“Choose the job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.
Very roughly, over a 40-year career with a 40 hours working week, we spend approximately 22,83% with work, 33,33% with sleep, and 43,84% with private activities.
As for international standards Germans work less than employees in other countries:
- The standard workweek is between 35 and 40 hours with generous vacation policies around 30 days of paid leave per year.
- In Unites States the standard workweek is 40 hours with fewer vacation days, typically around 10 to 15 days. Japanese officially also work 40 hours but there is a culture of overtime. Paid leave is often not applied.
Countries do have different regulations and varying cultural habits. Even though European countries should not complain compared to others, the percentage of work in a lifetime is significant. We often spend more time with colleagues than we do with family or friends, and – provided you seriously engage with your work - related topics will stick in your mind, your thoughts revolve around work.
By now it is obvious how important it is to make the right choice as for what you do, in which role, where, for whom, under what conditions, and with what purpose.
In (work-) life sometimes we are torn into situations, the rhythm is fast, and we are expected to cope with and adapt to it. No time to consciously think about the above questions, no time to find out who we are and where we belong to workwise along the journey.
To be aware, decide and act accordingly is crucial to an efficient and productive working style and – overall – to happiness and a healthy balance.
To find the right work, work environment and company fit it takes reflections and concrete steps:
- Self-Assessment and Assessment – identify your strengths and weaknesses
Take stock of your skills, talents, and areas for improvement. There are assessment tools, or you can do a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats).
Understand your interests, realize what you enjoy doing and what is fulfilling.
Define your values by thinking about what matters most to you in a job and in a workplace like work-life-balance, opportunities for advancement, culture, purpose, a wonderful team.
Consider attending an assessment or coaching session to understand how others perceive your personality and skills. Understanding a difference between self-perception and the perception of others is revealing and helpful.
- Career Exploration
Research different careers. Use resources like the occupational outlook handbook, LinkedIn, and company websites to learn about different careers, job roles and industries.
Reach out to professionals in fields of interest to ask about their experience, the day-to day aspects of their jobs, and what they consider to be the pros and cons.
Shadowing and internships may be an excellent option. Don´t hesitate to apply or ask for it, regardless of actual role, age etc. The world needs to and is becoming more flexible, several jobs will be covered by AI which means new jobs and shifts in required skills and tasks.
Skills are to be identified and education, continuous learning to be searched for.
- Company and company culture fit
The company fit is key for both, you as a talent and the company.
Research the company culture, look into values, mission, and culture. Websites like Indeed, Glassdoor, Kununu and others offer reviews by employees that may provide insights. However, be careful and read between the lines. Consider company size and structure. Do you prefer a multinational organisation or a small start-up? There will be major differences and consequences for you.
Some changes and transitions in jobs are obvious, which does not necessarily mean they are the right step for a talent at a given or in general.
A recruiting company, a head-hunter and Talent Consulting represent a professional way of career planning and your career path. It is a more secure way of trying to get the best out of your professional life.
When deciding to confide to a recruiting company make sure to know about important aspects of the company:
- Industry Specialisation
- What industry does it specialize in?
- Do they have experience placing candidates in your specific field or role?
- Track Record and Success Rate
- Can they share success stories or examples of different placements?
- What is their success rate of placing candidates in long-term positions or in interim roles (if applicable)
- Client Relationships
- Which companies or clients do they work with?
- Do they have direct relationships with decision makers at these companies? (May be difficult to find out)
- Placement Process
- What does the recruitment and placement process look like?
- How do they evaluate candidates before presenting them to employers?
- Communication and Transparency
- How often and through which channels will they communicate with you?
- Will you receive feedback from interviews and updates on your application status?
- Support and Resources
- Do they offer support with resume writing, interview preparation, or career coaching?
- What resources or tools do they provide to help you succeed in your job? (Onboarding process for example)
- Fee Structure and Costs
- Are there costs or fees you have to be aware of as a candidate?
- How is the fee structured and who pays it?
- Market Insights and Trends
- What insight do they provide about the current job market and your industry? Are they up to date and deep dive into tasks and topics of the industry (for example through an CAB Customer Advisory Board)
- Do they provide emerging trends or skills that you should be aware of to remain competitive?
- Confidentiality
- How do they secure the confidentiality of your job search? How do they avoid your actual employer getting to know that you consider new opportunities? Unless you do want them to know about your search.
- Post - Placement Support
- Does the recruiting company offer any support or follow-up after placing in a position?
- How do they manage when the placement does not work out? Is there investigation and feedback? Or just the “blacklist”?
- References and Testimonials
- Does the company provide references or testimonials from other candidates (candidate experience) they have placed?
- How do they describe their experience?
- Exclusivity
- Does the recruiting company work on an exclusive basis, or can you work with different head-hunters simultaneously?
Asking and answering these questions can help you understand capabilities and approach of a Talent Management company. You will become aware how they may support your development and how they support the determination and execution of your career’s goals.
Most headhunters have a broad knowledge of the industries they cover. They know trends and further developments; they are subject matter experts with an overview of the company and the whole industry. They know needed and required skills today and in the future. They have information about roles and positions, also upcoming ones which can provides an enormous opportunity.
Companies trust head-hunters and appreciate a professional approach. People and Culture, the workforce form the base of every company and determine how a company innovates, grows and how efficient and productive it is. The relationship between a company and a recruiter builds up slowly and is based on trust. Once trust and confidence are implemented the cooperation usually lasts over a long period of time. Recruiting companies base their decisions on digitally collected quantitative and qualitative data, KI and algorithms, but also and preliminary on human interaction and human skills.
The reasons for a talent to decide for and rely on a head-hunter summarized:
- The recruiter wants to get you a job as this is what he is paid for. They will fight for an adequate salary for you.
- A recruiter functions as guide and coach.
- He will help you understand what is required
- A good recruiter knows you and your skills
- He acts as a career partner
- A recruiter helps you simplify the hiring process and with eventual negotiation
- A recruiting company has access to exclusive opportunities
- You will save time in the whole process
- The recruiter will provide expert advice
- He will increase your visibility but maintain confidentiality
A recruiter is a guide, leading individuals towards their calling and aligning their talents with the needs of an organization and its culture, fostering growth and fulfilment on both sides.
Morgan Philips – making success stories happen.
Written by Gabriele Kamps, Content, Communication, Coaching.
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