How Recruitment and Hiring in Outsourcing Actually Works

One of the most common questions we get from clients is: “How do you actually find these people?”

Fair question. When you’re hiring someone halfway around the world, in a country you’ve probably never visited, working in a talent market you don’t know, you want to understand exactly how we identify the right candidates and why you should trust the process.

So let’s pull back the curtain completely. This article is going to walk you through our entire recruitment and hiring in outsourcing process from start to finish. No corporate fluff, no mysterious “proprietary methods,” just straight talk about how we actually do this every single day.

By the end, you’ll understand exactly how recruitment works at Connect, why we’re confident in our approach, and what makes finding the right person both a science and an art.

What Recruitment and Hiring in Outsourcing Actually Is

At its core, recruiting is like a combination of fishing and hunting. Stay with us here because this analogy actually explains everything.

The Fishing Part: Casting the Widest Net Possible

Fishing means you cast your net as wide as you can and see what comes in. In recruitment, this looks like:

• Posting on LinkedIn where thousands of professionals see your opportunity
• Job boards (local and international platforms)
• Social media (Facebook groups, Instagram, Twitter/X)
• University partnerships with career centers and placement offices
• Our network of previous candidates, referrals, industry contacts
• Community groups for specific tech stacks or industries
• Word of mouth within the professional community

The goal here is simple: make noise. Be as loud and public as possible so you don’t miss anyone who might be interested. You want every qualified person in the region to at least know this opportunity exists.

The Hunting Part: Going After Specific People

But fishing alone isn’t enough. Some of the best candidates aren’t actively looking for jobs. They’re happily employed, not checking job boards, perfectly content where they are.

That’s where hunting comes in. This means:

• Direct outreach to people whose profiles match what we need
• Approaching passive candidates who aren’t job searching
• Pitching the opportunity to people who might not have considered a change
• Building relationships with professionals before roles even open up
• Headhunting from competitors (ethically, of course)

This is more targeted, more personal, and often where we find absolute gold: someone who wasn’t looking but is intrigued by the specific opportunity.

Why Both Matter

If you only fish, you miss the passive candidates who aren’t looking.
If you only hunt, you miss the active candidates who are ready to move now.

Do both simultaneously, and you maximize your chances of finding the right person. That’s recruitment in its most essential form.

Read also: Understanding the Risks of Outsourcing (and How to Avoid Them)

The Three Core Fits We’re Actually Looking For

Once we’ve cast nets and hunted candidates, the real work begins: filtering for the right fit. Every single candidate evaluation comes down to three things:

1. Cultural Fit: Will They Actually Enjoy This?

Technical skills matter, but cultural fit determines whether someone stays and thrives or leaves after six months.

We’re looking for:

• Communication style match: Do they communicate the way your team does? Are they proactive or do they wait to be asked?
• Work approach: Do they prefer structure or autonomy? Collaboration or independent work?
• Values alignment: Do they care about the same things your company cares about?
• Energy level: Are they the right speed for your environment?
• Genuine interest: Are they actually excited about this type of work, or just looking for any job?

Our take: someone can be technically brilliant and culturally terrible for your team. That person will make everyone miserable, including themselves.

We’d rather present candidates who are a strong cultural match with good (not perfect) technical skills than brilliant technicians who won’t mesh with how you work.

2. Technical Fit: Can They Actually Do The Job?

Obviously, they need to be able to do the work. But “can do the job” has layers:

• Core skills: Do they have the fundamental capabilities required?
• Experience level: Have they handled similar complexity before?
• Speed and quality: Can they deliver on time and to standard?
• Problem-solving: When they hit obstacles, can they figure it out?
• Learning capacity: For skills they don’t have yet, can they learn quickly?

We test this through:

• Technical assessments (coding tests, design challenges, whatever’s relevant)
• Work sample reviews (show us what you’ve actually built)
• Scenario-based questions (how would you handle X situation?)
• References from previous roles

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s competence matched to what you actually need.

3. Fair Terms: Does This Work For Everyone?

Even if cultural and technical fits are perfect, the relationship fails if the terms aren’t fair.

