In today’s episode, we discuss what it takes to enter the US market as an employer with Rob Pappas, Co-Founder at R&R Talent Advisors.
About the guest
Rob Pappas has extensive recruiting experience in both the US and Europe. He’s recruited for American companies like Instacart and Connery Consulting before moving to Europe where he’s worked with startups like Yousician. Today, he is the Co-Founder and Recruitment Partner at R&R Talent Advisors. Rob has helped European companies expand to the US and led high-growth tech companies through rapid expansion.
About the episode
In today’s episode, we discuss the process of entering the US market. We talk about the challenges and misconceptions companies have when expanding to the US, such as underestimating the competition and the complexity of the market. Rob explains the differences in recruitment between the US and Europe as well as the fluctuation of salary levels across the US. We touch upon the importance of targeting the right talent, selling the company’s vision and benefits, and being prepared with knowledge of the US market.
Highlights
- Companies often underestimate the competition and complexity of entering the US market. Having a long-term strategy and understanding the cost of operations is crucial for success.
- Recruitment in the US is more aggressive and requires extensive outreach compared to Europe. Salary levels in the tech industry fluctuate in different cities in the US, with New York and California having higher levels compared to other cities.
- The biggest differences between hiring in the US and Europe are differences in employment regulations and cultural differences such as work-life balance.
- Targeting the right talent, selling the company’s vision, and keeping up with competitive benefits are crucial when hiring in the US.
- When hiring in the US, beware of the big-name trap and differentiate between early employees and later hires in well-known companies.
Topics discussed
00:00 Introduction and Background
08:48 Challenges of Entering the US Market
11:30 Misconceptions about Entering the US Market
20:37 Long-Term Approach and Capital
21:30 Timezone Challenges
22:16 Full-Time Employee vs Contractor
23:09 Difference in Recruiting: the US vs the EU
26:47 Salary Levels Across the US
34:11 Cultural Differences: US vs Europe
39:05 Negotiating and Compensation
42:32 Preparing to Hire in the US
47:19 Why Go Through The Trouble of Hiring in the US
48:24 The Number of Unicorns in Different Regions
50:45 Big-Name Trap
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