Company

How to Hire Remote Workers

Remote work used to be a thing of the future. However, with social, economic, and cultural events taking place across the country, it has now evolved into something that both job searchers AND companies are benefiting from. Remote work is multifaceted and can come in handy in a variety of situations. So, to help your small business take advantage of all of remote work’s benefits, here is a short guide on how to hire remote workers.

What Kind of Remote Worker is Best?

First things first. When you are looking to boost productivity, it will be important to decide the best way to do so. You know for a fact you want to hire remote workers, but the type of remote worker you hire will be dependent on your goals, as well as your financial situation.

Freelancer

A freelancer is someone who is self-employed and has no commitment to any particular business. They are usually hired on a short-term basis.


Opting for a remote freelancer is beneficial if you:

  • don’t have the funds to hire a full-time employee
  • have some small projects that need to be completed, but it’s not enough to justify creating a position for it

Independent Contractor (1099)

An independent contractor, like a freelancer, is self-employed. The biggest difference is that contractors tend to only work with 1-2 clients at a time, whereas freelancers work on multiple projects with multiple clients.


Opting for a contractor means you will hire someone on a contract basis. This may be a good option if you:

  • have a large, lengthy project, but can’t supervise it from beginning to end
  • need the full attention of someone with specific expertise
  • want to hire someone for an extended period of time, but don’t want to worry about commitment, a benefits package or employee taxes

Full-time Employee (W2)

Unlike the other two, a full-time employee is committed to your company only. This adds a little more responsibility for you with overseeing their behavior, making sure they are happy and productive, and handling their taxes.


Opting for hiring a full time remote employee may be a good option if you:

  • are growing your small business
  • want someone in that role that will be committed to the company for the long-term
  • need someone around who knows the company and culture
  • can afford to invest in a salary, professional development or training, and employee benefits

Where to Find Remote Employees

Once you’ve decided what kind of remote worker you want to bring on board, then you can narrow down your sources. For example, you wouldn’t look for a full-time remote employee on Upwork. You probably wouldn’t find one.

Instead, focus on the places you know your target audience is hanging out.

  • Job Boards – This is good for all remote workers. 60% of job searchers use online job boards to search for remote jobs. This includes freelancers, contractors, and people looking a full-time remote job.
  • Freelance Websites – If you have small projects that you’d like to source out to freelancers, then freelancing websites could be your best friend. Sites such as UpWork, Freelancer, and Fiverr are three of the most popular sites for freelancers to find work.
  • Employee Referrals – Nothing is better than having a remote worker fall into your lap. Hiring a remote worker really puts your trust to the test. However, with employee referrals you’ll likely have a small pool of candidates that have already been “vetted” by your own employees. This is also a good option no matter what kind of remote worker you are looking for.
  • Social Media – LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter tend to have groups, spaces, and hashtags for remote work in different industries. When posting about open remote positions or your need for a freelancer, scope out your audience and find ways to get their attention. You can also use social media to look for talent and reach out to them.
  • Networking Groups and Events – Most of the people in networking groups or at events will likely already have a job. So these are likely most beneficial if you are looking for freelancers or contractors.

Best Places to Advertise Remote Job Postings

Job Searcherhttps://jobsearcher.comFree
RemoteOKhttps://remoteok.comStarting from $699
Flexjobshttps://flexjobs.com Starting at $399
Facebookhttps://facebook.comFree
We Work Remotelyhttps://weworkremotely.comStarting from $299

For small businesses looking to post remote jobs, advertising can get a bit expensive, especially since posting to multiple sites is highly beneficial (and recommended). So if you want to advertise on a budget, here’s what you can do.

  1. Make sure your Career Site is up to date and engaging. Share it across all platforms each time you update it with new jobs.
  2. Utilize free job posting sites, like Job Searcher and even Facebook if you are looking for local remote talent.
  3. Research and choose a paid job board that best fits your needs and budget. For example, there’s no need to pay extra for your job to be advertised worldwide if you want your employees to be US residents.

6 Tips to Hire Remote Workers

10 Ideal Skills and Attributes to Look Out for

When recruiting, you’ll likely evaluate a slightly different soft skill set than when you are hiring someone that will be in-office. While some of these skills are useful for in-house workers, they tend to be more important for remote workers because there is less supervision and hands-on interaction. These skills include (but are not limited to):

  • Self-Discipline
  • Self-Management and Initiative
  • Great Organizational Skills
  • Adaptability and Flexibility
  • Communication Skills & Responsiveness
  • Successful Troubleshooting Skills
  • Reliable Judgment
  • Trustworthiness
  • Personal Accountability
  • Time Management

Interview Questions to Hire Remote Workers

  • Have you ever worked remotely before? What are some challenges you faced?
  • Why do you want to work from home?
  • Have you ever worked with a remote team? What was the best and worst part about it?
  • What management style do you prefer as a remote worker?
  • How would you rate your tech and troubleshooting skills?
  • Tell me about your communication style or how you envision your communication style to be as a remote worker.
  • How do you stay focused on your tasks?
  • What challenges are you anticipating as a remote worker? How do you usually deal with challenges you face at work?
  • Tell me about a time you took a risk and failed. What did you learn?
  • How do you switch off from work?
  • How do you see yourself playing your role and making sure group projects are a success?
  • Get the attention you need at the price you can afford. Start your search for remote workers today with a job posting on JobSearcher.

    Write A Comment

    This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.