How can HR attract International candidates to The Netherlands

How can HR attract International candidates to The Netherlands

With the increasing globalization of business operations and the talent market-place, many employers find themselves having to recruit outside their own borders for talent. As international recruiters enter the new global marketplace for jobs, they soon find that they are not only competing for talent against other companies, but that they are also competing for talent against other countries, continents and time zones.

This means that in order to run a successful international recruiting campaign to attract top talent (and not just average candidates) from around Europe or around the world, employers need to know how to effectively market their vacancies internationally. They must be able to present themselves as the employer of choice in an international market as well as present The Netherlands as a destination of choice in Europe and the world.

In order to do this, one of the first things that international recruiters should do is develop an Employer Value Proposition that is attractive to international candidates and this should consist of five areas.

1.Country; be clear as to why the Netherlands is attractive to international applications. Maybe it offers a high standard of living or is safe and has low crime. For example, the Legatum Prosperity Index ranked the Netherlands as the 8th most prosperous place in the world and it ranked The Netherlands 18th in the world on safety and security.

2.Culture. How open is your culture to other cultures. Will international candidates from other countries and cultures be able to easily adapt and/or find friends from their own country or culture? Are there structure and facilities so they can practice their own religious beliefs or continue their own customs. Find out what's attractive about your culture to international applicants and promote it.

3.Company. International applicants may not have heard of your company, so you will need to spend time describing your: company, it's product and services, and its market position, e.g., is it the market leader, fastest growing etc...

4.Careers. International job seekers are by definition more adventurous, ambitious and are looking to develop both themselves and their careers. So, make sure to clearly promote and outline your company's commitment to career development.

5.Company culture and environment; develop an environment that is welcoming to newcomers both domestically and internationally. This would involve developing a good quality new hire orientation process and expat introduction process which proactively helps new employees make the transition into the new company and new country. If you have an international and multicultural staff body then make sure you state this as this will be very appealing to international candidates as it will make your environment seem receptive to international applicants.

Also, why not prepare some company videos, perhaps a 'day in the life of an international worker' in which the expatriate promotes the business and explains how the company environment has made it easy for them to adapt. Or you could simply do staff profiles and place them on the company careers site and ensure these reflect a cross section of staff, particularly one or two international staff members.

Having developed your country and employer based value proposition for international staff, it is vital that you make sure that this message is communicated in job adverts, on the company website and during interviews.

Links: Legatum Prosperity Index

By: Together Abroad by Kazim Ladimeji