What Countries are the Most Competitive Attracting and Recruiting Talent

What Countries are the Most Competitive Attracting and Recruiting Talent INSEAD’s new Global Talent Competitiveness Index shows high-income countries leading in fostering knowledge and vocational talent pools. Low-income countries are struggling in both areas. Talent is the V8 engine of competitiveness and innovation for today’s globally connected mobile economy. Those that have mastered the development of skills inside their countries and lowered the barriers to entry for foreign talent are creating vibrant and sustainable economies. Those that haven’t are facing a wide array of challenges, from skills shortages to high joblessness. INSEAD, in partnership with Singapore’s Human Capital Leadership Institute and Adecco, has created the first ranking of 103 countries on their ability to attract and incubate talent. The index shows the top ten slots mostly populated by European and rich countries, plus Singapore and the United States  and a wide gap between prosperous and low-income countries. The top-ranked 20 countries in the  Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI)  shows countries need both skill sets global knowledge and vocational to build a cutting edge, knowledge-based society, a complex undertaking that in some cases relies on strong educational traditions, and in others on immigration policies. Swiss formula At the top of the GTCI league table sits Switzerland.  What sets Switzerland apart is its strength in both vocational and global knowledge skills, and across the entire gamut of indicators, said Paul Evans, Academic Director of the INSEAD GTCI. At the same time, Switzerland has two local specificities, added Bruno Lanvin, INSEAD Executive Director for Global Indices: a thriving apprenticeship programme, and a system where workers can move back and forth from classroom to workplace. The GTCI measures countries, using 48 variables, split into two groups. The outputs are vocational and technical skills for jobs in fields such as health and engineering; and global knowledge skills, which encompasses a range of positions, including entrepreneurs, researchers, managers and other professionals. The second group addresses how countries enable, attract, grow, and retain talent to foster these output skills. Small-country advantage Lanvin said the rankings reflect three distinct types of situation in the leading countries studied. Countries and city states in the top ten employ a strategy that emphasises drawing in talent.  These countries include second-ranked Singapore, followed by Denmark, and joined by the Nordic countries, Sweden, Finland and Iceland; plus Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the U.K.  Many of these countries, especially in Europe, have a long history of fostering strong education systems. “They have the income, they have the resources, they have the infrastructure. They just need the people that their demography does not generate,” Lanvin said. The second is large industrial countries clustered further down in the top 20, which have a well-established tradition of immigration to attract talent, such as the U.S. (9th), Canada (11th) and Australia (15th). And the third situation is seen in emerging countries that need talent to build infrastructure, develop their economy, and lift GDP growth. Such talent champions such as Montenegro and Malaysia were ranked 26th  and 37th  respectively for their focus on skills that their neighbours lack and developing human capital that is in particular demand. Innovation link Lanvin notes, as expected, the talent competitiveness performance of countries and GDP per person were tightly correlated in the GTCI rich countries rose to the top of the GTCI, poor countries ranked at the bottom. But what was surprising was an even stronger correlation between talent competitiveness and innovation performance, he added. Fast learners In each world region, there were countries that stood out. For example, even though Germany is ranked 20th  and is often lauded for its strong industrial base, Belgium is ranked slightly above Germany in the GTCI index, largely on the merits of its education system which leads to a stronger global knowledge workforce, whereas Germany is more weighted toward vocational skills. Among developing countries, there were emerging economies that bettered their regional peers. In sub-Saharan Africa, which falls at the bottom of the table in GDP per person, South Africa stood out for its large share of women in parliament, a measure of a country’s commitment to growing and attracting talent. In Latin America, Chile was noteworthy because of its high social mobility and its open borders. In Asia, China outperforms other countries in the region due to its ongoing efforts to strengthen its higher education system. The strong performance of these countries indicates that “global competition for talent is going to remain a rapidly-moving field, in which comparative advantages may be hard to keep,” the authors point out. Minding the gap The GTCI shows the global spread of talent competitiveness is indeed lopsided. Clustered at the top are rich countries that need to nurture both global knowledge and vocational skills, contrasted with lower-ranked emerging economies. The gap is widest on global knowledge skills, where rich countries are much stronger due to their well-developed ecosystem of universities and institutions that spur innovation, which are difficult for developing countries to replicate in the short term. There is a virtuous feedback loop in operation in rich countries, which are able to develop, attract and hold onto talent. By contrast, the GTCI shows poor countries may not be able to keep the skilled workers they have developed and attracted. What is more, many of these emerging countries are striving to expand their pool of the vocationally skilled. The draw of the metropolis The index suggests another front is emerging in the global war for talent. To sharpen its competitive edge, a large country can better match the agility of the best-performing small countries and city-states, through strengthening competition among cities within its borders, Evans said. Evans cites several examples of the increasing clout of cities as top talent draws: Barcelona, which has fashioned itself into a hub for information technology; the fashion industry, where there are now several capitals of “la mode”, with Paris no longer predominant, including London, Milan, New York, and Tokyo; and Singapore, which despite its modest market size, has positioned itself as the gateway to Asia, through building world-class infrastructure and striking partnerships. “Ten years ago, if you worked for a large U.S. company… people would say are you interested in moving to a management position in China? Today, typically the answer to the question is, are you sending me to Beijing, to Shanghai, to Guangzhou, or to the western provinces?” Evans said. Redressing imbalances The authors note that to address the skills gaps evident worldwide, and most acutely in some countries and regions, will require more cross-border mobility of talent, greater access to education for women, the disabled, marginalised ethnic and poor populations, and for companies to reinvigorate apprenticeship programmes to retain skilled workers and create local jobs. To address the complex and inter-connected challenges necessary to boost talent competitiveness will require government, business, organised labour, educators and individuals to collaborate through forging partnerships, the authors note. Download the full Global Talent Competitiveness Index report here. By  Paul Evans, Academic Director of the INSEAD Global Talent Competitiveness Index and Bruno Lanvin, INSEAD Executive Director for Global Indices with Sarah Wachter, Knowledge Contributor.

