As someone with experience working remotely, I find the application/interview process often has common issues that make it more difficult for companies to hire the most qualified remote talent available. At various phases of the application or interview, it can be easy for applicants to either lose interest in a particular role or company. Here are three common mistakes hiring managers should avoid during the recruitment process for remote applicants.

1. “Remote for Exceptional Candidates”

Generally speaking, there are three main categories for locations that companies include in job descriptions: remote, non-remote (office only), and partially remote. Most of the time these positions are labeled clearly. The definition of ‘partially remote’ can vary. In some cases, the candidate might need to be in the office for two or three days per week. In other cases, it might just be once per month. Most of the time, however, it’s simple to understand that being qualified for a role is dependent on the applicant living within a reasonable distance from the office.

However, choosing to write “remote for exceptional candidates” in the job description can seem like a way of a company saying, “This job isn’t really remote.” The reality is that companies in major job markets are likely to find a qualified candidate who is local and can be located in the office. The chances are that the company would rather hire a similarly qualified candidate who is local than one who is more qualified but located somewhere else. Yes, there’s even a chance that less qualified candidates will be hired if the company isn’t committed to building a remote team.

With that being said, if the goal of the company is to hire the best talent regardless of a candidate’s location, the job description should just say, “100% remote”.

2. “Complete Our Unpaid Test”

While this requirement can vary depending on the role, unpaid tests are a common way to narrow down a pool of candidates. Sure, plenty of non-remote roles also require unpaid tests as part of the interview process. Nonetheless, this seems more commonplace for remote roles.

Yes, the skills needed to take the test will vary greatly depending on what your role the candidate is applying for. In my experience, writers are generally assigned a topic to write about that is related to the hiring company’s product or industry. Software engineers are sometimes given a coding assignment that needs to be completed in the tech stack that the hiring company uses.

No matter the role, the concept of unpaid tests is a bad idea for finding top talent in most cases. I understand the hiring company needs to know that the applicant is competent enough to produce work that is specific to the requirements of the open role. Think about it this way, though. Wouldn’t a phenomenal applicant already have a standout resume and a portfolio of relevant work? Unless the writer has never written anything similar to what the company requires for the position, what is the point of the unpaid test? Unless the programmer has never written in the programming language that is used by the hiring company, why should a coding challenge be required?

Even though unpaid tests have become the standard, seemingly no two companies use the same test. For applicants applying to multiple jobs, the number of unpaid tests can add up quickly. Ultimately, this can be a burden for candidates who are highly qualified but don’t think the hiring company values their previous success or current energy and time being put into the application/interview process.

3. Working Hours/ Communication Times

Before finding the best candidate, it’s important to realize that remote jobs don’t necessarily have the same working hours as office jobs. Yes, there are 100% remote companies who work a standard 9 to 5 time as if all team members were in the office. Still, many types of work allow for more flexible hours. This can vary company to company. Oftentimes, the distinction isn’t clearly communicated to the applicant. There are two main questions that remote applicants should know either via the job description or during the interview process. 1. What are the working hours? In other words, when can/should I work independently? 2. What are the communication hours for collaborating with other team members? In other words, when am I expected to be available to sync up on assignments, respond to messages, etc.?

In some cases, the expectations of the remote applicant might be completely different than the employer. For example, the remote applicant might prefer that assignments could be completed in their own time and communication between remote team members can take place at any time. It’s also possible that the remote applicant expects to work standard hours and have an established time for sending and receiving company emails, meetings, etc.

By being upfront with what the established workflow and work times are at the company, employers can ensure that they are not only hiring the most qualified remote candidates from a talent perspective but also from a communication perspective. There’s no secret formula for what times of the day work should be done. It’s just a matter of matching the preferences/expectations of the company with those of the remote employee. The goal is to be on the same page before day one so that everyone (both new hires and experienced employees) can be equally or even more efficient as the remote team grows.