INNOVATION
U.S. Expansion: A Checklist for Getting Your First Hires Right
Published on March 07, 2025 - 3 min read
If you’re a UK, European, or Asian tech company aiming to scale internationally, chances are that U.S. expansion is high on your agenda. With a $27 trillion economy and world-leading capital access, commercial opportunity, and consumer reach, the U.S. offers enormous upside—and the chance to become truly global.
But that opportunity comes with real complexity—especially when it comes to early-stage, mission-critical hires in commercial, operational, and technical roles where local presence truly matters.
1. Choose Your City and Setup with Intention
Where you land in the U.S. sets the tone for everything—talent, cost base, commercial access, and scalability.
- Benchmark salaries by city, not country. Compensation in New York or San Francisco can be double that of secondary hubs like Denver or Austin.
- Choose a work setup that suits your needs—and communicate it clearly. Many U.S. candidates now assume hybrid by default, but expectations still vary by city and industry. Decide what works for your business, then be clear and consistent from the first conversation.
Check for long-term talent depth. Early hires are easy to find almost anywhere—building a full team later is harder if the talent pool is thin.
- Prioritise client proximity for commercial roles. Sales, partnerships, and customer success hires often need to be near your key accounts or markets.
- Ensure at least 3 hours of timezone overlap. Too little crossover can slow collaboration, onboarding, and leadership alignment.
2. Get the Package Right
Once you’ve selected your U.S. city, the next step is understanding what local candidates will expect—on salary, benefits, and offer structure. These expectations are often very different from what you’re used to in the UK or Europe.
- Salary expectations are significantly higher. Depending on the U.S. city, a strong candidate will typically expect base pay that’s up to 2× what their counterpart in London or Berlin would command.
- Benefits are a core part of the package. Health insurance, retirement plans (401k), and paid time off are not perks—they’re expected. Employers typically cover 70–100% of healthcare premiums.
- Notice periods are short—and hiring cycles are fast. Most U.S. employees operate on “at-will” terms, with standard notice of just two weeks.
- Candidates are rewarded for outcomes, not tenure. U.S. compensation is more performance-driven, and candidates often expect meaningful progression within 12–18 months.
- Use local benchmarks, not home-market assumptions. Research what similar-stage companies in your chosen city are offering today—not what you’re used to paying in your domestic market.
3. Build a Process That Reflects the Market
With city and package decisions made, the next step is designing a recruitment process that feels credible, competitive, and fast—because in the U.S., hiring is more transactional, and top candidates move quickly.
Move fast and decide confidently. Strong candidates are often in multiple processes and expect pace. A slow, multi-stage hiring loop will cost you talent.
Tailor your interview process to role and stage. Don’t copy your HQ playbook. Early U.S. hires need to be assessed for autonomy, clarity, and cultural alignment—not just technical skills.
Use talent partners who know the U.S. market. If you’re using recruiters, work with those who understand local expectations, networks, and dynamics.
Communicate your mission clearly. Especially for remote hires, your pitch needs to land early and consistently. U.S. candidates want to understand the vision and their role in it.
Build structured onboarding from the start. Remote or hybrid onboarding needs more touchpoints, not fewer. Consider in-person immersion at HQ or fly senior team members to the U.S. for early hires.
Be flexible on interview scheduling. Timezones matter—expect to accommodate U.S. working hours for top candidates.
4. Align Your Team Around the Expansion
Even a single U.S. hire can create internal tension if your home team isn’t aligned. Different salaries, timezones, and expectations quickly expose weak communication or misaligned leadership.
Make the ‘why’ of U.S. expansion clear internally. Everyone should understand the commercial logic behind the move—not just the leadership team.
Clarify decision-making and accountability. Who’s driving the U.S. rollout? Who signs off on offers? Get clear before friction sets in.
Prepare your team for salary differences. U.S. compensation will likely be higher—especially in GTM roles. Be transparent early to avoid frustration.
Set expectations on timezones and responsiveness. Teams need to know what “good collaboration” looks like across 5–8 hour gaps.
Flag opportunities for internal mobility. If team members are keen to relocate or take on U.S.-focused roles, make the pathway clear—before they ask.
Educate hiring managers on U.S. dynamics. They’ll need to move faster, expect different behaviours, and be comfortable hiring with less in-person contact.
5. Put the Right Legal and Payroll Foundations in Place
Once your internal team is aligned, it’s time to make sure your infrastructure is ready. Whether you’re hiring one person or building a team, the right legal, tax, and payroll setup is essential to operate credibly and compliantly in the U.S.
Decide between an entity and an Employer of Record (EOR). EORs (like Deel, Oyster, or Remote) are fast and low-friction for early hires—but offer less control. Setting up a U.S. entity gives you full flexibility but comes with upfront legal and operational complexity.
If using an EOR, clarify roles and responsibilities. While EORs handle compliance and payroll, you still need internal clarity around job scope, salary alignment, and onboarding.
If setting up an entity, engage U.S.-based legal counsel. Employment contracts, IP protection, and multi-state hiring all require local legal expertise.
Understand employment law at the state level. Rules on at-will employment, termination, and worker classification vary by state. What’s allowed in Texas may not fly in California.
Choose a payroll provider built for U.S. complexity. You’ll need one that handles IRS filings, multiple state tax codes, and local pay cycles.
Plan ahead for visas and mobility. If you’re relocating or rotating team members into the U.S., understand the relevant visa types, processing times, and costs early on.
Conclusion
Expanding into the U.S. is a high-stakes move—and hiring is often the first test. Every decision, from where you land to how you present your offer, affects your ability to attract the right people and build lasting momentum.
Intense competition for top talent demands an intentional, localised hiring approach—alongside full alignment and buy-in from your team at HQ.
If you’d like to speak with one of our specialists about navigating your first U.S. hires, please contact us on usa@elevartalent.com.
