How to Recruit Talent in Europe

While Europe still has the rather arrogant attitude thinking the global workforce prefers working in Europe, the rest of the world has taken a more realistic point of view. Has Europe become the new hunting ground for talent? China, Singapore, and Australia already discovered their way to European talent. Recently countries like Brazil, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia also source the most talented Europeans. Due to the euro crisis and high unemployment rates, many often young and highly educated talent, and among them scientists leave Europe in search for better career perspectives. Europe is Losing Talent to the Rest of the World According to Spanish statistics, over 700,000 people mainly high educated and very talented workforce left the country to continue their career abroad. They leave Spain with a shortage of scientists. And this phenomenon will not stop while Europe struggles to recover from the current recession. According to Rainer Munz chief economist of Erste Groupe (an Austrian savings bank) who is also linked to the (Brussels think tank) Bruegel a war for talent will arise in Europe. In 2050 there will be a shortage of 60 million people within the European workforce. Meanwhile, European institutions and companies still act on the basic assumption that every Asian wants to come to Europe, while the statistical facts show the opposite: Europe looses more talent (in quality) to Asia and the rest of the world than vice versa. China s own need for an international workforce will explode in seven years. Combine mentioned misconceptions on the European labor market with talent deficits in other parts of the world, and employers eventually will have to develop initiatives to source, attain, and retain talent internationally. There Is No Such Thing as a European Labor Market Europe will increasingly become hunting ground for talent. The enormous complexity of the composition of its labor market is Europe s occasional luck in the international war for talent. Local talent acquisition without having feet on European ground is not as easy as it might sound. The reason is simple: there is no such thing as a European labor market. And therefore a standard recruitment strategy for the entire European labor market is an illusion. Let s take a look at Europe s labor market and how to recruit there. The (Im)possibilities of the European Labor Market Europe consists of 51 labor markets with strong local differences Europe consists of 51 countries. In total

28 countries are member of the European Union. Membership of the EU allows citizens to travel and work without limitations. This open-market space indicates an open labor market where employers and employees can unite and manage the supply and demand dynamics of talent within the EU. Note the word indicates in the former sentence: historic backgrounds and cultural roots limit companies and citizens to create a European labor and job market. Belgians and Dutch people are from small countries and friendly good neighbors. They even speak the same language, but the cultural differences make it almost impossible to work together. Differences also concern: HR legal procedures and rules: the status and rights of every kind of labor contract differ per country. For example: a valid reason to fire an employee in one country possibly will not hold in a neighboring country. Firing someone due to economic reasons is scarcely possible in France, due to the complex labor legislation that protects to employees to an extreme extent. This protection can also be translated in a very inflexible, stringent labor market, which is unique in Europe. Recruitment: how employers and employees find each other and unite varies a great deal. While in the Netherlands it is common to look for a job on a job board, in Spain and Italy you need your personal network to find you a job. Expectations from both parties, based on unwritten rules, lead to misconceptions even within the EU. In France handwritten application letters are not unusual; in Italy the application letters are extremely polite and formal, whereas in Slovenia they are straightforward, as written in Eurograduate.com. In some areas you are obliged to mention in a job interview that you have a second employer or your own small company where you work during the evenings. No European Recruitment Standard Data on the most effective recruitment approach on the local labor markets in Europe is non-existent. There is not a European recruitment standard. The majority of the local markets do not even have a local standard. What we need to create this universal European standard is: Understanding of each other s recruitment language : in one country the word candidate might have a different meaning in another country. Time to fill is also a term with different meanings. Comparable recruitment procedures, mainly by using the same definitions across countries, but also by adjusting elements of the procedure. In Italy psychometric assessments are common in addition to three to four interviews with the aim to get a good feeling about the candidate s personality. In Germany the candidate s expertise is tested during two interviews. Integrated data and information in one source including the dynamics of the local labor markets. This is only possible with a universal recruitment language and procedures. Global ATS and e-recruitment systems are gaining market share in Europe, which supports the development of international recruitment standards. However, it is not realistic to expect a European recruitment standard before 2020. Limited Collaboration Between European Countries The lack of a universal recruitment standard is one of the causes of the limited collaboration between European countries in creating a unified European labor and job market. Let s take a look at the first indications of European labor market knowledge exchange: Neighboring countries with languages and legislations that are more or less alike put effort in opening borders for cross-border recruitment. The number of Dutch talent who work just across the border is increasing (especially in Germany) and the unemployment rate in this area is decreasing. Conferences with a European character. Collection of international data on recruitment. LinkedIn links talent across borders. Non-Europeans recruiting in Europe Besides these first signals, international recruitment to optimize the match between demand and supply on the European market is scarce: country borders still work like Chinese walls. The main reasons are the cultural, language, and juridical differences. What should you think about effective recruitment of non-Europeans in Europe when the Europeans themselves are limited in their own international recruitment success? For a successful international recruitment approach, you need to answer the following questions: Where can talent be found locally, and how do you get in touch with them? How do you appeal to talent, and connect with them in a way that meets their ambitions and needs? How to Recruit Successfully in the European Labor Market This is how you do not want to recruit in Europe: asking your non-European advertising or recruitment agency to come up with a strategy or plan. Despite all their hard work and best interests, these agencies will rely on traditional, familiar media parties and global players like newspapers, LinkedIn, Monster, Adecco, or Michael Page. These companies are global players but no local champions. This is important to bear in mind, because Europe exists of mainly local champions (see graphic at the top). LinkedIn seems an excellent choice for European recruitment. Nevertheless, its strength ends when enteri