Is executive search the same as recruitment companies?

Submitted by er_manager on Tuesday, August 31st, 2010 - 12:13 pm

I am often asked who our competitors are. You have no idea how I reply and you will for sure be surprised to read my answer. Unless you know me well.

  • How do you define executive search?

  • Who are the executive search firms in Thailand?

  • But what are the recruitment companies doing?

So let me first tell you what I answer when asked who Grant Thornton’s competitors are.

I say:      “I don’t know, I should ask you!.”

My point is that it does not really matter what I think. It is a lot more important to me who you see as our competitors and who you would be calling as an alternative to Grant Thornton. Unfortunately executive search firms have not been very clever in educating the market why they are so different and why their fees are so much higher than recruitment companies and database agencies.

Now that I have made the point why it is not at all important who I see as my competitors, let me share how we in the recruitment industry see the difference between the many players and their services. I will give you a very easy way to quickly distinguish who is who. And some names of those real executive search firms in Thailand.1152_bus_yellow

The recruitment industry is very regulated in as much as we must obtain an operating license from Ministry of Labour and report our activities to the ministry. At my last count there were 172 companies who have this license that allow them to place Thais in jobs in Thailand. Placing Thais in jobs overseas requires another type of license with a deposit of five million Baht to the Ministry of Labour.1207_taxi_orange

Right now there are less than 10 licensed companies that we inside the industry define as executive search. All provide a recruitment process outsourcing with a strong emphasis on preparing the assignment through a thorough interview process of the client’s needs. They use the best interview technique around (behaviour based), and they have a list of value added services that help with the assessment. They work with top executives such as CEO, COO and COO plus with positions reporting into the top. They generally search in the market and do little  file search. The targets are not to be found in a database but are approached through cold calling.

The easy and quick way to see who you are dealing with, a real executive search firm or a recruitment company? If the fee structure is above 30% based on the annual income of the successful candidate and there are three invoices involved (at engagement, when you start interviewing, when you sign the employment letter with your successful candidate)… you are indeed talking to the real people.

In Thailand you will find top professional headhunters in these executive search firms, some with international reach and some with a business model focusing purely on Thailand (in alphabetic order). You will never regret choosing any of these firms:

  1. Amrop
  2. Boyden
  3. Grant Thornton
  4. Heidrick & Struggles
  5. Kienbaum
  6. Opus
  7. Transearch

So next time you hear someone calling themselves executive search, check this list above. Or ask if their fee is over or below 30%. And don’t worry, there is of course a huge difference in the efforts and the services you receive from the two different groups of recruiters.

You know what they say, show me your friends and I will tell you what type of person you are. In recruitment, we say:

Show me your choice of recruitment or executive search supplier – and I will tell you what type of company you work for.

What is your Employee Value Proposition

Submitted by er_manager on Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 - 9:22 am

It’s the same the world over. Within the next 10 to 20 years there will be more people leaving the labour market than joining. From the forecast by United Nations, Thailand will face this dilemma in 2025, only 15 years from now. In fact, though Thailand still enjoys a positive net growth (more people entering than leaving the job market), the decline has already started years ago. I’m afraid it’s going only one way: down and down. The stats also predict that South Korea is due for a contraction in 2015 and Indonesia by 2035.

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But first on the line is China. Already in 6 years, 2016, China will experience a negative net growth in working age population (15-64) entering the job market. Singapore is right behind and the contraction in working age population begins 2017, a decline that started in Singapore only last year.

With the prospect of fewer young Thai people in the labour market it means an increasing aging population. That in turn means a shortage of workers who can support a growing number of retirees. We all know how that will affect economic productivity and also strain the social security and pension systems. Forecasters predict that in Japan the labor force will decrease from 68 million down to 46 million, Italy’s from 23 to 14 million and in Germany the labor market goes from 41 million to 28 million by 2050. Interestingly when looking at figures for Japan, their contraction has been real for the last 16 years. You can only speculate how much this demographic is linked to the economic troubles seen in Japan for many years.

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Stop here for a moment – but don’t shoot the messenger now. If you think the war for talent is already in your face everyday, you ain’t seen nothing yet. It’s time ladies and gentlemen to act smarter than the other company on the other side of the street. Introducing the Employee Value Proposition!

Apple, Google, Starbucks and another 50 global brands might not find it very difficult to attract and convince candidates to join their organizations. They have such strong name recognition that it’s more seller’s market than buyer’s market. But the rest of us do not have that luxury of such high public visibility.

