Recruiting for international assignments: looking beyond technical knowledge

Choosing the right employee for an international assignment is important and can in some cases, be crucial for the assignment. If an unsuitable employee is chosen, the effects can be poor performance, premature return from the assignment, anxiety and other emotional issues. There is considerable research available on expatriate selection, however, little research has been undertaken on expatriate selection in Iceland. In order to address this research gap, it was necessary to investigate further the personal traits which current and prior expatriates within the Icelandic fishing industry identify as valuable in order to perform their jobs effectively and adjust to the new cultural environment. Interviews were conducted with eight individuals. Participants discussed the importance of background, education, the ability to speak the local language, and knowledge of fish as being valuable traits. They also emphasised the importance of the personality traits often labelled the Big Five. These results give Icelandic companies working in the fishing industry a further base upon which to develop their recruitment processes.