Global Professional Search: Skills Employers Look For

Trip to Denver: Global Professional Search – what employers look for.Skills: Language Proficiency and other “Power Skills”Language skills-second language/Lack of set skills (now referred to as “power skills”)-writing: business, english language-tolerance for ambiguity-cultural intelligence (competing global mindset: 3 elements)-problem-solving and decision-making (work in teams and operate in situations of conflict)-self-confidence.The monoglot ceiling.The Expatriate (Expat) – what is an expat?Today, regardless of the size of an org.(entre,small,medium) there exists a need for expats that possess a specific skill-set. expat: someone who works(live) abroad representing an org . HR execs look for 2 primary determinants that form their experience will produce the candidates that have the highest potential to serve to as an expat.Selection process: Leading Determinants1.Technical competence: in any functional area and a track record of success that you can support (mktg, fin, acct..).Must be able to demonstrate that you have this competence in application materials.2.Adaptiveness: be able to adapt and thrive in new, unusual, unfamiliar settings ambiguous environment. Be able to adjust quickly to environments that are distinctly different from what was planned for, identify your new reality =make quick decisions and move forward. *Don’t spend any time in the “head space” of what should have been.Adaptiveness specifically speaks to an individual’s potential for. a)self-maintenance and resourcefulness (specifically when things don’t so as planned.b)be able to interpret - evaluate the immediate environment which likely included cultural aspects.c)develop, based on the new reality, productive relationships. d)demonstrate versatility in the new realitywith those new relationships: be a problem solver.//Technique skill and adaptiveness will open the door for potential interviews.*so need to be able to demonstrate these 2 things in application materials.Individuals that are mobile and have the personal flexibility to move around, even a movements notice are highly attractive to HR execs that looking for potential candidates to serve in an expat role.3.Younger vs Older individuals >younger people is more flexible to travel and they are more open and individuals are more experienced with everything.Next, HR execs start to look for key competencies. The priority for the competencies, across industries:1.Global mindset and CQ. 2.Cultural sensitivity (geocentrism, polycentrism).3.Likes change.4.Think strategically.5.Leadership.6.Flexibility.7.Business acumen.8.Interpersonal skills.9.Problem-solve and decision making from qualitative info.10.EQ-self aware of your own emotions, control your emotions, recognise emotions of others and manage emotions of others.11.language ability.12.prior global experience .Strategic thinkingis a way of thinking that is applied to the individual: in our case in the context of being effective and successful in cross-cultural situations. Given that the U.S. is low in terms of long-term orientation (that is we are more short-term oriented) it is less likely that we as individuals automatically think strategically. The goal nave is that we can train ourselves to do so. Decisions we make when we think strategically will likely be different than if we make decisions from a more proximate standpoint.Strategic thinking requires “synthesis”-being able to connect the dots which does imply that we can identify the individual dots(variables, factors, points of information).There is 4 major attributes that an individual must develop in order to become an effective strategic thinker:1. Have a “systems perspective”:see the whole board”-know all the parts/pieces how they individually act and how they act with respect to the other pieces.Systems perspectives are exceptionally effective in complex situations (e.g.cross-cultural interactions). It allows the expat to respond to changes in the environment rapidly and effectively. 2. Be able to recognise and resist that will threaten strategic goal attainment(focus).3.Think in time: there is a gap between your current reality and where you’re thinking to set to ultimately-don't get hang up on what’s behind you or negative targets that exist in your mind.4.Intelligent opportunism: recognise and be responsive to good opportunities you did not anticipate and incorporate them.