Tips for Offshore Job Interviews

When you lease offshore staff, SMEs have the option to interview the offshore candidate. This is a different challenge because there are other factors involved, considering that you're going to hire a virtual employee physically located in a different region.

Here are some tips for your next offshore job interview.

Be prepared.
In a typical offshoring setup, the candidate has to go through a series of interviews. Clients have the option to interview candidates who passed the initial screening process. Business leaders should take the time to interview potential employees and make sure that they have the agenda on hand. 

Run the show.
Don't let the interview eat a big chunk of your valuable time. Avoid asking questions that will enable the candidate to go into a lengthy monologue which presents no valuable information. “Tell me about yourself” will most likely be already asked by your service provider's recruiter. At the same time, don't talk too much and focus on your objectives.

Prioritise communication.
Language barrier is one of the most common problems in offshore outsourcing. Make sure that the candidate has practical English skills. This requires English proficiency that includes fluency and spontaneity. Most of the time, you'll be communicating online with your offshore team, so it’s important that you understand the candidate clearly, and he/she is able to communicate effectively.

Culture fit.
Apart from the language barrier, cultural differences can get in the way. Hire offshore staff that is familiar or has an affinity with Western culture. If possible, hire someone who has experience in working for Australian clients. BPO service providers are good at finding candidates who have working experience in the IT-BPO industry.

Don't let your gut decide.
Intuition is important, but you can also be influenced by a variety of personal factors. Base your decision on the resume and the interview. If possible, have another person from your team do the interview.

Sell the position.
You need to find out what the candidate has to offer. At the same time, you need to sell the position. If not, you'll miss out on quality candidates.

The service provider is responsible for recruitment in a typical BPO deal. But that doesn't mean SMEs shouldn't oversee the process. Having the right talent, even if it’s for routine administrative tasks, is still important.