This means:

• Salary expectations align with budget: They’re happy with compensation, you’re comfortable with cost
• Growth opportunities exist: They see a path forward, not a dead end
• Working conditions are clear: Hours, availability, responsibilities are understood
• Goals and targets make sense: What success looks like is defined and achievable
• Legal and admin is handled properly: Contracts, IP, NDAs, benefits are all squared away

Here’s the elephant in the room that nobody talks about: No employee has ever left for a lower salary and worse conditions.

People leave when they feel underpaid, undervalued, or stuck. They leave when promises don’t match reality. They leave when the deal they thought they were getting isn’t the deal they actually got.

Our job (and your job) is making sure the terms are genuinely fair from the start. Not just “fair enough to get them to sign,” but fair enough that they stay and do great work for years.

Why Recruiters Are Actually Essential (Despite The Cringe)

Let’s address something: recruiters have gotten a reputation lately. The “LinkedIn motivational guru” stereotype. The copy-paste messages. The over-promising and under-delivering.

We get it. Some of that reputation is earned.

But here’s the reality: good recruiters are absolutely essential to businesses of all sizes.

What Good Recruiters Actually Do

High-level organization:
Coordinating interviews across time zones, managing 20+ candidates simultaneously, keeping track of who’s at what stage, ensuring nobody falls through cracks. This requires serious organizational skill.

Fast execution:
Top candidates have options. If you take three weeks to schedule an interview, they’ve accepted another offer. Good recruiters move fast.

Instinct and pattern recognition:
After placing hundreds of people, you develop a sense for who will work out and who won’t. It’s part data, part gut, and it matters.

Paperwork and legal:
Employment contracts, NDAs, IP agreements, compliance with local labor law. Someone has to handle this correctly. One mistake can be expensive.

Honest assessment:
Sometimes the best candidates aren’t the ones clients initially want. Good recruiters push back when needed: “I know you want X, but based on your budget and timeline, Y is actually the better choice.”

Relationship building:
The best candidates often come from relationships built over months or years, not from job posts. Maintaining those networks is ongoing work.

Why Small and Medium Businesses Need This Most

Big companies have internal HR teams to handle recruitment. Small and medium businesses often don’t, but they still need to hire.

That’s where partners like Connect come in. We’re essentially your external recruitment department, bringing expertise and infrastructure you don’t have to build yourself.

You get access to:

• Networks we’ve spent years building
• Processes we’ve refined over hundreds of placements
• Infrastructure for vetting, interviewing, and onboarding
• Legal and admin handling you don’t have to figure out
• Ongoing support when issues arise

Could you build this internally? Sure. Would it cost more and take longer? Absolutely.

Read also: When to Outsource: The Ultimate Checklist for Getting Ready

How Connect’s Process Actually Works (Start to Finish)

Okay, enough theory. Let’s walk through exactly what happens when you need to hire someone through Connect.

Step 1: Discovery and Requirement Gathering (Day 1-2)

We start with a conversation, usually 45-60 minutes, where we dig into:

What you actually need:

• What’s the role? What will they do daily?
• What problems are you solving by hiring this person?
• What does success look like in 3 months? 6 months?

Technical requirements:

• Must-have skills vs. nice-to-have
• Tools and technologies they’ll use
• Experience level needed
• Any certifications or specific background

Cultural considerations:

• How does your team work?
• Communication style and expectations
• Level of autonomy vs. guidance
• What kind of person thrives in your environment?

Logistics:

• Budget range (be realistic; we’ll tell you if it doesn’t match market)
• Timeline (when do you need someone to start?)
• Any deal-breakers or special requirements

Insider tip: The clearer you are here, the better candidates we’ll find. Vague requirements lead to mismatched candidates. Specific requirements lead to perfect matches.

Step 2: Fishing and Hunting Simultaneously (Days 3-7)

Now we execute both strategies at once.

