The challenging recruitment conditions that have beset HR professionals in the UK’s financial services sector are now rippling out across the globe. Alistair Cook, Digby Morgan’s Chief Operating Officer, reports on this development and how this is being reflected in the growth of the company’s international business.

Digby Morgan is seeing huge growth in areas such as the Middle and Far East (Hong Kong, Dubai etc) where demand for talent is far out stripping supply as the booming economies and both indigenous and international companies look to bring HR professionalism and methodologies rapidly in line with global corporate standards.

In order to find the level of HR talent required, recruitment is becoming very search based as, more often than not, talent has to be recruited internationally and those people are not necessarily looking for a move of this nature.

Ideally, of course, companies would like individuals with both local cultural and professional experience. However, they are often now having to compromise in several ways having to recruit as good a fit as possible and then investing in them to bring them up to speed culturally.

As HR develops in these regions, companies are keen to recruit professionals with the right attitude and personality. An HR role in these rapidly developing areas often demands professionals with ‘brains and brawn’, who need to roll up their sleeves and get on with the job from the ground up whilst still been seen as a trusted strategic advisor to senior business heads.

Given the time differences, working in these regions also often carries a high level of autonomy when working for the big international organisations who may be based in the US or London. So, individuals need to make decisions that impact the region but still fall in line with global standards.

It is, however, an area of huge opportunity. More often than not, HR will be working extremely closely with the business so the chance to gain experience of a real commercial value is good. Often HR depts and operations are in a significant growth phase and the demand to rapidly be operational and profitable is intense. With this in mind, organisations can often ‘over-hire’ to ensure that they have all the skill sets required to meet all eventualities.

For the right candidate, these can be fantastic opportunities. These regions are only going one way and offer a real chance to ‘make a mark’!

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