5 Questions Foreign Solar Companies Should Ask When Recruiting in the U.S.

In cross-border business, particularly in relatively new markets, there is no shortage of "You want it? We can do it!", Jack-of-all-trades business consultancies and organziations, who offer their service when companies from abroad are looking to recruit employees in the US.

PV companies from abroad who have recently arrived in the US have most likely encountered the type. Using a boutique "business development" services provider for everything on the shopping list may seem tempting, but it can backfire.

Why? If you are in charge of recruitment German-speaking, German-trained PV sales engineers, project planners or back-office staff for your solar company in the U.S., you may want to read these examples from the Germany-USA Career Center blog:

5 Questions to Ask Recruiters and Search Consultants

Did you notice that recruiting agencies and job boards keep playing bait-and-switch with their clients, constantly changing their focus, service and fee structure? Theirs has turned into a buyer’s market, thanks to a miserable economy. And it definitely hurts.

Good for you, the buyer – IF you know to ask the right questions, and how to compare apples to apples (without getting distracted by the occasional orange or lemon the other side throws in, just to make their offer look extra yummy).

In my experience, the following five questions should serve American and German companies in Germany and in the U.S. well, when evaluating organizations, recruiting agencies or job boards for helping them find and hire bilingual or multilingual, highly qualified employees:

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