Your marketing efforts should no longer be focused on your customers and clients, but more so on your potential employees. You must define your Employee Value Proposition (EVP). It must clearly describe real needs and clarify job expectations. Here are some questions that will help you on the way. They must be answered before you start any sourcing of new staff.

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And let me warn you, it will take you the same amount of time, energy, and analysis to make your EVP that you put into your annual business plan and budget. There is no way you can develop the EVP between coffee breaks.

  • Why would someone who is good at this type of work want this particular job?
  • Why should anyone come and work for you?
  • What does this job offer that is unique or makes it most attractive to a potential candidate?
  • Why is doing this job at your company better than doing the same job at a competitor?
  • Why do people come to work at your company and why do they stay? Is it leading edge technology? Fast growth? Industry reputation? Work/life balance? How does it differentiate you from your primary competitors?
  • What is your competitive compensation and benefits plan? 12 or 13 months guaranteed pay, sign-on bonus, performance incentive, company car, medical cover, provident fund, for employee or for family too? Flex time, free parking at the office building?

You must take into consideration what we call Generations at Work. Are you typically employing new staff below 30 years of age? That’s Generation Y and these youngsters have a mind of their own. They may come to work in Steve Madden platform shoes or flip flops, listen to the iPod while working, they want instant gratification and become MD and millionaire before the age of 31. The Employee Value Proposition must reflect the core group you target as your next employees. Babyboomers and even Gen X are different than the Y’s. Waiting in the corridor we even have Gen I (for Internet). You can never rest.

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Once you have the EVP in place you can move to describing the 2 – 3 major work challenges to be faced by the candidate in the position? You must define 6 – 8 deliverables i.e. steps required for on-the-job success. In other words, what must the person in this job need to do to be considered extremely successful in this job? Done properly you will have a list of six to eight things the person needs to do over the course of a year that defines great on-the-job performance. Your answer should not describe personal attributes like skills, experience, education or traits.

Remember that applicants or candidates are a perishable commodity. It is the only “product” I know that can speak. They can say no to being “sold” to your organization. The better ones are quickly turned off by unresponsiveness which is interpreted as a lack of initiative or seriousness. Resumes may look like a pile of paperwork on your desk but they really are not. If you don’t act with a sense of urgency and are prepared with an intelligent EVP when meeting future employees the contraction in the labour force will hit you hard and before your competitor.1470_equal_red

How to write a resume that will get you an interview

Submitted by er_manager on Thursday, July 8th, 2010 - 1:00 pm

There is only one purpose of a Resume: to get you an interview with a prospective employer. You need to present your skills and experience in the best possible way and then stress why you fit the job. You need to impress the reader, whether the HR department or a recruitment company, so do not keep the best to last.

The full story is available here, read it now.96_olives_champagne_peach

1. Personal Details

  • Your name should always head the Resume in a Header.
  • Include your address, home and mobile phone numbers – also an email address.
  • Don’t include a summary of personal characteristics in this Header.

2. Employment History

  • List the past employment details in reverse chronological order, with the most recent first, always giving the most space to your most recent or current position. Names of past employers with a very short description of the type of business the companies are in, together with dates of appointments (months and years only) and a brief outline of responsibilities are essential.
  • Always include your specific contributions to each job, listing related responsibilities and achievements with each entry, rather than under a separate headline later in the Resume.

3. Education

  • Employers like to see details of your educational qualifications, from University to degrees and professional qualifications (include the major subject but not every thing studied).
  • List only hobbies or personal interests that are directly related to the position – two or three lines will do – notice the world related !

4. References

  • Avoid the phrase “References available on request”, since this is self-evident and only takes space on your Resume which could be used more effectively.

5. Covering letter

  • Forget about the standard opening of “I have seen your ad”. Use the power impact technique to immediately catch the attention of the reader. Right after Dear Sir, write 4-5 lines with a Career Summary that includes the essential reason why you fit the job.

6. Style

  • Your entire Resume should not exceed two pages in length.
  • Check that both your Resume and cover letter are completely free of errors. Proof read both documents thoroughly – and get a friend to proof read them as well.

7. General Advice

  • Keep an on-going file of your achievements, no matter how insignificant they may appear now. One day you may need it for the Resume.
  • Before the interview re-read the resume a couple of times as the interviewer will have done exactly that. You must know what is in it.