How storytelling can land you that job

How storytelling can land you that job How storytelling can land you that job Having the right skills, qualifications and experience for a job is crucial. However, if you constantly find yourself never making it to the second interview, then maybe it is time to brush up on your storytelling skills. It is true that job interviews run the risk of being dry, clockwork and quite boring at times. This is especially true if the recruiters are conducting a mass-hire employment drive to fill multiple positions. In these situations you really dont have enough time to properly demonstrate your capabilities and values, so you need to take advantage of what time you do have to engage with and beguile the recruiter. In nearly every interview you will hear those golden words, “Tell me about a time when.” This is your chance â€" dont blow it!Share more than whats on paperThe recruitment officer conducting your interview will have your resume and cover letter to hand, so will have access to your skill-set and other relevant information. There is no need to repeat in pe rson what is already written out, so take this opportunity to share not only work-related stories that are relevant to your prospective job, but also personal stories too.There are generally four different types of storytelling techniques you can try. Depending on your personality, you may feel more comfortable adopting one type over another. Lets take a look at these storytelling types and how they can help you in your interview. The what I learned storyThis can be work-related or personal, but is a story that tells the recruitment officer what you learned from a particular situation or experience. The whole purpose of this is to get across that you are open to learning new things and that you value gaining new knowledge and experience. Employers like to see this because it means you would be willing to take part in any workplace training needed for the job and you are not coming at this with a know-it-all attitude.The literal storyMost interviewees already use this approach whe n given the chance. This is a work-related story that perfectly showcases a particular skill you have.   This is a good approach if you are applying for a similar job to what you already have. Literal stories can demonstrate how you have handled important elements at work and solved problems that arose. It is highly likely that you may experience similar issues at some point in your new role, so recruiters will be pleased to hear how well you coped with these situations in the past.The lateral alignment storyOffice culture is a big thing with many large employers. They will be looking for candidates that would fit in seamlessly with the company culture and will be willing to adopt their values and work ethic. This is a great opportunity to use a personal story that can demonstrate a personal value you have that matches with their culture. For example, the job you are applying for may be in the vegan food sector, so if you are a vegan or vegetarian and against animal cruelty, then th is is virtual gold-dust that you simply must share! Lateral alignment stories are probably the most underused storytelling techniques, so if you have one â€" share it! The likeable storyThis is a storytelling technique that can be useful for those who are just starting out in their career or those wanting to switch direction, but lack the workplace experience. This should be a personal story that shows how capable you are at something and how adaptable you can be. It could also be a work-related story from a different work sector that demonstrates your transferable skills. This can also be for parents who are returning to work after a break to raise children, and could demonstrate your keen negotiating skills and time management experience. Basically any story that makes you likeable in the eyes of the recruiter.Make your storytelling relevantOverall, whatever story you decide to tell in interview should be relevant to the situation. Telling random stories that have no connection with the job you are seeking will leave the interviewer wondering what the heck you are talking about!Always be truthful with your storytelling. Made up stories, no matter how compelling, can damage your credibility in the long run. It is easier for us to remember and re-tell actual experiences than try to recall a made up story. Everything is  in the details â€" dont let the temptation to embellish your storytelling get out of hand. It may come back to haunt you!Use the KISS strategyKISS is the acronym for Keep It Simple, Stupid! Keep your storytelling to no longer than two minutes per story. This will encourage the flow of conversation back and forth between you and the interviewer. This can help keep the interview conversational rather than you dominating the time with lengthy storytelling.Storytelling is also known as behavioural interviewing, and more recruiters are using it to assess the suitability of job candidates during interview. Offering up dry facts may prove you have the qualifications and experience for the role, but your storytelling ability is what will get your personality over and could be your crucial element for winning the job. previous article Creatively Smart â€" A Stylish Resume Template Freebie next article Sales Resume Template Giveaway Humble Green you might also likeWhy Do You Want to Work Here? Best Answers to This Interview Question