Fishing (public sourcing):

• Post the role on LinkedIn with targeted keywords
• List on relevant job boards (local Macedonian, regional Balkan, international)
• Share in professional groups and communities
• Push through our network via social media
• Alert university partners if it’s an entry/mid-level role
• Activate our referral network (previous candidates, industry contacts)

Hunting (direct outreach):

• Search our existing talent database (people we’ve vetted previously)
• Identify passive candidates on LinkedIn who match the profile
• Reach out directly with personalized messages (not copy-paste spam)
• Tap specific contacts in companies known for strong talent
• Leverage relationships with professionals we’ve placed elsewhere

This dual approach typically generates 50-150 initial applicants within the first week, depending on role complexity.

Step 3: Initial Screening and Filtering (Days 5-10)

Now comes the heavy lifting. We need to narrow 50-150 people down to 5-8 strong candidates.

Resume review:

• Do they have the required experience?
• Does their background match what you need?
• Are there red flags (job hopping, skill mismatches, unexplained gaps)?

Initial phone screens (15-20 minutes each):

• Confirm English proficiency
• Verify salary expectations align with budget
• Check availability and timeline
• Assess communication style
• Gauge genuine interest in this specific role (not just any job)

Technical pre-screening:

• Quick skill verification (can they actually do what their resume claims?)
• For developers: coding challenges or GitHub review
• For designers: portfolio deep-dive
• For other roles: relevant work samples or scenario questions

At this stage, we’re eliminating:

• People who don’t meet basic requirements
• Those whose salary expectations are unrealistic
• Candidates with poor communication skills
• Anyone who seems disinterested or uncommitted
• Technical skill mismatches

We’re ruthless here. Better to present fewer, stronger candidates than waste everyone’s time with people who won’t work out.

Step 4: Deep Vetting of Top Candidates (Days 8-12)

The remaining 8-12 candidates go through more rigorous evaluation:

Comprehensive technical assessment:

• Role-specific tests (coding, design projects, case studies, etc.)
• Real-world problem scenarios
• Timed challenges if speed matters
• Review of actual work they’ve done previously

In-depth interviews with our team:

• Cultural fit evaluation
• Motivation and career goals
• Work style and preferences
• How they handle feedback and conflict
• References from previous employers

Background verification:

• Confirm employment history
• Check educational credentials
• Verify any certifications claimed

By the end of this stage, we have 3-5 candidates we’re genuinely confident about. People who passed every filter, demonstrated both technical and cultural fit, and seem genuinely excited about the opportunity.

These are the people we’ll introduce to you.

Step 5: Candidate Presentation (Days 13-14)

We present shortlisted candidates with:

• Detailed profile (background, experience, skills)
• Our assessment and notes
• Work samples or test results
• Salary expectations
• Availability and timeline
• Why we think they’re a strong match

This typically happens by day 14. That’s our commitment.

No revolving door of random resumes. No benchwarmers just to hit a quota. Just 3-5 hand-picked candidates we genuinely believe will work for your specific situation.

And here’s something important: if we don’t find strong matches, we tell you. We don’t present mediocre candidates just to show activity. We’d rather take another week and find the right people than waste your time interviewing the wrong ones.

Step 6: Client Interviews (Days 15-20)

Now you take over. You interview each candidate directly.

We facilitate:

• Scheduling across time zones
• Providing interview guides if helpful
• Being available for questions about candidates
• Gathering feedback after each interview

But the decision is yours. We present options, you choose who you want to work with.

Our tip: Interview all the shortlisted candidates before making a decision. Sometimes the person who looks best on paper isn’t the best in conversation, and vice versa.

Step 7: Offer and Negotiation (Days 20-23)

Once you’ve selected someone, we handle:

• Extending the offer
• Negotiating final terms if needed
• Managing any questions or concerns from the candidate
• Coordinating with both sides to reach agreement

Most offers are accepted quickly because we’ve already aligned expectations throughout the process. But if negotiation is needed, we facilitate that conversation.

Step 8: Contracts and Onboarding Setup (Days 24-28)

Once terms are agreed:

• We prepare employment contracts (including NDAs, IP assignment, all legal requirements)
• Handle all payroll and HR setup
• Coordinate IT access and tool setup if needed
• Establish communication channels
• Confirm start date and onboarding plan

You focus on preparing for your new team member. We handle the administrative machinery.

