Hiring for Remote

Laura-Marie Linholm , Remote Work & People Analytics Manager

February 17th, 2025

What Does It Mean to Hire for Remote?

There is always a need for great talent. As more companies have moved to a remote model, hiring practices need to evolve to ensure that businesses attract and retain the right people for this unique way of working.

With more choices around work environments, the concept of “fit” has evolved. Companies are looking for people who add to the culture and the company, not just someone who would “fit in”. It is also no longer just about cultural “fit” but also environmental. Some people thrive in remote settings, others find energy in being surrounded by colleagues in an office, and many prefer a hybrid model. Today, the emphasis is on providing choices that allow individuals to excel in their preferred work environment.

Hiring for remote isn’t just about finding someone with the right skills, it’s about identifying people who can succeed in an environment that requires independence, self-discipline, and adaptability. Remote work changes the dynamics of collaboration, communication, and accountability, making it essential to assess a candidate’s ability to thrive in a setting without the physical presence of teammates or a manager. 

At Testlio, we’ve built a remote-first hiring strategy that ensures we bring in people who are not only great at their jobs but also excel in a distributed environment. Through experience, we’ve learned what works, and what doesn’t, and how to structure hiring processes that set both candidates and companies up for success in a remote setting.

Challenges of Remote Hiring

Once you’ve determined your team is ready to add on remote teammates, it’s time to start identifying potential hurdles. Getting ahead of these hurdles will ensure a successful experience for everyone. One of the biggest hurdles is communicating expectations clearly and ensuring there’s no misalignment about what remote work entails. In some organizations, you might be able to hire someone who can work whenever or wherever so long as specific goals are met. Some organizations require more structure to ensure a collaborative and asynchronous environment. Knowing your environment will help you understand what expectations to make with potential joiners.  

At Testlio, we are entirely distributed globally. Our key to having such a successful remote environment is that we communicate the expectations for all of our remote TestLions.  We expect individuals to be able to work independently and be strong communicators. Another critical aspect of our remote culture is extensive documentation. With teams spread across multiple time zones, we rely on thorough, well-structured documentation to ensure alignment, reduce miscommunication, and enable asynchronous collaboration. Clear documentation allows work to progress smoothly, provides transparency, and ensures that important knowledge is accessible to everyone, regardless of when or where they’re working.

Another hurdle to overcome is adjusting your recruitment efforts from a local scale to a global scale. Attracting talent from around the world opens up opportunities to find the best candidates, but it also requires processes that are consistent and consider cultural differences. Assessing whether a candidate is the right fit, not only for the company’s culture but also for the demands of a remote-first environment, requires careful consideration and a structured approach.

What the Remote Hiring Process Looks Like At Testlio

These challenges highlight the importance of a thoughtful and deliberate hiring process. For Testlio, Remote work is a commitment, it’s core to our operations, and regardless of where, when, or how we work, our goal is to ensure that everyone feels fully connected to Testlio’s culture, values, processes, and rituals. This is why we have developed an approach that addresses these hurdles and ensures that we hire people who will excel in a remote environment.

When building guidance around hiring for remote, we decided to include prior office experience as a factor. There are obvious exceptions, as there is a generation of workforce who entered the market as remote workers, but for us, it is important that they understand what it means to collaborate, communicate, and contribute effectively in a professional setting and they have a foundational understanding of workplace dynamics, something that can take a lot more time to learn remotely. 

Another thing we look at is written communication. We recommend that you have at least one open-text question in your job application. Our job applications include a written question, allowing candidates to demonstrate clarity, thoughtfulness, and ability to communicate effectively. Strong written communication is important for remote work, as much of the collaboration happens asynchronously, and clear documentation helps us all stay aligned. It’s not about how long or how eloquent the response would be, it’s more about the response’s content in relation to the question. 

Once we’ve gone through the applications we begin the virtual interview process. During our interviews, we want to inform candidates about Testlio, and also take time to get to know the candidate. Almost everyone is nervous, and we understand that. We aim to help a candidate understand the role, build rapport, and set expectations for the next steps. Being nervous or having technical issues is common, and we do our best to help candidates overcome those challenges. Our interviews involve multiple stakeholders, which allows candidates to meet potential collaborators while also giving our team a chance to assess the candidate from different perspectives. We also make sure to have a separate values interview to make sure the candidate is a culture fit. Having multiple steps in the process allows the candidates the opportunity to see if the role aligns with their current goals, meet future peers and collaborators, and evaluate potential career growth.