How Recruiters Can Use Google Analytics to Jedi-Mind Trick Talent

How Recruiters Can Use Google Analytics to Jedi-Mind Trick Talent Every website out there should have either Google Analytics or at least some way of measuring hits, time spent on your site, what people clicked on and for how long, where the surfer was located (a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away) But did you know that Google can tell you some other pretty exciting stuff about the makeup of your surfers, ewoks and  wookies?  And it can also tell you the secret formula (the force) to winning your candidates’ and clients’ hearts and minds?   In other words, it tells you who they are, where they are, what devices they are using to access your site, which browser (blaster) they use to find you, and so on. Devices are really exciting! Here’s something not a lot of people have talked about (including the mighty Yoda!).   I was with a client recently and we were reviewing their website’s Google Analytics. We discovered that over 50% of the 40% of their surfers were using Apple devices. Translation: 20% (1 in 5) of their surfers were using an Apple device. Translation: A significant amount… so significant that the next stat on the list was Samsung S5 at 5% hence a lot of people are using Apple to access my client’s site. This data is gold dust! Im not sure we got to light sabres, but I bet it was a few! Surfing whilst sat on the toilet playing holographic chess with a wookie: I’ve done a lot of recruiter polls and a recent one I did proved that: male recruiters are more likely to do business whilst doing their business on the loo (toilet for our non-UK friends!)   I doubt that the rest of the mobile workforce are any different. In any event, I don’t remember the last time I sat at my desk, cleared it, put my mobile phone in the centre and tapped it with undivided attention. Rather when I use my phone I am multi-tasking like a loon!   My phone is part of me (its my Comlink!) Your Google stats tell you about me: So, I am surfing your site, I am holding my device. My device gets more me-time than my husband and kids. It gets more me-time than my hair, face, car, Millenium Falcon â€" it IS me â€" so when I use it to surf you, I am giving you a monstrous clue about what I care about, about what gets me through the day, what organises my time, what directs me, when to jump to light speed: it speaks, I listen! I am in love with my device! We can take the mick out of Her (movie) and how Joachin Phoenix fell in love with his OS (operating system), but I see some people who are pretty close to this “madness”. I care about my phone!   Am I unusual? I don’t think so…when was the last time you left the house without your phone, got to work and said, “Oh dear! I’ve left my phone at home, oh never mind, I’ll deal with that when I get home!”?  You then proceed to have a stress-free day and forget all about it!  How would Luke have coped without R2D2 in Empire Strikes back? (You could see what he has to say about this with a fab  R2D2 translation website I found recently!) Oh no! It’s more akin to you trying to behave like you haven’t had your right hand cut off (Luke!), whilst not behaving irrationally, fear of missing out #FOMO and downright panicking that if people can’t get hold of you the world will end (missed calls, missed placements, missed targets, youll not find out who your father really is!?) Talk dirty to me: So if we agree that the average mobile user cares about their device, and Google tells you which device they are using to look at you, then do the maths!   Use this data to help you create a communication strategy (Darth Vaders mind choke!).   If lots of people access your website with an Apple device, talk about Apple!   It’s really simple!   Talk about things that will help your surfer â€" keep them engaged. You are a niche finance recruiter? Tell accountants which top 10 apps for Apple they should be using!   Interim / Contract recruiter?   Tell your candidates which apps can help them travel at the speed of light and not spend loads in the process! Jedi temp specialist? Which apps can they use to engage their hyperdrive? Or you can bore me to tears: Or you can continue with what many recruiters seem to still be doing right now which is: To bore me to tears with irrelevant content,  (Star Wars Episodes 1-3!) To sound self-obsessed talking about themselves all day long… #yawn #NerfHerder! To be totally silent… (try harder!) #IsAnyoneThere #HelpMeObi Make your marketer a coffee: Check out your Google Analytics and see what your audience is telling you. This is just one of a myriad of stats which you can get from Google  and if you have 5 minutes you can massively improve the experience your surfers have, and perhaps even take the content plans to a wider social media audience (intergalactic!) If you don’t have access to your analytics, as your marketing department guards them with their lives, make them a cuppa (they rarely get thanks or intelligent questions) and ask them to do something that they will enjoy, as opposed to you simply thinking they are there to create a PowerPoint presentation for you…. Buy them a cake and have a useful conversation with them about who your audience is.   This will take you a massive step forward and have a massive impact on your ability to attract Jedis  and clients. Do you know what devices / operating systems / browsers your users surf you from?  Find out  it could take you beyond the Forest Moon of Endor!

