Hiring Changes Challenging Times | August 2009

In the past, most of our clients have been very reluctant to sponsor work permits for candidates. Over the past few months – in spite of discussion of a challenging economy – we’ve experienced quite the opposite. Several of our clients are now offering work permits and cross-border relocation for candidates from around the world, for roles In the US, South America, Europe and Asia. Why?

In challenging times like this, our clients are investing in talent. They want to make sure they have the best professionals, regardless of where they originate. Many of our clients continue to fill lower level jobs with local talent, but for specialist and higher management roles, they have opened up to the world.

From a competitive point of view, this makes perfect sense. The key is to get excellent people at the right levels. They will hit the ground running, have plenty of ideas and expertise to share as well as a strong, established network. Pay is still competitive, and not over the top.

A happy coincidence is that many more of our candidates are willing to relocate. Some are so confident they even offer to work on contract for a while and let the companies sample their skills before committing. There are some great opportunities out there, for both candidates and clients.

Larsen Globalization – Looking forward | August 2009

Over the past couple of years we have invested in a lot of new tools and backup services – new internal databases, commercially available global CV databases, online training material for new recruits and we have streamlined processes.

As a result, our hit rates have improved. Our clients have continued looking for good people, whether for replacement or expansion. And we have a lot of great candidates.

After a surge in vacancies in the beginning of 2009, many of our clients decided to await economic developments before replacing, not to speak about expanding.

In the past month or two, we have seen encouraging developments. We are pleased that our old clients have been loyal to us throughout, and that others are now much less hesitant to replace people who leave, some are even expanding! Long may it continue...