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Now that the age of remote work is really here, plenty of businesses are learning how to hire a remote team. However, what do you do if you’re a relatively new or small business with little to no experience in working remotely? Unfortunately, it’s usually not just a matter of getting some video conference tools or other technology solutions. While these are certainly necessary for helping a remote team perform as well as (or better than) an in-person team, they’re not the only thing that will determine if your business is successful in this new era.  

In fact, the most important factor isn’t the technology you use at all, but the people you hire. If that sounds familiar, it’s because business success has always been about the people in the business than the walls around them.  

That said, there are a few characteristics and skills that are particularly essential to being a good remote employee. Here’s what we at Thankz look for when interviewing potential candidates for our clients.  

Independence and Self-motivation 

We all like to think teamwork is an important skill to have, but for remote work independence is highly valued. By that we specifically want people who can work without being given a ton of instructions (other than what’s expected) and still deliver a high-quality work product. What’s more, we always look for people who are self-motivated, meaning they don’t wait for a manager to tell them what to do.  

Hard and Soft Skill Level 

While some positions may not require a high level of hard or even soft skills, it’s important to get a sense of whether the candidate can really do the job they’re applying for. Because they’re not there in person, it’s often far easier to fudge a skill level. As such, conducting skill assessments is a key part of hiring a remote worker. This might be a test you design, like a coding or writing test with a time limit, or you could even use an online skills assessment tool.  

Excellent Communication Skills 

Communication skills are essential for any worker to have no matter what, but they’re even more important for remote work. A good remote worker can communicate well both verbally and in writing. Additionally, a good remote worker will communicate proactively, an especially important trait when there’s no manager there monitoring a worker’s progress.  

Trustworthiness 

This one is a little harder to gauge from an interview, but it’s nonetheless something that’s highly valued. Because we often work with companies that expect us to keep their business private, finding someone who’s going to keep information confidential is essential. While trust is something that builds up over time, trustworthiness is something that can be identified based on a number of things, such as how the candidate presents themself on social media. Asking candidates about experiences where they went out of their way to be honest, despite the consequences, is also often a good measure of a candidate’s trustworthiness.  

Thinking about hiring a remote team? Thankz can help! Contact us to discuss your needs and we can find candidates, make the hires, and even manage your remote work team.