As a savvy business leader, you want to hire top-notch talent for your team. Sometimes, that means hiring candidates from other countries. However, you might be nervous about how to handle the logistics. While it’s true that the international hiring process is a little more in-depth than its domestic counterpart, it’s still a completely viable option for your business.
Read on to learn four tips for hiring international workers for your company.
#1 First Thing’s First: Keep it Legal
If you retain nothing else about the immigration process, remember this: cutting corners just isn’t worth it.
You don’t want to risk running into legal trouble by trying to handle the visa process yourself or opting for a less-than-legitimate approach. Immigration law is incredibly complex, and the last thing you want is to put your employees, your company, or yourself in a bind. If you don’t have a law degree (and honestly, even if you do), we recommend consulting a professional.
Thankfully, you’ll have plenty of options when you start looking for someone to handle the legal logistics. From an immigration lawyer in Chicago small businesses depend on to big firms that all the New York corporations use, there are options of all sizes in every city.
#2 Have a Relocation Package Plan Ready
Don’t wait until the last minute to iron out the details of your relocation package. Once you get the ball rolling with the right candidate, you don’t want to waste time hammering out the terms and conditions of what you can offer them. Before you start hiring, decide if your company will pay for:
- International flights
- A moving company
- Long-term housing
- Short-term accommodations, including boutique hotels New Yorkers love
- Office visits for final-round interviews
#3 Be Sensitive to Language and Cultural Differences
Your international employees should feel valued and respected. The last thing you want is to commit a cultural faux pas that sends them packing before they’ve even settled into their new office.
In this scenario, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Spend time educating yourself and fellow employees about the candidate’s cultural background so you can avoid making an offensive mistake.
Respecting cultural differences should be a company-wide priority. Consider setting up cultural sensitivity training to ensure the entire team is on board—during the hiring process and beyond.
#4 Get Inventive with Interviews
Setting up an interview with any potential hire can be a scheduling challenge. Setting up an interview with someone who lives on the other side of the globe can feel almost impossible.
However, when you’re hiring an international employee, it’s even more important to make sure they’re a good fit for your team. Take a look at some things to keep in mind when conducting international interviews:
- Virtual interviews – Zoom, Skype, and other video chatting technology will be your best friend when it comes to hiring an international employee. In some cases, the entire interview process can be conducted virtually.
- In-person interviews – It’s not unreasonable to want to meet your candidate in-person before you present a job offer. However, we recommend only setting up in-person interviews with candidates you are seriously considering hiring. You don’t want to waste time and resources on international travel for a candidate you’re only lukewarm about.
- Time zones – If you’re conducting a virtual interview, try to find a time slot that falls within business hours for both parties. No one is at their best at three in the morning, no matter how much coffee they’ve had in preparation. If you’re conducting an interview in-person, be aware of jetlag and schedule accordingly.
Happy Hiring!
Hiring international workers is an exciting moment for your company. Not only is your business expanding its reach, but you’re also opening yourself and your company up to learning about a different culture.
Being open to hiring an international candidate vastly expands your potential talent pool, meaning you’re that much more likely to find the perfect person for the job.