Read the full article with a lot more details, tips and advice. Get that phone call! Continue to read.

The B.S. Interview

Submitted by er_manager on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 - 10:10 am

It’s the irony of recruiting people. Whether you are a line manager, whether you work in HR or in a third party recruitment firm.

You hire people you should not have…. and don’t hire the people you should

The B.S. interview is when you…

  • talk to much and don’t let the candidate have center stage 80% of the time;
  • are fooled by the candidate’s presentation;
  • use the interview to confirm first impression;
  • when you don’t probe and ask a series of follow up questions;
  • think energy and enthusiasm is the same as motivation.

972_blurb_fuchsiaYou should take note of The Four A’s and I invite you to continue reading.

The A’s are about assessing presentation over performance and substance. When you have an articulate candidate in front of you, a person who is assertive, who is attractive and affable…. I know the feeling. You just can’t believe how lucky  you are.

You may have waited weeks or months for this kind of person to arrive at your office. The person’s resume is even cut out of the best cook books. The recommended two pages, a Value Proposition, tonnes of achievements, overseas educated. It’s almost too perfect. Have you been there?

Let me warn you. Next time this happens to you, meeting a Four A person, be on guard. Do not let your emotions take over. You must be even tougher and ask even more difficult questions. Use behaviour based interview technique to assess past performance. Remember, leopards don’t change their spots. I used to live in Africa and people told me that a leopard’s spotty pattern will never change shape as it grows bigger and older. We say that past performance is the best predictor of future performance. So the philosophy is that if a person has done it before, the person will and can do it again. 876_pile_books

Behaviour based interview questions are designed to have the candidate talk about specific situations or tasks that are related to the position. Here’s a few examples of such questions:

  • Can you give me an example of when you…
  • Could you tell me about a time when you…
  • Describe a situation where you…
  • Your resume indicates that you
  • Tell me exactly how you did that

If the person asks you to repeat the question, or repeat it himself before attempting to answer, or takes forever to find the answer, or start talking about “we” – it’s all an indication that the required competency may not be there after all. You also need to process what is being said, so that you are can ask probing questions like: how long ago did this happen, who were involved, what was the outcome.  1012_compass_sienna

High impact resume; a How To

Submitted by er_manager on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 - 9:09 am

Your resume (not CV please) has only one purpose: To get you an interview… and the job interview: to get you the job. Don’t ever mix up these two.

Having a great resume is the single most important part of your job search! If you can’t get the interview, you will never get the job. It’s so crucial to acknowledge, so I’ll say it again and again:

If you can’t get the interview, you will never get the job!

If you can’t get the interview, you will never get the job!

If you can’t get the interview, you will never get the job!

In other words, if your resume has too many pages, if you have used Excel and not Word, too many typing errors, lists your very first job as the first on the list, if your photo is what only a mother loves, if you have included names of references, mentioned hobbies not relevant for the position. OK, I could go on and on; you get the idea.2021_lightbulb_black

I obviously look at resumes day in and day out. I know what get us excited, whether thumbs up or thumb down. So if you want to get the recruiter so excited that s/he calls you, this is what you need to do:

Page 1:

  • Name and contact details in a header. Have just one telephone number and one email address shown in the header (header and footer). No need to write Telephone before the number or Email before your email. We know what it is. Leaving more white space is inviting and makes reading easier for the eyes.
  • Career Summary and Value Proposition; 4-5 lines highlighting your value. This is the first we read so sell yourself in key words. Write:  “I help companies …”.
  • Work experience starting with your current job. Start with your title or company name and have the from/to in the second line. If you have worked for GE, Unilever, Siam Cement Group, or other global brand names, start with that and follow with your title. By adding the period in a second line, brackets perhaps, you will not draw too much attention to a possible shorter work period.
  • Use a one-liner just below the company name about the industry of your employer. All recruiters and HR like to put you in a “box” where they can find you again. Help them so they don’t confuse security companies with securities.
  • Forget about your responsibilities, use instead 5-10 bullet points what you did with it i.e. accomplishments that includes numbers. If details of your responsibilities will be helpful, then make it in one or max two lines.

Page 2:

  • Continue listing your work experience but with less and less bullet points
  • Any work experience in excess of 15 years, enter that into one or two lines only. That’s a combined 2 lines for the 15 over years.
  • Finish with your post graduate educational background and a few personal details like date of birth, nationality, marital status.

