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How to Hire International Employees: Tips for a Successful Hire

Hiring employees across borders requires additional steps and details that differ from hiring locally. It’s more than just paperwork, too; when bringing on team members from other countries, you’ll need to consider things like cultural alignment, time zones, language barriers, and other factors that you wouldn’t necessarily experience in your own city. Let’s look at some tips to set up your international hiring for success. 

 

Zero In on a Specific Country 

Just like the USA, each country has its own requirements when it comes to employment taxes, contracts, and other paperwork. When posting jobs, you’ll need to adapt your job posting to speak to regional audiences (more on that in a moment). What’s more, you’ll find variances in culture, talent, average salaries, and work ethics between countries. Depending on your needs, you may find that some countries have a knack for producing top talent in certain skills or areas compared to others. 

It’s helpful to focus your candidate search on just one country. This way, you can tailor the language of your job posting, the onboarding process, working hours, and any other internal processes to those individuals.  

Tailor Your Job Posting to a Regional Audience 

When hiring internationally, your job postings need to be adapted for the region you’re targeting. Different countries have different cultures and languages, so localizing your job posting can be key to finding the right candidates. 

It’s not just the language of your job posting that needs to change. You’ll also need to consider cultural differences in how people search for jobs. For example, while some countries prefer a more formal approach with a cover letter and CV, other countries may respond better if they can apply directly through a website or app. Taking the time to adjust your job posting to local standards can save you time and energy later on in the recruitment process. 

Determine How to Work Across Time Zones 

Working with clients and colleagues in different time zones means having a plan in place that works for everyone involved. This can often mean coordinating meetings, calls, and other activities outside of regular working hours.  

Start by taking into consideration the different locations of your team. You may also need to account for local holidays or cultural events that may impact availability and productivity. 

Build Alignment with Your In-House Team 

Building alignment with your in-house team is critical for success. Not only does it help create a more cohesive and effective team, but also allows the company to reap the full benefits of diversity. 

Diversity in the workplace fosters creativity and innovation while providing an opportunity to learn from different perspectives. Hiring offshore can be beneficial in terms of cost savings and having access to a larger pool of talent.  

The key is to ensure that all members of the team understand the value that offshore teammates can bring. This allows them to be open to new ideas and perspectives and ensures everyone can work together toward common goals. 

Use a Turnkey Global Recruiting Company 

You can streamline the above using a global staffing agency primed for faster, better international hiring. To learn more about how Thankz helps you hire and manage remote staff smarter, schedule a call.