Best Practices for Recruiting Offshore Talent for Your Law Firm
By Raquel Gomes, Founder — Stafi
In today’s competitive legal market, law firms are always seeking ways to increase their efficiency, reduce overhead costs, and maintain a high standard of quality. One solution that has become increasingly popular in recent years is the use of recruiting offshore talent.
Hiring offshore staff can offer numerous benefits, such as cost savings, access to a wider pool of talent, and the ability to operate around the clock. However, recruiting offshore talent can be a complex process, especially for law firms new to the practice, which is why I want to give you these tips that will help you find the perfect match for your firm’s specific needs.
Define your needs and budget
The first step in recruiting offshore talent is to define your needs and budget. You must consider which areas of your law firm are consuming most of your time: is it the lower level legal work, customer-facing, marketing, or administrative work? This will help determine what type of background to consider from the staff to be hired; do you need a lawyer that can work as a paralegal or a professional with a sales background to handle intake?
After you determine your needs, you then need to consider your budget for each role. Defining your needs and budget will help you create clear job descriptions that will attract the right candidates and avoid wasting time and resources on unsuitable ones.
According to Forbes, companies that use offshore talent can save up to 70% on staffing costs, which include not only salaries, but also taxes, employment fees, and other expenses associated with hiring and maintaining a workforce. With the increasing pressure on law firms to deliver services at competitive rates, it is essential to keep staffing costs low without sacrificing quality.
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Conduct Thorough Interviews and Background Checks
Once you have identified a pool of qualified candidates, the next step is to conduct thorough interviews and background checks which will help you assess the candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit. In addition, it’s essential to conduct background checks to ensure that the candidate has the necessary qualifications and experience to perform the job.
According to a study by TechTarget, 93% of employers globally conduct some form of background check on potential employees. Having people conduct background checks locally on offshore talent can help you avoid hiring candidates with fake qualifications or criminal records.
Consider hiring an Intake Client Specialist
After you’ve determined what roles you need to hire, consider hiring an intake client specialist, also known as business development reps (BDRs). An intake client specialist is responsible for managing the initial contact with potential clients, gathering information about their cases, and determining if the firm is a good fit for their needs. They play a crucial role in the success of the firm’s business development efforts.
Normally, attorneys convert 15% of their leads into paying clients, but hiring an intake client specialist can help law firms increase their lead conversion rates by up to 45%. Recruiting an offshore intake client specialist for your firm can provide cost savings while simultaneously increasing your closing rate and allowing you to maintain a high standard of quality.
Hiring offshore talent can help law firms grow their business, improve the quality of the services they provide their clients, and increase their overall revenue. As a result, recruiting offshore talent for your law firm can be a strategic decision that can not only lead to significant cost savings and increased efficiency, but greater client retention and improved performance. By following these best practices, you can find highly qualified offshore staff that can help your firm thrive in today’s competitive legal market.
— Raquel Gomes is the founder of Stafi, a virtual assistant company that specializes in sourcing and placing highly-qualified, educated offshore staff. These offshore assistants allow business owners to delegate tasks that distract from their most valuable work – growing their company and serving their clients. Raquel Gomes is an advocate for women entrepreneurs and business owners, empowering them to achieve a fulfilling work-life balance. She has an MBA in International Business and is a licensed psychologist. In addition to her success as a businesswoman, Gomes values her roles as a loving wife and mother.
