"You're Hired, Now Go Home"

Training & Development, March, 2001 by Jeanne L. Allert

Do you remember going to career workshops in college that taught you to research a prospective employer, plan carefully what you would wear, and rehearse responses to expected questions? I recall one advice book recommending that you spend a morning and an afternoon hanging out in the lobby of a prospective employer, observing when people come and go, what they wore, and how they interacted to see whether it was a place you'd fit in.

Here's how to hire virtual workers and keep them connected.

What if the prospective employer is a startup, there is no dress code or commuting patterns to observe, and most of your interview conversations have been via email? What if there is no "place" to fit into?

A virtual company is where work is performed outside of the definition of place. There's no factory floor, no retail store, no conference room, no cubicle farm. Virtual work is primarily the manufacture, retail, and distribution of intellectual property. Some of that intellectual property can lead to a product, as in the case of software or Website development, but not only is there no physical place, there are often no established policies or practices. Virtual companies have to rewrite a lot of the traditional rules and make many of them up as they go along.

In the sparse collection of advice for managers about hiring virtual employees, you'll find that most of the recommendations are for telecommuters. A telecommuter is someone who spends some part of his or her work time outside of the office. In the case of telecommuting employees, managers can still rely on the structure and amenities of the physical office to provide support. But what about managers who work exclusively in a virtual context? I have been a manager of telecommuting employees for six years, and now I am a company officer in a completely virtual enterprise.

Interviewing

The literature on virtual work suggests that you have to hire the "right kind of person" for this type of work. I agree, but what is the right kind? It's true that virtual work opens up a wider net of potential employees, in that you can consider a stay-at-home parent, a disabled person or retiree, or even someone in another state or country. But virtual work also narrows your candidates because of the needle-in-a-haystack characteristics you have to identify.

Here are some traits to look for.

Values- or mission-based. Candidates who see the larger picture of what you're trying to create and share your passion for the work will adjust better to virtual work. There will be days when any employee would question, "Why am I doing this?" Without readily available colleagues to boost morale, a virtual worker can create a pool of doubt. Ask candidates what motivates them to work. What internal rewards do they need? What activities do they do in which time and effort don't seem to matter? Look for signs that they are motivated from within.

Multiple communication skills. One advantage in remote interviewing is that you get a fair indication of how well a candidate communicates on the phone, by email, and in writing. Those skills are essential to success in virtual work. Virtual employees must be able to communicate instructions, understanding, disagreement, and their own unique personalities--using the tools of virtual work. During the interview process, you should seek to have a candidate communicate with you using all modes of communication. Pay careful attention to tone and how well candidates get their ideas across.

Decision-making confidence. Equally important to good communication skills is an employee's level of initiative, especially around problem solving. Virtual workers are on their own. Should a complication or problem arise, you don't want them sitting around waiting for help. Look for people who try--right or wrong--to fix their own problems. Ask questions during interviews about problems candidates have encountered in the past and how they solved them. Probe into how candidates reacted when problems arose and how they felt resolving them.

Tech savvy. Maybe this seems obvious, but I'm not referring to a candidate's ability to use email or word processing. It's to your advantage to identify people who have some level of comfort solving their own technology problems. Have they ever ordered ISP service at home? Have they ever installed a new PC or software? Have they ever called a help desk and been coached through a problem? You can't afford to have a technician make house calls with each little computer mishap. You need people who understand their systems enough to troubleshoot or find the help they need.

Hiring

Truth be told: I've never hired a virtual worker I haven't met. Even though I've had some long-term work relationships with people exclusively online, I don't recommend it for employees. Ultimately, face-to-face interaction is important to building and solidifying the kind of relationship people have working together.

Here are some bases to cover in the hiring process.

Set expectations. In extending a job offer, make sure you have communicated everything that you expect the employee to provide for him- or herself and, specifically, what the company will provide. In a physical office, there's always a copy room full of paper and supplies. In the virtual workplace, will employees be expected to purchase their own supplies? Is the company providing hardware, software, connectivity, cell phone, second phone line, fax machine, answering machine, home office insurance, and so forth? Have all of the details spelled out in the offer package.