The obvious reality is that HR has never been your friend

Post published:12/02/2018
Reading time:4 mins read

Young girl covering her face with her hands

Can you remember when HR was called the Personnel Department and typically reported to the Head of Accounting? Back then, people were seen as a number or a cost in the company’s income statement.

It’s probably only 10 to 15 years ago that we in Thailand became familiar with the words HRD and OD. And it was also about that time where universities in Thailand started to offer HR and organizational development in their HR curriculum. Since then we have seen HR Business Partner being introduced in bigger organizations or more recent HR Analyst. What’s next? (more…)

85% find their next job through their network; not from recruiters!

Post published:01/02/2018
Reading time:3 mins read

That’s exactly my point, and Anne is spot on in her article. It’s all good that you want to speak to the headhunter, but honestly your odds are better if you take the phone and call the people you know.

Take your box of business cards, then pick up one by one and call. Tell the person that you will soon be available and if he/she knows anyone who could use a talent like yourself. (more…)

Artificial Intelligence no match for headhunters

Post published:29/01/2018
Reading time:2 mins read

No match as in AI not being as good, strong, or clever as human recruiters who can actually SELL a job.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics once reported that 83% of a labor market is passive, meaning people are not actively looking for a new job. And consider that only about 20% of the six to seven million higher educated Thais are registered LinkedIn user (and a lot less are regular users that is). So what does that tell you? (more…)

What’s your New Year career resolution?

Post published:11/01/2018
Reading time:5 mins read

Being in Asia, there is little in the weather which tells you that we are once again in the month of January. The festive holiday season is now just behind us and you may have thought of your own personal New Year’s resolutions. It’s the time for reflecting on the changes we all want in the coming year.

Have you made yours yet? What about one of these resolutions: (more…)

Headhunter Horror Stories

Post published:04/01/2018
Reading time:2 mins read

Seeming disinterested, arrogantly smiling and over- or under dressing for an interview – these mistakes can happen to anyone. But the almost unbelievable behavior of some candidates can leave a deep impression on the psyche of any hiring manager. (more…)

European economies best at recruiting and retaining top talent; what about Thailand?

Post published:27/12/2017
Reading time:3 mins read

Switzerland, Denmark and Belgium top the World Talent Ranking in IMD’s prestigious annual report that assesses the methods countries are using to attract and keep the talent that their businesses need to succeed. 11 out of the top 15 economies are European countries.

The ranking of 63 countries, including Thailand, is based on how countries perform in areas of education, apprenticeships, workplace training, language skills, cost of living, quality of life, remuneration and tax rates. (more…)

The dreaded candidate black hole

Post published:08/11/2017
Reading time:2 mins read

It’s really hard to believe that many hiring managers and recruiters still don’t get it. That it’s a courtesy to inform applicants and candidates, who have been interviewed, that unfortunately another candidate was chosen for the job.

I love this line in the story that I quote below, that only one person can land a specific job, but everybody can have a good experience for the duration of the recruitment journey, even if they’re not ultimately the chosen candidate.

Here’s what you say on the phone or you write in the email: (more…)

Two ways to test candidate personality and intelligence before you hire

Post published:19/07/2017
Reading time:7 mins read

Picture a jigsaw puzzle! Then think about the next candidate you are going to interview. This candidate is like the jigsaw puzzle you just pictured, a human being put together by many different shapes and forms of puzzle pieces.

Imagine for a second that you only have one single puzzle piece and are asked to guess what the complete picture is. Likely an impossible task, wouldn’t you say?

Assessing a candidate’s profile to determine the fit to your hiring needs is not done by just reading a resume once. It’s not done by just one telephone screening and nothing else. It’s not done by a short or one-time in-person interview. It would certainly be a risk to decide whether to hire, or not, if the only thing you did was call a previous employer for a reference check. (more…)

Forbes ranks Boyden in Top Ten in executive search

Post published:11/05/2017
Reading time:2 mins read

Forbes recently launched their first ever ranking of executive recruiting firms. Boyden has ranked #8 out of the 250 firms included in the set.

To assign rankings, Forbes gathered 20,000 responses from executives and HR managers. Forbes asked them to name the top firms with which they had experience. The companies with the most recommendations are ranked highest. (more…)

Secrets of successful selection

Post published:10/02/2017
Reading time:7 mins read

There are now about 300 third-party recruiters in Thailand who are licenced to help recruit Thais for jobs in Thailand. Not many know this, but the recruitment industry in Thailand is extremely regulated and is governed by the Job Seekers Protection Act enacted in 1985 (31 years ago). Recruitment companies must submit a monthly report to the Ministry of Labour showing the names and details of the candidates they have helped place with their clients.

Tom Sorensen is a 14-year veteran head-hunter in Thailand, now at Boyden, one of the longest established players in the executive recruitment business. In the world and in Thailand. We asked Tom Sorensen to discuss the changing face of recruitment and the role of recruitment professionals. (more…)