How to Conduct Job Interviews with Remote Employees

While employers should always look for well-qualified employees to fill both in-office and remote positions, hiring someone who will work outside the office full time requires a slightly different approach. Even if the job interview is conducted via video conference it's still going to be a different experience from a traditional face-to-face job interview.

With the lack of in-person meetings, hiring managers can't rely on body language, facial expressions and other nonverbal cues to help them determine the best candidate. If you're planning to hire a remote employee, here are a FIVE STEPS to take throughout the virtual job interview process that will help you evaluate candidates:

1. Assess the candidate's communications skills
A good remote employee needs to be exceptionally accessible and communicative since that person won't be reporting to the office every day. See how quickly they respond to emails, how clearly they communicate digitally, how flexible they are in terms of scheduling meetings, etc.

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2. Give your prospect a trial period or test assignment
If your hiring timeline allows, give a remote candidate a test assignment before you make a final decision. This project or assignment should be easy to complete in a short period of time, so you are able to see the candidate's quality of work as well as his or her ability to stay on schedule.

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3. Pay closer attention to past work and professional references
Has this candidate freelanced or worked other remote positions in the past? While most hiring managers consider the past work and previous employers of any type of employee, it's especially important to do so for remote employees.

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4. Set out crystal-clear expectations during the job interview
Remote employees will have a different set of questions that need to be addressed. It's important to give remote employee job candidates a real understanding of the expectations in order to make sure that you're both on the same page.

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5. After the job interview
Once you've chosen and hired the right candidate, in order to help them feel like an important part of the company culture you should welcome them to the team just as you would any in-office employee. Fly in remote employees every once in a while to encourage team bonding and building. Provide remote employees with extra services, such as online chat rooms and videoconferencing, to make sure they feel like they're in the loop.

Scot Dickerson, CPC | President | Capstone Search Group

It's Better to Give Than Receive - Holiday Networking

As the holidays approach, most kids' thoughts turn to gifts. Visions of beautifully wrapped packages stacked high fill the dreams of many children. What will be in those packages? Will you get everything you put on your wish list? Receiving gifts is something everyone enjoys. But did you know that many people enjoy giving gifts even more than receiving them? It's true. You may have heard people say from time to time, “It's better to give than to receive."

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When it comes to the holidays and networking it is the perfect time to arrange 
introductions with the people you’d like to know.

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But even more, it’s a great time to focus on how you can help others rather than just focusing on your own networking needs. The most successful networkers make it a point to find ways to help others, suggesting assistance and offering support before it’s even asked. The most reliable networking strategy promotes good relationships by concentrating on giving more and expecting less. Find ways to surprise people by offering assistance before they ask. This generosity demonstrates good intentions, creates good interpersonal chemistry and generates a desire to return the favor.

Yes, it is better to give.

This time of year offers many occasions to nurture relationships, create lasting positive impressions, get on the radar and be remembered for your assistance.

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But don’t forget, you want to be remembered for the right reasons:

1. Don’t overindulge in food or beverages.
2. Conduct yourself professionally at all times.
3. Dress conservatively. 
4. Just one meaningful dialogue creates measurable value from every networking event.
5. It’s the quality not the quantity of relationships developed, pursued or renewed.

Holiday networking targeted to giving and helping is good career management that produces networking benefits throughout the new year.

Scot Dickerson, CPC | President | Capstone Search Group

You Have Done A Lot This Year - More Than You Realize

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart. Wishing you happiness.”
Helen Keller

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Tis' the season of lights, shopping, giving, charity, caring, connecting with family and old friends, and to jump on that one last chance before the year ends to get organized.  Well…maybe.  Perhaps this year has been a great year for you. Maybe you are ready for a fresh start. Perhaps it’s been a hard year, and you’re more than ready to tell it goodbye.

Either way, there’s one last thing to do before we step over the threshold into what’s next.  We need to celebrate. And sure, that can mean all the things you usually think of when you hear that word. It can mean celebrating the good things in our lives – our families and friends, our health, our ability to earn a living, the roof over our heads. For some of you it may mean celebrating that you’re still in the game, no matter how hard the road.

We’re always thinking about what’s next, where we can go with our lives and our businesses. And we criticize ourselves for all the goals we haven’t reached yet. Sound familiar?

And yet – you have done a lot. More than you realize. Think back over the past year, look over the questions below. Answer them all, or use them to guide you to write down wherever your thoughts take you.

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1. What’s one thing you tried this year that you’ve never tried before?

2. What’s one thing you’ve said this year that you couldn’t have said before?

3. What did you learn this year, that you never understood before?

4. If you’re a business owner, what new steps did you take this year that you couldn’t have taken before?

5. What blessing came your way this year that you might have missed before?

6. What did you learn about yourself that you didn’t know before?

7. Where have you gained clarity when you were confused before?

8. What hurdles did you overcome?

9. Where did you build confidence when you’d always struggled before?

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As you reflect on all you’ve accomplished, all that you’ve learned, and before you say good bye to this year, allow yourself to feel good. No matter what and in spite of everything, life is good.

Scot Dickerson, CPC | President | Capstone Search Group