Advice is Nice: Part Three
5 May
Asking Experts: Staffing
Think you can’t buy peace of mind? Think again! Peace of mind comes in the form of great staff leading your operations. I interviewed Barbara Cartmel from Dahl-Morrow International, an executive search firm who staff companies and enable companies to expand to foreign markets.
1.What is the first thing a business needs to consider when finding the right people to lead their operations?
Businesses need to consider the cultural and market differences in foreign markets.
2.Is it better to trust staff that are already in the company, rather than find someone new?
It is important to find members for a leadership team who understand and can handle these challenges. This often means that hiring key local staff is more effective than an internal transfer.
3.What are the biggest mistakes US companies make in terms of finding people to lead new operations?
US Companies can sometimes expect that internal staff with little or no international experience in a particular market can rise to these challenges in a very short time period. This is usually not the case.
4.What international barriers may occur in language or etiquette between a business and their new staff? How are these overcome?
An Executive Search firm with solid experience of the US home market and the international market can be invaluable in providing advice on how to be poised for expansion in international markets. This means advising on potential barriers in language, culture and etiquette.
5. Do you have any tips for US/international businesses looking for someone to lead operations in the UK?
A specialist firm such as Dahl-Morrow will take the time to understand the culture of the parent organisation as well as its expansion plans. This is vital when bringing foreign employees on board and can mean the difference between success and failure.
Katie Jamieson
