote workers, you aren't limited to the available hires in your local area; you can hire a team member anywhere in the country.
\r\nBy finding a remote team member in another time zone, you increase coverage hours for your business.
\r\nIt reduces your real estate costs. Virtual team members work from home, which means no need to provide office space.
\r\nYou save money on benefits and insurance if you hire independent contractors.
\r\nYou and your team have the ability to work when, when and how you want. Many studies have shown higher job satisfaction for those who have flexible schedules. Higher job satisfaction usually translates to higher productivity and team members who will stay with your company longer.
\r\nYou can hire the best candidate for each particular role instead of hiring one person to do many roles that may not be their specialty. For instance, you could hire a social media manager, virtual assistant and bookkeeper all on a part-time basis instead of one admin person who tries to do all three jobs but probably is not highly skilled in all three areas.
\r\nWith so many reasons to hire a remote team member, you may be wondering how to do this. It's one thing to move established team members to home offices, but hiring new remote team members takes a different set of skills. These tips will help you find and hire the right virtual team member for your needs.
\r\nThe first part of this is finding the right job title. Creating the right job title helps you attract relevant candidates to your posting. Think of your job title as your headline. Consider the roles and responsibilities you want your new hire to take on and match the job title and description to those duties. For example, if you are looking for someone to help manage your social media accounts, the job title should reflect that responsibility.
\r\nThen, create a meaningful and accurate job description. It should include these elements:
\r\nMany options are available to help you find the right virtual team member. More traditional options include social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn and job boards such as Indeed or Monster. These sites have a wide reach, and you are likely to receive thousands of resumes if you post your job opening on them. If you do not have a human resources department or person, this can be quite daunting to handle. Not many small businesses have the manpower or time to review hundreds or thousands of resumes.
\r\nTo make this process more manageable, consider a niche platform, like Hire Heroes USA for veterans, Codeable for WordPress experts, and HireMyMom.com for moms seeking flexible remote opportunities. Whereas some businesses get upward of 900 resumes for a single job opening on the larger platforms, on smaller job posting sites, it's more common to get 20-50 quality applicants. Using niche platforms is not only a timesaver, but a great way to source qualified candidates who are specifically looking for remote work and have the particular skill set you are looking for.
\r\nIf you are looking for someone in or near your time zone, this is also a consideration for the platform you use. Some sites restrict access to certain areas or countries to help businesses find candidates in or near their time zone more easily.
\r\nOnce resumes start rolling in, establish a screening process based on the traits you hope to find in your candidate. Here are some tips:
\r\nStart by looking at cover letters. Ask applicants to include specific details or key phrases in their cover letter so you can easily weed out those who are not paying close attention to your job requirements.
\r\nMove on to resumes for those who pass the cover letter test. Look for the resumes that are presented professionally and speak to the traits and skills you are seeking.
\r\nAsk applicants to include a link to a portfolio of their work, if applicable to the job. This lets you evaluate the quality of the applicant's work before reaching out to them.
\r\nConsider a skills test for the candidates who most interest you. This can help you determine their personality traits and competencies. A good one to consider is 123Test.com.
\r\nOnce you are ready to meet applicants, decide how you want to conduct interviews. A phone call is an easy way to hold a short initial interview with a candidate. Turn to Zoom and Skype calls for a chance to interact with the applicant more fully through video chat.
\r\nNo matter what platform you use, make the most of it by asking the right questions. Here are 10 interview questions to ask for a good starting point. Add questions specific to the role and your company's needs. The better your questions, the better the chances of getting the insight you need to make the best selection.
\r\nOnce your interviews are complete and you've selected your top candidates, check their references. The traditional route involves asking the applicant for the names and contact information of three people who can speak to their skills and general work habits. You can also check their LinkedIn profile and other social media accounts to get a better sense of the person.
\r\nNext, it's time to make the official job offer. This usually starts with a verbal offer by phone, followed by a written offer letter. The job offer should include these details of the arrangement:
\r\nJob offers vary based on whether you are adding this person to your payroll or hiring them as an independent contractor. Check out \"7 Essentials to an Independent Contractor Agreement\" for additional help.