Graduate schemes not for you Looking for something different University of Manchester Careers Blog

Graduate schemes not for you Looking for something different University of Manchester Careers Blog Those of you looking at internships and graduate schemes last semester will have noticed that there were a lot of big names recruiting.  Some of you may have found this off-putting. Big corporates and graduate schemes are not for everyone. In fact most people wont join a graduate scheme, they will find other entry routes into their first job after graduation and probably wont be working for one of the large companies that you see all over campus. Large organisations who recruit hundreds of graduates need to start their recruitment processes really early, some even start in summer.   Its simply a matter of processing all those applications and getting people through the interview and selection process in a timely manner so that the organisation can put its business processes in place for the year ahead. Smaller organisations or those with smaller entry numbers often recruit later, or as and when the need occurs, so if you havent found a graduate job or internship for next year do not despair. As a bit of a contrast this semester we will be taking a look at some of the options in the not for profit and public sector, as well as some of the other careers where a graduate scheme is not necessarily the route in. We will also be reminding you about options like: MGIP ( Manchester Graduate Internship Programe) 2013 entry opens end of January. Getting work experience through volunteering and internships.   Including the Volunteer for Your Career event 11-15 Feb. (More details coming soon) Events for budding entrepreneurs and those wanting to start their own business. Plus much more. Next up, the first of our blogs about working in the not for profit sector. All Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted employers Getting started job hunting job market

