The ability to hire remote marketers and consultants can be both a blessing and a curse for growing businesses.
Sure, it’s easier than ever to hire skilled talent regardless of geography; however, sifting through unqualified candidates can be a massive headache. Even though there’s plenty you can gather from a Skype call or email chain, it can be difficult to get true feel for your potential hires when you’re not meeting them face to face.
For the sake of your business, you need to hire the best talent possible without wasting your time or energy. Therefore, consider the following four questions to ask yourself prior to hiring a remote marketer.
“What Do They Bring to the Table?”
This question may seem a bit cliche, but think about it: you should strive to hire talent based on long-term goals and growth rather than for the sake of hiring. Whether you’re looking for someone to turn your failing social campaigns around or plug up the holes in your email marketing strategy, you need to know exactly what they’re going to add to your company.
Likewise, you want to find someone who’s willing to expand their skillset and support the concept of business innovation versus someone who simply wants to collect a paycheck. An enthusiastic new hire who’s hungry to learn represents a long-term investment to your team.
“What’s Their Track Record?”
You should be able to figure out at a glance whether your potential hire has a track record. Between a solid portfolio and glowing testimonials, social proof goes a long way toward cluing you in on the level of experience your potential hire has. If they’ve produced traffic or sales for previous clients, chances are they can do the same for you.
While there’s nothing wrong with hiring a total newbie, it’s certainly a bit of gamble. That being said, less experienced talent may not be as set in their ways and therefore may adapt to your processes easier than someone with years of experience. Either way, try a test project before hiring to see what they’re made of.
“Are They Active in the Industry?”
Marketing is constantly evolving and those in the industry are expected to keep up with current trends and notable events. With some quick Googling and social sleuthing, you can figure out if your hire is…
- Active in online communities relevant to your industry (think: forums or blog comments)
- Keeping up with a personal blog to show off their expertise
- Regularly posting on social media regarding marketing and your industry at a large
While their social activity shouldn’t be a make-or-break decision in hiring, it’s certainly something to consider when gauging their interest and enthusiasm.
“How Diverse is Their Skillset?”
Ideally, you should hire someone that can wear multiple hats and can juggle roles if necessary. For example, someone who can both run your Twitter feed and contribute to your company blog is a major plus.
However, you should also relay clear expectations to your hires if you expect them to pull double duty. For example, you can’t automatically assume a social media manager can do the work of an email marketing manager. Make sure you know exactly what you’re hiring for and that everyone’s on the same page during your interview.
Don’t fear: there’s likely the marketing perfect talent out there for your business. Simply do your homework on your potential hires and ask the right question as you search for the right fit.
Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.
