6 Hiring Tips For Your Online Business

Getting ready to hire talent for your organization is an exciting step, no matter what kind of work you do. Oftentimes, expanding your team signifies that you’re growing or customers are demanding more of your product or services.

But bringing on someone new can also be a complicated and confusing period, too, especially if you run an online business where you rely on remote workers.

In this post, we’re breaking down the remote hiring process to help you find the best candidate for the job, no matter how near or far they are.

From explaining employee screening to discussing the nuances of hiring during the time of COVID-19, we have your hiring questions and concerns covered.

1. Identify outsourcing and remote work platforms

Because remote work has only grown over the last several years, especially with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are virtually unlimited options for finding exceptional talent online.

Depending on the type of role you’re looking to fill, whether they’re part or full-time, and if it’s a contractor or employee position, there are different platforms you may want to consider.

Let’s break down some of the most popular online job boards and where their strengths and weaknesses lie.

• Best for creatives: Fiverr and Upwork
• Best for tech and IT: Dice and Hired.com
• Best for remote jobs: Hubstaff Talent, WeWorkRemotely.com, and VirtualVocations
• Best overall: LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Indeed

Keep in mind some job boards, such as LinkedIn, charge a fee for posting jobs so you’ll definitely want to factor this into your hiring budget.

2. Draft a detailed and dazzling job description

There are many important steps to take as you go about the hiring process — determining when you need an extra pair of hands, reviewing resumes, and conducting interviews, to name a few — but writing a job description is one of the most critical.

Not only does a job description outlay the responsibilities of the role, but it also gives you the chance to show off the perks of your company, and set expectations for applicants. 

Because you won’t likely interact face-to-face with your remote employees very often, if ever, it’s especially important to be clear about what you’re looking for before you hire anyone onto your team for good. If you’re not sure where to start, use these pointers:

• Select an accurate and industry-recognized job title — this will help applicants search and find your job listing.
• Include a list of potential responsibilities and what a typical day in the role might look like.
• Explain your company culture, including your workflow structures, core values, and perks.
• List out any prerequisites regarding education and experience that you might have.
• Include a salary range and description of benefits — this will help narrow down your pool of interested applicants.
• Don’t be afraid to show some personality! Applicants want to get a feel for your company, and your voice and tone tend to say a lot about you.
• Make sure to proofread your listing, there’s nothing more unprofessional than a job description riddled with typos!

3. Request work samples

Anyone can claim to have any number of specialized skills, but you want to hire those who can actually execute. One of the best ways to vet candidates and narrow down your applicant pool is by requesting and reviewing work samples. 

If you’re hiring a copywriter, for example, you might ask for a few examples of different types of content they’ve written.

For a graphic or website designer, you could do the same. Keep in mind not every qualified candidate will have a well-rounded portfolio ready for your review, and the type of work just might not lend itself to premade portfolios. Not to worry!

If you can’t acquire portfolios or single work samples, you might consider testing candidates instead. You can do this by asking targeted questions during the interview process or use an online platform where you can run timed tests if you’re wanting to test more specialized skills.

The other benefit of asking for examples of work is that you’re more likely to encounter serious (and confident) applicants only.

4. Set up a screening process

Employee screening is relatively standard across all industries, but it’s especially important when you’re hiring for your online business. Hiring remote employees demands a certain level of trust in your team that not all employers face.

With that said, it’s a good idea to set up a screening process when you get into the final hiring stages. Something as simple as a criminal background check could help you avoid major issues later on down the road.

5. Set expectations early on

As we mentioned, hiring remote workers requires a higher level of credence than hiring in-house team members.

Because you’re physically separated from your team, it’s incredibly important that you find employees that are driven, organized, highly motivated, and engaged if you want things to run efficiently and exceptionally.

Before you even select the candidate you want to hire, it’s a good idea to set expectations with them early on.

Discuss productivity goals, hours, communication standards, and any other relevant details with applicants so that they are fully aware of what they’re getting into before day one on the job. This will help you avoid miscommunications and mistakes in the long run.

6. Communicate employment status ahead of time

Many remote employees are considered independent contractors, also known as freelancers, which gives them different rights than employees have. However, with the move toward remote work as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this standard may start to shift.

Whether you classify your remote team as contractors or employees is totally up to you, but it’s important to do your research and understand the differences before you hire.

Once you know how you’ll categorize the role, make sure applicants are fully aware of what it means to be an employee or contractor before you move further with the hiring process.

Wrapping up

Hiring employees for your online business definitely looks a little different than hiring an in-office team. However, you can use these six simple tips to make the process much more seamless. With clear communication and a good understanding of the remote work industry, you’ll have a stellar team on your side in no time. 

What’s worked for your remote hiring process in the past? Open up the discussion and trade tips in the comment section below!

Author Bio

Samantha Rupp

Samantha Rupp holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is the managing editor for 365businesstips.com. She lives in San Diego, California and enjoys spending time on the beach, reading up on current industry trends, and traveling.