When hiring overseas talent, you already know the importance of asking the right questions and knowing what to look for in each position. We’ve covered these extensively in previous articles, like our Ultimate Guide to Hiring Overseas. But before you unlock the full value of these questions, there are a few other questions you should ask first — and they should be directed to the overseas hiring firm you’re using.
Your global recruiting firm should be a good fit for your needs. They’re playing an essential role in your business — finding talent that will help you thrive — and that’s not a responsibility to take lightly.
Here’s how you can feel confident upfront that you’ve found the right hiring partner.
Why the right global recruiting firm matters for your business
When you’re trying to expand your business or work in globalized markets, you need the right teammate to help navigate complexities. Hiring is rarely straightforward, but the added stress of hiring for fully remote, overseas positions adds extra layers of complexity.
That’s the beauty in working with a specialized hiring firm. By nature, firms like Halo Recruiting give you instant access to a diverse candidate pool with specific skill sets. We’re built for remote overseas hiring, with knowledge and experience in legal and regulatory challenges, communication barriers, currency conversions, and ensuring the right skills translate to your business goals.
A quality global hiring firm not only provides the best candidates, but also overcomes these and other challenges on your behalf. Working with the right agency reduces your hiring risk and speeds up time to value, so your goals can keep moving forward.
It starts with asking the right questions
You need to be able to assess your agency’s experience level with overseas hiring for your desired positions. Understanding their approach helps you see if they can meet your needs. Not all agencies will be able to do so, depending on the positions you’re hiring for, your budget, and your expectations.
Asking the right questions can also save you money and time down the line. You need to be sure your recruiting company can truly deliver, and the right agency makes all the difference when it comes to cost. Take the time now to dig deeper, which will help you avoid costly mismatches or unproductive hires.
What you should always ask
These questions are designed to assess an agency’s experience level and understand their approach and track record. Use their answers to make informed decisions about which firm to partner with based on who can most effectively meet your hiring needs.
What industries do you specialize in?
Sourcing candidates across industries and job functions doesn’t take a blanket approach. The way you hire for customer service is not how you hire accountants or engineers, for example. You ask different questions, look for different skills and certifications, and even have different hiring timelines.
Knowing the industries the firm specializes in can be a telltale sign of whether they’re a good fit.
What’s your success rate for recruiting similar positions (average time-fill rate)?
When you’re on a deadline to find a quality candidate, time-fill rate matters. Every day your position goes unfilled is a day without productivity. You need to feel certain your agency is working hard behind the scenes to find the best candidates for you to interview.
A faster average time-fill rate can also indicate the agency has a large pool of candidates waiting for placement, which could further streamline hiring.
What’s your pricing structure and does it come with any guarantees or warranties?
You’re not just paying for hiring; you’re paying for results. Having some form of warranty or guarantee removes much of the risk of using an agency.
This puts a little more urgency on the agency to find you a quality hire within a reasonable timeframe. And if that new hire doesn’t work out, you should have protections to restart the process with little or no cost to you.
How do you source your talent globally?
This question demonstrates the internal processes the agency follows in recruiting talent. You’ll see which countries their candidates are located in, how they go about vetting candidates, and how this translates into business results for you.
How do you assess a candidate’s cultural fit for a role?
Skills aren’t the only thing that matters when hiring candidates. You also want them to fit within your existing business ecosystem. Cultural fit can make or break a new hire: how they work, communicate, and collaborate with others can help or hinder your company’s success and your team’s morale.
How do you communicate with us and provide updates?
This question establishes communication expectations up front. You’ll know when you can expect to hear about candidates and can hold your agency accountable based on their response.
Pulling it all together
The right global recruiting firm can make or break you when it comes to global hiring strategy. The best firms will not only source top talent but also help you navigate international regulations. They should be knowledgeable, professional, and serve as the expert in the process, ideally answering your questions before you ask them.
The right questions means reducing long-term risk while speeding up the time to value. It’s worth taking the extra time to find an agency that understands what you need and can deliver.
