We all know that employers have a very specific idea about who they want to hire in some cases, and often look for professionals from the local market. The question I sometimes ask myself is, should it be our responsibility to advise a client of whether to broaden their search criteria when they already have a very clear idea of what they want?

Recently, the subject of “assuming” was highlighted in the Trayvon Martin case in the US. Just in case you are not aware of the story, Trayvon was a black US teenager  who was on his way home from the grocery store when a neighbourhood watch officer by the name of George Zimmerman, decided that he was acting suspiciously. He therefore tried to apprehend him and the resulting scuffle led to him shooting and killing the young man. When asked about why, his response was Trayvon was wearing a hoodie.

The jury is out on whether or not this was a race related crime but it does raise questions about how much we tend to make assumptions about people based on their appearance or our own perceptions.

I personally believe that as recruitment consultants, it is in our best interest to offer advice wherever possible, hence the consultant word in our job title! Being told that someone is not right based on their race, sex or even age without asking is a wasted opportunity.

After all, if we are lazy and accept that some people are just not right based on their looks alone, we may get caught out just like George Zimmerman, the presumption will result in a backlash, particularly when in this case all that was found on the teenager’s body was iced tea and a bag of skittles.

employers, hiring process, job search, jobs in Singapore, recruitment, recruitment and selection, recruitment consultants, search criteria

Morgan McKinley’s 2012 Salary Guide is now available. It provides market intelligence on remuneration and hiring trends across the financial services sector and commerce & industry organisations in Singapore.

Download the 2012 Salary Guide now

We hope you find our Singapore Salary Guide 2012 informative. If you have any questions, feedback or would like to discuss any of the findings, please contact us directly.

hiring market Singapore, hiring trends, jobs in Singapore, jobs market 2012, Morgan McKinley, Singapore Salary Guide 2012

A week ago, no-one had heard of Jeremy Lin. Since then he has electrified the NBA with his inspirational play and has become a media sensation and a fan favourite. The Jeremy Lin phenomenon continues to grow and has far reaching effects outside of the sports world.

Take a long hard look around your workplace – for those in management positions, is there a Jeremy Lin in our midsts who is a star in the making?

Our colleague Benny Lee from the Hong Kong office discusses about Jeremy Lin and maximising opportunities. Click here to read more.

Career advice, determination, Harvard University, Jeremy Lin, job promotion, Kobe Bryant, Linsanity, NBA, New York Knicks, seizing the opportunity, talent management, 林書豪

Our colleague Anthony Truchot from the Tokyo office looks into how to survive in a tough market, providing you with tips for what you can do during this difficult time.

To read more, click here.

Career advice, coping with job loss, how to handle job loss, staying positive while looking for a job, Unemployment

IT recruitment within financial services in Singapore has remained comparatively strong in the wake of the latest economic slowdown. Let’s take a look at some of the recent and predicted trends in this busy jobs market.

Singapore trading up
There is healthy demand for IT trading support professionals, due in part to a new wave of trading houses setting up in Singapore. Historically, global banks focused their front office functions for Asia Pacific in Hong Kong. We are now seeing these banks increase their emphasis on front office functions in Singapore. The increased business focus has created demand for IT professionals that have good domain knowledge, leadership skills and above all good communication skills.

Off-shoring
Cost awareness has made way for continued off-shoring of more technically ‘hands on’ functions to lower cost countries. India has dominated here over recent years; however a shift in cost benefits is seeing a rise in off-shoring to countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines.

Conservative salary increases
After witnessing salary increases of around 6% in 2011, it is predicted that increases will be more conservative this year due to ongoing economic uncertainty. However hiring levels are expected to remain sturdy in response to restructuring and new start-ups.

Have you considered contracting?
Another trend that should continue into 2012 is the upsurge in contract openings within banks in Singapore. This follows more mature hiring trends in the West and is likely to affect most business functions. Contracting provides banks and other companies with increased autonomy and flexibility in their hiring, as approval processes for permanent roles have become stringent and more difficult for hiring managers to justify. Some professionals are wary that contract roles are less stable and this is an attitude that will take time to shift. It may be comforting to know however that over 65% of contractors we place in Singapore have their contracts extended or converted to permanent roles.

contract jobs in Singapore, Financial Services, IT jobs in Singapore, IT trading support

Your CV or resume has probably been the first and possibly only tool you have been using to apply for jobs so far. You probably update it every time you decide to move jobs as you know recruiters always want a copy and employers often ask you to talk through it at the start of a job interview.

A resume or CV is not the only way to get noticed by potential employers

However – as well as keeping your CV/resume polished and up-to-date, it’s worth being aware of the other methods that companies are starting to employ in order to filter out strong candidates.

The Wall Street Journal yesterday reported that a venture capital firm, Union Square Ventures asked investment analyst job applicants to submit links representing their ‘web presence’ such as a Twitter profile or blog. They were also asked to supply short videos demonstrating their interest in the position.

