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Global Recruiting

13 Trends for International Headhunting in 2013

by Dave Nerz

I see these trends impacting international headhunting in 2013:

  1. The demand for recruiting will continue to shift toward employers’ more highly specialized and challenging roles.
  2. The recruiter with international headhunting or global search skills will be in demand in 2013.
  3. Clients will fill easy positions with in-house recruiters or HR, by referral, or with social media tools.
  4. LinkedIn will continue to grow its influence on the search landscape with an ever increasing global footprint.
  5. Traditional job boards will suffer as aggregators like Indeed and Simplyhired gain ever wider use and acceptance.
  6. Other job boards will continue a progression toward even greater specialization both geographically and by industry or sector.
  7. Clients will continue to look for market share and growth on a global basis and will initiate international headhunting assignments to support this direction.
  8. Clients will view many openings as project-dependent and will be less willing to hire permanent employees and more likely to hire contract staff.
  9. The use of mobile and smart phone apps to connect with talent will escalate to even higher levels.
  10. The first contact with recruiters will be increasingly via summarized or speed application processes often identified as “apply with apps.” So the resume/CV will be a follow up step.
  11. The Asian and Australian economies will be slowing so more talent will be available from those markets. This is the opposite of recent years where those markets were net importers of talent.
  12. International headhunters seeking candidates with post graduate degrees will be operating in what is a nearly full employment environment.
  13. Global recruiting will continue a stratification process where research, recruiting, background checking, and onboarding will be sold separately and by different providers rather than in the bundled form to which we are accustomed. Specialist and price leaders will emerge in each layer.

In summary, while many things will be changing, I see 2013 as a relatively flat year with overall business levels similar to 2011 and 2012.

Develop an International Recruiting Mindset

by Veronica Blatt

globe with business peopleI came across an article on Recruiter.com titled Recruiting Internationally? Think Local, which resonated with me in many ways. One of the most compelling points was the idea that so many recruiters think differently about international recruiting as compared to local recruiting. It seems that many recruiters somehow think the recruiting PROCESS is different because the geography is different. While there are legitimate reasons why international recruiting may be more difficult than local recruiting, I don’t believe it’s because the process is wildly different. Read the rest of this entry »

5 Ways Global Recruiters Alienate Job Seekers on the Web

by Veronica Blatt

angry guy holding cell phoneToday, I am on a rant. I have had it up to *here* with websites that don’t function effectively on a mobile device. Turns out I’m not alone. Job seekers have had it, too. Global recruiters simply MUST do a better job creating mobile-optimized websites that are friendly to job seekers.

Job seekers are increasingly using mobile devices as their primary, if not ONLY, means of accessing the internet. The mobile web is different. Job seekers will NOT use your site if it’s too hard to do on their handheld device. Global recruiters who respond, NOW, with a great mobile experience for job seekers will be way ahead of their competitors and clients.

What do I mean by a “mobilized” website? Simply put, a site that fits correctly on the screen of a mobile device and does not require a user to *work* in order to use the site. Whether you build a separate mobile site, a mobile app, or a responsively-designed website, you simply cannot afford to ignore mobile devices any longer. Still not sure what I mean? Look at our website, www.npaworldwide.com on a desktop browser. You’ll see a left-to-right orientation, lots of images, sidebar menus, etc. Now load our site on your mobile device. The site automatically adjusts to accommodate the size of your device. The dynamic, pop-up menu goes away in favor of a simplified, larger, text-based menu. Sidebar menus go away or become part of the main text area. It’s a completely different experience because the mobile user demands a completely different experience.

Here are 5 things about global recruiters’ websites that drive job seekers batty:

  1. Enough with the pinching and zooming already. Have you tried to use your firm’s website on a mobile device? If visitors have to pinch, zoom, and scroll to see the whole site and use its features, you should assume they won’t come back. Savvy global recruiters will invest in a responsively-designed site that makes it easy for visitors to find and share content.
  2. Drop-down menus. Are you SERIOUS? Drop-down menus are a nightmare on a mobile platform. Get rid of them in your mobile installation and job seekers will be more likely to return.
  3. Itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny, hyperlinks. If users can’t see or click on hyperlinks without pinching and zooming (see #1 above), they will leave your site in favor of global recruiters who don’t inflict this torture on their site visitors.
  4. Limited functionality across a range of devices. Your site is optimized for the iPhone 5 and the newest Samsung tablet? Give yourself 10 points! But deduct 10 points for each type of older device that you forgot. While the news reports might make it seem like *everyone* is clamoring to buy the newest handheld gadget, that’s simply not true. There are literally millions of fully-functional older devices still in use. Forget about them and you’re guaranteed to alienate those job seekers.
  5. Long application forms. Filling out forms on a mobile device is painfully slow and difficult. Don’t ask job seekers to do this. While you’re at it, eliminate the requirement to create an account to use your site.