\r\nRemote workers can infuse your business with fresh thinking and new energy. They can also lighten your load and expand your reach. Armed with these tips, you are ready to find your new team members. Good luck!
\n","docType":"article","guid":"articles_5d403a7fe39c01906db773c2bdc7344b","lastModified":"2020-08-26T18:58:00.000Z","published":"2020-08-26T18:58:00.000Z","structuredData":null,"subtitle":"Is the prospect of hiring new team members daunting when you can't meet them in person? Follow these steps and tips to feel good about your choice.","template":"v1","title":"How to Hire a Remote Team Member With Confidence","type":"article","author":{"avatar":null,"bio":"As both an entrepreneur and a mom of 4, I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and small businesses take their business to the NEXT level by hiring dependable, talented virtual professionals while also helping Mom Professionals find legitimate, flexible work from home jobs.\r\n\r\nUnlike the mega career sites, HireMyMom.com focuses strictly on home-based jobs and projects that work perfectly for savvy entrepreneurs and today’s modern mom.\r\n\r\nSince launching HireMyMom.com in 2007, we've helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and small businesses find the right freelancers or remote employees for their company.","name":"Lesley Pyle","image":null,"slug":null,"social":{"facebook":"","linkedin":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/lspencerpyle/","twitter":"https://twitter.com/lesleypyle","website":"https://www.hiremymom.com/"},"status":"enabled","title":null,"type":"New BDC Member","user":{"imagePath":"https://staging.business.com/images/uploads/user/profile/e3cdd1c7af099bbc8dd2c047220caa3ae0d04.jpg","profile":{"company":"HireMyMom.com","jobTitle":"Founder","website":"https://www.hiremymom.com/"}}},"breadcrumbs":null,"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Human Resources","slug":"human-resources"},"sub":{"name":"Hiring","slug":"hiring"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"Is the prospect of hiring new team members daunting when you can't meet them in person? Follow these steps and tips to choose the right remote team member.","title":"Steps in Hiring a Remote Employee - business.com"},"parsedContent":{"toc":[{"id":"1-nail-the-job-description","title":"1. Nail the job description."},{"id":"2-create-a-plan-to-find-candidates","title":"2. Create a plan to find candidates."},{"id":"3-screen-your-candidates","title":"3. Screen your candidates."},{"id":"4-conduct-interviews-and-check-references","title":"4. Conduct interviews and check references. "},{"id":"5-create-a-job-offer","title":"5. Create a job offer."}],"json":[{"component":"p","children":["Chances are you're now a pro at remote work. Since COVID-19 has moved so many jobs to home offices, businesses are looking at remote teams with new eyes and considering how this change affects their business strategy going forward. You may even be considering expanding your team with new remote workers. This offers some important advantages:"]},{"component":"ul","children":[{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["You have access to a larger talent pool. With remote workers, you aren't limited to the available hires in your local area; you can hire a team member anywhere in the country."]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["By finding a remote team member in another time zone, you increase coverage hours for your business."]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["It reduces your real estate costs. Virtual team members work from home, which means no need to provide office space. "]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["You save money on benefits and insurance if you ",{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"https://www.business.com/articles/contractors-vs-employees-benefits-and-drawbacks/"},"children":["hire independent contractors"]},". "]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["You and your team have the ability to work when, when and how you want. Many studies have shown higher job satisfaction for those who have flexible schedules. Higher job satisfaction usually translates to higher productivity and team members who will stay with your company longer. "]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["You can hire the best candidate for each particular role instead of hiring one person to do many roles that may not be their specialty. For instance, you could hire a social media manager, virtual assistant and bookkeeper all on a part-time basis instead of one admin person who tries to do all three jobs but probably is not highly skilled in all three areas. "]}]}]},{"component":"p","children":["With so many reasons to hire a remote team member, you may be wondering how to do this. It's one thing to move established team members to home offices, but hiring new remote team members takes a different set of skills. These tips will help you find and hire the right virtual team member for your needs."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"1-nail-the-job-description"},"children":["1. Nail the job description."]