Intercultural competencies, a globalized work environment, international experience – sounds great, right? But what do these concepts mean for you and your career? How does globalization affect talent recruiting, and how do employers compare on an international level? We asked an expert. Read on to find out which predictions Peter Postinett, the Organizational Leader for Ramafrut S.L. has for the 2015 job market, and pay attention to his guesses for how this will change the playing field for headhunters, companies, and senior candidates. Think international – learn what globalization could mean for you and your career opportunities!
Short on Skills?
The market for candidates and headhunters will continue to expand internationally in the year 2015. The international trading that soccer teams have successfully been doing for decades, will suddenly be seen as “normal” for companies of all sizes. Recruiters will no longer just be looking in their neighborhood for talented candidates, but rather – with the help of modern media and search engines – throughout Europe or even worldwide.
The days of searching through job postings in the local town gazette are long gone – in fact, this practice has been dead for years. In certain countries, experts are desperately searching for skilled employees, while other countries are dealing with a surplus of skilled and motivated workers. But some countries that are still regarded as “talent exporters,” like Spain, are quickly turning into “talent importers,” due to their demographic and economic situation. Quality employees will be increasingly difficult to find in Europe.
The search radius of recruiters for all sizes of companies, even smaller firms, will expand from regional and even national, to international searches. Recruiters must also become more “internationalized.” The future of headhunting requires knowledge of more languages, and of course, the relevant knowledge for an international education to fit with the job profile in question.
International Talent-Recruiting? Please do it online!
Online career networks and online job markets will also continue to gain market shares in the search for talent and jobs. Internal postings, personal recommendations and company websites, on the other hand, are becoming less important. A good self-presentation on the appropriate online channels (like Experteer, LinkedIn, but also in ratings portal like Kununu), will become more and more important for companies and for applicants.
Online networks are no longer just for young talents; now, even senior managers with years of job experience will develop an increasingly stronger online presence. Social career networks are gradually expanding in terms of competence and candidate representation, while specialized job boards will both increase and reinforce the social networking aspect of job searching.
Candidates spend an increasing amount of time “online.” So career networks must be accessible from mobile devices, as candidates in the future will search for positions from their smartphones. The profile will most likely be created on a PC, but contacts and networking will be managed through a mobile app.
The collective application process will thereby become faster and more international. Search engines will inform candidates about potentially relevant job descriptions, and through these apps, the candidates can apply with all necessary information. These apps are multilingual, operate on all large operating systems and offer a fast and very interactive possibility for contact between talent and companies.
In turn, candidates will find new challenges for themselves, across Europe or worldwide. Local positions will lose their importance, especially for senior management and for newcomers. The world is growing, and the job market will grow to fit the new needs of candidates and companies. People compare work and life in different areas of the world, and seek an attractive blend of the two through increasingly transparent offers. Mobility is one of the biggest factors for job seekers. A change of job is usually tied to an (international) move.
The biggest obstacle in talent recruiting will no longer be the services offered, but instead, standing up to the competition in the labor market, and inspiring new talent for their respective companies.
When it comes to finding global employers, ratings portals are a big help.
Ratings portals like Kununu and Glassdoor put a lot more pressure on companies. Anyone who wants to have a shot at winning the future race for talent must position themselves well on these websites. A good brand image alone is no longer sufficient for staying competitive in the future.
If the current trends continue, soon companies will suffer from more than just a lack of sales – they’ll also take a noticeable beating when it comes to recruiting talent. These companies who refuse to stay updated are slowly but surely losing touch with the top competitors, and those in the middle of the pack will face some serious problems. It’s like a football team in the top league that’s not interested in recruiting the best players: over time, this team won’t be able to keep up with the competition, and they’ll fall behind.
Companies need to establish a new strategy for their positioning in the international job market, and then implement this strategy as quickly as possible. But first, fitting concepts must be developed and then, with the help of an internationally experienced staff, these concepts must be put into practice. Candidates can see through falsified reviews in relevant portals, just like fake reviews for products in online shops.
These companies will be punished, and will also suffer from damage to their image. The only really effective strategy is to follow directions and work together with employees and applicants to improve. In this way, companies present themselves as open to criticism, transparent and lastly, as a modern employer that listens and actively adapts to the changing conditions of the market.
About Peter Postinett:
46 years old, married, 2 kids, Leader for Organization development and Change Agent for a midsize Spanish family company in the region of Valencia (Ramafrut S.L., Valencia, Spain). Lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Valencia, and author of several books and articles. Leader of multi-cultural teams in an international environment, experience in international expansion and the roll out of SAP R/3, and by the conception and implementation of company wide organizations models. Experience with international restructuring projects, the analysis and the revision of business processes.
Areas of Expertise: Process Organization and Optimization (Continuing Improvement, Lean Manufacturing, Lean Office), Synergy and International Team Networking / Division, Local Implementation of Preexisting Central Strategies (Sales, Marketing, Company Philosophy, Organization) in European countries, Employee Motivation and Change Management.