Have you found a great mobile recruiting site? Share it in the comments!

International Recruiters: Social Media Use in Asia Pacific

by Terri Piersma

Recently, NPA, The Worldwide Recruiting Network conducted a member-owner meeting in Beijing. International recruiters attended the meeting from not only many countries in Asia but also from Australia and North America. The meeting agenda consisted of a combination of business, networking, and sightseeing opportunities.

While this meeting involved face-to-face communication, international recruiters must often communicate with clients and candidates via the telephone or online including through social media. How effective is social media usage in Asia Pacific? In March 2012, Alexander Mann Solutions and Chapman Consulting Group conducted an online survey of Asia Pacific recruiters regarding the impact of social media. Read on to learn about key findings: Read the rest of this entry »

International Recruiting: Singapore Hiring Outlook

by Veronica Blatt

NPA members recently gathered in Beijing, China for a Global Owners Meeting. Part of the agenda was devoted to learning and discussing international recruiting needs throughout Asia. Thank you to NPA members Stan Tan from PHR Executive Search and Alban d’Sa from Gemini Personnel Pte Limited for sharing their knowledge of the Singaporean economy.

Singapore has been rated as #1 in Asia for quality of life, with the 3rd most globalized economy among 60 of the world’s economies. It is also rated as the most politically stable country in Asia. The World Bank has named Singapore #1 in the world for ease of doing business, for the seventh year in a row. Current market conditions include slowdowns in the banking and technology sectors.

Some other economic highlights:

  • Employment creation moderated in the third quarter of 2012, after increasing in the previous quarter. Preliminary estimates show that total employment grew by 24,900 in the third quarter of 2012, down from the increase of 31,900 in the same period last year and 31,700 in the second quarter of 2012. International recruiting opportunities still exist, though slightly lower from earlier in the year.
  • The growth in employment slowed in services from 21,200 in the third quarter of 2011 to 11,300 in the third quarter of 2012 and manufacturing from 3,900 to 3,700. Boosted by public infrastructure projects, construction continued to register strong employment increase of 9,800 in the third quarter of 2012, up from 6,700 in the same quarter last year.
  • Layoffs rose after declining in the preceding two quarters. An estimated 3,300 workers were made redundant in the third quarter of 2012, mainly driven by higher layoffs in electronics manufacturing and retail. This was one of the few higher quarterly redundancy figures reported in post-recessionary periods, though it was substantially lower than the highs of 6,000 to 12,800 per quarter registered during the last recession.
  • Unemployment rates remained low, reflecting strong manpower demand amid the tightening in foreign manpower controls. The seasonally adjusted overall unemployment rate dipped marginally to 1.9% in September 2012 from 2.0% a quarter ago, while the unemployment rates for residents and Singapore citizens were unchanged at 2.8% and 3.0% respectively.

While layoffs have increased somewhat, the continued low unemployment rate in Singapore means employers continue to have international recruiting needs. Recruiters with global partnerships are well-poised to meet this demand.

Global Recruiting, Beijing, and the Asian Market

by Veronica Blatt

Today’s guest blogger is Geoff Crews with Forsythes Recruitment in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Forsythes Recruitment specializes in engineering and technical recruitment; corporate recruitment, including executive, sales, HR, and finance; office support recruitment including admin, accounts, and clerical; trade and industrial recruitment; and organizational consulting including psychometric assessment, outplacement, and OD. Geoff serves on NPA’s Board of Directors where he is a member of the Tools, Knowledge, and Services Committee.

Skype, social media and news relayed via journalists are good mediums. But there’s nothing like being in a room with employers and global recruiting agency owners to share opinions and ask questions about employment outside Australia.

It’s now Sunday night in Beijing and most of the 46 attendees and speakers are on a plane heading home. I’m staying an extra day before heading to Shanghai tomorrow to visit some of our global recruiting partners there.

This was a successful NPA Global Owners Meeting: 15 attendees from China, 12 from Australia, 9 from the US & Canada, 3 from Singapore, 2 from Indonesia, 2 from the Philippines, and 1 each from Korea, Taiwan and Ireland. Everyone contributed and left richer for the experience together.

Asian members represent only 17% of the membership of NPA, The Worldwide Recruiting Network, but are responsible for 33% of successful cross-border recruitment projects. This outward perspective is important to China’s desired transition from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy. And it was highlighted in our meeting in a presentation by CAIEP – the China Association for the International Exchange of Personnel. This speech, via a translator, was a rare window into the strategic thinking on China’s labour costs, manufacturing efficiencies and balanced development across primary, secondary and tertiary industries. The need for high-level creative talent from foreigners was a point emphasized on more than one occasion.

