Hiring the right people is a crucial step for the overall growth and success of any organization. But when hiring for a remote or distributed role, employers are not just looking for someone who checks off all the boxes in the job description.
With more people looking for flexible roles than ever before, the competition for remote jobs can be fierce. With competition comes the need to stand out, not just through a flashy resume or personal brand, but through your remote-ready skill sets.
So what exactly are these "remote-ready" skills that can help you stand out from all the other applicants?
When applying for a remote job, you will be evaluated on multiple soft skills apart from the actual skills required to do the job. Demonstrating these skills and personality traits during your interview can help you stand out from the pack and land the job of your dreams.
7 "Remote-Ready" Personality Traits
Working with a globally distributed team isn't easy. With technical hiccups, cultural barriers, and the need for extensive written communication, it's easy to see why not everyone can thrive in a remote environment.
But building & improving the following traits can increase your chances of getting that remote job -
1. Responsive
Your colleagues won't be able to walk down the hall to you when they need something, so it's important for an employer to know how quickly you address requests and communicate with others.
Promptly returning emails and phone calls is a good way to show that you have the discipline to be present for the team.
2. Self-starter
An ideal remote worker should be able to assign his or her own work. Because you might be in a different timezone than your boss and won't have them hovering over your shoulder, you need to be able to self manage your work and stay productive and focused throughout the day. You must also be able to manage your time well and prioritize tasks accordingly.
Your ability to solve problems and make decisions on your own to maintain workflow is essential when working in a remote environment.
3. Decisive
Time zones are complex, and it's often required for remote employees to make decisions with imperfect information, especially if the right person isn't around at the moment to make the decision themselves.
An ideal remote employee must be able to make decisions (even if they are temporary) and keep working forward.
4. Communicative
Good communication skills can go a long way when applying for a remote job. You need to be able to communicate quickly and clearly with your team members - and you want to demonstrate that you're capable of this during your interview.
Listening actively, summarizing points, and asking thoughtful questions are good ways to demonstrate your communication skills while interviewing.
5. Trustworthy
Building trust is essential for any remote team. The entire team is dependent on each member for meeting deadlines and completing projects. An employee that lacks integrity is likely to take the entire team down with them.
If you tell your team that a particular task will be ready by 1:00 and it's not, the entire team (and project) will suffer because of you.
6. Collaborative
Distributed workforces are no place for individuals who only look out for themselves and not the entire team. For efficiently working in a remote environment, you need to work well with the entire team in order to achieve common goals.
You can demonstrate this during an interview by mentioning times you worked as part of the team in the past, and highlighting your contributions.
7. Personable
Culture is very important for every remote organization as it is the root of efficient collaboration. You might not fit in with every organization's cultural values, but it's important for you to present your personality virtually for your employer to assess whether or not you will be a cultural fit for the organization.
Courtney Seiter (Director of People at Buffer) says that company culture is very important for Buffer and mostly all remote organizations. Every company has a pre-defined hiring process and understanding the culture increases your chances of getting hired.
Are you ready to work remotely?
Do you think you possess the above-mentioned traits? Having skills is not the same as being able to present them during an interview.
We can help you get inside the mind of the employer and know exactly what you need to do to land a remote job.
Join The Remote Work Summit 2019 and learn from over 14+ industry experts (including CXOs & HRs from organizations like Buffer, Zapier, Doist and more). The panel of speakers will help you understand how to work in a remote environment and give you insight on how hiring managers think & plan.
Become a part of the world's largest online summit on remote work today. Sign up for free now!
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