The employment market isn't just competitive for job-seekers, it can also prove challenging for recruiters. On average, it takes 42 days to fill a position, although this can vary depending on the industry sector. As operational success largely hinges on the strength of your workforce, you must have a strong hiring process in place to fill vacancies as quickly as possible.
If you're considering casting the net wider when it comes to sourcing candidates, there are several trends you'll need to consider to fine-tune your global recruitment strategy. Candidate interaction is essential when recruiting, while hiring manager relations are important if you're using an external recruiter.
If you're looking to fill a considerable number of roles, it's worth looking at your existing assessment criteria to see how you can streamline the process. If your global hiring strategy needs considerable work, there are various methods you can implement to improve your odds of landing the best possible candidates.
Capitalize on Social Media Platforms
Recruitment via social media is fast becoming standard practice across many industries. No longer considered a novelty, it's one of the most commonly utilized recruitment tactics for businesses looking to target younger job-seekers.
Social recruiting has many benefits. It's particularly useful for targeting passive job-seekers. In other words, social recruiting can identify potential candidates who aren't actively looking for a new role and don't usually make use of career hubs and job boards. Targeting passive job-seekers may seem like a waste of time, but it's worth considering that as many as 60% of people currently in employment are open to new career opportunities.
Recruiting via social media is also relatively inexpensive. In addition to having to budget for registration and admin costs, using job boards often lengthens the overall hiring process. Effectively leveraging social media lets employers connect with high-quality candidates quickly. Furthermore, by removing third-party recruiters from the equation, there's little room for misinterpretation when it comes to company values and role requirements.
Whip Your Corporate Branding into Shape
If you're looking to refine your global recruitment strategy, your company branding needs to be in a great position. Dynamic branding is even more vital if you're looking to capitalize on social media platforms to aid your recruitment efforts.
Existing branding strategies you have used to target local and regional markets may have worked out well for you. However, it's unlikely these approaches will prove a one-size-fits-all solution for global recruitment initiatives. Focus on your existing employer brand and your core values and philosophies. If they're keystones to your corporate identity, you may need to work out new angles for deployment in new territories.
In addition to making use of social media channels, your brand strategy must be digitized. Making use of employee ambassadors is also a good idea, particularly when dealing with new regions where you have little penetration and considerable competition.
How Employer of Record Services Can Help You Recruit Globally
Businesses that have yet to set up dedicated branches in new territories may struggle to find local talent to fill urgent vacancies. This is where Employer of Record (EOR) services come into play. An EOR is essentially a third-party company that assists businesses in their recruitment efforts, without said businesses having to set up shop as a registered company in the countries they're looking to expand into.
In these instances, the EOR becomes the legal employer of any hired candidates. For some businesses, this may present some uncertainties, but the benefits of using an EOR are numerous. It can streamline the hiring process considerably, especially when businesses need to establish themselves in new regions at short notice.
Furthermore, an experienced EOR will be fully versed in international employment law, helping secure visa and work permits, and can take charge of administrative tasks and payroll.
Investigate Local Employment Markets
Many businesses struggle to find suitable talent to fill demanding roles when expanding their operations into new countries. Ideally, these labor shortfalls should be identified before a business begins expanding overseas. If the availability of highly-skilled candidates is particularly poor, you'll likely need to increase salaries and incentives. Generally speaking, skill shortages will lead to a longer and more difficult recruitment drive.
To alleviate these issues, set aside plenty of time and resources to investigate the employment market of any overseas territory where you're looking to establish your business. Consult with local recruiters to determine skill availability and standard rates of pay. A little preparation at this point will improve your chances of connecting with the best candidates and securing their skills.
Embrace a Diverse Workplace Culture
International expansion shouldn't purely be financially driven. Before setting the wheels in motion, think carefully about the countries where you're looking to establish your business. Investigate the local culture, especially how it applies to workplace ethos, and think about whether your existing values will apply to a new venue.
English may be the language of choice for many international businesses, but companies must embrace foreign languages when expanding. An international business should be diverse and inclusive, with multilingualism key to ensuring the best talent is acquired.
In Summary
No matter how small or large a company, the same rules apply when refining recruitment strategies when going global. Social media remains an effective platform for businesses of any size, especially when it comes to targeting younger job-seekers. Social recruitment is more immediate than conventional hiring platforms and allows employers to connect with the passive job-seeker market.
It's also important to remember that global branding isn't the same as branding at a local and regional level. If you're unsure of how well your brand will sell in new territories, take a step back and assess your corporate values and core philosophies. You can't reimagine your brand philosophy, but you can reangle your brand identity and its more visible elements.
If you have minimal experience with international employment markets, set aside plenty of time to explore them before expanding into them. Determine the availability of essential skills to build a clear picture of how quickly you can expect to fill urgent vacancies.
Many businesses find global recruitment too much of a challenge to tackle alone. This is where third-party organizations like Employer of Record services come in. They're very useful for smaller companies that aren't yet able to register as a corporate entity overseas. Although there are additional costs to consider, using an EOR speeds up the hiring process considerably, providing invaluable insights into local job markets and candidate availability.
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