The majority of the customers at Grays Search and Selection have traditionally been based in the UK however, more recently an increasing number of international clients are using us to search for international candidates for roles abroad. But why would an international company want to use a UK based agency to find their employees?

The UK market is without a doubt one of the most established and experienced when it comes to sourcing and attracting the best talent. In my experience, UK recruiters have a gritty determination when it comes to challenging assignments. They are motivated to finding strong shortlists regardless of the company’s geographical location.

Furthermore, as English is still the most widely spoken business language, UK based executive search firms are able to access and establish contact with candidates in multiple countries with ease. Technological advances and an increase in social media platforms means agencies are no longer restricted by geographical boundaries when it comes to looking for candidates. As a result, we are able to provide an excellent service to clients and candidates wherever they are located and are actively growing the international side of our work.

One of our most recent successes in France is a great example of how we operate.

We were recently retained to source an HR director for a leading international manufacturer. The role was to be based in a relatively remote region in France and the client was reluctant to use a local executive search firm, predominantly for issues of confidentiality. They had been referred to Grays through a previously placed candidate who was aware of our international capability.

Following a lot of discussion, a strategy was agreed with the client which involved the mapping of suitable target companies in both the local and wider international market. The target list was formulated through specific desktop research and networking in the local market. We also approached individuals in their network of French contacts either based in France or those currently working in the UK. Any initial approaches were strictly confidential, but this did not hinder the process, as approached candidates were happy to discuss their thoughts once they realised it was a genuine opportunity. Local candidates seemed happy that any discussions were private and confidential and that this would not compromise them in the locality. We sourced a high quality shortlist from both the UK and France and the client was able to find the successful candidate in a relatively short time period.

This is just one of many examples which demonstrates the benefits a UK based executive hire firm can bring. Due to our location, we were able to gain the trust of the candidates without compromising their current position. In addition our extensive network and access to international social media platforms similar to Linkedin, such as Xing in Germany and Viadeo in France, meant geography wasn’t an issue when it came to creating a comprehensive and quality shortlist.

We believe this trend will continue to grow and will be of great benefit to all parties involved. It has become easier for candidates to cross geographical boundaries when searching for a job and as a result companies have access to a much broader pool of talent. At Grays we are continuing to strengthen our network to ensure we can offer our clients, whether they are based in the UK or abroad, the best possible candidates.