This might seem like a fairly straightforward question, but you’ll want to carefully consider your answer. You don’t want to just talk about wearing pajamas and lounging on the couch all day. And if you’re a parent, you probably don’t want to mention that it’s a good opportunity to work but also keep an eye on your kid.

And they’ll likely be asking you questions aimed at teasing these traits out. Job seekers may think that, even though they are interviewing for a remote position, the interview will take place in-person at the organization’s office. This is not always the case, even as more organizations list hybrid and remote job opportunities; in fact, the process may include phone calls, video interviews, and online assessment tests. Now it’s time to start thinking about the questions you might encounter when interviewing for a remote job. Of course, the interviewer will want to hear all about your skills and experiences (just like any normal interview), but you can also expect questions about your remote work experience. The key here is to have a detailed answer with specific examples.

Technical Setup: Test and Prepare

Or maybe you work from home and you’re pretty much “on call” throughout the day. Sure, you’re going to have to show that you are smart and that you can do the job. But you’ll ALSO have to prove that you can handle (and excel in!) the conditions of a remote job, down to the little details.

• Let them know that you’ve put some effort into how you’ve organized your home office.
• That doesn’t mean you can’t support one another, but even that takes a bit more initiative when you’re working remotely.
• It’s natural to want to look at everything that’s happening on screen.
• Use the job description to explain, first, that the position is remote.
• Having an area in your home dedicated to work will create the impression that you’ll be serious about your job, and that you’re someone who won’t be easily distracted by random temptations like watching TV.

Candidates who have strategies for meeting these challenges will be more successful. The first step in filling a remote role is making sure the candidate is comfortable working outside the traditional office environment. Ask the candidate about remote positions they’ve held or remote remote interview meaning companies they’ve worked for, what they think about different aspects of remote work, and — crucially — if they like working remotely. Hiring remote employees without the right skills risks creating team members who won’t be happy or successful — but will be more likely to leave.

— Set Up Your Office

Is the candidate proactive about getting follow-ups to questions, or do they tend to wait for a reply? They must be comfortable with your organization’s standards for timely responses. The employer is going to pick someone who seems enthusiastic and interested, who can clearly explain their recent work and strengths, and who can articulate why this remote job fits their career goals. As one of the final steps to prepare for any virtual interview, check your email or other communication with the company and just confirm the time and time zone. With all of these character-focused interview questions, you want to respond confidently with great eye contact and show that you’re a person they can count on to get the work done even if you’re doing it at home.

When an employer asks you this question, she wants to know if you have the resourcefulness and judgement to make independent decisions when you have to. That ability to prioritize can make or break your success in a remote job, and employers need to know that you have an absolute handle on it. When bosses can’t see their employees, they have to be doubly aware of how they’re getting on. It’s easy to see if your employee is uncomfortable or ill if you can watch them hobble from their chair to the copier, but, if you’re communicating digitally, it’s not so simple. Sara shows she is covered when it comes to taking care of both her physical and mental health. It’s important because it determines how you’ll fit into the team.

Do you have any questions for me?

Prior to your interview, revisit the job posting or ask the recruiter which tools your prospective team uses so that you can frame your response with those technologies in mind. And know that you probably won’t have experience with every single platform any given employer uses. Just be sure to mention how quickly you’ve learned new tools in the past. “Remote work—whether temporary or permanent—requires a different skill set and type of experience https://remotemode.net/ than in-office jobs,” says Neal Taparia, founder of Unscrambled Words, a startup with a primarily distributed team. So while the remote jobs you’re pursuing may be very similar to in-office roles you’ve had in the past, working from home requires a different work style. While the previous question focuses on communication tools and timing, this question explores the communication skills and soft skills needed for forging relationships.

• Whether it’s your first remote interview or not, it never hurts to review these steps to make sure you get everything in place.
• This will help you establish the exact position and role the new person will have, and it will be easier to look for skills when making the hiring decision.
• You might have heard of the Myers Briggs type indicators, which highlights how you would handle certain situations.
• From there, explain the attributes that a candidate must have in order to succeed in this project.
• You have arrived at the negotiation stage, congratulations, you have got the job!
• Plus, it can’t be that difficult to hire remotely because everyone wants to work from home.

Occasionally, you may even run into a company that “ghosts” prospective employees, leaving them dangling without a definite yes or no. Regardless of whether you intend to pursue the job, send a thank-you note or email as soon as possible after the job interview to express your gratitude for the opportunity. You can also use this note to re-emphasize your qualifications or clarify points from the interview. Remote job boards such as FlexJobs, We Work Remotely, and Remote.co offer work-from-home job listings. Be extra careful if your interviewer is located in a different part of the country, and if in doubt, just ask.