Top 9 things to put on your graduate internship bucket list

Top 9 things to put on your graduate internship bucket list So you’ve managed to secure yourself a great graduate internship, but how do you know if you’re really making the most of it? You might have just a few weeks to impress your boss, network as much as humanly possible and secure that all important reference at the end, so it’s important to set yourself goals. But don’t worry, tick off all the tasks on our graduate internship bucket list and you’re guaranteed to leave a lasting impression. Find yourself a mentor No Fairy Godmentor is going to come along and bibbidi-bobbidi-boo you to success, but mentors are a really useful way of gaining honest advice and feedback. A mentor can introduce you to their connections and suggest job vacancies they think youll be suitable for, so try and find someone you get on well with and see if theyll take you under their wing. Dont forget to get their contact details before you leave. Take a colleague to lunch I know what you’re thinking. Trying to network with a mouth full of food in the middle of a noisy restaurant is not an attractive prospect. But asking a colleague or your boss to lunch is the best way to really get to know them and learn from their experience. It may be tempting to sneak off and have a quiet hour to yourself, but see your lunch break as a chance to find out everything you really want to know from the people you admire. Its often hard to find the time to ask questions about how someone got to the position theyre in, or any tips they might have for those starting out. So ask them if they want to grab a coffee, and let the conversation flow. Keep an intern diary You probably havent kept a diary since your angsty teenage years, but dont forget to keep track of what youre learning on your graduate internship. This will help you to talk about your internship in future job interviews and show you didnt just waste a few weeks sat in a cubicle typing away. If social media figures have increased under your guidance make a note of it. If your boss praises you for your work, make a note of that too Make it through after work drinks At university, a few casual drinks in the evening would lead to six pints, three jaeger bombs, a spontaneous house party and a stonking hangover the next day. But the world of professional working life is different. If you dont want to spend the rest of your graduate internship hiding your head in shame while your colleagues pass round a video of you attempting the worm in the middle of a cocktail bar, pace yourself. Letting your hair down at a social event and showing a different side of yourself is an important part of making friendships that will last, but dont let it get out of hand. Network with people from other companies Meeting and networking with your colleagues is easy, but taking the time to meet people from other companies is harder. However, now that you’re part of the ‘inner circle’ through your internship, use the opportunity to meet people from a variety of different companies. Whether this is at meetings, press conferences, networking sessions or other events, it’s a great chance to meet like-minded people in the industry and scout out potential job opportunities. Make mistakes It might go against your instincts, but dont be afraid to mess up. I mean, try not to bankrupt the company or get yourself sacked, but slipping up and doing things wrong every now and then is a really important part of the learning process. If you make a mistake, just take a step back and think about what youve learned and how you can make sure it doesnt happen again. Your colleagues will appreciate that youre new and still learning the ropes, and will be more than happy to help you improve. Leave your mark Try and contribute at least one significant thing to the company before you leave;. This will impress your colleagues and help them to remember you. So many interns will just sit around waiting to be told what to do, so if you work proactively and bring ideas to the table, youre bound to leave a good impression. Dont set the bar too high though. Its not your job to overhaul the companys structure, but see if you can creatively change the way they write the weekly newsletter or post on social media. Nail the thank you gift Flowers? Card? Chocolate? Finding the perfect leaving present can be difficult. You want to show youre grateful for all their help and support, but you dont want to be too soppy about it. Stick to a card with a strong, meaningful message and maybe some chocolates or cake that can be passed around before you leave. If the sentiment is genuine, your colleagues will notice, so don’t overthink it. Get yourself a stand out reference It isn’t all ‘me me me’, but don’t forget to ask for a reference when you leave. This will help you when applying for your next job, and if you’ve left a good impression, your boss will probably be more than happy to help. Try and sort it before you leave even if you don’t have another job or interview lined up right away. Their memory of you will still be fresh and they’ll be able to write about you easier. You don’t want to leave them racking their brains six months down the line. It’s not an easy task, but graduate internships are a fantastic opportunity to get yourself on the job market, so it’s important to do as much as you can in the brief time that you have with the company. If you have fun and get stuck in, your internship will take you places. Images via Giphy Connect with Debut on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more careers insights.