On our web site you will find several short articles with a lot more including how to shoot yourself in the foot. I mean in terms of mistakes you may have made – but shouldn’t. Read them here.67_missing_piece_fuchsia

If you can’t get the interview, you will never get the job!

Is it better working with 4 recruitment companies at the same time?

Submitted by er_manager on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 - 9:58 am

Do you believe you are increasing the likelihood of filling a vacant position by 300 to 400 percent if working with several recruitmen companies? You may think that the recruitment companies all have different data bases containing different resumes, they press the magic button of candidate resumes and shortly after an invoice goes out to their client. Nothing could be further from the truth.2532_group_business_people_black

Now let me tell you what really happens… in the real world of recruitment and executive search. When you ask the first executive recruitment representative, he probably knows about 3 guys off the top of his head that may match what you are looking for. His team at the office will do a quick search and may find another 4 guys. They make 7 phone calls and get this outcome: three guys have already taken other jobs; two are not interested in moving to your company or location; and one or two are just not qualified. End of the day, the recruitment company might get one or two candidates to present. Or maybe none at all.

So you move on and call a second recruit company. They too go through 7 people mentally and through their computer data base. Here’s the dirty little secret. The 5 of the 7 guys are all on the recruitment companies’ lists. You see, active candidates who are actively or semi-actively looking for a new opportuniy have distributed their resumes to perhaps 5 to 10 data base recruitment coompanies (not surprisingly when you think about it). But for you and your company, it means you are not getting exposed to 4 recruitment companies x 7-10 candidates – but probably only to 10 different individuals.

Working with any executive search frim, such as Grant Thornton, I will have my team of researchers talking to over 100 diffrent people. Yes, 100 different people. We will expose your company and vacant position to more than 100 candidates. As a matter of fact, before you even see the first candidate, we will have invested 642,320 Baht in expenses on this search process (a consultant costing model based on average research and interview time).

So it’s your choice… do you want the exposure to 10 – 15 people or work with a process that is going to expose you to over 100 people? Choosing the latter, it will go a long way to ensure that when you make a hiring decision, at least at that moment in time, you have hired the best available person on the market.2078_torch_black

Why headhunters don’t return your calls

Submitted by er_manager on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 - 9:54 am

Once upon a time is the phrase which begins fairy tales and fabulous stories set in some unspecified moment in the past. Except the story you are about to read. There is nothing fairy or fabulous about this real life experience of mine. I absolutely hated headhunters. My story starts like this: Once upon a time when I was a candidate myself.1747_question_mark_yellow

My resume was the obligatory two page document without my photo. Of course I had not typed RESUME on the top of page one, as I knew recruiters are intelligent people who know a resume when they see one. I didn’t list several names of references because I knew the space was better utilised for listing more of my accomplishments. I did not state the reasons for leaving each job that I had chosen to list in the resume. I had not included details of my compensation or what I expected to get in my next job. My hobbies were so irrelevant to the job I wanted, that it would confuse rather than clarify my qualifications; so I left that out too.

I used traditional fonts like Times New Roman and Arial. There were no text boxes and other fancy features that would jeopardise the beautiful look of my Word document, when printed out on someone else’s computer. I had the Career Summary and Value Proposition as my first paragraph just below the header with my name and contact details. Oh yes, my resume was a master piece. I was ready to roll it out and impress the headhunters. I should have known better; but I didn’t at the time.

To really get into the groove of job hunting I read several great books on the subject. You can still buy What Color Is Your Parachute by Dick Bolles. Or the smaller book Don’t Send a CV by Jeffrey J. Fox. And if you have just lost your job, go get the Mars And Venus Starting Over by John Gray. And check out www.ilostmyjob.com.

I do apologise if I am just stating the obvious, but trust me, most people have no clue about how executive search firms work. And why should they. You can imagine the surprise and increased frustration that grew inside me, when I realised that headhunters didn’t want to talk to me when I called, they didn’t return calls when I left messages with an assistant or on voice mail, nobody bothered to answer emails either. What was going on? I never understood what was going on until I moved to this side of the table. My current table as a headhunter that is.308_mortar_board_burgundy

It was back then that I made a promise to myself. I wanted to be a headhunter, I wanted to be different in my approach, I wanted to tell people why there is a lot “don’t call us, we’ll call you” in the recruitment industry. Here’s the thing. You need to accept the fact, that headhunters are retained by clients and not candidates. In other words, it’s the clients who pay their fees. Not you. Any minute the headhunter spends talking to people who are no way near a client’s requirement will just delay the completion of the search assignment. It steels valuable time away from the client’s project and as a business person yourself, you will appreciate that billing fees is a part of the cycle that makes business successful. We need to keep the eye on the ball.