},{"component":"p","children":["The first part of this is finding the right job title. ",{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-pick-startup-job-title/"},"children":["Creating the right job title"]}," helps you attract relevant candidates to your posting. Think of your job title as your headline. Consider the roles and responsibilities you want your new hire to take on and match the job title and description to those duties. For example, if you are looking for someone to help manage your social media accounts, the job title should reflect that responsibility. "]},{"component":"p","children":["Then, create a meaningful and accurate job description. It should include these elements:"]},{"component":"ul","children":[{"component":"li","children":["An overview of the responsibilities (perhaps after tracking and writing down the pertinent tasks for a week to make this step easier)"]},{"component":"li","children":["Your goals for the role"]},{"component":"li","children":["The skills and background necessary to succeed in the role"]},{"component":"li","children":["Any specific hardware or software knowledge and skills the candidate should have"]},{"component":"li","children":["An explanation of why the job matters to your company"]},{"component":"li","children":["Details of how you expect the remote relationship to work"]},{"component":"li","children":["The traits and qualities you are looking for in a candidate"]},{"component":"li","children":["The number of hours you expect (if it's a part-time role) "]},{"component":"li","children":["The hourly pay or salary"]}]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"2-create-a-plan-to-find-candidates"},"children":["2. Create a plan to find candidates."]},{"component":"p","children":["Many options are available to help you find the right virtual team member. More traditional options include social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn and job boards such as Indeed or Monster. These sites have a wide reach, and you are likely to receive thousands of resumes if you post your job opening on them. If you do not have a human resources department or person, this can be quite daunting to handle. Not many small businesses have the manpower or time to review hundreds or thousands of resumes. "]},{"component":"p","children":["To make this process more manageable, consider a niche platform, like ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.hireheroesusa.org/","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener nofollow"},"children":["Hire Heroes USA"]}," for veterans, ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://codeable.io/","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener nofollow"},"children":["Codeable"]}," for WordPress experts, and ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.hiremymom.com/","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener nofollow"},"children":["HireMyMom.com"]}," for moms seeking flexible remote opportunities. Whereas some businesses get upward of 900 resumes for a single job opening on the larger platforms, on smaller job posting sites, it's more common to get 20-50 quality applicants. Using niche platforms is not only a timesaver, but a great way to source qualified candidates who are specifically looking for remote work and have the particular skill set you are looking for. "]},{"component":"p","children":["If you are looking for someone in or near your time zone, this is also a consideration for the platform you use. Some sites restrict access to certain areas or countries to help businesses find candidates in or near their time zone more easily. "]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"3-screen-your-candidates"},"children":["3. Screen your candidates."]},{"component":"p","children":["Once resumes start rolling in, establish a screening process based on the traits you hope to find in your candidate. Here are some tips:"]},{"component":"ul","children":[{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["Start by looking at cover letters. Ask applicants to include specific details or key phrases in their cover letter so you can easily weed out those who are not paying close attention to your job requirements. "]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["Move on to resumes for those who pass the cover letter test. Look for the resumes that are presented professionally and speak to the traits and skills you are seeking."]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["Ask applicants to include a link to a portfolio of their work, if applicable to the job. This lets you evaluate the quality of the applicant's work before reaching out to them."]}]},{"component":"li","children":[{"component":"p","children":["Consider a skills test for the candidates who most interest you. This can help you determine their personality traits and competencies. A good one to consider is ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.123test.com/competency-test/","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener nofollow"},"children":["123Test.com"]},". "]}]}]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"4-conduct-interviews-and-check-references"},"children":["4. Conduct interviews and check references. "]},{"component":"p","children":["Once you are ready to meet applicants, decide how you want to conduct interviews. A phone call is an easy way to hold a short initial interview with a candidate. Turn to Zoom and Skype calls for a chance to interact with the applicant more fully through video chat. "]},{"component":"p","children":["No matter what platform you use, make the most of it by asking the right questions. Here are ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://mailchi.mp/hiremymom/top-10-interview-questions-to-ask","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener nofollow"},"children":["10 interview questions to ask"]}," for a good starting point. Add questions specific to the role and your company's needs. The better your questions, the better the chances of getting the insight you need to make the best selection. "]},{"component":"p","children":["Once your interviews are complete and you've selected your top candidates, check their references. The traditional route involves asking the applicant for the names and contact information of three people who can speak to their skills and general work habits. You can also check their LinkedIn profile and other social media accounts to get a better sense of the person. "]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"5-create-a-job-offer"},"children":["5. Create a job offer."]