My candidate, who is in the last cohort of Gen Xers and has more than 20 years of work experience, was still looking for ways to advance his career and find a better workplace rather than retiring like other workers his age.
He had been a seasoned professional in the corporate customer segment with expertise in local and international large enterprises. After nearly four years of temporarily withdrawing to the back, he wanted to be able to directly "fight" again, meet clients, and bring in profitable agreements for the business.
He actively applied for a job post on Navigos Search at that time. Although his profile was remarkable, it did not precisely meet the client's requirements. I gave him a call to thank him for his interest and set up a face-to-face meeting to better grasp his job requirements. Thanks to our conversation, I had a good understanding of his strengths and standout qualities to highlight to potential employers.
About two weeks later, the first opportunity presented itself, but even though we had meticulously planned, the "fate" was not yet "determined." One month later, I received a request to recruit the position of Sales Director from an FDI customer (foreign-invested enterprise) and immediately thought of him. We felt pretty confident in applying after clarifying the client's requirements. Because clients are so demanding and picky, the hiring procedure is stringent. Following the application round, there were two more rounds of drills, presentations, and defenses before a council, including region representatives from Singapore.
The exercises were regarded as tests with highly challenging questions, and each round was given between 10 and 15 days for research and preparation. Since I could not administer the test alongside my candidate, I tried to provide him with market data that I had amassed from working with applicants and clients. He was one of the two candidates customers were most satisfied with during the process, but he also confused them because they needed to figure out who to pick. It took about a month to have the final selection, and during that period, my candidate and I encouraged each other that we had tried our best.
The moment we received the official notification of admission from the client, we burst into tears, jokingly saying that it was no different from when the jury proclaimed the Miss. He moved to a new place, where his love had been nurtured from the days of diligently doing research exercises, and he was free to explore his boundless talent with challenging tasks every day. He continued to text to share his joys in his new position, the happiness of his family when he arrived here, and how he "devoted" his heart and soul to the company. When I think back, I'm so grateful that he and I were able to "Live the Journey."
Like many candidates, his quest to find a new "landing" was harrowing. Countless difficult obstacles await every decision to shift jobs. But Navigos Search and I will keep bringing more happy and fulfilling professional adventures with all the zeal, commitment, and responsibility of a recruitment consultant. When I can understand and experience the purpose of my work—the profession of "matchmaking" in human resources—that is also a source of great delight for me.
