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When hiring remote IT and database management candidates, focus less on the technical aspect of the role, and place more emphasis on gauging the candidate’s ability to follow processes, keep to deadlines, and work autonomously. Ask your candidates about previous projects they’ve worked on, and look to discover whether they were able to closely follow process documents, whether they were able to consistently execute to a high level, and whether they were able to make any improvements to systems.

A good candidate will be able to refine your processes and iterate on your current systems by identifying points of weakness during their work.

Checkout some tips on hiring a database architect.

Good remote IT staff should be disciplined and able to consistently execute repetitive tasks to a high level. Oftentimes, the work you will be asking your remote employees to do will be monotonous, so a good candidate is someone who is able to tolerate monotony while staying engaged and looking for potential areas for improvement. Alongside this, good remote IT workers will be able to follow processes exactly, so as to ensure that projects are completed to the same exact standard each time.

For remote database management staff, look for industry accreditations, like the Microsoft Certified Database Administrator certificate, or university certificates. Candidates with these accreditations have proven their understanding of database management to a level which has been independently assessed, and in many cases make for the best employees.

If you’d like to know more about the characteristics great remote employees have, click here

Managing remote IT staff requires both sides to maintain clear channels of communication, so that tasks and deadlines are understood completely. Managing databases, websites, and online systems requires clear processes that have to be followed each time, so establishing these from the outset is crucial for ensuring success.

Beyond this, it is important to communicate clear deadlines with your remote employees, so that they are motivated to work quickly and efficiently. The best way to manage remote IT staff is to make use of project management software, like Basecamp or Asana, alongside remote time tracking software like Hubstaff. Using these software in combination will allow you to set clear tasks and deadlines, and allow you to track exactly what your remote employees are working on at any given moment. Remote time tracking software also has the added benefit of helping to reassure you that your remote employees are working during company hours, and are not billing you for times when they are not being productive.

For more information read our advice on how to manage remote employees.

Hiring remote IT staff can help you to optimize the experience that your customers have when they view your website or use your online services. Employing someone to manage your databases of content, maintain your online registrations, or to guarantee that all of your website’s links direct to the correct places, ensures that the service you offer to your customers and users is second to none. As websites and online content increasingly become markers for success, and criteria on which companies are judged, it is important to make sure that the quality of your online experience is as high as possible. Remote IT staff make sure this happens by maintaining your website and ensuring that everything is running smoothly.