How Tristan Walker got a job at foursquare and what you can learn from his story

How Tristan Walker got a job at foursquare and what you can learn from his story 54 Flares 54 Flares I read a blog post from Tristan Walker this morning about how he got a job at foursquare.  Its the kind of story that makes a 28 year old man fist pump high in the air.  Its the kind of story I wish more people read, and more people told.  Its the kind of story that Im going to share. Ill be using direct quotes from his blog post, but you can read about his incredible story here on his blog. Tristan had been using foursquare for about 2 months when he sent an email to co-founders Dennis Crowley and Naveen Selvadurai.  His passion for the service foursquare provides, coupled with his intense interest in learning from both co-founders was the driving force behind pulling the trigger.   Here is the email Tristan sent: Hey Dennis and Naveen How’s it going? Hope all is well! My name is Tristan Walker and Im a first year student (going into my second year) at Stanford Business School (originally from New York). Im a huge fan of what you both have built and excited about what you guys have planned for FourSquare. It is an awesome , awesome service. I would love to chat with you guys at some point, if you’re available, about FourSquare. This year, I’m looking to help out and work extremely hard for a startup with guys I can learn a ton from. Dennis, with your experience at Google and the Dodgeball product, and Naveen, with your experience at Sun and engineering in general, I know I could learn a great deal from you both! Before business school, I was an oil trader on Wall Street for about two years and hated it! Moved out to the Bay/Stanford to pursue my passion for entrepreneurship and the startup world. This past spring I had the opportunity to work for Twitter as an intern and learned a ton. Solidified my commitment to working at a startup that I’m passionate about, and FourSquare is one of those startups that I believe in. I know you guys are probably getting inundated with internship-type requests, but thought it’d be worth a shot! I can assure you Im humble and Im hungry! Let me know if you’d be interested in chatting further. I definitely look forward to hearing from you. Stay awesome! Tristan @tristanwalker Tristan didnt hear back right away.  In fact, he sent 8 emails to Dennis and Naveen before receiving one from them.  The key lesson here is that persistence always pays off.    When you do hear back from your target, it might not always be what you want to hear, but it is certainly better than nothing.  In Tristans case, he heard exactly what he wanted. The email Tristan received was from Dennis, who wanted to know if Tristan was ever in NYC.  Here is Tristans response: hey dennis, yeh I was planning on being in ny tomorrow [i was in LA at the time!…and no, i definitely had zero plans to be in NYC] how about we meet up live at your offices? -tristan This is the most fantastic piece to the story.  Tristan had no plans of being in NYC, but he purchased his flight ticket, hopped on a plane, and was in NYC the NEXT DAY to meet with one of the founders of foursquare.  When your opportunity calls, you need to do whatever you can to answer the bell.  If you dont, regret will live in you forever. Tristan ended up working at foursquare, unpaid for over 30 days.  He gained the co-founders trust and further increased his passion in the service they provide.  Two years after sending his first email, hes currently the Director of Business Development at foursquare.  Not too shabby. What are you taking away from Tristans story?

Resume Writing Service For It

Resume Writing Service For ItWhen looking for a resume writing service for it, there are many things that you should consider. You want to make sure you hire someone who is qualified and able to provide you with the information you need in a way that is easy to understand. This will make the process much easier for you.One of the things you should be careful about is who is doing the writing for your resume. Some people may not be well versed in how to write resumes or who to hire to do this. This is why you should look for a service that is trained and specializes in this type of writing. If you hire someone who has never done this before, it could cause a lot of problems down the road.Another thing you should keep in mind when looking for a resume writing service for it is that they should be upfront about what services they offer. This means that they should provide you with the entire course of writing a resume and also they should be available to answer any questions you have ab out the process. They should be flexible with their deadlines as well. Of course, this all depends on the time of year you will be sending your resume and the length of time you need them to provide you with an analysis of your skills and experience.You should also make sure that the writer you choose has the experience and qualifications to write for the job you are looking for. The more you know about the person you are hiring, the better your chances of getting the job. You can do research by checking out resumes for people that have had similar jobs as yours or someone else's. This will give you an idea of what to expect in terms of the writing style.You should also check the credentials of the resume writing service you are looking at to make sure they are legitimate. This means that they should be able to provide you with a copy of their proof of insurance. It is important to make sure the company you choose is legitimate so that you do not get taken advantage of in any way.A resume writing service for it is an important piece of the job search puzzle. Not only does it provide you with information and help you write your resume, but it will also give you guidance as to what kind of resume writing style you should use. It will help you know what questions to ask during the application process. It will also give you advice as to which parts of your resume you should leave out so that it does not hurt your chances of getting the job.Take a good look at the company that you are considering hiring. It should be reputable, have proof of insurance, and it should be willing to provide you with an analysis of your skills and experience. Finally, if you choose a company that is relatively new to the industry, you should consider this when you make your final decision.This advice is for you to keep in mind when you are looking for a resume writing service for it. You want to make sure you find a company that has the experience, credentials, and writing style you ne ed to get the job. This will make it much easier for you to get the job and get on your way to success.