If you haven’t already embraced the idea of remote talent for your business, it is only a matter of time before you will. As with hiring in-house employees, you need a hiring strategy to attract and retain top online workers.
To learn more about building a strong online hiring strategy, I spoke with Nathan Hirsch, CEO of Freeeup. Nathan has built a powerful online hiring platform where you can find skilled and pre-vetted remote eCommerce specialists. Here are his top tips to find and retain the best online talent:
Identify the Exact Workers You Need – and Don’t Settle
There are a lot of people out there looking for work, and many of them are talented. But how do you know which worker is right for your business? How do you ensure you find the top talent?
If you want the best of the best, identify exactly what capabilities you want and at what level you want that person to perform. Sometimes it is acceptable to have a jack of all trades and other times you need a specific skillset to move your business forward.
Nathan says, “If you want a top-notch team, the key is to diversify. Hire people with different skills than you have. If you don’t know a lot about marketing, hire an all-star marketer. This is how strong teams are formed.”
Whatever the skillset you need, identify the type of worker that meets your criteria. Ask yourself the following questions:
- What specific skills does my online worker need to be proficient in?
- How specialized does my online worker need to be in those skills?
- What training/qualifications/certifications does my online worker need to have?
“Don’t fall into the trap of hiring a single person to run your whole business,” Nathan explains. “When you properly identify the workers you need, you will have people who are better at what they do because they are focusing on one task instead of a hundred different things.”
And once you identify what you need, don’t settle for anything less. It can be tempting to hire someone without thoroughly vetting them, but remember that this new employee will represent your business and be directly tied to your success and bottom line.
“Spend the required time to filter through the candidates and ensure you are hiring the exact worker you need or go through an online hiring platform that filters applicants for you,” suggests Nathan.
Create Detailed Job Postings Describing Your Exact Talent Needs
Once you have identified the type of workers you need for your company, fill out a prescriptive posting so that you attract the exact person you are looking for. The more detailed and clear your job posting is, the more competent candidates you will attract and the less confusion there will be during the interview process.
Interview for Skills, Attitude, and Passion
An applicant with five years of specific experience can easily overshadow an applicant with only one year. However, it is absolutely critical to recruit for more than just experience level. Attitude and future potential are equally important. Hard skills can be developed through proper training, but qualities such as passion, integrity, and motivation can neither be taught nor purchased.
As the recruiter, you can spot a candidate with potential when their core values align with your own. A star performer can be cultivated if they have the right attitude and passion even if they don’t have the desired amount of experience. During the interview, look for these signs that the applicants are well rounded:
- They are curious. They ask questions about your company and mission in addition to the specific job role.
- They have great attitudes. They have enthusiasm and want to be a part of something big.
- They can learn quickly. Ask applicants to demonstrate their problem-solving skills and learning ability by asking about their performance in previous experiences.
Set Talent Expectations Up Front to Ensure Your Workers Are In It for the Long Run
The last thing you want to do is hire someone who leaves shortly after beginning the new job; you lose time and money when this happens. Not only will you be left with an open gap in your business, but you will have to start the whole process over again. The best way to avoid this is to set clear expectations from the beginning. Everything from the job posting through the tendering of an offer should be honest and clear.
If you are interested in using a remote workforce to help grow your business and allow you to focus your attention on important tasks, it is essential that you have a strong hiring strategy from the beginning.
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