9 Recruitment Challenges When Hiring Remote Teams Overseas

Offshore hiring and remote support teams are becoming increasingly common in modern business. More and more, mid-to-large size companies are electing to outsource their contact centers to countries like the Philippines, India or Vietnam for various roles such as tech support, customer service, lead generation or offshore bookkeeping services (among others). While outsourcing can give you access to a highly skilled and affordable workforce overseas, it can also, not surprisingly, present some challenges when it comes to recruiting.

In this article, we address 9 common hiring challenges in the global outsourcing industry and discuss possible solutions to each of them.

1. Recruiters Waste Considerable Amounts of Time Screening Applicants for Outsourced Remote Teams

When companies who outsource jobs to foreign countries are working with large applicant pools abroad, it is generally a waste of time for recruiters to interview each remote applicant individually, at least in the early screening stages of the hiring process. Not to mention, coordinating schedules to set up one-on-one interviews with everyone involved can be exasperating.

2. High Volumes and Massive Employee Turnover

The offshoring and outsourcing industry is often characterized by a workforce that constantly needs to be renewed and replaced. In saying that, rarely is there a shortage of applications for remote jobs because they tend to be relatively well-remunerated positions. According to Martin Conboy, one of the leading voices in the global outsourcing industry, “while the number of applications for some of these positions can easily be in the thousands, only approximately 5% of applicants (the ones with the best English language and communication skills) get awarded jobs. For that reason, recruitment teams for outsourced projects are often quite large to accommodate the intense workload, yet they still seem to be routinely stretched thin in trying to manage the applicant pool.”

3. Language Barriers and Communication Boundaries Can Be Problematic When It Comes to Recruiting Offshore Employees

Depending on where your clients are located, the level of language proficiency of prospects and certain cultural differences need to be considered when it comes to hiring overseas. “There are significant language, cultural and educational disparities between the U.S. and the developing countries where outsourcing projects are often sent. These disparities have a marked impact on the ability of many offshore teams to fully understand the nuances of a project and to execute effectively” explains tech entrepreneur and outsourcing expert, Volodymyr Berezhniy.

It’s important to remember that, in most cases, your remote team will be communicating with your customers in their second, third or even fourth language, so meticulously vetting communication skills is crucial before making hiring decisions. Contractors may not be familiar with the technical language used within your company. Even something as simple as using the same phrases and terms to describe things is critical to a successful operation, and therefore, it is imperative that recruiters and trainers take the time to ensure the entire team is on the same page when it comes to responsibilities, objectives, and milestones.

At the end of the day, your remote team’s communication skills are at the center of your customer experience and failing to recognize this could have a detrimental impact on your customer experience management efforts. As author and entrepreneur Deep Patel explains, “Despite all the benefits of outsourcing, it is only a good thing if you’re receiving the quality you expect. Anything less will be a disappointment”.

4. Offshore Applicants in Some Remote Locations Have Limited Access to the Required Technology

The reality is, when you’re hiring in all corners of the world, applicants don’t always have access to a computer and/or webcam with a reliable internet connection to complete online interviews or assessments.

Backup Automated Audio Interviewing System When All Else Fails

In the event that an applicant cannot gain access to a device with video capabilities, a backup automated audio interviewing system is available to you to ensure everyone has a fair chance and you never miss an opportunity to explore potential talent.

5. Free Virtual Conferencing Services Offer Inconsistent Video Quality, Especially in Locations Where Internet Connectivity Is Limited

Have you ever had connectivity or video quality issues while in the middle of a Skype Interview with a candidate in a remote location? Well, you’re not alone, free video conferencing tools like Skype, Google Hangouts or Facebook’s video chat feature, while convenient, offer inconsistent video quality, and when used for job interviews the applicant experience is often negatively affected as a result.

6. Scheduling Interviews Across Numerous Time Zones Is Complex and Time-Consuming

Coordinating schedules with applicants in remote locations can be complicated, inconvenient and very time-consuming. Multiple phone calls and/or long email threads are often necessary just to set up an interview time that suits both the recruiter and the applicant.

7. Skills Testing at a Distance for Offshore Candidates is No Easy Feat

Without the proper tools, it can be difficult to evaluate an applicant’s technical skill set in a timely and cost-effective manner when they are located in a foreign country.

8. Not Enough Collaboration Between Recruiters, Hiring Managers and Overseas Consultants

When it comes to hiring offshore teams that will be working with little-to-no supervision, it’s important to screen and qualify these individuals thoroughly. One way to do that is to have multiple people weigh in on the interview process. Having said this, unless several people at an organization take time out of their day to interview remote agents themselves, there is not a lot of room in the traditional recruitment process for collaboration between recruiters, hiring managers and overseas consultants.

9. Overseas Consultants Don’t Always Have Your Best Interest in Mind

In some cases, when dealing with external recruiting consultants in foreign countries, hiring decisions are made without the company’s best interest in mind. As mentioned above, some overseas recruitment consultants will recommend employees based solely on their relationships with the applicants rather than their actual skills and qualifications. In these instances, the overall quality of hires is compromised and the company is often left to deal with the aftermath of sub-par hiring decisions.