},{"component":"p","children":["Next, it's time to make the official job offer. This usually starts with a verbal offer by phone, followed by a written offer letter. The job offer should include these details of the arrangement:"]},{"component":"ul","children":[{"component":"li","children":["Start date and training information"]},{"component":"li","children":["The job classification (part-time, full-time, contract-based, etc.)"]},{"component":"li","children":["Any employment conditions, such as a probationary period or contract term"]},{"component":"li","children":["Pay information, such as an hourly rate or salary"]},{"component":"li","children":["Payment processing information"]},{"component":"li","children":["Expected work hours, if certain hours are required"]},{"component":"li","children":["Any other perks, such as vacation time, benefits or discounts"]}]},{"component":"p","children":["Job offers vary based on whether you are adding this person to your payroll or ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understanding-employee-vs-contractor-designation","target":"_blank","rel":"noopener nofollow"},"children":["hiring them as an independent contractor"]},". Check out ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"https://www.hiremymom.com/blog/7-essentials-to-an-independent-contractor-agreement/","target":"_blank","rel":"external nofollow noopener"},"children":["\"7 Essentials to an Independent Contractor Agreement\""]}," for additional help. "]},{"component":"p","children":["Remote workers can infuse your business with fresh thinking and new energy. They can also lighten your load and expand your reach. Armed with these tips, you are ready to find your new team members. Good luck!"]}]},"resource":null,"sponsorship":{"sponsorType":"no-sponsor","name":null,"thumbnail":null,"bio":null,"slug":null,"status":null,"social":{"website":null,"linkedin":null,"twitter":null,"facebook":null}},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/5f4/6b0469c658ab31b8b4567/1500-0-","caption":"g-stockstudio / Getty Images","isBlurred":false},"bestPicks":null},"related":{"relatedArticles":[{"title":"How to Support Furloughed Employees (and Bring Them Back to Work Properly)","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-support-furloughed-employees/","slug":"how-to-support-furloughed-employees","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5ea/c27229c658a4e458b4574/1500-0-","dek":"The pandemic and its economic impacts have led many companies to furlough employees. Here's what you can do to support your furloughed employees and bring them back to work the right way.","lastModified":"2020-05-01T14:42:00Z","published":"2020-05-01T14:42:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"From COVID-19 to Hurricane Season: Disaster Preparedness for Small Business","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/business-disaster-prep/","slug":"business-disaster-prep","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5e7/a495e5a215eb11d8b4569/1500-0-","dek":"Natural disasters – whether a hurricane, tornado or outbreak like COVID-19 – can have a disastrous effect on small businesses, but they don't have to. Here's how to weather a disaster successfully.","lastModified":"2020-03-25T15:19:00Z","published":"2018-09-26T07:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"4 Tips to Ensure Remote Workforce Productivity","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/remote-workforce-productivity/","slug":"remote-workforce-productivity","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5f2/975ac9c658ab24a8b4567/1500-0-","dek":"Many business owners have faced uncertainties and challenges around remote workforce management, engagement, and productivity. How do you captivate a remote workforce?","lastModified":"2020-08-04T18:38:00Z","published":"2020-08-04T18:38:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"7 Strategies to Motivate Your Remote Team","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/motivate-remote-workers/","slug":"motivate-remote-workers","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5ed/3b7169c658abe0e8b4576/1500-0-","dek":"In order to get the. most out of employees who are working from home, it is critical to keep them motivated and engaged.","lastModified":"2020-06-01T12:00:00Z","published":"2020-06-01T12:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"How to Craft an Effective Remote Work Policy","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/adopting-remote-work-policies/","slug":"adopting-remote-work-policies","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5e9/3759d9c658a1c0b8b4569/1500-0-","dek":"As telecommuting becomes increasingly popular, having a well-thought-out remote work policy is critical.","lastModified":"2020-04-12T23:00:00Z","published":"2020-04-12T23:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Ensuring