It wasn’t that long ago the thought of working remotely was either an outlier, a “super” perk, or something to dread when everyone was suddenly working remotely.
Yet here we are now, almost a year later and we’ve all become remote work masters. Our perception of remote work has changed dramatically since the start of 2020. We all adapted to this new normal, and many of us thrived.
While some areas of the country are largely returning to the office, many areas are still working remotely — and will continue to work remotely for the foreseeable future. At the same time, with COVID fears and simply a desire for more flexibility, more Salesforce admins and developers than ever are seeking remote work.
Whether you’re looking for remote Salesforce talent out of necessity, or you simply want the best Salesforce developers or admins, wherever they’re located, you may want to shift your expectations to make a strong hire.
What to consider when hiring remote Salesforce talent
Here are three important elements to consider when trying to determine whether a Salesforce admin or developer will be a strong remote worker:
1. Real-world examples
Aside from the past few months, many workers now seeking remote opportunities may not have had significant experience working remotely. Although direct, long-term remote experience is most definitely a plus, there are some behavioral questions that can help identify whether a Salesforce professional can thrive in a permanently-remote situation.
Here are a few questions to consider as a starting point:
- What challenges have you faced in the past that have prepared you for a full-time, remote opportunity? What will you do to overcome them? How can we help you overcome them?
- How much experience do you have self-managing and being responsible for your own time each day? What were the results? What challenges did you encounter, and how did you overcome them?
- What are some of the tools you’ve used in the past to communicate with or collaborate with the rest of your team? What were your favorite or least favorite tools? Why?
2. Previous experience working remotely
Although we’ve all got some experience working remotely, thanks to COVID, remote experience pre-COVID can make a big difference on a Salesforce admin or developer’s long-term viability as a remote member of the team.
To be honest, the easiest way to determine whether Salesforce developers or admins would work well in a remote role now is to see if they’ve worked in the same (or a similar) role previously.
If they’ve done their job remotely before — and have done it well – then that’s a strong indicator they’d work out seamlessly for you. They likely already have a dedicated work space, systems and technologies in place, and the self discipline needed to thrive in a permanently-remote Salesforce role.
3. Not-so-obvious signals
Previous experience is a pretty obvious one, and asking behavioral questions can help. But sometimes what helps you make a decision on remote Salesforce talent is what’s not-so-obvious. Those hidden signals that can emerge during the hiring process.
These aren’t always going to be deal breakers. Your business will have to decide what’s most important. But if you have several top candidates and are trying to determine who’ll be a better fit, some of these elements could help solidify your decision:
- Internet speed. There are a bunch of factors that can affect Zoom or other virtual meetings, but strong internet speed/connectivity is a major factor. Poor audio or video quality during interviews may be a sign that someone doesn’t have the best technology at home to support a full-time, remote Salesforce position.
- Dedicated office space. There were lots of images on social media of newly-remote workers working from their sofas — or even their beds — early in the pandemic. But those on-the-fly setups are not going to work for permanently-remote work. A dedicated office space (which doesn’t necessarily have to be an actual room), with furniture, equipment and a general setup that looks and feels like an authentic workspace, is a strong sign Salesforce talent will thrive working remotely on a permanent basis.
- Communication skills. The ability to clearly and concisely communicate while working remotely is essential for collaboration, teamwork and productivity. If you notice during the hiring process that a Salesforce candidate isn’t communicating effectively, it could be a major red flag.
Looking for remote Salesforce admins or developers?
A strong foundation of Salesforce talent is critical to help you weather the current storm and come out stronger. Here at Tech2, our network includes Salesforce talent with extensive remote and on-site experience, plus the skills and history of results needed to hit the ground running.
We can help you avoid the hurdles and get right to the results. Whether you’re looking for permanent or project based, remote or on-site, we can provide precisely the Salesforce talent you need. Contact us to learn more.