Step 9: Onboarding Support (Week 5+)

Day one begins. Your new team member starts working.

We don’t disappear. We:

• Check in during the first week to ensure smooth start
• Address any initial issues or questions
• Provide ongoing support for the first month
• Remain available for questions or adjustments

If something isn’t working, we’re involved in fixing it, whether that’s coaching, process adjustment, or in rare cases, finding a replacement.

Check out our recruitment process and see how we hire and who you will meet along the way.

What Makes Connect’s Approach Different

Lots of companies say they do recruitment. Here’s what actually makes our process different:

Fixed Recruitment Costs

We don’t charge by the hour or add mysterious fees along the way. You know exactly what you’re paying upfront, and that’s what you pay. No surprises.

14-Day Shortlisted Candidates

We commit to presenting vetted, shortlisted candidates within two weeks. Not “we’ll start looking in two weeks” but actual candidates ready for your interviews within 14 days.

Most recruitment firms take 4-6 weeks. We’ve optimized our process to move faster without sacrificing quality.

Top 3% Acceptance Rate

We’re selective. Most applicants don’t make it through our vetting process. We only present candidates we genuinely believe will succeed.

This isn’t a numbers game. It’s a quality game.

No Benchwarmers or Revolving Door

We don’t pad our candidate presentations with mediocre options just to show activity. If we present 3 candidates, all 3 are genuinely good options.

And we don’t keep sending you random resumes hoping something sticks. We present a focused shortlist, you interview, you choose.

We Keep Endorsing Until You Hire

If the first batch of candidates doesn’t work out, we go back to the market and find more. And we keep doing that until you find the right person.

We don’t give up after one round. We’re committed to getting you hired, not just going through the motions.

We Know the Market Intimately

Eastern Europe (especially North Macedonia, Poland, and Romania) is our specialty. We know the talent pools, the going rates, the cultural norms, the hiring expectations.

We’re not generalists trying to recruit globally. We’re specialists in this specific region, and that expertise matters.

The Reality Nobody Talks About: This Takes Real Work

Here’s something we want to be honest about: good recruitment is hard work.

It’s not magic. It’s not AI doing everything. It’s a combination of:

• Wide sourcing to find candidates
• Careful vetting to filter quality
• Human judgment about fit
• Fast, organized execution
• Clear, honest communication
• Ongoing relationship management

When done well, it looks easy. Behind the scenes, it’s a lot of moving parts that have to work together seamlessly.

That’s what you’re paying for: not just access to candidates, but a refined process that actually works, backed by people who’ve done this hundreds of times.

What You Need to Bring to Make This Work

We’ll handle recruitment, but you have responsibilities too. For this to work well:

• Be clear about what you need: Vague requirements lead to mismatched candidates.
• Be responsive: If we present candidates, interview them within a few days. Top talent moves fast.
• Be realistic about budget: We’ll tell you if your budget doesn’t match market rates. Listen to that feedback.
• Be honest about your company: Tell us the real culture, the actual challenges, the true expectations. We can’t find the right fit if we don’t know the real situation.
• Be decisive: Once you’ve found the right person, move quickly. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of very good.
• Be invested in onboarding: Once someone starts, invest time in setting them up for success. We can’t do that part for you.

If you bring those things, we’ll bring candidates who can actually solve your problems.

Ready to See How This Works for Your Team?

Now you know exactly how our recruitment process works. No secrets, no mystery, just a proven system for finding skilled professionals in Eastern Europe.

The truth is, hiring remotely can feel uncertain. But it doesn’t have to be complicated when you’re working with people who’ve done this hundreds of times and genuinely care about getting it right.

If you’re thinking about hiring and want to talk through your specific situation, book a consultation at our site. We’ll discuss what you need, answer any questions you have, and figure out together if we’re the right fit.

And if you’re not quite ready yet? That’s fine too. Explore our blog for more insights on remote hiring, team building, and working with talent in Eastern Europe. We cover these topics with the same honesty and depth you just read here because we believe transparency makes better decisions.

We’re here when you’re ready – whether that’s today, next month, or just to ask a question.