Recruiting internationally can be a challenge. You know the culture that your local stakeholders grew up in, and the types of messages they respond to. But how can you be sure about the same aspects for international job seekers?
Fortunately, the process is far from impossible. If you approach it strategically, you can get quality applicants that will enhance your organization for years to come. Here are 5 ways you can attract the right sort of international candidates the first time.
1) Target Your Efforts
Above all, you need to be sure to recruit in the right markets. Particularly tabbing emerging markets can be a winning strategy, but only if your goals overlap with the candidates available in that environment.
To optimize your efforts in that regard, set your goals. Exactly who are your trying to recruit? Borrowing from marketing can be an effective strategy here. Set up a candidate persona, and perform a market analysis to find the perfect match.
2) Tailor Your Strategy
Once you know the market/s from which you are looking to recruit, it’s time to tailor your strategy to that market. Social media is becoming an increasingly important part of the recruiting process, but various countries use the medium in very different ways.
In China, for example, Weibo is the dominating network for candidates. LinkedIn works as a tool to get your message out in the United States and some other major countries, but others may prefer Facebook as a method of communication. Tailoring your strategy and message to your market is a crucial step to finding the right candidates.
3) Promote Your Culture
Any experienced recruiter knows the importance of culture fit. But in international recruitment, you face a unique problem: your employer brand may already be well-established among your local audience, but international candidates probably don’t know much about it yet.
Your task is to change that fact. Be clear about the type of workplace culture candidates can expect, and you increase the chance that you find applicants who fit that culture. Use your website, job posting, and any communication to provide a distinct and attractive picture of what working for you would look like.
4) Leverage Local Contacts
Many recruiters struggle in international territories because they lack a foothold. Fortunately, you can change that by establishing and leveraging contacts that can help you unlock these emerging markets.
Your goal is to build a network of professionals with knowledge of the area. Employees who have worked or have experience in the culture, business contacts, and partner organizations can all be potential allies in helping you both understand and establish a reputation in the area. They may also be able to suggest qualified candidates, based on their knowledge of your culture and company.
5) Communicate Support
Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of support international applicants need upon accepting a job at your organization. You don’t want to lose qualified applicants simply because they were unable to get a visa or move their belongings. To be successful, international recruitment needs to be a comprehensive endeavor.
Of course, even if you offer moving, immigration, or other tangible help to your international candidates, that matters little if they don’t know about it. Communicate the support you offer on your website, job post, and any other channels you use for recruitment.
Simply stating that ‘we need more international candidates’ is easy. Finding the right candidates that can actually enhance your organization, on the other hand, can be more complicated. Fortunately, through the above steps, you can greatly increase the chances of finding applicants that are both qualified for the position and a good culture fit.
