After working in the headhunting industry for almost six years, I've concluded that the three most valuable qualities I can offer candidates to help them find the best job at each significant stage of their careers or find a job they love, which are:
- Knowledge of the market and salary
- Consulting on short- and long-term career development skills
- Trust
Each candidate views professional achievement as a step toward happiness on the road to achieving their career goals. For me, the most noteworthy achievement was assisting individuals in finding the ideal work opportunity and watching them transform in just three months.
I approached him as a potential candidate on the LinkedIn platform in June 2022. At that time, he was still working for a large Technology company in Singapore. With more than 11 years of studying at University and working in the Lion City, everything around him is stable and familiar. Still, deep in his heart, he always wants to return to his homeland to develop his career. This is a significant decision that requires thorough consideration and adoption. That's why he was still confused when I met him and did not dare to decide for himself boldly.
However, I continue to hunt for chances to speak with him on the phone and schedule a time to meet him online to better grasp his background, outlook, and employment expectations. After a nearly hour-long session that yielded little information, I concluded that the applicant belonged to a group of applicants who were reserved and silent, extremely passionate about technology. With this personality mix, I immediately advised him on two businesses—two options with vastly different work environments. After discovering these two businesses, I had to search the market to find one that fit all three criteria:
- The job was something he liked to do.
- The salary matched his expectations about Vietnam.
- Environmental factors, which I consider extremely important for a group of technical candidates like him.
Even though the first company was quite prominent in Vietnam, it was very different from the environments he had previously worked in because only 20% of it was influenced by foreign cultures. In addition to professional factors, he also needs various other skills to succeed in a big firm in Vietnam, like more flexible communication abilities, the capacity for negotiation, etc... In addition, since he did not share his coworkers' language or way of thinking, it would take him a lot of time and effort to get along with them and work with them. This was an unfamiliar obstacle and a chance for him to hone his abilities and adaptability. I questioned whether that was the direction he wanted to go in.
As for the second company, it was almost 100% foreign elements. Hence, the environment was comfortable and flexible, and the work would be purely technical. He would be free to live as he saw fit, go to work every day with a sense of contentment and happiness, and stay focused on his specialization. Additionally, since his coworkers were all technical, he would find it quite simple to interact with them, share experiences, and come to a decision. It was relatively safe to make this decision. I thoroughly reviewed this to help him understand the current workplace culture in Vietnam, choose the best application, and save time and effort when looking for a new job.
With the hope that the candidate would have more opportunities when looking for a suitable environment, I still shared with him: "That is my observation and assessment via working with clients, as well as listening to other candidates' sharing. However, even if you have friends there, you should still speak with them. Most importantly, your sentiments and experiences will ultimately determine what to do. I believe that to make the most informed comparison and decision for yourself, you should still interview representatives from both companies. After more than ten years, it is a grave choice to change your country, workplace, and community."
In two opportunities, there was a client I had worked with for a long time. Although the second organization has a very low recruitment density, it would be open to considering and hiring qualified people if there were any. I thus talked to the customer about this profile while giving him advice, and they agreed to receive the CV for assessment and evaluation. I was pleased with myself since I had successfully matched prospects with clients, even though they had no immediate need for recruiters.
After more than two months of deliberating to participate in the hiring process, which included five to six rounds of exams and interviews, he was presented with highly competitive offers from both organizations. Both businesses perceive him as qualified for a Senior or Expert position due to his solid technique skill, intelligence, diplomatic demeanor, and capacity for problem-solving. He went with the second business. He wants to return to Vietnam to live there and take care of his parents. In addition, he hopes to settle down in his work and get married. He decided on a technical organization since it was easier for him to concentrate on refining his skills. He knows that his proficiency in other soft skills is limited to what is necessary for his job.
This was the perfect choice, as he realized a year later that going to work at the second business was simple and that everyone there was friendly and eager to share technical expertise. In addition, he married the ideal match, and the two of them successfully created a happy family. After hearing what he said, I got the impression that things being complete and straightforward also made people feel pleased and at ease. I feel very fortunate that I could "live the journey" with him as he pursued a meaningful job.