The reason for employers’ interest in these new ways of sourcing candidates is that CVs can be a limited way to find out information about an individual.  They provide the important, but basic factual information on work experience and education.  However, there is little insight into personality and the possible ‘fit’ the candidate may have with the rest of the company.

In the current uncertain economic climate, every hire a company makes it crucial and employers are likely to be more interested than ever in finding out more about the person they might be interviewing.  So even if your recruiter or interviewer only asks for a CV or resume, it’s definitely worth spending time carefully creating and moulding your online persona as it may well help your next career move.

For advice on how to stand out from the crowd both in your CV/resume and online, contact Morgan McKinley at singapore@morganmckinley.com

career move, cv, job interview, Morgan McKinley, potential employers, resume

Whilst considering the different ways to market my specialist area of recruitment, it was suggested that I use one single social networking website and with a single click of a button send my adverts, articles and discussions to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I went away and personally evaluated each social network and their purpose. I have accounts with all three and based on my usage, I wondered if I could possibly communicate my job as a recruitment consultant via all three. I decided I couldn’t.

For me; Linkedin is my professional portal which connects me to employers, job seekers (both current and potential), globally based colleagues and Singapore based professionals with whom I aim to build my reputation. It is open on my desktop and updated many times a day and acts as my professional ‘megaphone’ to the market.

Facebook is more personal; people can reconnect with family and friends scattered around the world. For me, it’s about showing off my indulgent ex-pat life in Singapore and an easy way to send your greetings to your long lost friends especially during festive seasons!

Twitter is the place where I rant and rave. Oh, and to keep an eye on my daily horoscopes.

So based on my theory and personal experience online, there is a time and a place for each type of social networking platform and they may not be best combined.

What other social media websites do you use for job hunting? Let us know and maybe we’ll see you there!

Lastly, on behalf of the Morgan McKinley Singapore team, we wish you a merry Christmas.

Facebook, job hunting, job seekers, Linkedin, Social Media, social media usage, Twitter

In recruitment, there is no such thing as an informal interview. Our colleague Cheik Ballo from the Tokyo office discusses what to expect in these informal meetings.

Visit the blog to find out more!

informal interview, informal meeting, Interview advice, job interviews, recruitment process

A few years ago, my client asked me, “Sagar, I’ve never interviewed anyone before, how do I run it?”

It got me thinking – we’re heavily focused on providing interview tips for job seekers, however it is equally important that the interviewer is confident and comfortable during this process. So here are a few tips for the interviewer:

1. Be on time – This might sound obvious but I have lost count of the number of times that an interviewer has arrived late. An interview is a two way street and first impressions matter for both parties. Being late will give an impression of not considering the interview important.
2. Set the agenda – Interviews have a time limit, so it is important to utilise the time properly. Setting an agenda can help to structure the interview and let the job seeker know what to expect, helping them to feel more comfortable.
3. Ask open ended questions – A good interviewer gives the job seeker ample opportunity to speak. Asking questions that require more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer will give job seekers opportunities to provide examples and demonstrate their communication skills.
4. Be honest – A lot of people are passionate about the companies they work for. This can sometimes result in only portraying the positive aspects of the role, team and company. This can influence a job seeker’s decision and might result in unrealistic expectations.
5. Listen – The most important aspect of the interview is to listen. Listen to not only the answers, but also the context and the tone.
6. Pay attention to nonverbal communication – These can say a lot about a person’s character. Be aware of job seekers’ timeliness, their presentation, facial expressions, eye contact and body language.
7. Take notes – It is important to take notes during the interview so that you can revisit them during the decision making process. It also eliminates the need to ask the same questions during next round interviews.
8. Opportunity to ask questions – The opportunity to ask questions gives an insight in the job seeker’s thought process. The questions that the job seeker asks will give you a good idea of their level of interest.

Body language, interview agenda, Interview tips for the employer, job interview, job seeker, nonverbal communication, open ended questions

We have recently released our latest Singapore Hiring Market Update.

To prepare the report, we surveyed over 1,050 senior level operational and HR managers across Asia Pacific, asking them about their hiring plans for 2012 and the challenges they expect to face.

Highlights of the report:

• Within financial services, 63% of managers in Singapore are concerned that global economic uncertainty will affect Asia Pacific as a growth market.
• Almost 13% of financial services managers in Singapore expect to be handling redundancies over the next 12 months.
• Pleasingly, Singapore’s employment rates are currently amongst the world’s highest. Commerce & industry managers in Singapore expect talent retention to be their main HR challenge over the next 12 months.
• Hiring is very likely to be focused on permanent roles in Singapore, however fixed term contracts will also be a key part of hiring strategies. These contract hires may ‘plug the gap’ created by restrictions on permanent headcount increases, particularly within the finance sector.

Click here to download the full report. We welcome your feedback.

hiring plans, Morgan McKinley Singapore Hiring Market Update, Singapore hiring trends for 2012