As a decision maker at an Architecture firm in the USA, you must always be aware of the talent needs your company currently has and the needs you will also require covering in the future. This task is always a tough balancing act. You want to make sure that when you do take a chance on someone that you are choosing from a strong talent pool, and that you understand the needs of the candidates you are looking to on-board. Here at Architect-US we have a good amount of experience regarding what international candidates are looking for in a dream American company! We thought we would create a list of what is most commonly requested from our talents.
1.) Opportunities For Growth
Although many companies can offer a strong salary, not every company can offer strong opportunities for growth within the company. For an international candidate, it is especially important that they view their future at your company in their hands. What I mean by that is that they view their hardworking and time spent at the company as an investment in their future and the strong health of the company’s growth.
Try to show success stories within your company that highlight how growth trajectories usually look at your company. In doing so, you are showing the candidate that you mean business when it comes to personal growth tied to company growth.
2.) Stability & Security
Try to emphasize stats and stories that highlight the stability of the company and the security of the job they are applying for. These candidates are not dumb, they will research the history of your company and how you have treated your workers previously. Now more than ever, candidates have access to company information provided by Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn. International candidates coming from abroad have more access to company history than ever before. Make sure your story is a great one!
Make sure your company provides an environment that makes employees feel joy instead of fear. Make sure they can feel like they are at home, so if you comment on their culture in a positive way and/or show your interest in them they will feel more comfortable taking the leap to go to the USA.
3.) Vision & a Strong Company Culture
International candidates want to work for companies that have a clear vision for the future and thus have a strong company culture. You must know what kind of impact you would like to create in the world before making it. It makes sense that they want to know what the plan is, if they are to join you. Talents see the vision of a company as their driving force to keep improving and accomplish goals with the company.
Company culture ties into this vision because it is supposed to define what the organization stands for. It should be defined by what coworkers want and care about in life and how they view the world around them. The vision is driven by the company culture because the culture defines how the candidate will contribute.
4.) Mentors
International talents are looking for someone in your office and/or architecture community that can help them by providing experience and advice. Although it may be awkward at first, it is important to have a mentor to connect with them every so often. Ideally, you should try and find many mentors that are at different stages of their careers. They must have an idea of where they can reach to before putting their hand out.
In doing so, you will provide the candidate with many examples of professionalism and leadership styles that they could emulate and recreate. Learning from others is a key to your own success, as it will save you time and effort by being proactive.
5.) Innovation
Architects are known for thinking outside the box, so any architect looking to join a new team will be interested in knowing how innovative the firm is. Whether it be in trying out new materials or implementing new techniques for new challenges, Architects are always trying to push the line.
How does your company challenge the norm and push the envelope? Make sure you have a brag sheet ready with all the cool projects your company is doing!
6.) Diversity In Perspectives and Openness To New Ideas
This truly depends on the talent, considering some are willing to be trailblazers at firms, while others would prefer to have coworkers similar to them. Usually, international candidates are excited to work with people from different parts of the world, and are looking for firms that represent these differences.
Make sure you highlight how the company is proud of their diversity and celebrate different cultures and holidays! Try to show how the whole company joins in the celebration of diversity!
If you have any other questions or concerns regarding on-boarding an international talent than please let us know at Architect-US! We are always here to help!
