Individuals who are equipped for the business process outsourcing (BPO) arena must posses certain skills relating to communication, finance, and management. BPO recruitment, therefore, should involve the identification of these characteristics and skills in job candidates. Language skills are equally as important as BPO providers are often involved in international business, and it may be necessary to communicate with clients or coworkers overseas. At the very least, BPO recruits should have completed undergraduate degrees and possibly completed postgraduate education as well.
Clearly understanding the direction in which a BPO client seeks to take an organization will help in the BPO recruitment process. Whether a recruiter is filling a position in personnel management, finance, or education, attracting the right talent and matching the candidate with the right client is key. Keeping up with the latest industry and economic trends, such as changes to wage standards in certain regions, will also benefit a recruiter.
A successful BPO recruiter should introduce benefits to a client extending from identifying talent to promoting employee retention at a firm. Additionally, a recruiting professional should be flexible to fill a variety of spots including temporary and permanent positions. Clients will look to BPO recruitment for the most entry-level jobs to top executive searches, and recruiters should be able to handle all types or specialize in a given area.
BPO firms often have an international presence. Subsequently, it will be useful throughout BPO recruitment to search for job candidates with strong language skills. When filling positions in India, for instance, applicants should not only possess a strong command of the national language but should perhaps be bilingual. An outsourcing firm in India may have clients in the U.S., in which case, qualified candidates should also have solid English-speaking skills. Entry-level jobs may be something along the lines of customer service, in which case, communication skills and a pleasant personality are beneficial.
Individuals who are interested in filling BPO jobs should have achieved certain education and training standards. BPO recruitment should involve screening candidates by the level of education achieved. Competition for jobs can be fierce, and higher education may be the only distinguishing factor between candidates. Additionally, there are industry certifications that can be earned, ranging from beginner's-level to senior-management credits in outsourcing. Suggesting this training to job applicants may increase the size of a recruiter's pool of potential job candidates.
