Signature Source Blog

Global Mobility Recruiting: How to Use External Recruiting Support Effectively in “Hard to Recruit” Geographic Locations

There are many reasons that a position can be difficult to fill. In some cases, the geographic region of the position is a deciding factor for job applicants who would otherwise be interested. Companies need to be aware of and account for differences in regional expectations as they recruit so that they can offset some of the less desirable locations with other perks or compensation. Getting the help of an external recruiting team can also help manage this process more smoothly. Read More

Global Mobility Talent: Is Proactive Recruiting Worth it?

When it comes to your global mobility talent strategy you may be wondering whether or not you should be proactively cultivating talent leads or waiting for a position to open up first. In some cases, when an employee leaves your organization unexpectedly, you have no choice but to be reactive in your recruiting efforts. However, most of the time you have the ability to accurately forecast your hiring needs well in advance, and extend the time you have available to search for the ideal candidate by being proactive. Read More

Global Mobility Talent – 5 Ways to Start your Executive Search

Talent acquisition is an increasingly competitive industry, requiring a strong background in global mobility strategies. Executive searches are now capable of reaching across traditional cultural, industry and national lines to source talent from greater distances. As a result, the field of global mobility talent recruiting has become its own specialization used by corporations who need to open up their executive search to the widest possible range of candidates. Today, any good executive talent search will begin with a search firm that is recognized at the global level for their industry expertise.
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Relocation Company Expansion – Talent Acquisition Strategy

Creating an effective global expansion strategy can be difficult no matter what size of company you are managing. While smaller companies generally face more challenges in recruiting talent abroad during expansions, large companies face a bigger challenge of bringing all of their sites together under one centralized HR system. Regardless, the challenges of relocation and company expansion require the help of a qualified individual who has successfully launched global initiatives in the past, and a recruiter who can identify those individuals in a crowd of management professionals. Read More

6 Mistakes To Avoid When Hiring Global Mobility Personnel

It’s Signature Source’s job to find the perfect candidate for our clients’ open positions, either domestically or around the world. Over the years, we have come up with a list of mistakes hiring managers should avoid when searching for global mobility personnel.

1. No clear job description. It sounds simplistic, but there must be a concise job description that serves as the blueprint for the candidate’s qualifications. However, beyond this outline there should also be what Signature Source calls a soft job description that includes the intangible qualities such as how the candidate will fit in with the company culture and the candidate’s style, and the environment they need in which to thrive. You want candidates to share your company’s values, who will get along with their peers and your clients, and who have the needed skills to successfully perform the job.

1. No pre-interview planning. Before an interview, any candidate documentation should be carefully reviewed. From this information, a list of questions to ask the applicant can be compiled. If you are only relying on the resume to quiz the prospect, you will simply receive confirmation of material already supplied. In a future blog post, we will discuss the top 10 interview questions every candidate should be asked.

1. Rash judgments. Gut instinct is important, but avoid hiring staff simply because you like – or dislike – them. Beware of over-liking a candidate, because you might overlook weaknesses, or disliking too much, because you could be manufacturing reasons for passing on the applicant.

1. No hasty decisions. No matter how desperate you are to fill a spot, quickly hiring someone can fail in the long run. As with any investment, you have to consider the return on your investment. And because each hire is a reflection on your company, the reputation of any candidate – especially in small industries such as global relocation – significantly factors into any decision. You might even consider filling the spot with a temporary or interim professional, giving you those all-important weeks to hire the best candidate for the job. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), (link to shrm.org/pages/default.aspx) replacing staff can cost an employer between 90 and 200 percent of that employee’s annual salary after factoring in turnover losses.

1. Stop overthinking. Team members are often invited to interview candidates they will be working with, but leave the final decision to just one or two managers. Hiring by committee could mean that personality, more than ability, might become the reason for the hire. You also need to understand what is driving the feedback from team members. Was there a prior work relationship that could be influencing a decision? Perhaps some jealousy? Your goal is always to hire the strongest candidate.

1. References. A very sticky wicket here! At Signature Source we follow SHRM’s position and use background checks, credit ratings and drug tests when applicable. We use LinkedIn to check references, to validate that people listed worked at the company when the applicant was there.

To find your perfect candidate, contact Signature Source at 888-613-4179.