There is a lot of talk about hiring talent overseas and the benefits your company can get from doing so. While we don’t mind those who hold this opinion, selecting the right candidate for the job is the main factor in determining whether or not to recruit talent abroad.
In fact, it can be harder to find the perfect talent outside of your country than inside it if you don’t know what to look for when selecting potential employees. While these things may vary depending on the type of company, there are a few universal signs that you’ve found the right person. Here are seven things to look out for when hiring talent from overseas.
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1. Cultural adaptation
You need to know how ready your potential employee is to adapt to cultural change. Ask if they have made any effort to read about your country and what they think will be the most difficult part of their migration. Candidates with experience in other places with common qualities with your country will most likely find it easier to adapt.
2. Compliance with job requirements
Make sure you sort candidates based on their knowledge, skills, and ability to successfully fill the required roles. If possible, create life scenarios and ask them to suggest solutions. Another way is to ask them to share work situations in which they had goals, actions taken, and results that followed.
You need someone with a great understanding of the job you are hiring them for. Even if there will be training for new employees, it should be to familiarize them with your methods and improve what they already know. You cannot afford to start from scratch.
3. Long term potential
Make sure that your potential employee is ready to work with you for a long time. People may first look for work abroad in order to obtain a visa to the country. Such people will not stay for long, and knowing the cost of sponsoring their entry into the country, it will not be profitable to hire them.
The good part is that any astute member of your interview team can recognize long-term prospects from their colleague. Look for traits of longevity on a potential employee’s resume. Candidates with passion and enthusiasm for the job are more likely to work longer hours than those who don’t.
4. Spirit of a team player
While some jobs require working alone, there will always be reasons to interact with others in the organization. You want your expatriate employee to blend in with the existing staff at your company, rather than sticking out like a sour finger.
Ask questions about how well they work with others. Ask about their accomplishments and write down their response. Team players often speak the language of “we”. They are not afraid to state how good they are, but appreciate the efforts of others who make their task achievable. Team players are not afraid to point out that they have not achieved their goals alone.
5. Willingness to learn
When hiring foreign talent, you should look for people who are also willing to learn. You don’t want someone who is used to their way of doing things and unwilling to change. You can infer this trait from a candidate’s resume and at the interview stage.
Candidates who have attended conferences and other seminars are more likely to enjoy learning than those who have only professional qualifications. During the interview, see if they ask questions. Ask them how they would like to perform certain aspects of their job at the company if given the opportunity.
6. Motivation and desire for success
Any worker who only wants a job is not enough. You must hire talent that is motivated and focused on success. They are easy to manage, as they are always thinking of the best ways to carry out their duties. They are resourceful and willing to go the extra mile for the company.
7. Willingness to relocate your family
Foreign talents willing to bring their family are more likely to be committed to your work. Sometimes expatriate workers with families abroad can be distracted by the thought of visiting them while on vacation. Since they came to the country with skilled worker visathey can also take their family with them as dependents.
Final Thoughts
Hiring foreign talent is expensive, so hiring the wrong candidate can be detrimental to your company’s growth. You can not remain indifferent to some signs at the interview stage. Don’t make assumptions about the person you’re talking to. Clearly explain everything you want from your potential employee and pay attention to the questions they ask.
Most importantly, bring people or perhaps an agency with experience in hiring foreign talent to your hiring team. Tell them what you want. They can help you select the perfect candidate.
