If you are struggling to hire remote workers who have the skills they need to do the job, you are not alone.
When it comes to hiring employees who will be working remotely, you are looking for a slightly different skill set. While they must be able to do the job, they must also possess the right skills to work independently without eyes-on supervision in the workplace. Even some highly skilled professionals struggle to effectively work from home.
It can take 42 days and cost more than $4,000 to fill the average open position. When you hire someone who does not work out, it is even worse. It takes time to discover that the wrong person has been hired, correct the situation, and find a replacement. Your time and costs can easily double, and that does not include the lost productivity.
There is a better way to hire remote workers and make sure they have the right job skills and the right behavioral skills to work remotely. Skills tests can help you evaluate candidates by providing an objective way to assess skill levels.
Skills tests should start by assessing a candidate’s hard skills. For example, you need to know if they have the requisite computer skills to manage working remotely. You also want to know they are proficient at specific job tasks they will be required to do, as they will often be working without supervision.
Using eSkill’s skills assessments is easy. With more than 800 standard tests, there is an assessment for any skill set. If you cannot find exactly what you want, eSkill has two additional options. First, you can customize any test as much as you want. It is easy to add job-specific or industry-specific questions.
You can also choose from 5,000 combinable topics. This is a powerful option that lets you search for the type of skill you are testing for, choose from a variety of topics, and assign skill levels. Then, you can mix and match.
Here is how this would work with eSkill. If you are hiring a remote employee to staff your call center, you would choose Skills Tests that fit your job. You might choose modules to test technical skills, assess customer service orientation, communication, and listening skills. You might want to add a module that simulates inbound or outbound calls. For each skill, you can set the anticipated skill level, from beginner to intermediate, to advanced, to expert.
Modules can be easily combined to produce comprehensive Skills Tests that are customized for your job. For example, if your call center position is in the healthcare sector, you could add modules specifically designed for customer service in healthcare, the privacy and security rules required by HIPAA, or medical terminology.
When employees are working remotely, they also need soft skills that allow them to work efficiently outside the office. eSkill’s library of Pre-employment Assessments and Skills Tests gives you the tools you need to better gauge an applicant’s fit for remote work. You might want to test for skills involving problem-solving, logical thinking, or verbal reasoning. There is even a test designed specifically for remote workers.
Skills testing can get as specific as you want. If you do not find the exact Skills Tests or modules you want, you can create your own.
Remote skills testing with eSkill can include text, audio, and video questions. You can ask job candidates to respond by video to help you see how they handle themselves.
You may want to use video recording capabilities from the eSkill platform to conduct initial screenings. For example, you could choose a pre-employment interview module from the eSkill Test Library (or create your own). Then, ask candidates to record their answers on video directly within the platform for your review at your leisure.
Recorded interviews are up to six times faster than live interviews to save you even more time. Think of all the time that can save versus countless hours reviewing resumes and scheduling interviews. It also saves time for candidates. You can attract active and passive job seekers by letting them interview when it is convenient for them.
You can pick the questions, send out the Skills Tests or interview questions with an email link, and evaluate candidates quickly when you have the time. It also provides a standardized way to interview candidates and ensure they are being judged by the same criteria.
Using video interviews also gives you a way to verify that the answers being provided are from the person you are screening. Ask the candidate to show their ID to verify their identity as part of the process.
Request a demo to see how skills tests can help you hire employees who have the aptitude and abilities to work remotely.