Talent is a startup fuel, one of the main investment points and a hard task to manage as your grow quickly. For most tech companies the concept of international hires is not a new one, and defiantly a way of scaling teams that has become increasingly popular. But how can hire internationally avoiding obstacles and competing for the best talent around? 

The greatest talent strategy starts from within your company. Having a clear vision of who you are, what your team needs and what the right candidate will bring to the table. How can you do that and what tools can help? Well, those are some tips and tools we want to share with you. 

1. Build your talent team 

Your talent team needs to be internal, which means building one or embedded talent experts into your company. To live, breathe and hire according to your startup’s culture. 

Why is this so important? Understanding your company culture will give key insights for your recruitment efforts that improve accuracy and lower the chances of a misfit pairing. 

Creating a strong talent team builds a strong foundation for hiring for growth not for headcount vanity. This will also be an encouraging factor for future investors that look into your startup. 

2. Create a culture for remote and international work 

We know remote work is great and what most top talent wants and demands but it does require effort. 

However, fast remote work is growing there are still adjustments to be made within company structures to facilitate it. Making remote work easy to implement and functional to your goals and workflow. 

What do you need to build a culture fit for remote work and global teams?

• Manage time zone differences or get started with asynchronous work
• Build team-building activities and time slots for creating bonds for your team 
• Create an in-person event for team building and company culture strengthening 
• Build support structures for employees working from home  
• Set your rules, expectation and goals for an ideal remote work team 

3. Determine your needs and profile fit 

It is paramount to determine needs, qualifications and profiles before beginning the recruitment process. 

Why? Because this helps your talent team write a description that will attract the right people, and avoid investing time in the wrong candidates, furthermore it saves both money and time. 

Crafting profiles also help you carve out the scope of your hiring needs. Answering questions like is this a role for one or multiple people? How many engineers or developers do we need? 

All of this due diligence when it comes to hiring will result in your growth strategy staying lean, efficient and cost-effective. Something that has become paramount for funding and growth in 2023. 

4. Create a culture guardian role 

So, what do you do with all that culture you built, the same one that helped you succeed and how do you keep it going? You create culture guardians. 

Culture guardians are a figure in your recruitment process that acts as protectors of internal culture and give insight into the ideals matches for your team. 

Having a culture guardian protects the integrity of your teams and overall workflow. Also, this doesn’t need to be its own separate role, your hiring manager or team head can act as culture guardian. 

5. Set up a short interview process (no, you don’t need more than 3 or 4 interviews)

Most of the top talent out there is already taken, and to b competitive in getting their attention your selection process needs to get to the point and fast. 

Having interview rounds that go beyond 3 or 4 meetings is going to discourage high-quality candidates, and require more resources from you than needed. 

Just consider that 70% of talent is passive and you need to get them to engage with you long enough to get interested and be willing to switch companies. 

That’s why you had to figure out your culture and needs first so this part will come easy. With the right insights you will be able to construct a short selection process that leaves you with the best candidates coming to you. 

6. Select an ultimate decision maker 

Selecting an ultimate decision maker is part of a lean hiring process, having someone that will make the final decision shortens waiting periods and discussion.

This ultimate decision-maker can be the same as your culture guardian. Someone who knows the intricacies of the company and its teams. Assuring a good choice is made in the end. 

7. Understand regulations and requirements 

One thing to tackle before you start hiring internationally is to understand the legal requirements for hiring in different countries. Both from your side and the employees. 

The most significant aspects of international hiring are:

1. Work visas
2. Taxes 
3. Insurance 
4. Employment laws
5. Compliance 

The legal requirements for hiring talent from different countries can be complex and time-consuming to navigate. 

Therefore, you may want to consider working with a Global Employer of Record (EOR) to handle these details for you.

8. Offer Competitive Compensation and benefits 

To attract top talent, you need to offer competitive compensation packages, and these can change depending on location and needs. 

Make sure you understand the local market rates and adjust your offers accordingly. You may also want to consider offering additional benefits like healthcare, retirement plans, and stock options.

Just like in-person hiring the candidates will be asking questions and have their own demands depending on location. So, do appropriate preliminary research or get an international hiring partner. 

9. If you need local or in-person staff then get talent hub specialists

Sometimes international hiring is not tied to remote work, as projects require in-person teams to provide expansion resources. That’s when you’ll need talent hub specialists by your side. 

These are teams of talent-sourcing professionals that are trained and experienced in building teams in specific locations, quickly like what talent.ai has done several times. 

Opening a new operation in a new country can be challenging for your company. Adding talent hub experts to your resources can acclimate you to new surroundings more easily.

10. Consider Working with an EOR partners 

A Global Employer of Record (EOR) can help you navigate the legal and administrative challenges of hiring talent internationally. They can handle everything from payroll and taxes to compliance and HR support. 

Working with an EOR, although their fees can seem steep, can actually save you time and money in the long run. Help you ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. 

It also makes it possible for you to offer more benefits to employees without having to go to the hassle in every country you hire from. EORs are a partner that can shift your hiring strategy from local to global swiftly. 

Benefits of Working with an EOR

Working with an EOR can help you streamline the process of hiring talent internationally and ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. 

Here are some of the key benefits of working with an EOR:

• Reduces Compliance Risk – An EOR can help you ensure compliance with local laws and regulations, reducing your risk of penalties and fines.
• Saves Time and Money – An EOR can handle all the administrative details of hiring talent internationally, saving you time and money.
• Provides HR Support – An EOR can provide HR support to help you manage your global workforce effectively.
• Offers Local Expertise – An EOR has local expertise and knowledge of the local job market, making it easier for you to find qualified candidates.

Open up a world of talent for your scale-up plans 

Hiring talent internationally can be a great way for startups to tap into a wider talent pool and expand their business globally. 

However, it comes with its own set of challenges. By following these 10 tips and considering working with an EOR, you can navigate the process more easily, get the top talent you need to grow and ensure compliance with local laws and regulations.