--- title: "How to Make Smart Hires in the Age of Remote Work" id: "51756" type: "post" slug: "how-to-make-smart-hires-in-the-age-of-remote-work" published_at: "2021-01-28T19:09:50+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T04:28:07+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/28/how-to-make-smart-hires-in-the-age-of-remote-work/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2021/01/28/how-to-make-smart-hires-in-the-age-of-remote-work.md" excerpt: "Like everything else, the recruitment process has gone virtual, which means it’s often more difficult for hiring managers to gauge a candidate’s fit. Here are a few ways they can adapt." taxonomy_category: - "Career Development" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Aspiring Leader" - "AssociationsNow" - "Hiring" - "interview" - "Mid-Level Professional" - "remote work" - "Workplace" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » How to Make Smart Hires in the Age of Remote Work Work has changed dramatically in the past year—and so has the hiring process. Phone screener interviews and in-person sessions have given way to video meetings, and that has changed the way human resources professionals and hiring managers consider candidates. Suddenly, different skills are more important, such as an individual’s screen presence and his or her ability to work through technical issues on the fly. So what traits should hiring managers prioritize, and how can they get the most out of an interview to ensure they’re picking the right candidate? Consider these tactics as you hire new staffers in a remote workplace. ### Refocus Your Interview You’ve probably always asked candidates behavioral questions about previous work experience, such as, “Tell me about a time when you performed well under pressure. What happened?” Now, put an emphasis on skills that are important in a remote setting. Performance leadership coach Ashira Prossack [identified some of these remote skills (opens in a new tab)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashiraprossack1/2020/07/30/5-must-have-skills-for-remote-work/?sh=48aab8c033c4) , including the ability to [communicate clearly in writing (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2020/03/10-digital-miscommunications-and-how-to-avoid-them) , collaborate with project management tools, [focus](https://associationsnow.com/2020/04/three-tactics-for-staying-focused-during-a-difficult-time/) even in a distracting environment, manage time when coworkers can’t hold you accountable, and adapt to new situations. And since managers can’t monitor employees as easily as they could in the office, it’s also worth asking candidates about their ability to self-motivate and organize. Zeroing in on these skills will help you determine whether a candidate can thrive in a remote setting. Questions might include “How do you manage your time when working remotely?” and “How would you communicate and collaborate with a remote team?” ### Opt for a Video Interview An in-person interview helps a hiring manager assess some important traits, such as whether someone is personable, a good communicator, and poised under pressure. And while a video interview can’t truly replace an in-person discussion, it’s easier to evaluate a candidate for these characteristics on a video call than on the phone, given the importance of [body language (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2012/09/your-body-language-speaks-for) and [nonverbal communication (opens in a new tab)](https://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/nonverbal-communication) . ### Emphasize Skill-Based Hiring Don’t just ask about remote-specific skills in the job interview. Make them a requirement in the job description as well. Consider using a [skill-based hiring strategy (opens in a new tab)](https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/0318/pages/hiring-for-skills-not-pedigree.aspx) —rather than one that prioritizes specific educational credentials—to find candidates who will thrive in a remote environment. [Studies have shown (opens in a new tab)](https://www.hbs.edu/news/releases/Pages/degree-inflation-us-competetiveness.aspx) that organizations often overemphasize degrees in hiring, shrinking the pool of candidates and potentially excluding qualified ones. In the age of remote work—in which certain hard technical skills are essential—it might benefit organizations to focus more on tangible, remote-specific skills and relevant remote work experience. In addition to Prossack’s set of remote skills, look for candidates who: - have experience with online collaboration tools and videoconferencing software - have experience with file-sharing platforms such as Dropbox or Google Drive - know how to use messaging platforms such as Slack - perform well within a structured workflow that emphasizes documentation - have worked remotely before It can be difficult for organizations to verify that a candidate has certain remote-specific skills with just a resume and a video interview. To better evaluate a candidate for a remote position, offer pre-employment skills tests to identify who possesses the right qualities for the job. For example, the talent assessment company eSkill offers [basic computer skills tests (opens in a new tab)](https://www.eskill.com/basic-office-skills/) , which helps determine a candidate’s general digital literacy. ### Expand Your Horizons While some criteria have newfound importance, one factor isn’t as vital: a candidate’s location. The all-remote company GitLab has [taken advantage of this (opens in a new tab)](https://about.gitlab.com/company/culture/inclusion/#fully-distributed-and-completely-connected) by hiring talent from a global pool of candidates. Removing geography as a hiring criterion opens your organization to candidates who might be the perfect fit for the job but don’t live in your immediate area. (insta_photos/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Michael Hickey](https://associationsnow.com/author/michael-hickey/) Michael Hickey is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/michael-hickey/) Tags: [#Aspiring Leader](https://associationsnow.com/tag/aspiring-leader/) [#Hiring](https://associationsnow.com/tag/hiring/) [#interview](https://associationsnow.com/tag/interview/) [#Mid-Level Professional](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mid-level-professional/) [#remote work](https://associationsnow.com/tag/remote-work/) [#Workplace](https://associationsnow.com/tag/workplace/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) - [VideoASAE’s The ExchangeApril 24, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/04/24/asaes-the-exchange/) - [ArticleDesigning for Life Phases: Why Career Development Isn’t One-Size-Fits-AllSeptember 10, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/10/designing-for-life-phases-why-career-development-isnt-one-size-fits-all/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2021%2F01%2F28%2Fhow-to-make-smart-hires-in-the-age-of-remote-work%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !