Recruiting Fail Could Easily be Avoided

“Lifestyle Expats,” as I tend to call you, are an essential factor in today’s global landscape, and the evidence suggests that the phenomenon is on the rise. Despite a polarized worldview and political efforts to curb immigration while protecting local labor markets, highly-skilled professionals and subject matter experts are now able to access a global job market, particularly visible in “Expat Hubs” such as Amsterdam, Berlin, Dubai, Singapore, and Zurich (A to Z, there are more obviously…)

Global Mobility Managers are increasingly involved in recruiting international talent. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that they have the knowledge and skills to address most of the challenges posed by hiring people from other countries. However, since we are not officially responsible in most organizations, we don’t get the necessary resources to handle recruiting professionally. 

Thanks to technological changes, such as online recruiting, the labor market has become more international and fluid, making it much more straightforward to fill jobs (internally or externally). Consequently, an increasing number of professionals consider working abroad a realistic career option, and there are growing opportunities to identify and eventually find a job abroad. 

Specialized Subject Matter Experts are increasingly complex to find. When you turn to places rich in talent, such as Singapore and certain areas of the US, like Boston and Silicon Valley, competition is already extremely high. 

Moreover, stealing from the competition is not a real point if you aim to drive innovation. 

Our global workforce is as varied as ever, with five generations working side by side and companies striving to fulfill all their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals (gender/religion/ethnicity/sexual orientation). 

The Need for Nomadic Flexibility

Perhaps even more important to acknowledge is that the world of work has already changed. With new technology enabling employees to work almost anywhere, at almost any time, the classic ‘nine-to-five’ is outdated. 

However, another side of the coin is the portion of talent seeking international experience as part of their decision to join a company.  In particular, overseas assignments are becoming more appealing among Millennials, who often see the opportunity to live and work abroad as more rewarding than a pay rise. They are called Digital Nomads or Telecommuters. 

Whether or not you’re having trouble attracting talent, here are six basics to add to your recruiting suite that you should consider during and after the recruiting process. 

1 – Make Sure International Hires Have a Realistic Picture

Try to put yourself in the mind of a candidate contacted by a company in a foreign location. What’s the first thing that you would like to know? Salary? Job title? The direction of the company? Probably none of these things, but rather: “Why would I want to move there?” Moving continents, or even “just” countries, isn’t a decision that can be made solely on the basis of a great office view. Instead, candidates need to know what the place looks like, what language is spoken, where they (and maybe their families) would live, and whether they would fit in.

Including this information on your careers page helps make it more of a relocation portal and less of a job listing. Not only will candidates benefit from this information, but so will your company: showing what candidates want to know during the overseas job hiring process builds your credibility from the beginning.

2 – Help with the Move of Household Goods

Among Expats and Expat Spouses, the move abroad phase is often cited as the most stressful. Moving out doesn’t take just one day: there are farewells, usually a party, and, especially when small kids are involved, the family needs to stay with friends or in a hotel room. While Expats are still busy handing over their work and finalizing conversations with clients, Expat Spouses are often left to coordinate all the logistics of the move. That’s why they must be connected with a moving company. Having someone take care of their household goods until they are settled in the new location spares the Expat family stress. If you are looking for a global relocation company, consider Keller Swiss Group. They offer relocation, household removal, business relocation, and storage services in Switzerland and worldwide.

3 – Take the Anxiety out of Immigration by Working with a Pro

Organizing support for immigration is another helpful and efficient way to support the expat family during the stressful pre-assignment phase. In recent years, obtaining work permits and visas has become more complex. Letting Expats and Expat Spouses navigate this sea of bureaucracy on their own would put them under an incredible and unnecessary amount of stress. Regarding immigration compliance, each case is different and requires thorough examination. Some relocation companies in Switzerland specialize in this field. They can help you handle the permit process, write applications, and submit them to the authorities. Instruct professionals and executives to obtain visas, sparing your organization and the expat family considerable hassle. If you need immigration support in other countries, please contact me, and I will refer you to a global network. 

4 – Provide Spouse Career Support and A Pre-Hire Consultation for the Spouse

The effects of international assignments on the Expat Spouse’s well-being and state of mind are often underestimated. For some Expat Spouses, the sudden change from an independent career to a stay-at-home parent has a strong psychological impact, especially if obtaining a work visa is impossible. 

Expat or Global Mobility Coaching is a potent tool that companies can use to support expat spouses. With the help of an expat coach, some Expat Spouses manage to start their businesses while living abroad, thus finding deeper fulfillment in the experience. It is also very fair to the expat spouse to have a realistic idea of whether their profile leads to potential employment in the host market or if their chances of finding work are slim. 

A Global Mobility Coach can also help with a pre-hire consultation for the Expat Spouse. Also, clarify and be honest about their entitlement to a work permit to avoid disappointment upon arrival.

5 – Consult them on Critical Life Topics such as the Education and Health System

Once again, try to put yourself in the mind of your future employees. They now have a clearer idea of what it means to live in your expat hub, and they are considering relocating there. Perhaps their spouses and children are coming along. In this preparatory phase, Expats are inevitably very busy with matters to be handled back home in both their professional and private lives. But they also need to be ready for what’s coming next. 

Handling “back home” and “in the host country” can be extremely overwhelming, especially if this means navigating critical technical issues in a country with a different system and in a language they don’t understand. This is the right time to step in and consult them on important decisions, such as which type of health insurance to get, how to do it, and how to handle their taxes. If you can’t deliver this in-house, we’re happy to help.

6 – Sprinkle Everything with Human Touch

As I said earlier, I’m on a mission to bring the HUMAN TOUCH back into Global Mobility. I think the key to enhancing the Expat Experience (XX) is to provide you with a human guide to talk to throughout this process and in any major life transition.

Resources 

Harrison, C. (2019, 19 Sep.). „7 Surprising Statistics about Digital Nomads.” Smart Gear Blog. https://smartgear.travel/7-surprising-statistics-about-digital-nomads/

Hayes, A. (2020, 7 Apr.). „What is a Digital Nomad?”Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/digital-nomad.asp

Keller Swiss Group. Worldwide Moving Relocation. https://www.kellerswissgroup.com/

MBO Partners. (2018). „Rising Nomadism: A Rising Trend.” MBO Partners, Inc. https://s29814.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/StateofIndependence-ResearchBrief-DigitalNomads.pdf 

Montilla, E.  (2020, 17 De Ene.). „Achieving workplace diversity through recruitment in tech.” Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/01/17/achieving-workplace-diversity-through-recruitment-in-tech/#2214496a1359