This is such an important question because some companies base salaries off of zones depending on the cost of living. And candidates could be living in one state and move to a new 100% remote opportunity and then move to a new state where cost of living has changed. Or learning if they have plans to move to a new time zone, in the near future. This could also affect work hours and availability.
With the labor force adopting remote work quicker than ever before, we must shift our traditional screening questions to ensure candidates and clients are set up for success while working remotely. We have found it is beneficial to ask questions like "what sort of meeting or communication cadence are you comfortable with in a remote position?" While working remotely, clients can have varying expectations around a candidate's availability and response time. Some client expect candidates to be available for the entirety of the 9-5, while others are more concerned about deliverables and meeting deadlines, and allow the work to get done when it best suits the candidate. It's always wise to make sure you have an idea of what the candidate is used to, and comfortable with, while discussing a new position!
In the "remote first" world we live in today, it\'s important to get an understanding of where a candidate will be based for the majority of the year and specifically, what time zones they are comfortable operating under. Most candidates may be a bit more nomadic and spend weeks, or months, in a location outside of their primary home address. A question to ask candidates could be "Keeping in mind you are located in XYZ location, tell me about what time zones you would be comfortable working in?" and "Do you anticipate being in this location for the majority of the year?". If the candidate says they are flexible, drill down and let them know about any standing meetings or distributed teams they would need to make themselves available for and in what time zones.
In this remote landscape, I\'ve found that asking a candidate if they are able to work set hours as opposed to working on their own time is crucial. Knowing this information up front can help us best represent our candidates to our clients and make the best placement! Many of our clients assume candidates are able to work a standard 9am-5pm but many candidates are increasingly looking to make their own hours and work on their own schedule so knowing when someone is able to work is super important! In addition, it\'s also a great idea to ask candidates if they have worked remotely before, what time zones they are able to work in, and if they can use their own equipment!
The new question I ask is whether a candidate will work onsite, hybrid or remote. While it is an obvious question, it is also a loaded question that we never asked pre-Covid. Many clients in our territory are looking to go back to the pre-Covid onsite model however, I am finding that the majority of the candidates I meet are only looking for remote work. The more candidates we interview who feel this way gives us helpful intel to pass on to the clients to inform them that the workforce trend of 100% remote is still inflexible for most. We are able to advise them to look for candidates beyond the local borders which will greatly expand their talent pool and choices.