The U.S. market presents many opportunities for French businesses, if they’re prepared and willing to invest.
By European standards, the US is the size of a continent. A mosaic of 50 states, it’s a mature and complex market that can be a challenge to understand. Currently, the employment market is very hot, which means employers looking to hire have a difficult task ahead. Good candidates are in the driver seat and will compare offers as they look for the right fit.
Candidates in the US are “offering their services” more than being “job seekers.” Employee/employer relationships are rather transactional and fluid. If an employee is no longer satisfied, they might come to you one day and resign, without necessarily giving much notice.
Therefore, when it comes to hiring your first employees in the US, often someone in charge of business development, there are a couple of pitfalls to avoid and best practices to follow to increase your odds of succeeding:
Don’t…
Don’t use your French lens to evaluate candidates’ education. As the education system is very different, you will not find the equivalent of a “bon ingénieur généraliste” in a country that mainly trains “specialists.”
Don’t directly compare US salaries with French ones. The two markets are so different. Salaries are not necessarily linked to people’s age or years of experience. They vary greatly according to the location, the industry, and the scope of a role.
Don’t think you can do everything yourself. In a country of experts and specialists with more layers of complexity than most Europeans expect, it is recommended to get specific help in areas like taxes, accounting, legal, marketing and more.
Do…
Do start posting your job (or looking for candidates) when you are ready to offer the job to someone. This means when your legal entity is created, you have an offer letter ready (written by a lawyer), you have a bank account for your business to pay that person, you have an accountant to help you with payroll and tax fillings, etc.
Do be prepared to offer benefits, at least health insurance, as most employees rely on employers to receive their coverage. You may be lucky and find a candidate who can be covered by a spouse or has another temporary option. But it won’t last long, and to attract a certain caliber of candidate, you will need to provide competitive benefits to your employees. Third-party providers can help you sort things out and find the best solutions for your business.
Do prepare to interview in the US by learning about and avoiding illegal questions (such as “How old are you?” “Are you married?”, “Do you have children”? and more). Even asking about someone’s current compensation is illegal in many states and cities in the US.
Do have detailed job descriptions and clarify any variable compensation, such as bonuses and commissions to make sure your candidate(s) clearly understand their role and incentives.
Do put a process in place and decide who will interview candidates at your company. Make it smooth and fast, as US candidates are used to quick recruiting processes. If you speak to a good candidate, don’t wait a week or more before providing feedback and setting up next steps—you might lose that person’s interest and/or candidacy.
There’s far more that can be said, but starting with these few tips is a good start!
Author : Myriam Le Cannellier