Candidate Assessment
Once the requirements of a given international assignment have been determined, many possibilities exist to assess the candidates on job-related dimensions. Given that international assignments are job contexts, rather than job descriptions, they require different levels of relevant attributes (e.g., language fluency, openness, technical skills). For example, greater emphasis would be placed on personality characteristics (such as sociability and openness) when assessing a candidate for a developmental or strategic assignment – requiring much more host national contact, compared to a more technical international assignment (Caligiuri 2000a; 2000b; 2004). In a best case, a thorough assessment can be conducted through a variety of valid formal selection methods: paper and pencil tests, assessment centers, interviews, behavioral observations, and the like.
While comprehensive, the reality of international assignment selection is not nearly as
sophisticated. Most international assignee selection generally happens using the most informal methods – recommendations of peers or supervisors (Brewster & Harris, 1999) on basic dimensions such as work experience and willingness to relocate. That said, future research should attempt to close the gap between research and practice. For instance, two aspects of the international assignee selection process have shown promise for practical application but warrant further investigation. The first is to better understand ways to engage employees early – even before an international assignment is even available. The best candidates could potentially build their efficacy for the assignment when their decision-making processes are engaged before a position becomes available (Caligiuri & Phillips, 2003). The second promising application for practice is to better understand ways to effectively involve the family as early as possible in the selection process. Research suggests that family members can greatly influence the assignment outcome (Caligiuri et al., 1998) so their motivation and interest in the international assignment should not be disregarded in the assessment phase. It is generally accepted that the best selection decision will be mutual among the employees, their organizations, and their families. While the best case for international assignee selection is understood, the dynamic interplay among employees, families, and organizations -- in terms of international assignment selection decisions -- is not yet thoroughly understood and warrants further research.
Training and Development for International Assignees
In addition to comprehensive self-selection and selection programs, success in international assignments may be facilitated through the training and development of cross-national competencies (e.g., cross-cultural knowledge, skills, and abilities). For example, providing an international assignee with knowledge of general dimensions on which most cultures differ and the impact of these differences may provide the individual with some awareness regarding expected norms and behaviors in the new culture (Black & Mendenhall, 1990). This awareness
may lower anxiety, reduce culture shock, and encourage appropriate behaviors when living and working in a host culture. For the organization, both international training activities and international development activities will help improve cross-national competencies among international assignees (Briscoe & Schuler, 2004; Dowling & Welch, 2004; Gupta & Govindarajan, 2002; Evans, Pucik, & Barsouk, 2001).
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