A Q&A session with Chinese HR Managers – one from a marketing/event management agency and the other from a very large, complex manufacturing company – reiterated the need for global thinking in recruiting key staff. As in-house recruitment professionals, these representatives discussed the balance between competition and cooperation with agency recruiters on junior and middle level recruitment projects. But they emphasized the need to partner with global recruiting experts capable of accessing an international candidate pool for leadership and strategic staff requirements.

The time together included country presentations from ten of the attendees. These presentations included details from basic GDP, population and employment figures to the personal experiences of each in sourcing and screening candidates in a range of classifications, industries and cultures. Countries like China, Korea, Singapore, the US and Australia reported softer employment activity in some sectors and a cautious global recruiting outlook. Other regions like Indonesia and the Philippines outlined a national sentiment of confidence and growth.

I am an employer. My expertise includes thinking like a job seeker. Whichever way I look at it, I believe our exposure to these neighbouring Asian markets is important and I am grateful for this time I have spent with old friends and new this past few days.

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7 Gestures to Avoid in International Recruiting

by Terri Piersma

I discovered an interesting infographic recently that shows the top 7 common American hand gestures that can get you in trouble abroad. If you are an independent recruiter involved in international recruiting who travels outside North America to meet with clients and candidates, take a few minutes to review the infographic below as it may save you from an embarrassing situation. The infographic shows a drawing of each gesture, a description of why it is offensive, and the countries in which to avoid using that gesture.

I have a friend who went to dinner in Australia and inadvertently used gesture 2 on the infographic to communicate the total number of people having dinner in his party. Unfortunately, his gesture communicated something else! He walked away not being seated for dinner and not understanding what happened. He returned and apologized and explained he didn’t mean anything negative. His party was then graciously seated for dinner.

 

In addition to this infographic, the following books may be of interest to you if you are involved in international recruiting and travel around the world.

Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands – How to Do Business in Sixty Countries by Terri Morrison, Wayne A. Conaway, and George A. Borden, Ph.D.

This book contains information on cultural overviews, behavior styles, negotiating techniques, protocol, and business practices.

Gestures – The DO’s and TABOOs of Body Language Around the World by Roger E. Axtell

While the infographic I shared earlier covered 7 gestures to avoid, this book goes into greater detail about the number and use of gestures around the world.

One gesture, in particular, is called “The Ultimate Gesture. ” The author purported that the ultimate gesture carries certain welcome characteristics unlike any other gesture.

  • First, this “ultimate gesture” is known everywhere in the world.
  • Second, it is rarely misunderstood. Primitive tribes and world leaders alike know and use this gesture.
  • Third, scientists believe this particular gesture actually releases chemicals called endorphins into the system that create a feeling of mild euphoria.
  • Fourth, as you travel around the world, this gesture may help you slip out of the prickliest of difficult situations.

What is this gesture?  The smile.

Have you ever inadvertently made a gesture when traveling that inadvertently communicated something offensive?

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7 Workplace Forecasts Affecting International Recruiting

by Terri Piersma

What will the work environment look like in the next 10 years? In a recent study by Apollo Research Institute (ARI), 65% of employers and 75% of college students felt that today’s job skills would be suitable 10 years from now. Apollo’s research suggests otherwise.

According to ARI, three key changes affecting the workplace in the next 10 years involve technology, globalization, and demographics. ARI stated that as organizations become flatter and more socially networked, workers will need to demonstrate new forms of collaboration and productivity. International recruiting will definitely be affected by these changes. Read the rest of this entry »

Global Recruiting Update: Korean Economy

by Veronica Blatt

Today’s post is courtesy of Joshua Ro with People Consulting Group in Seoul, Korea. People Consulting Group places senior executives in manufacturing, information technology, consumer products, banking and finance, telecommunications, logistics and distribution, professional services, entertainment, and fashion. Joshua serves as a member of the NPA Board of Directors.

In the midst of global business attention on Asia, it seems like Asian economies are doing relatively better than other regions of the world. I have been noticing people are eyeing Asia more than before for new global recruiting opportunities and to expand their market shares.

China was the strong business driver and the center of business opportunity in Asia and many parts of the world for a while covering most of the business sectors. However, due to the recent downturn of the global economy from the U.S. to the Euro zone, it definitely has affected Asian business markets.

