The subtleties of hiring foreign employees

In today's issue of Bulgarian Entrepreneur magazine, Asya from ATHR will share her experience in hiring foreign employees.

Can you share more about your recruiting philosophy and how it affects your clients' success?

Our philosophy in personnel selection is based on an individual and targeted approach to each process. Instead of applying template solutions, we believe in building partnerships with our clients and carefully analyzing their needs and requirements. Our goal is not just to fill a position, but to find staff that both meet their criteria for professional skills and experience and fit with their organization's culture and values.

This individual approach to recruitment allows us to provide our clients with more than just a simple list of candidates. We offer comprehensive consulting and support throughout the entire selection process - from defining profiles and requirements to interviewing, negotiating and establishing successful cooperation between employer and employee.

What challenges do you face when recruiting from third parties and how did you overcome them?

Choosing the right market/country to recruit: One of the key challenges is choosing the right market or country to recruit from. Many companies often miss this important initial step, with disappointing results later on. To meet this challenge, we conduct a deep analysis of the specific requirements of our employer partners and their industry, identify available markets and countries with the required skills and qualifications.

Quality Recruiting Beyond the Resume: Third-party recruiting requires more than just analyzing resumes. To ensure a quality selection, we work closely with our clients and provide them with additional information and materials about candidates, such as videos demonstrating their skills and experience in the specific industry.

Tackling employers' prejudices and wrong expectations: One of the most important challenges is related to employers' prejudices and wrong expectations about third-party applicants, who are sometimes perceived as 'white slaves'. In this context, we often refer to historical facts, such as the Persian Empire, which abolished slavery 2,500 years ago. This example helped us to highlight the importance of workers' rights and the need for employers to foster a culture of respect and cooperation in their companies. We strive to convince our clients that unfair labor practices are a thing of the past and it is necessary to respect the rights and dignity of workers, regardless of their origin or nationality. This is how we ensure that our employer partners share our commitment to fair and ethical working practices.

What is the added value that ATHR offers to its partners, apart from the recruitment itself?

Strategic HR Consulting: We don't just offer recruitment services, we also work as consulting partners that help organizations develop and optimize their HR management strategies. This includes developing policies and procedures, staff training and development programs, and advising on team effectiveness and talent management.

Labor market analysis and industry trends: We provide our partners with information and analysis on current labor market and industry trends, helping them better understand the context in which they operate and make informed decisions about their HR strategy.

Personal attitude: Last but not least is our personal attitude towards the people we work with. This is also our unique advantage on the market, anyone who has touched the services of ATHR can confirm this very quality of ours. We work on projects "for yesterday" and in this regard I will share our motto: "There is no way there is no way". Based on this, we take each project as a personal responsibility. We believe in honesty and sincerity, however unpleasant it may be at times. In fact, there lies the key to our success.

How do you approach assessing candidates beyond their CVs to ensure quality selection?

Working together with the customer: We strive to understand the customer's needs and requirements in depth. This includes not only the technical skills and experience they are looking for, but also an assessment of the organizational culture, values and challenges the company has. This approach helps us to understand the things that are important for the successful integration of the candidate in their organization.

Interviews with candidates: We conduct structured interviews with candidates that go beyond the usual CV questions. The purpose of these interviews is to uncover deeper aspects of the candidates' professional and personal lives, including their motivations, goals, work ethic, communication skills and adaptability.

Assessment Center (Assessment Center): We use an assessment center where candidates undergo various tasks and scenarios that mimic work situations and challenges. This method helps us assess not only their technical skills, but also their behavioral and soft skills, which are key to job success.

References and References: We conduct extensive reference and reference checks on candidates, which help us confirm their experience and qualifications.

The combination of these strategies and methods allows us to carry out a quality selection of candidates who not only meet the requirements of the position, but also fit into the culture and values of our clients.

How do you deal with the "white slave" challenge of hiring foreign employees?

Educational campaigns and training: We conduct educational campaigns and training for our clients that explain the laws and rights of workers, as well as the ethical principles of business. These trainings aim to educate employers on the importance of respecting the rights and dignity of third-country workers.

Transparency in the selection process and working conditions: We apply a policy of transparency in the staff selection process and provide clear information about working conditions, including working hours, pay and social benefits. This helps to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts regarding working conditions.

Cooperation with ethical and responsible employers: We choose to cooperate only with employers who share our values. This includes choosing employers that provide fair and equitable pay, regular days off and respect for labor rights.

Research and Consideration of Cultural Aspects: We adopt an anthropological approach which helps us to understand and look into the cultural aspects and attitudes of workers from different countries. This includes considering their cultural preferences and expectations from the work environment and the business.

With these strategies and approaches, we aim to prevent and counter employers' prejudices and incorrect expectations about foreign workers, providing them with fair and ethical working conditions.