What is the Process for Recruiting Staff Overseas

By Ken Zwerdling on Oct 08, 2017

What is the Process for Recruiting Staff Overseas

When your business is ready to expand internationally, foreign recruitment is an important component to the strategic plan. Understanding the process for recruiting staff overseas is vital to achieving success in this new endeavor.

Prior to initiating the foreign recruitment process, for the first step is to identify exactly what skills are required and what positions are to be filled. The best way to define and thereby fulfill these posts is by creating detailed job descriptions for each position needed, accounting for any technical skills and languages. In addition, each position must include the outlines of an attractive compensation package appropriate to the position and the country itself to ensure that the best talent will take notice. Compensation must be based on the labor market demand, the range of local salaries for similar positions, cost of living, exchange rates, and any other cultural differences one might find.

The second step in the foreign recruitment process is to promote your company and its open positions. Any advertised job descriptions and advertisements must comply with local laws, which may require certain disclosures or diversity quotas. And because today’s job seekers are absolutely connected online, your business must be well represented in social media for the best and the least costly advertising.

The process for recruiting foreign employees also includes actively seeking out candidates. Your company’s local contacts as well as current and former employees are often some of the best sources for providing potential future employees. Social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn are wonderful routes to find candidates.

Once candidates have been identified, most recruiting processes include in-person interviews. Certainly initial screenings with potential employees who are in distant locations can be done by telephone, but secondary face-to-face interviews can prove expensive and time consuming. Today’s technology has made it easier, faster and cheaper to conduct virtual interviews using programs such as Skype. Once a potential candidate has progressed into being an actual potential hire,  it is beneficial to meet in person to present the offer letter as it helps form a bond, can further boost your confidence in the potential hire or even potentially alert you to red flags that may have been missed. Ensuring that new employees are absolutely the best for the job is crucial as they will be your company’s first impression in the new country.

Of course it is crucial to any successful expansion that your company is properly and adequately educated on the country’s labor, hiring, and tax laws. All too often foreign country laws regarding termination, the hiring process, etc. could prove costly if unknown.

While your company may be ready to expand into international waters on its own, partnering with a qualified and well-experienced international staffing agency, is much more convenient and includes valuable experience in navigating the cultural nuances of foreign recruitment.           
 

To Receive Assistance With Recruiting Staff Overseas - CLICK HERE