6 Questions to Ask When Applying for a Remote Job

As the Coronavirus pandemic has spiked the interest and demand for remote positions, you may be wondering what to look for in a remote job, or more importantly, what questions to ask when applying for a remote job.

If you are looking for remote work and want to know the best questions to ask to help you make your decision, read below!

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1. What Will the Work Hours Be Like? As someone who works remotely, you do have a say in where you work, but not necessarily in when you work. Depending on your position, you may have greater flexibility on the times you are required to work or how many hours to put in each day, but if you have a more rigid position, then knowing what the hours are like is an important question to ask. Perhaps you are required to work a normal 8 hours, from 9-5, or maybe you have to put in 8 hours each day but the hours are spread throughout the day. Knowing what is required of you in terms of when your workday starts and how many hours you will be working can give you a better idea of what the position demands, and whether or not that fits well within your needs/obligations.

2. How Do People Communicate Within This Company? Remote work is entirely different than working in an office, in terms of the physical space and environment. When working in an office, you can always count on chatting with your co-workers or interacting with your boss/manager about tasks for the day or any workplace adjustments that need to be done. Working from home, however, poses a different challenge, as the immediacy of communicating with your co-workers/boss is cut off and instead facilitated through messaging apps, Zoom calls, and emails. Asking this key question regarding communication can give you an idea of how your potential company handles interacting with employees and dealing with any work-related issues.

3. Are There Any Challenges to Working Remotely at this Company? There is a lot in the air when it comes to working remotely. Remote work, in contrast to working in a physical office, doesn’t require any supervision and communication is significantly reduced to impersonal apps and messaging systems. This means when you have a problem, it’s not going to be as easy as running into your boss’s office or asking a co-worker for help. This could be considered a workplace challenge with your future company, which can leave you to pose the question, “How are Workplace Challenges Handled?” Or “Are There Any Challenges to Working Remotely at this Company?” A good hiring professional or boss will answer this question honestly and have a clear idea of the barriers remote work creates with clear solutions on how to fix them.

4. Is this Position Fully Remote? As you are looking for remote work positions, it’s important to distinguish the different types of remote positions there are out there. As a result of the pandemic, several companies have offered temporary remote positions, but expect workers to return to the office at a certain date. Other companies offer fully remote positions, with no expectation of going to a physical workplace. If it is not clear in your job application, be sure to ask what type of remote position it is. Will you be expected to go to monthly in-person conferences? Will you have to go to any kind of in-person training sessions? These are all questions that will detail the expectations of your remote position, and whether or not it is a proper fit for you.

5. Is There Any Necessary Equipment That Will Be Provided? Working in an office or physical location, there are certain things/equipment provided to you in order for you to fulfill the duties of your job, such as a computer, a printer/fax machine/scanner, internet, etc. While this seems like an obvious assumption, it is important to ensure you have everything your work would require of you to do your job properly, like good internet and an updated, functional computer, a webcam/mic for Skype or Zoom calls, etc. Outside of this, ask your interviewer if there is anything else the company needs and whether or not they will be providing this.

6. How Does Employee Feedback Work? As stated earlier, communication is significantly different when working remotely. Though it is possible to work around certain communicative barriers, it can nonetheless be a challenge, especially when it comes to employee feedback. Julie Russell of the Muse suggests, “The best way to gauge how your prospective boss might give you feedback and how comfortable they are doing it is to ask. If the hiring manager doesn’t have a plan in place, suggest one—that reflects your ideal scenario—and see how they react.”

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Though working remotely does have its clear differences from working in an office, there are plenty of perks to doing so. When applying for a remote job, be sure to ask these recommended questions to give you the best insight into what the job will be like and whether or not it’s a proper fit for you!