Their skills

Again, we don’t just mean the skills they have on their resume. Give each applicant a chance to explain their core skills and why they think it is something important for the job opening. It gives you a chance to hear them talk about themselves and to assess whether they know enough about the job opening.

Asking them about the work they are most proud of also gives you an opportunity to hear what they look for in their own work and to assess their self-motivation. An applicant who does not sound enthusiastic about the work they produce may become an employee that is not open to learning new skills or taking initiative in the workplace.

It is also important to be open-minded, flexible, and imaginative when hiring remote employees. For some jobs, it will be extremely difficult to find someone with the exact skill set and work experience you are looking for on online marketplaces. That’s why it’s important to read between the lines when interviewing a candidate.

Sometimes you will come across a candidate with a degree in a completely different field with irrelevant work experience. But when you look at what they’ve done and their interests and skills, their critical thinking skills and time management make them a perfect fit. Remember that intelligent people can be very easily trained in the tasks you need to be completed and it may sometimes be more important to have someone with a commitment to the job and an admirable work ethic.

Their interpersonal skills

Beyond their hard and technical skills, you may also want to know how they get along with other people. Any job position will have some kind of teamwork involved in it, whether that is just between you and your remote employee or between your remote employees.

Asking your applicants if they’ve ever collaborated on a project is a good way to start. Inquire about their role, how they felt about working with other people, and what they think can get in the way of successful collaboration can tell you more about the applicant’s work ethic.

But beyond this, the exchange of feedback is vital to a company’s overall health. It is essential that you have an open and productive discussion about work and what can be improved. Unfortunately, many Filipinos can be sensitive to receiving feedback and can likewise be hesitant to give feedback to their employers even when they’re dissatisfied with something at work. This dissatisfaction can often lead to the remote employee going AWOL and ultimately quitting. We have information and tips about how to deal with this cultural difference in the previous installment of this series. 

But to ease the entire relationship, you should make sure the candidate is comfortable with that kind of two-way feedback process you will need to grow your company. That’s why you should always assess the applicant’s interpersonal skills to decide if they will fit in with your company’s culture or if you are hiring your first employee, be able to communicate with you efficiently and honestly. You will need to be patient, however, as most Filipinos are shy and easily submissive and the idea of being frank with their bosses can be terrifying.