Tip of the Week: Interviewing for a Remote Position? Ask These 5 Questions

Modern office technology is breaking down office barriers left and right. With the proper tools, workers can perform their daily duties anytime, anywhere. This trend is prompting businesses to hire remote workers in order to find the talent they need without being limited by geographical location. Unfortunately, finding a good candidate for a remote worker is easier said than done.

To help you get the best help for your remote needs, we’ve assembled a list of questions that you should consider asking anyone who you’re considering for a remote position.

“Do You Have Remote Work Experience?”
Sometimes one of the easiest ways to judge whether an employee can perform well remotely is if they have experience doing so. If this is their first attempt at working remotely, it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker either. You should consider their qualifications and reliability above all else. Eventually, any remote worker will grow accustomed to the specific demands of their position, and if they can form good remote working habits, it’s likely that they can be counted on to perform with minimal supervision.

“What Tools Do You Have Experience With?”
The remote worker requires a particular skill set in order to succeed. They need to be able to adapt to new technology solutions, and they should have some experience working with online collaboration tools. Solutions like email, cloud computing, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and instant messaging should all be first on their list of qualifications.

“What Does Your Home Office Look Like?”
If you’re hiring a remote worker, it’s reasonable to ask them about the environment that they will be working in. After all, you’re responsible for ensuring that it’s cohesive to the overall success of the employee’s remote work experience. The home office should contain minimal distractions, but should include the technology needed to facilitate productivity. You should ask about their Internet connection, minimum technology requirements for the required position, etc.

“Can We Expect Regular Hours From You?”
Remote workers will often be tempted to waste time while out of the office on streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, or they may just get caught up in chores and other everyday occurrences. You should be able to count on remote workers to have a relatively consistent schedule. Ask them about their daily routines, when they take lunch, and what their habits are during the day. You need to ensure that your remote workers will be available when you need them to be.

“How Autonomous Are You in the Face of Conflict?”
If a remote worker runs into trouble somewhere on a project, can they be expected to troubleshoot the issue and properly resolve it? Remote workers don’t have the advantage of being in an office full of people who might have answers for them. Instead, they should have the tools (and be prepared) to contact the person who can help them, whether it’s your in-house IT department or an outsourced IT provider.

If you’re having difficulty managing your remote workers, Washington Works can provide you with the tools necessary to ensure their productivity. To learn more, give us a call at 301-571-5040.