Korea’s economy had been steadily driving the business in general and seemed promising in many different occupational and industry sectors. Starting at the end of 2011, economic forecasting has been somewhat negative due to several reasons:

  • U.S. and Euro zone financial crisis, which will affect trade activities
  • Banking and finance has been in decline, facing high risks both in corporate financing and the consumer sectors
  • Construction industry has been down due to the excessive supply over demand
  • Consumer and retail industries facing slower sales
  • Luxury industry side was booming, especially in the imported car industry where the general index  seemed positive, yet the new demands were mostly coming from younger generations using bank loans instead of cash for purchasing.

And surely from the beginning of 2012, slowly the Korea economy began to face a downturn which has impacted businesses in all sectors. Layoffs have been increasing and many large corporations are still undergoing restructuring processes. Global recruiting opportunities have been limited.

A few trends have been noticed during 2012 in Korea’s recruitment industry, which are:

  • Hiring activities have slowed down and no particular industry seemed promising
  • Hiring process has gotten longer
  • Downward pressure on commissions from clients
  • Client expectations have gotten much higher in candidates, yet the packages offered are limited

There are a few positive indicators. Large Korean conglomerate companies have grown their interest in green energy, wind energy, specialty chemicals and especially these days on the overseas power plant projects. Over the coming years, more demand for global recruitment for foreign professionals is expected. These professionals are in high demand and clients are ready to offer high and great packages. This demand is mostly being seen in very small niche sectors and industries, where it is extremely difficult to locate available candidates.

Many clients are opening up for the hiring of foreign professional talent in recent days. This is actually something that should have been seen a long time ago but has been slow to open up.

In 2013, we look for a turnaround in Korea’s economy which will create better global recruiting opportunities for clients and partners.

Interested in global recruiting? Download NPA’s free white paper, 7 Trends for Global Recruiting.

Will Semantic Searching Reshape Global Recruiting?

by Veronica Blatt

Today’s installment is courtesy of guest blogger Brock Vaughters. Brock is an Account Manager with Monster®, the worldwide leader in successfully connecting people to job opportunities. Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:MWW), is the global leader in successfully connecting job opportunities and people. Monster uses the world’s most advanced technology to help people Find Better, matching job seekers to opportunities via digital, social and mobile solutions including monster.com®, our flagship website, and employers to the best talent using a vast array of products and services. As an Internet pioneer, more than 200 million people have registered on the Monster Worldwide network.  Today, with operations in more than 40 countries, Monster provides the broadest, most sophisticated job seeking, career management, recruitment and talent management capabilities globally. For more information visit about-monster.com.

Google’s doing it! Apple’s doing it! Microsoft’s doing it! Oracle’s doing it! Are you doing it? Wait… Wait… What is everybody doing?

Well, it’s called semantic searching. It is hard to explain in words (because it doesn’t use keywords), but it uses the concepts behind words – and the context of those words in relation to every other word – in order to search information and return results. If that explanation is still a little fuzzy, let me give you an example.

If a recruiter were looking for a programmer’s resume, using semantic search, he could simply type in the word ‘programmer’, and the system will automatically find matching concepts like Software Developer, J2EE Engineer, and .Net Technical Lead,  without having to construct a complicated Boolean string.

At Monster, with our Power Resume Search, the best part about using semantic search is that you don’t have to understand the technology to use it effectively. Maybe the most surprising aspect of semantic search is that it lets you describe who you’re looking for, almost as if you were speaking with a networking contact who knew all the top candidates out there.

So let’s answer the title question of this post, “Will Semantic Search Reshape Global Recruiting?”

Do companies still need recruiters when semantic search is available? The fact is that most employers who have been using recruiters will find that these human experts will remain essential to the sourcing, recruiting and hiring cycles.

The goal with any advancement in technology is to improve the process and make it user- friendly. The key here is the word “user.” Semantic search will allow global recruiters to do what they do best, which is develop relationships, screen out candidates that look good on paper but aren’t a great fit for one reason or another. Remember that semantic searching using Monster’s Power Resume Search will bring the best candidates to the top of the list, but then the best recruiters take that list and make actual placements. At Monster, our goal is to give the best recruiters the best tools to find that best candidates. Recruiters are a big part of this process.

How much time would you save if your recruiters had a tool that could:

  • Recognize a candidate’s breadth and depth of experience?
  • Identify job hoppers from long-tenured employees?
  • Distinguish “must have” vs. “nice to have” skills?
  • Assess a candidate’s context of experience (i.e. 3 months vs. 10 yrs)?
  • Score a candidate based on recent vs. outdated skills?
  • Automatically identify related skills?
  • Understand the latest industry acronyms?

Monster Power Resume Search uses Monster’s patented 6Sense technology to do all of these things — at lightning speed. How much is your time worth?

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