Remote hiring has expanded the candidate pool for editorial roles enormously. A London publisher can now access editorial talent in Edinburgh, Dublin, Toronto, and Sydney without relocating candidates. But remote hiring also removes important contextual signals that in-person hiring provides — and introduces new risks around candidate authenticity.
Tip 1: Test Before You Interview
In remote hiring, you cannot assess a candidate''s presence, engagement, or working style through brief corridor interactions. The interview carries more weight than in office-based hiring. By completing skills testing before the interview stage, you arrive at every interview already knowing the candidate can do the job — and can focus the interview on culture fit and working style.
Tip 2: Use Timed, Proctored Assessments
Self-set editorial tasks sent by email are particularly vulnerable to assistance when hiring remotely. Standardised, timed assessments in a controlled platform environment significantly reduce the opportunity for external help. EditingTests.com''s timed tests create a controlled environment even in a remote context.
Tip 3: Test for Asynchronous Communication
Remote editors work heavily in asynchronous written communication. The Writing Test assesses whether candidates can express themselves clearly in writing — a skill that matters far more for remote workers than it might for in-office hires who can clarify queries in person.
Tip 4: Weight Industry Vocabulary More Heavily
Remote editorial hires typically work with less day-to-day supervision. A remote editor who does not know the vocabulary of the field they are editing in will make errors that go undetected longer. The Industry Vocabulary Test is particularly valuable for this reason in remote hiring contexts.
Tip 5: Establish Clear Score Benchmarks
Remote teams often span multiple managers and time zones. Consistent benchmarks eliminate subjectivity across distributed hiring decisions. Agree minimum scores on your chosen tests before opening a role, and apply them consistently.