A delay in the process to fill an important position could also easily spill over to the client side and have serious impact on their business, whether being the introduction of new projects, an organisational restructuring, a classy sales campaign to kick start a dull period, a greenfield getting off the ground, or whatever it may be.

Headhunters are typically under a lot of time pressure. But don’t worry; we thrive with that positive stress. We know that all assignments by definition are difficult-to-find positions. It is the mere reason and purpose of our industry. If all fruits were hanging low and you all had great skills in assessing the well thought out dance of candidates… well, you get the picture.

So executive search firms will in general only engage in meetings with candidates if there appears to be a good match between their client’s requirements and the particular candidate profile. Assessments of qualifications take the form of a structured behaviour based interview, the use of a unique designed questionnaire that links to the needed technical skills and performance competencies. Only this way can the headhunter and a candidate have a meaningful meeting that will be helpful to both parties.

260_carrier_bag_orangeOh well, it’s out of the bag now and the secrets revealed. This can no longer be a fairy tale.

Resigning? How to handle a counter offer

Submitted by er_manager on Monday, April 5th, 2010 - 8:25 am

Congratulations on your appointment and new job. You are of course excited about the new challenges, already thinking about what is waiting and what you will be doing. Don’t worry, I want to tell you that this is normal. It is the same for people in sports just before a big and important competition. It is a kind of rush of adrenaline that will make you perform. It shows you are ready.1971_cogs_unison_emerald_green

          Some may also be a little frightened by the idea of telling the current boss that they are leaving. You may been together for a while, done some great work together and you are one of the highest performers. But the thought of giving notice is causing you to have second thoughts. On the other hand you really like the new opportunity and know this is the right thing for your career. I can reassure you that we all have these thoughts when we are in the process of moving on.

          Which day and time is best to give notice? The best day and time of the week to give notice is Monday or Tuesday. The later in the day, the better. You can give notice and get out of the office. This strategy helps to avoid the time you have to spend answering annoying questions from the boss and co-workers about why you are leaving and where you are going. Most candidates give notice on a Friday afternoon but contrary to popular opinion, Friday afternoon is not the best day to do it.

          The counteroffer? Today’s corporate environment has made the counteroffer an important weapon in the war for talent. In fact, the counteroffer has become part of many companies’ strategy to keep salary costs down until they absolutely have to pay their best talent. But ask yourself why it is that on the day you give notice suddenly your opinions are so important to the boss. Why have the boss and company only now become concerned about your future or why the company only now is ready to talk about compensation when they are face to face with losing you?

          The best way to prevent that you are pushed hard by the boss to accept a counteroffer of a higher salary or title is to ensure that the boss does not make one. So enter your boss’ office with the resignation letter in hand and say: “I have committed myself to join another company. I will start working there in four weeks. Please accept this (hand out the letter), my resignation. Could you please take a moment to read it. Then we can discuss how to work together to make a smooth transition.”

          It is critical that the resignation letter and meeting make no reference to where you are going, what you will be doing there or how much you will be making. The best tactic is the direct to the point approach. Don’t beat around the bush and start a small talk.  Using this script makes it clear to your boss that you are not planning on talking about your decision to leave – but to focus on how to make the last weeks a good transition.1207_taxi_orange

Recruitment Catch 22

Submitted by er_manager on Monday, April 5th, 2010 - 8:18 am

Have you ever hired people that you should not have hired? Welcome to the club. You are not the first and you will not be the last. Believe me. But here is the catch, the Recruitment Catch 22. Ever thought about the times where you did not hire the people that you should have hired. Read that sentence again. Same same but different.201_business_man_woman_colour

      We always talk about the impact a wrong hire has on the organisation, and what went wrong in the assessment when you end up with a dead beat that you shouldn’t have employed in the first place. But is it not equally a miss in the assessment when you let go of great candidates that would have made the difference in your business?

      The mistake comes down to one thing, i.e. when you score presentation over performance. We are only human beings and when we meet a 4-A candidate we are all in trouble. Unless you are aware of the 4-A phenomenon and trained not to be influenced by it. The 4-A candidate is Articulate, Assertive, Attractive, Affable… and when s/he comes with a decent resume you can’t believe your luck. Perhaps you are months into a search for that key position. The talent you have been waiting for is finally in front of you. Now this is what happens to all of us. Instead of being even tougher in your questioning, instead of probing into every corner of the candidates achievements, you use the rest of the interview to ask the right questions that will build your case of recommending the individual for the job. This is wrong.