Emotional Safety and Security for Your Remote Workers","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/emotional-safety-security-for-remote-workers/","slug":"emotional-safety-security-for-remote-workers","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5eb/ed4e95a215ef9058b4570/1500-0-","dek":"Is your small business able to pick up on employees' signs of stress during COVID-19 that could be impacting their well-being and work?","lastModified":"2020-05-15T19:54:00Z","published":"2020-05-15T19:54:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"How to Keep Your Small Business on Track During the Coronavirus Pandemic","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/keep-your-small-business-on-track-during-pandemic/","slug":"keep-your-small-business-on-track-during-pandemic","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5e8/cee937b43742b648b4587/1500-0-","dek":"You can't control the pandemic or the economy, but you can control your business's actions. Focus on these three areas.","lastModified":"2020-04-07T21:21:00Z","published":"2020-04-07T21:21:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Businesses 'LinkedIn' Together During a Crisis","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/businesses-linkedin-together-during-crisis/","slug":"businesses-linkedin-together-during-crisis","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5ec/abaa79c658a454d8b4581/1500-0-","dek":"Now, more than ever, LinkedIn is a powerful tool, if you use it properly.","lastModified":"2020-05-25T11:00:00Z","published":"2020-05-25T11:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Why Remote Work Makes Good Business Sense","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/remote-work-good-for-business/","slug":"remote-work-good-for-business","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5f2/1a2099c658a55798b4567/1500-0-","dek":"Telework is an essential model for business success and will be even more critical to successful business operations in today's new business reality.","lastModified":"2020-07-30T20:34:00Z","published":"2020-07-30T20:34:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"The COVID-19 Return-to-Work Guide for Small Businesses","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/covid-return-to-work-small-business/","slug":"covid-return-to-work-small-business","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5ec/27d8c5a215eab5a8b4573/1500-0-","dek":"Find out how and when to reopen your business safely, with industry-specific advice for small business owners.","lastModified":"2020-05-18T12:26:00Z","published":"2020-05-18T12:26:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Moving to E-Commerce: What You Need to Know","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/moving-to-e-commerce/","slug":"moving-to-e-commerce","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5f3/aa2665a215ecf4a8b4567/1500-0-","dek":"Between social distancing, economic variability and state closures, many businesses are increasingly turning to e-commerce as a way to stay afloat.","lastModified":"2020-08-17T16:27:00Z","published":"2020-08-17T16:27:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"How to Work From Home With Kids","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/work-from-home-with-kids/","slug":"work-from-home-with-kids","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5e9/87aed9c658a721a8b458f/1500-0-","dek":"Stay productive with this list of helpful advice and resources from working parents and educators.","lastModified":"2020-04-17T10:00:00Z","published":"2020-04-17T10:00:00Z","sponsored":false}],"relatedReviews":[{"doc_type":"category","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5e00ccda9c658a423d8b4569/HR_People_fizkes_Getty.jpg","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/best-peo-services/","title":"The Best PEO Service Providers of 2021","dek":"Professional employer organization services can simplify your human resource responsibilities. Learn about the best PEOs available for your small business.","slug":"best-peo-services","lastModified":"2021-03-23T19:45:00Z"},{"doc_type":"category","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5d85356c7b43745d448b458d/hroutsourcing_fizkes.jpg","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/best-hr-outsourcing-services/","title":"The Best HR Outsourcing Services of 2021","dek":"Human resource outsourcing services can simplify your human resource responsibilities. Learn about the best HROs available for your small business.","slug":"best-hr-outsourcing-services","lastModified":"2021-03-11T17:15:00Z"},{"doc_type":"category","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5e14b61c9c658a7e408b4573/schedule_AndreyPopov_getty.jpg","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/employee-scheduling-software/","title":"The Best Employee Scheduling Software of 2021","dek":"Looking for the best employee scheduling software? We've reviewed the best and cheapest programs.","slug":"employee-scheduling-software","lastModified":"2021-03-05T15:55:00Z"}],"relatedSponsoredArticles":null}},"pageContext":{"displayModified":"2020-08-26T18:58:00.000Z","template":"v1","title":"How to Hire a Remote Team Member With Confidence","meta":{"robots":"index, follow"},"docType":"articles","slug":"how-to-hire-remote-team-member","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/how-to-hire-remote-team-member/","skipTOC":false}},"staticQueryHashes":[]}