As remote hiring becomes more mainstream, it’s important to take a closer look at your processes around recruiting, interviewing, and hiring. It’s also possible that you may end up hiring someone who you’ve never met in person, which can be a challenging decision for both sides.
While nothing may fully replace in-person conversations, here are some ways that you can adapt to make the hiring experience more efficient and empathetic for everyone:
Upgrade your tech stack now
Leverage technology where you can for the initial screening of applications, and make sure you have a first-rate applicant tracking system (ATS) to capture candidate data and feedback.
When working remotely, it’s even more important to have all the information for each candidate readily online. Systems we like include Greenhouse and Lever.
During the interview phase, any sort of tech failure can make you and your company look sloppy, and decrease the time recruiters and hiring managers have to evaluate each candidate. It will lead to poor data for you as interviewers and a mediocre candidate experience. To avoid this outcome, make sure to answer the following questions:
Zoom is recommended for video conferencing and interviewing. Get a Pro account for longer meetings and dedicated addresses.
Everytimezone is a great tool for coordinating different time zones.
For those who are hiring engineers and need to manage the technical piece of the interview, look for tools that allow you to show the code and collaboratively whiteboard together while still keeping a video connection active. Here are some tools we recommend:
- Coderpad: Designed specifically for this purpose and used by many top companies
- Invision: Their Freehand application is basic, lightweight and easy to use for most teams
- Hackerrank: Robust end-to-end application for hiring developers
Once you’ve made your hire, there are some great tools to support remote onboarding. Consider using Sapling to automatize your process from a distance.
Be thoughtful about choosing your interview team
Even more so with remote sessions than in person, be mindful of overall time commitment. If possible, limit the number of interviewers to the core team. Three is a good number——research has shown that there are diminishing returns for each individual interviewer after a certain point.
Have each person focus on one area (examples for engineering: coding, design, general problem-solving skills, role-related knowledge, empathy) using behavioral interviewing. Prep them beforehand on the types of questions that will be most predictive of success.
Overcommunicate and actively listen
Remember that you’ll be missing out on opportunities for non-verbal communication, so look for ways to emphasize verbal cues. Overemote and look for ways to build connections.
When communicating over text or Slack with candidates, feel free to use emojis liberally. They add needed context and emotion to the content of your communication. Don’t just simply hand out communications tools, and expect employees to know how to use them. Provide a clear communications protocol and training for all interviewers.
Phone and video interviews can be more difficult to show you’re truly listening to someone. Here are some tips to help you actively listen:
Close out the interview professionally
Always make sure the candidate understands the next step(s). During a period of heightened anxiety, helping them understand what to expect makes a big difference.
The hiring manager needs to communicate the follow-up plan with every interviewer, and this must be articulated clearly to the candidates at the end of each interview.
Assess what you can do differently or better
In this time of turbulence, stick with the proven basics. Think more about tightening up your process versus changing things altogether. Remember: A good interview process should be channel agnostic and as long as you’re creating a bias-free way to collect data, connect with the candidate, and share feedback, you’re off to a great start. But the following will enhance the process when hiring remotely:
Given that recruiting, interviewing, and hiring can be stressful and time-consuming for everyone, we hope these tips can help you adapt to the new world of remote hiring.
Resources we love
- Video Interview Guide: Tips for a Successful Interview: Whether you’re the one interviewing or being interviewed, consider these practical tips. [Indeed]
- 4 Tips for Conducting Remote Interviews: Get more advice on how recruiters and hiring managers can listen more actively during remote interviews. [SmartRecruiters.com]
Building Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Into Your Startup
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A 5-Step Guide to Startup Recruiting and Hiring
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This article was co-authored by Homebrew Ventures’ Head of Talent Beth Scheer.
As remote hiring becomes more mainstream, it’s important to take a closer look at your processes around recruiting, interviewing, and hiring. It’s also possible that you may end up hiring someone who you’ve never met in person, which can be a challenging decision for both sides.
While nothing may fully replace in-person conversations, here are some ways that you can adapt to make the hiring experience more efficient and empathetic for everyone:
Upgrade your tech stack now
Leverage technology where you can for the initial screening of applications, and make sure you have a first-rate applicant tracking system (ATS) to capture candidate data and feedback.
When working remotely, it’s even more important to have all the information for each candidate readily online. Systems we like include Greenhouse and Lever.
During the interview phase, any sort of tech failure can make you and your company look sloppy, and decrease the time recruiters and hiring managers have to evaluate each candidate. It will lead to poor data for you as interviewers and a mediocre candidate experience. To avoid this outcome, make sure to answer the following questions:
Zoom is recommended for video conferencing and interviewing. Get a Pro account for longer meetings and dedicated addresses.
Everytimezone is a great tool for coordinating different time zones.
For those who are hiring engineers and need to manage the technical piece of the interview, look for tools that allow you to show the code and collaboratively whiteboard together while still keeping a video connection active. Here are some tools we recommend:
- Coderpad: Designed specifically for this purpose and used by many top companies
- Invision: Their Freehand application is basic, lightweight and easy to use for most teams
- Hackerrank: Robust end-to-end application for hiring developers
Once you’ve made your hire, there are some great tools to support remote onboarding. Consider using Sapling to automatize your process from a distance.
Be thoughtful about choosing your interview team
Even more so with remote sessions than in person, be mindful of overall time commitment. If possible, limit the number of interviewers to the core team. Three is a good number——research has shown that there are diminishing returns for each individual interviewer after a certain point.
Have each person focus on one area (examples for engineering: coding, design, general problem-solving skills, role-related knowledge, empathy) using behavioral interviewing. Prep them beforehand on the types of questions that will be most predictive of success.
Overcommunicate and actively listen
Remember that you’ll be missing out on opportunities for non-verbal communication, so look for ways to emphasize verbal cues. Overemote and look for ways to build connections.
When communicating over text or Slack with candidates, feel free to use emojis liberally. They add needed context and emotion to the content of your communication. Don’t just simply hand out communications tools, and expect employees to know how to use them. Provide a clear communications protocol and training for all interviewers.
Phone and video interviews can be more difficult to show you’re truly listening to someone. Here are some tips to help you actively listen:
Close out the interview professionally
Always make sure the candidate understands the next step(s). During a period of heightened anxiety, helping them understand what to expect makes a big difference.
The hiring manager needs to communicate the follow-up plan with every interviewer, and this must be articulated clearly to the candidates at the end of each interview.
Assess what you can do differently or better
In this time of turbulence, stick with the proven basics. Think more about tightening up your process versus changing things altogether. Remember: A good interview process should be channel agnostic and as long as you’re creating a bias-free way to collect data, connect with the candidate, and share feedback, you’re off to a great start. But the following will enhance the process when hiring remotely:
Given that recruiting, interviewing, and hiring can be stressful and time-consuming for everyone, we hope these tips can help you adapt to the new world of remote hiring.
Resources we love
- Video Interview Guide: Tips for a Successful Interview: Whether you’re the one interviewing or being interviewed, consider these practical tips. [Indeed]
- 4 Tips for Conducting Remote Interviews: Get more advice on how recruiters and hiring managers can listen more actively during remote interviews. [SmartRecruiters.com]
Building Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Into Your Startup
Discover how to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies that can make a difference.
8 min to read
A 5-Step Guide to Startup Recruiting and Hiring
Here’s how creating an efficient, fair, and scalable interview process can help you recruit top talent.
12 min to read
This article was co-authored by Homebrew Ventures’ Head of Talent Beth Scheer.
Read more
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