Finding the right Virtual Employee to fit your business probably seems daunting.
At HireSmart, we walk our clients through the process daily, so we know lots of tips and tricks that work great.
It’s not really that complicated and mostly it’s the same things that make an in-person employee a successful hire.
Here are a few items we think are most essential to hiring the right virtual employee to meet your specific business needs.
Define the role and responsibilities clearly.
The first step in finding the right virtual employee is to define the role and responsibilities clearly.
This helps you identify skills and experience necessary for the job.
As Joel Gascoigne, CEO of Buffer, a social media management tool, explains –
"Before you hire anyone, it's critical to be clear about what you're looking for. This starts with defining the role and responsibilities in detail. Without this, you can't effectively evaluate candidates."
By defining roles and responsibilities clearly, you make sure you’re considering appropriate candidates that understand what’s expected of them.
Look for the right skills and experience.
Once you’ve defined the role and responsibilities, it’s time to look for the right skills and experience.
Shane Pearlman, CEO of Modern Tribe, a digital agency, says –
"When hiring remote employees, you want to make sure you're hiring people who can handle the job. This means looking for people who have the right skills and experience to get the job done."
When reviewing candidates, make sure to focus on their relevant skills and experience.
Once that’s established, HireSmart will help you identify candidates who have the required background to succeed in the role.
Assess communication skills.
One of the most important skills for a virtual employee is communication.
You need to hire people who can effectively communicate, especially when they're not in the same room as you.
When evaluating candidates, make sure to assess their communication skills.
Look for candidates who are responsive, clear, and concise in their communication.
This will help ensure that your Virtual Employee is able to collaborate effectively with your team and your customers. This is something that we have dialed in.
Our clients’ selected virtual employee gets a 1-week mentoring and certification from me. My guarantee is if I would hire that candidate for my business, they aren’t going to waste my clients' time. This is part of the HireSmart difference.
Consider cultural fit.
Cultural fit is another important factor to consider when hiring a virtual employee.
As Joel Gascoigne explains –
"Culture fit is crucial when it comes to remote work. You need to make sure that your remote employees share your company's values and work style."
Look for candidates who align with your company culture and can work well with your team.
Each selected candidate that HireSmart presents to our clients is skilled, but there will always be one or two who understand your business, your values, and maybe even your sense of humor.
Those will be the best candidates for your business.
Conduct a trial period.
Finally, it’s important to conduct a trial period before making a long-term commitment to a virtual employee.
Part of the HireSmart process is a 1-week certification. We work with our clients chosen candidates to do 3 things:
- Mentor them in their communication
- Assess their skills and make sure they can learn new tasks quickly
- Apply the knowledge that they learn
This process has allowed us to have a very high standard and a 97.3% success rate for placements.
We want to give you every opportunity to hire a Virtual Employee who stays with you for the long term.
If you’re ready to take advantage of our tried and true process for hiring a virtual employee who is an excellent fit for your business, click here for a free consultation.