Batka International celebrates its 5th anniversary: reflecting on a venture born of fieldwork, and what it has taught us
Five years ago, Batka International was created with a simple idea: to support organisations in their international recruitment by taking into account what standardised approaches tend to miss.
Because whilst recruiting abroad may seem, at first glance, comparable to what one already knows, the reality is often more nuanced. Reference points shift, sometimes imperceptibly, but with enough impact to derail a recruitment process that was otherwise well under way.
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At the beginning, a conviction built on experience
Even before the agency was founded, an experience lived by Murielle Weyers laid the groundwork for this reflection.
Having moved to France after working in Belgium, she immediately noticed a disconnect. The same professional background, the same skills, but a different reception depending on the context in which they were presented.
This disconnect had nothing to do with the quality of the profile, but with the way it was interpreted.
It highlighted a simple reality: assessment criteria, implicit expectations, and professional codes vary from one country to another.
It is from this observation that the founding conviction of Batka International was built: in international recruitment, it is not enough to change the perimeter. You have to change the way you read it.
This approach was then structured with Maxime Roucou, with a commitment to analysing contexts rather than replicating methods.
A cross-border recruitment approach grounded in reality
Over the course of the first assignments, one observation quickly became clear.
The difficulties encountered by organisations do not stem solely from the profiles themselves.
They stem from the framework within which the recruitment is conceived.
One example illustrates this perfectly.
A French organisation recruits a sales representative in Germany. The process moves quickly. Exchanges go well. The profile is validated. After nearly 20 hours of cumulative process, everything appears aligned.
One point creates a block: the candidate wishes to add a tow bar to her company car to go on a van holiday with her family. The group’s car policy does not allow it.
The client is prepared to make an exception. She refuses. In her frame of reference, a rule is not negotiated for an individual case. The recruitment ends there.
This type of situation is not marginal. It reveals a fundamental reality: the same topic is not read in the same way depending on the country.
Three mistakes that frequently arise in international development projects
Testing a market without real commitment
Many organisations start with a multi-client agent or a freelancer. This approach limits investment, but also impact. It allows neither the building of a lasting relationship with candidates, nor the establishment of solid credibility in the market. After one to two years, the conclusion is often the same: it becomes necessary to recruit a full-time profile.
Assuming that conditions are transferable from one country to another
A Belgian client may consider a freelance contract an advantage, whereas a French candidate may see it as a loss of security compared to a permanent contract. Conversely, some French organisations dismiss this type of arrangement in Belgium, where it is in fact common and attractive to many candidates. In both cases, the disconnect prevents alignment.
The third mistake consists of underestimating cultural differences. Belgium is often perceived as an extension of France. Recruiting a French-speaking profile to develop the entire country may seem logical. In practice, it significantly limits development to Wallonia and, in part, to Brussels. Flanders, which accounts for a major share of economic activity, requires a specific approach and specific profiles.
Underestimating cultural differences
Belgium is often perceived as an extension of France. Recruiting a French-speaking profile to develop the entire country may seem logical. In practice, it significantly limits development to Wallonia and, in part, to Brussels. Flanders, which accounts for a major share of economic activity, requires a specific approach and specific profiles.
Successful international recruitment relies on alignment
Over the years, a broader understanding of international recruitment has taken shape.
It cannot be reduced to a simple match between a profile and a position. It relies on alignment between the organisation, the market, and the candidate.
This alignment is built progressively, by clarifying expectations, adjusting messaging, and taking into account the implicit elements that influence decisions.
In practice, this involves adapting several dimensions.
The message, first.
How an organisation presents its project, its culture, and its expectations must be adapted to the codes of the target market. A message that works well in France will not necessarily resonate in the same way in Germany or the Netherlands.
Finally, the package must be aligned with the realities of the market. For instance, a Dutch-speaking candidate in Belgium will generally position themselves at a higher salary level — something that organisations rarely anticipate.
The seniority level, next.
How an organisation presents its project, its culture, and its expectations must be adapted to the codes of the target market. A message that works well in France will not necessarily resonate in the same way in Germany or the Netherlands.
Finally, the package must be aligned with the realities of the market. For instance, a Dutch-speaking candidate in Belgium will generally position themselves at a higher salary level — something that organisations rarely anticipate.
The package, finally.
Finally, the package must be aligned with the realities of the market. For instance, a Dutch-speaking candidate in Belgium will generally position themselves at a higher salary level — something that organisations rarely anticipate.
Expertise built across several European markets
Faced with the complexity of these environments, Batka International has developed expertise across several European zones, notably the Benelux region, the DACH region, Spain, and Italy.
The challenge is not to apply a single method, but to understand how a recruitment is concretely structured within a given environment.
This requires paying particular attention to local practices, candidate expectations, and the decision-making criteria specific to each market.
This understanding enables organisations to adjust the way they express their needs, so that those needs are understood and embraced in a different context.
What comes next?
As markets tighten and organisations accelerate their international development, the challenges are evolving.
The question is no longer simply whether to recruit abroad, but how to do so effectively. I n this context, Batka International intends to continue its development while remaining true to what makes it distinctive: a thorough understanding of the environments in which it operates. Strengthening its presence in key markets such as Germany is part of this approach.
These first five years are not an endpoint, but a milestone. They have enabled the structuring of an approach, the confronting of real-world situations, and the refining of a reading of international recruitment.
With one conviction that remains unchanged: recruiting internationally does not simply consist of expanding a perimeter. It means adapting the way you understand contexts.