With remote work being increasingly offered by employers, job seekers are more likely to consider such roles in this digital age. The idea of working from home, a coffee shop, or anywhere can be an appealing alternative to slogging through rush hour traffic.
But how can you put your best foot forward when interviewing for remote work positions when the hiring manager can’t even see, well… your foot? Be prepared for your next remote position interview with these tips.
Where will you be working from?
While hiring managers don’t need to know all the details of your ergonomic desk setup, they will feel more confident about hiring you if they have an idea of how you will be working. Is it from your home? A local coffee shop? Do you travel frequently and across time zones? Are there certain times of the day where you can be expected to be offline, to take care of children or do other errands? Managers understand that remote workers want to enjoy a certain level of flexibility in their day-to-day schedules, but also want to know that you have an established method of working.
How do you prioritize tasks?
When working remotely, your boss isn’t standing right behind you or sitting in an office down the hallway. There’s a certain level of initiative and focus that is expected of remote workers, to get the job done without being micromanaged. Hiring managers will want to know how you prioritize tasks and provide timely updates so they can rely on you to do your job no matter where you are. If you use any time tracking or project management tools, be sure to mention them and explain why you like using them.
How do you stay connected with your team while working remotely?
For some people, remote work can feel isolating if there’s no other human interaction during the day. So how do you connect with teammates you have never met before in-person? How do you establish relationships with them? Do you still have weekly 1-on-1 meetings with your colleagues, or virtual coffee chats? Is there a Slack channel where you can discuss fun topics or share daily jokes? If it’s someone’s birthday, perhaps you can send them a custom-made birthday emoji. Get creative with your efforts and you’ll find that there are a number of ways to build and maintain virtual working relationships with your colleagues.
This article was written by Emily Chen.
Emily Chen is a consultant and entrepreneur who has over 10 years of experience in accounting, government, non-profit, and tech industries. She has worked as a CPA, auditor, diplomat, and software engineer. In her free time, Emily enjoys writing, piano, and rock climbing.
Hi，Emmily:
It was nice to read your advise in the remote interview/working issue.
Recently I had received an offer from a company’s HR. They offered a remote administration job for me, for data entry and billing etc. It sounds good with flexible working hours at home and good payment.
But there are a couple of things that I felt uncomfortable:
(1) Their e-mail did not use officail company email address; instead with xxxx@gmail.com.
(2) They are going to send me a check which I can deposit in my personal account, then pay a designated company to buy some PC and printer etc. Then that company will ship the equipments to my home.
After I requested that before I deposit the check to my personal account I need an official written offer from the company’s HR.
Then he said it will come 3 weeks later.
Please tell me is it a new way to hire people remotly like this?
Thank you very much for your time,
George Huang,
This is a scam! The check they sent you is not a valid monetary instrument. In other words, it is a fake. The check looks very authentic, but once you deposit it into your account and spends any or all of it, I assure you that the Bank will call you in to inform you of the bad check in a few days. Your answer to them will determine if you’re arrested or simply given back the bad check with a warning. Tell them that you have to wait until the check clears the bank before you can make purchase in one week. They will probably not call you again after you tell them that.
George, that sounds like an unprofessional way to do business, the job offer sounds like a scam. Also another good read about spotting scams: https://www.theconfidentcareer.com/2018/05/nigerian-princes-need-not-apply.html
Thank you for the information.
I have been trying for almost for a Remote position. The job descriptions sounds what I am interested in and as you start filing out information 90 percent take you into doing surveys. Very frustrating! Where are legitimate Work At Home positions?
Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Renee
rmajeske1990@gmail.com
The bounced check / work from home scam typically involves first being invited to a google hangout for an interview via text chat. That alone is a dead giveaway to immediately run away and not even have the said chat. The pay is usually suspiciously high and as mentioned, involves you having to buy equipment from them or some specific third party they specify. If it’s too good to be true, it usually is.
I was contacted by a “recruiter” for a similar scheme. The person on the phone sounded legitimate and the Healthcare corporation they stated was the employer is real. The recruiter stated I would be contacted for a second interview, by phone, shortly. I was and was asked very minor questions, nothing about why I left my last position, what was etc. The final straw was when the 2nd person provided a Gmail address, used a GroupMe chat and was sending me the “bank certified check” to deploy and purchase equipment. When I attempted to contact the HR department of the very legit corporation to advise then of this scan, using their good name, it was apparent they didn’t care. Bottom line, I got the check and immediately lit a small fire.
Yes, I got something similar as well. I answered an ad on website and was for customer service. Got a few texts and emails and the “we will send you a check to buy equipment” and the red flag went up right then and there. They did send me a check for over $1000.00, with instructions to cash it, send a shot/picture of the transaction and the equipment will arrive within a week. I received several texts asking if I received the check, which I did, and again knew right off the bat, it was indeed a scam!! The check looked authentic, but I sent it back to the address on the check, with a note that I was no longer interested in the “position”. Well, four weeks later, the check and note came back to me with “NO SUCH ADDRESS–UNABLE TO DELIVER”. This was back in October. 2019, and I held the check, waiting for any further correspondence via text, phone call or letter, and have not heard from them since. I just threw out the check and letter I wrote to them this past Saturday!! Places and people like this need to go to JAIL, especially with so many people out of work and desperate to get their financial house back in order. My “spidey sense” told me that it was a bunch of BULLSHRIMP from the onset, and with two phone calls I got that was a recording with instructions, I sat on that check for 6 months. I wish I remembered the name of the “company”, but it was like DJZ something or other, out of NY, NY. Good luck to everyone and be careful. As was stated, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Where can you find and apply for legitimate remote jobs.