Remote interviews are the new thing. Both traditional and fully remote teams are doing it. But what’s the proper way to do it?

Let’s narrow it down to 8 steps:

Check if your current interview process is structured.
Select the right tools (Zoom, WhatsApp audio call, Skype, etc.)
Conduct the interview in a quiet space and use a neutral or professional background
Send detailed interview instructions (time & date, platform, audio or video, and requests like finding a quiet space for the interview)
Listen intently
Introduce your company and its culture
Make it a two-way conversation
Make sure the whole team is in sync with the process (timelines, how many rounds of interviews, etc.)

Simple, right? At the end of the day, it’s the interview questions that matter most in the process.

10 Must-Ask Remote Job Interview Questions

Job interviews flow on their own. But when it comes to remote job interviews, you need to prepare your questions to avoid awkward screen stares and silence.

Here are 10 interview questions to ask remote workers:

1. Have You Worked Remotely Before?

It’s both an ice-breaker and a piece of insightful information to start with. It’s the best topic for initiating a natural conversation flow.

2. Do You Have Other Remote Jobs/Clients?

If their answer to the previous question is yes, you should definitely ask this. Just to make sure other gigs or clients won’t get in the way of their commitment to your company when you hire them.

3. What Is Your Home Office Setup Like?

Make sure they have a stable internet connection and a spot in their home where they can attend virtual meetings without distractions.

4. How Do You Schedule Your Day?

Are they a night owl? A morning person? Find out if your preferred work schedule matches theirs.

5. How Do You Plan to Communicate with Your Remote Team?

Ask how they’ll communicate with their team regarding project assignments, brainstorming, deadlines, schedules, reminders, requests, collaborations, and informal agreements (email, Zoom, Slack, Telegram, etc.).

6. How Do You Process Task Information?

Are they a big picture type of person or do they need detailed information? So you know how to effectively send important information to them.

7. How Do You Prioritize Tasks?

Their answer should be something like important tasks first, urgent ones next.

8. How Do You Manage Multi-Step Projects Involving a Lot of People Remotely?

Remote work requires equal efforts from all members of the team. Find out if they have some project management or organization skills in them.

9. What Do You Do When You Feel Like a Project Is Going to Take Longer Than Expected?

Delays are inevitable but there’s always a professional way to communicate and solve them. See if your potential employee is proactive enough to manage them.

10. How Do You Solve a Project Crisis When the Team is Offline?

Check if your candidate has the resourcefulness to solve project crises when left alone with them.

Where to Find Remote Workers

Finding remote workers can be time-consuming and costly. Interviews could take more than three rounds depending on your system.

ScaleSource can reduce that to one final interview. We take care of the search and initial screening interviews so you’ll only have to meet the top 1-2 candidates.

We also take care of onboarding and necessary training. Check out the services offered by our highly skilled remote talents. Contact us to get the best match for your company.

The Remote Interview Process & 10 Interview Questions to Ask