HR, Listen Up: Tips for Recruiting Internationally

There are countless reasons and benefits to expand your talent search outside of your country…diversity, globalisation, duh! While going global may be just what the doctor ordered to take your business to the next level - the recruitment process can be a tad more challenging than hiring locally. 

Yes, building international teams can be beneficial for your company's growth. Still, it can be time-consuming and require more resources than you would need when hiring on home ground so consider this a survival guide. You’re welcome!

Key Tips to Keep in Mind when Recruiting Internationally

Embrace Technology

Using technology to schedule interviews is a no-brainer. But when recruiting globally, it is essential to consider tech limitations that specific candidates may experience.

For example, some countries have underdeveloped ICT resources while others have data limitations that might affect the quality of a video call or even consume too much data. It is also important for you to consider the generational and experience level before choosing software and apps to interact with or assess candidates on. 

One way to ensure that everyone is on the same page is to communicate with the candidate via email about whether they have any limitations or challenges regarding technology.

Also, find out the type of programs and software they are familiar with and have available to them. In doing so, you ensure that the process runs effectively, but you pave the way for proper communication and feedback. 

Look Beyond Qualifications

One of the most important recruitment tips in choosing suitable candidates based on your organization's culture and values. Ultimately, hiring a highly qualified candidate is great, but hiring one that fits in well and shares similar principles with co-workers and the company will ensure longevity and long-term engagement. 

Unfortunately, understanding a candidate's cultural fit is often more challenging when hiring for a remote position. According to The Society for Human Resources Management, turnover due to a culture clash can cost a company 50-60 per cent of a candidate's annual salary.

Important cultural factors to pay attention to are:

• Ensuring that new hires can communicate in the primary language used in the company. 
• What are their career goals, and is it in line with the job they are interviewing for?
• What kind of personality do they have? Are they introverted or extroverted? Will they have trouble working or communicating, especially if they work remotely?
• Are you looking for a self-starter or someone to play by the rules? 

Get a Recruitment Plan Into Gear

A one size fits all approach cannot work in the long run when developing an international recruiting strategy. Instead, your approach should consider your company's size, industry type, culture, and long and short-term needs. 

Don't Work Hard, Work Smart: Here is What you Should Consider When Recruiting Internationally 

• Time Frame: How quickly do you have to hire a candidate? What happens if a candidate has an extended notice period? 
• Relocation Policy: Does your company offer a relocation policy for new hires? If so, what is included and excluded? 
• Current Challenges: Evaluate your recruitment resources. Identify gaps and find solutions. 
• Objectives: Develop a blueprint for what the organization wants from their talent
• Flexibility: Ensure that resources can be deployed in different countries. Take different or overlapping time zones into consideration.
• Ease of Use: Ensure your global recruiting and outreach tools provide applicants with positive interactions.
• Engagement: Explore social media and digital jobs boards to target talent in different countries. When looking for global talent, be sure to look into employee referrals and industry contacts.  

A simple Solution to Get Rolling

Don’t sweat the onboarding stuff! At Playroll, our software eliminates the burden of onboarding and managing talent around the globe.

We know that hiring internationally is already a big jump for a company, so our technology aims to make the rest of the process as easy as possible. We currently have over 160 entities around the world, meaning we know a thing or two (maybe more) about international recruitment.