Should You Lean Toward Global or Local Recruiting?

We live in a globally connected world, but does that necessarily mean HR departments should expand their reach for international talent? Many experts argue no, plain and simple. There are a number of barriers in the way that prevent HR departments from implementing an efficient global hiring strategy, including dialect, resources, and the lack of brand reach strength.

If you are leaning toward expanding the candidate pool into international waters, consider the following information.

Software
The bigger you are, the more you need to eat. Similarly, large corporations that want to expand recruitment globally will need strong logistics to back them up. Applicant tracking software (ATS) can help a company—big or small—maintain the candidate pool and sort it due to key characteristics that stand out in a résumé. The only problem is, every HR department needs to be on the same page to refine the qualities that applicants should have.

Creating the same set of standards can be difficult in big companies. Some managers prefer candidate “A”, while others may find “B” more appealing. Sometimes it simply comes down to a language barrier, as Neil Morrison, an HR expert, wrote on Career Builder.

In this sense, an ATS really shines because it leads to a more efficient recruiting process, and can help fine tune company-wide candidates to the same traits and characteristics. 

Competition
Labor markets tend to be local, according to Forbes. This means that brands need a strong presence if they want to grab top talent from highly competitive markets like China and India. Forbes research shows two-thirds of companies neglect a global recruiting strategy, and it hurts them immensely in the long run.

By staying local, companies can utilize the brand they’ve built without having to expand it or rebrand for global markets. This saves time and money, as well as provides better short-term results. Yes, the long-term reward is there, but unless it’s done strategically, it may not be worth all the resources you have to spend to get it.

Forbes said it best: The world is local, not global. It may seem the other way around because of how connected we have become, but what that has done is create stronger sentiment for the local brand—the household name.