Understanding a candidate’s desire for remote work is just as important as evaluating their skills. We explore how meaningful this way of working is to them and whether they can envision themselves happy and flourishing in a remote role. It’s crucial to discuss practical elements too, like our expectations to have a camera on during meetings. We believe that this fosters connection and helps build trust among remote teams, but it’s also something candidates need to feel comfortable with from the start. We are also transparent about the challenges of remote work. 

While previous experience in an office environment is valuable, remote work requires a shift in mindset. We discuss these differences openly, helping candidates determine if this approach aligns with their work style and preferences. To gain deeper insights into a candidate’s readiness for remote work, we use TestGorilla to evaluate things such as cognitive skills, self-management, prioritization, and resilience. These assessments help us identify individuals who are self-motivated and capable of managing their time effectively, which are essential traits for success in a remote environment. TestGorilla offers an option to get extra time if English is not their first language or any other extra requirements, to make sure they have a good experience and show their skills to the best of their ability.

Our hiring process is led by hiring managers and supported by recruiters. The final decision comes from the hiring manager, as they will be working closely with the new team member. Hiring managers take ownership of the process, ensuring they select the right fit for their teams. Ultimately, it’s a collaborative process built to find the best talent that will thrive in our culture and the remote environment. 

Steps for Building an Effective  Hiring Strategy for Remote Work

A strong remote hiring strategy ensures long-term success for both the company and the people you bring in. While every organization’s approach will differ, key areas to consider include:

• Define Your Hiring Philosophy – What does success in a remote role look like for your company? Which traits and skills are essential? As mentioned, at Testlio, we look for communication, a desire to work remotely, and alignment of values. 
• Choose the Right Sourcing Channels – Are you targeting specific regions or using remote-focused job boards? How do referrals fit into your strategy? We look at 3 major regions EMEA, APAC, AMER. Jobs will be posted on our website, and we use LinkedIn as the main job site. We also offer a referral program to encourage our internal people to recommend great candidates. 
• Invest in Hiring Infrastructure – Clear job descriptions, structured processes, and strong documentation ensure a smooth candidate experience. Our recruitment team works hard to have the process documented so everyone has answers to any questions they might have. Over the years, we have built a process that works for us, even though it can be lengthy, we see the value in it. 
• Track Key Metrics – Monitor time-to-hire, candidate experience, retention, and performance to measure success. We put a lot of emphasis on KPIs and make sure we can hit our targets, this way we can always make changes if something doesn’t meet our goals. 
• Continuously Improve – Refine your hiring approach based on feedback and data. Even though we are happy with our hiring process, we make sure we stay on top of things and make changes when necessary. 

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to hiring for remote work. The key is to align your strategy with your company’s culture, values, and operational needs. By focusing on clear expectations, thoughtful processes, and ongoing improvements, you can build a hiring approach that attracts the right talent and sets them up for success.

Remote Work Isn’t for Everyone

At Testlio, we acknowledge that remote work isn’t for every company or every individual and that’s okay! Some people thrive in the autonomy and flexibility of remote work, while others struggle without the structure and social interaction of an office. Challenges like staying motivated, managing time effectively, and maintaining work-life boundaries can make remote work difficult for those who rely on in-person collaboration or external accountability.

For us, remote work is about creating an environment where people feel empowered, engaged, and capable of achieving their goals, no matter where they are in the world. We also recognize that priorities and preferences can change over time. If someone realizes that remote work no longer suits them, we support them, even if it means helping them transition out of Testlio. 

At Testlio, our focus is to hire people who not only excel in their roles but also embrace the unique opportunities and challenges of remote work. We are committed to remote work, it’s vital for the core of our business, and we strive to build a team that thrives in this environment. Remote work requires trust, accountability, and a strong sense of ownership, and we look for individuals who are not only skilled but also adaptable, proactive, and engaged.

It is important to have a team that is aligned with how we work and committed to the unique dynamics of a remote-first culture. Hiring for remote work is more than just evaluating qualifications or cultural fit. It’s about understanding whether candidates are ready to thrive in a remote-first environment and equipping them for success. By prioritizing communication, transparency, and alignment with our values, we build teams that not only succeed individually but contribute to Testlio’s culture of connection and collaboration.