When hiring remote candidates, it’s important to assess a candidate’s suitability for remote work, alongside how they reflect company values and mission. To successfully identify candidates that would be appropriate for remote work, it’s important to be intentional about the questions that you ask to determine how an employee would perform in a remote environment.

Classic interview questions

Classic interview questions like “Why do you think you would be a good fit for this role?” and “Describe your greatest strength” are still important to cover in any interview. It’s a good idea to focus on responses that reflect a good fit for company values, rather than perceived “cultural fit”, which can lead to unintentional bias.

Consider asking questions that reveal how a candidate aligns with your company’s principles, such as “What do you think the main values of our company are?” and “How would you embody these company values in this role?”.

Remote work qualities

You should ensure that you’re intentional about assessing a candidate’s ability to work remotely. These questions should help you identify the candidates that have the right qualities for remote work. Some examples of qualities you may like to look for are; dependability, trustworthiness, empathy and excellent communication skills. You can ask questions such as “What is your prefered communication style when working remotely?”, “Tell us about a time when a colleague misinterpreted communications from you and how you resolved the situation” and “What do you think is the best way to work collaboratively while remote working?”.

Remote work candidates should also value self-development and autonomy in their work. Asking questions about their appetite for learning and ability to work both as a team and individually can help determine these qualities. You may consider questions such as “What is your preferred way to learn new skills?”, “How would you stay in touch with your manager and team when working remotely?”, “How do you like to manage your workloads when working remotely?” and “What would you say are the biggest challenges of remote work?”

Clarify Expectations

If you want to hire remotely, make sure that it’s clear from the start what working remotely means in the context of your organisation. It’s important to understand how the potential new team member prefers to work. If your company has a hybrid approach, it’s especially important that you discuss this with the candidate, and agree on the number of days in office and remote that works for both you and them.

There’s no one right way to hire remote candidates in your business, but these are some fundamentals worth considering.

If you want to talk to someone who knows your niche and understands the ins and outs of remote hiring, reach out to our team today.