2056_puzzle_missing_piece_grey      To avoid being framed by the well thought-out dance of the articulate, assertive, attractive, and affable candidate here is what you need to do. Asking the right questions requires knowing first what you are looking for. That starts with asking the line manager about key competencies required. Competencies are defined as the total of skills, knowledge, experience, attributes, and behaviours that an individual needs to perform a job effectively. Ask the hiring manager what the top three challenges are in the position? What does the person need to deliver to be successful? Why will a person in a good job, working somewhere else right now, want this job?

       There are many different types of interviewing techniques. If you want to do like the pro’s in recruitment, try to Google behaviour-based interviewing technique. In short, this technique is based on the theory that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. You heard about leopards that don’t change their spots? OK, you got it.

       When you meet candidates make sure your receptionist is informed and greets the person like an old friend. Make sure your maid smiles when she brings water to the meeting room. Make sure those old cardboard boxes with brochures are removed from your office lobby area. It’s all about making a good impression. Without sounding too dramatic, great candidates will notice all of the above (plus a lot more) and without telling you make a decision if they will join your organisation. Or not.

       Please tell the candidate what structure you plan for the interview. A good structure to follow is to start by a 5-10 minute introduction to your company. Then move on to the main part of the meeting, interviewing the candidate. Third part: introduce the job, the challenges, your expectations etc. If you already have a good feeling that this could be the person you want to hire, remember interviewing is also selling. Make sure you the person leaves excited and ready to join. Your last point of the meeting (now likely at the end of 2 hours), explain what happens next. What is the timeline for your recruitment process, when will you call the candidate about the next step. Good luck with your next interview.

Recruitment is an expensive exercise

Submitted by er_manager on Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010 - 10:46 am

1241_target_redIf you continuously hire people while losing talent internally your organisation will not survive. Focusing on the internal development of employees is important and it provides a continuous pipeline of fresh talent for leadership positions. An organisation that looks after its staff will reap the benefits and the Grant Thornton International Business Report shows that the private sector is indeed focused on the development of their talent.

Your company brand is not only the image of the business in the minds of your workforce, but also in the minds of any external stakeholders such as potential employees and your clients. Strong employer brands tend to be associated with large multinational organisations. What about your company? Can you clearly articulate the employer brand to attract and importantly retain talent?

If you are not able to convince potential new employees,
who have come to meet you regarding a job opportunity,
that your grass is greener than where they currently are,
it is not likely that they will consider your offer.

As the global market for talent tightens, you must ensure that you have systems in place for finding and identifying the right talent. I have yet to meet any executive in Thailand that finds it easy to identify and hire really talented people. We have clients who go on and on for months in their attempt to find just one that comes  close to the job requirements. They are waiting for a miracle. Waiting to find the needle in the haystack. Meanwhile they are loosing sales opportunities, they are not getting the best deal from their suppliers, existing staff put in extra hours to cover. This is obviously not a healthy situation for very long.

Yet, the fight for talent is only going to get more difficult. Further Grant Thornton research found
that the lack of availability of skills is the biggest constraint on expanding the business.

To recruit and retain the right people you must have in place a human resources structure aligned to the needs of your business. You need to create an environment that not only attracts good people but retains them. It’s about how you treat people, providing the necessary tools and resources, opportunities to learn and access to knowledge. Leadership and management must be inspiring, but also real, consistent and believable. It must all be underpinned with strong values communicated through the day to day experiences the people have of the organisation.

1823_trees_shapes_oliveSo what action do you need to take? First, you must recognise the issues and challenges surrounding talent, both locally and globally. Talent is not restricted by borders. Organisations in every part of the world must identify a sound recruitment and retention strategy.

Secondly, you must focus on human resources solutions. You need to create an employer brand that delivers and communicates strong and consistent messages. Values need to be defined and embedded not just in words but in very action you take. Internal talent development is as important as recruitment of new talent into an organisation. You need defined competency frameworks so you recruit not just any talent but the right talent.

Finally, take action. Recruitment and retention needs to be at the centre of management decision. HR is a strategic function and should be represented at the highest level of your organisation, no matter what the size, nature or level of maturity.

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