7 Things To Consider Before Hiring Your First Remote Employee

7 things to consider before hiring your first remote employee

If you’re thinking of hiring your first-ever remote employee but you don’t know where to start then don’t worry, you have definitely come to the right place. With so many different things to consider before bringing someone into team remotely, you need to be sure you’re making the best possible decision for you and your business. From knowing the best places to recruit remote workers to finding the best ways to pay them, the more you plan in advance the better. With that in mind, here are 7 things to consider before hiring your first remote employee:

What’s Your Budget?

One of the first things you need to consider when it comes to hiring your first-ever remote employee is your overall budget. Although you may have a rough idea of the maximum price you can pay for a remote worker, you need to fine-tune this figure before you start looking. Not only will it allow you to find someone that is within your budget but it will also allow you to save time when it comes to your search.

What Will They Be Doing Within Your Business? 

Another important thing to consider is what they’re going to be doing in your business. Again, this is probably something you already have in mind but in order to hire the right person for the job, you need to ensure you have each and every aspect of the job description written down.

How Will You Find Them? 

Once you have written your job description you can start to think about how you’re going to find your remote-employee. Whether you use social media or your put out an application online, you need to be sure you’re posting your job advertisement in a place your ideal employee will be looking. If you don’t think they will be using social media to find jobs, for example, it might not be worth posting it there.

What Will The Interview Process Be Like?

When it comes to recruiting a remote worker the interview process is going to be a little bit different to the standard process for an employer looking to hire a new member of staff. Although you will go through the applications and shortlist potential candidates when it comes to the interview you might not be able to meet them face-to-face straight away. If that’s the case, you might want to consider using a service that allows you to interview via video conference. For more information about a phone screen interview, you can visit this site here.

Do You Need To Meet Them First?

Once you have hired your first remote employee, you need to think about whether or not you want to meet them before you get started. Although in some cases this may be impossible, meeting your remote worker for a brief introduction is a great idea.

Again, if you can’t meet in person, apps like Skype and Zoom are great for interacting in a way that will feel just as personal as face-to-face. Ideal for those in a completely different country, video calls are the perfect way to communicate.

How Are You Going To Be Staying In Regular Contact?

Once you have had your induction and your remote worker has officially started within your business, you need to think about how you’re going to stay in regular contact. Whether this means using a program like Slack or regularly emailing to catch up, regular contact is important when you’re not going to be seeing each other each and every working day.

Will You Give Them A Probation Period?

Another important thing to consider is whether or not you’re going to be giving your new remote worker a probation period. Although they may not need it, it’s a great way to protect you both. If after the designated period of time you decide you no longer want to work together you can decide to go your separate ways.

How Will You Be Paying Them?

Finally, you need to think about how you’re going to be paying your new member of staff. Whether you pay them weekly through PayPal or you get them to invoice you once a month, this needs to be confirmed before they get started.

Are you thinking of hiring your first remote employee? What can you do to ensure the process runs as smoothly as it possibly can? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

With over 9 years of search marketing experience, Sandra is cross skilled between PPC and SEO. Her experience in search spans across different verticals including Technology, Retail, Travel & Automotive.