*Strategic thinking does foster better, more effective decision-making. It does require that we continually be open to collect information. Leadership(effective) typically hard to define(in words), but is relatively easy to recognise when we experience it. What is considered as effective leadership in one society (culture) may not be effective in another society cultural values of any given society will inform what behavioural attitudes would be considered as effective from a leadership standpoint. *There is no set of leader behaviours and styles that are globally acceptable. Therefore, there is a critical need for prospective experts to be able to the effective in terms of cross cultural leadership. Even without experience in this, having a global mindset exhibiting CQ strategic thinking puts a person in a better position to be successful in cross-cultural settings.Leadership in the 21st Century – What’s required?Most leadership theory is developed from a western-based, “Androcentric”(trait, behaviour contingency theory) framework which hinders the shift that is required to adapt to non-western environments. Androcentric: a western based perspective of adopting a more masculine point-of-view and influencing behaviour. These traits mean that leadership theory to date is inadequate as applied to cross-cultural settings. Communication & Cross-Cultural Interactions.Leadership in cross-cultural interactions calls for:1)Having a global mindset /2)Being able to speak to CQ/3)Demonstrate cultural diversity (and appreciation).4)Strategic thinking./*In general, leadership styles that are likely to be most effective in cross-cultural interactions are those styles where the individual incorporates into their own behaviour the dominant cultural values of any given country.While English is the official language of business globally, this has not de-valued the importance of being individuals that have a second language ability working for the company. For most “western” societies, specially the US, considered to be monolingual (monoglot).Why?For many benefits that individuals with second language ability should communicate to companies.1)Adds significant value to companies as they complete in a globally competitive environment. 25% of US companies claim to have lost business opportunities due to lack of having someone in-hand with a second language.2)Value-add to the individual-10-25% increase in learning potential as well as broadening career opportunities.3)Due ti second language-learn about culture : higher CQ and higher value to company and to yourself.4)Communicates something implicit about yourself and your qualities ofcharacter. “Requiring more of yourself then what is minimally required of you”5)Communicates (indirectly) credibility and competency.6)builds self-confidence//These benefits are reinforcing-positive, reinforcing feedback loop.Preparing for and managing expectations for expat assignments. Range of expat and role of millennials: Long duration = 2 years or more -separate contracts associated with the length of the assignment, role, responsibilities, objectives, goals, etc., clearly stated-Millenials fill most of these assignments (for the next decade).Short duration = less than 2 years, could be just days or weeks=Expats assignments have a risk of high failure rates. Selection process is intense. U.S. organizations have the highest failure rates (turnover).Failure rates due to inadequate preparationby employee or company. Reasons/Factors contributing to expat failure:1.Culture Shock – anxiety/stress from surprise *must recognize/manage emotion. Qualities of character.2.Failure to develop and nurture relationships *especially when culture is distant.3.Family: short duration expat assignments or long-they put stress on familySD – Partners tend not to be supportive as an expat travels abroad on assignment with some frequency. Stress is often transferred to the expat while abroad about what is happening at home. Often times when there is a frequency of travel, the person left behind may build up a lack of trust – what are you doing? Who are you meeting with?LD – Family is often supported to be relocated with the expat as they serve on their assignment.Culture shock – family members unable to adapt to the cultural differences. They often do not receive any preparation outside of what their partner may provide. Can cause family to move back home without the expat before end of assignment, or along with the expat = turnover. 4.Organization – lack of training prior to departure. This is especially true for shorter duration assignments. 5.Identifying the wrong people:Not asking the right questions + Not taking into account gender role differences between home/foreign.Factors that Influence Selection Process.Expat success – selection process given all that we have learned. First – U.S. companies look for potential expat candidates from individuals that are performing above expectation in their functional/technical area of expertise (actg, finance, mis, mktg, etc).There are other factorsthat will then come into play: 1.Cultural Similarity: proximate cultures present less culture shock and amount of adaptation to differences.2.Degree of complexity of the assignment – level of technical skill and a track record of high performance will influence having higher success rates of the assignment. 3.Expat degree of ability to perform using their soft/power skills - need to be able to develop and nurture relationships (verbal skills, nonverbal skills. Let’s not forget the importance that alcohol plays in business – especially international business).4.EQ – emotional intelligence starts with self-awareness. Do you know yourself, what your strengths/weaknesses are, what is required of you as you consider expat assignments. If you are not self-aware, you will be more likely to put yourself in a situation that you don’t want to be in.