How do you recruit for remote or hybrid teams with different skills?

How you work is super important here. If you are all async and structure meets you need to identify the core traits that work well in these environments. If you are very structure with deadlines and feedback cadences you need to interview for the same. Nail this and you'll start with the right people.

It is critical for organizations to be upfront about their remote policy. Saying they are remote and then ask people to come into the office multiple times a week sets everyone up for disappointment. If you state that the job is remote very clearly define in person meeting requirements and if there is any need to be in specific time zones.

One thing I've found helpful is to be very clear on the relative importance of the skills and competencies you need. Share them (max 3) at the top, so people can see quickly and easily if they match. Also include clear details on whether the job is remote or hybrid and the visa requirements. It increases the likelihood that the people who apply are the ones you want to talk to. Then use the rest of the extensive requirements list the hiring manager shared to assess candidates in screening. Also include your culture checks here. Write it down as a checklist or scorecard, and ask all interviewers to use it. It reduces unconscious bias and allows decisions to be made based on the most important qualities needed to be successful in the role.

I use podcasts for engagement with the candidates that I am trying to reach. I normally invite the hiring manager on and then invite the candidates on. This actually gives a good ice breaker, not everyone is confident in interviews, especially in the tech space. This gives a chance to ask real questions and actually talk about the real challenges in that team. Gives a good picture of what people are going into, instead of just sending them a job description.

A "test-drive" is a great way to give the candidate a clear idea of the work they would do. It also gives the team the chance to collaborate directly and understand what working with the candidate is like. Choose a task that is representative of the work expected for the role. Design the process to allow either collaboration or a discussion, being sure to provide feedback and carefully evaluate the candidate's response. There is often pushback to the amount of time and effort that goes into this sort of evaluation, so be sure to place it so only candidates you are serious about will be asked to invest time. Despite the effort involved, a test-drive sets clear expectations on all sides and allows informed decisions.

We have done this by first being very clear about our core values. During the interview process we have a dedicated section to discuss our values and determine fit. We also are very clear about rituals such as our weekly Townhalls, reward programs, yearly team meetups and several other key rituals that are unique to our team. Doing this helps candidates to understand who we are, what we stand for and how we reward people on the team.

Not everyone will need the same support so allowing flexibility in your bens pack may be important. Tbh this is key in all bens packs but particularly for remote teams. Someone who has a young family is not the same as the digital nomad but you'll want both of these comfortable working with. When building a persona think about these as buckets and brainstorm ideas for each.