10 Top Tips for hiring in the Philippines

1. Advertising works

But get some help to review your applicants as you’re likely to get a lot. Top tip is not to pay for a LinkedIn ad as you’ll have 100 applicants in the first 5 days so they’ll likely take the free ad down anyway.

2. Speed

Get in touch with your shortlisted candidates quickly. Once on the job search candidates in the Philippines are incredibly active so don’t expect them to be on the market in a month's time. Time is of the essence.

3. Candidate Prep

Send an interview prep email to candidates to help them prepare for the meeting, including the job spec and anything specific you want to discuss. This helps to bring the candidate into the process and alleviate apprehension.

4. Icebreakers

Ease into the interview to get the best from your candidates. Diving straight into competency based questions isn’t setting them up for success. Ask them about their weekend, ask to hear their story - warm them up.

5. Interview frameworks

Use a structured interview framework and take notes so you can assess candidates against the same measures. Choose open questions starting with what, where, when, how and why? 

6. give feedback

Give feedback the day after the interview as to whether you want to move the candidate to the second stage or let them down gently if not. Keep the interest and spark alive through the process. Be positive and personable.

7. Keep it short

Complete the recruitment process within 2 weeks (3 max). As with all recruitment there’s no need to draw things out and normally a long drawn out process is a sign that an employer doesn’t know what they want and has internal issues.

8. Referrals

Ask for referrals from your existing team - Filipinos love to help each other and they have massive communities - make the most of this by offering your existing team a referral bonus for successful introductions.

9. References

As with any and all recruitment, take your references with a pinch of salt - best idea here is to get a reference from their international client (if they’ve worked outside of the Philippines) for the best insight on your chosen candidate.

10. Salary

Offer a fair salary. Do your research and know what benefits/salary you can offer and what will entice the candidate to your business. Don’t assume that because you’re an international business that Filipinos will accept anything. Play fair. Offer good salaries.