Human resources | Jonathan Edwards

Perfect candidate should be able to listen, be confident, think critically

The labor market in China, like most of the Chinese economy, has undergone incredible change in the last 20 years.

For most under-40 urbanites, the idea of working for one giant State-owned enterprise for their entire career is an alien concept. Instead, for the past decade, people have been changing jobs with ever-increasing regularity; moving from foreign enterprise to foreign enterprise every two years or so, searching for, demanding and usually getting those 30 percent annual pay increases.

However, we may well be reaching some sort of watershed moment. Could 2013 be the year that skilled staff wages stop spiraling upward as companies reassess their workforce requirements?

Without doubt we are still seeing strong demand in many areas.

The recently published Antal Global Snapshot predicted strong requirements for staff next year.

The snapshot asked more than 5,000 HR and business leaders in China to forecast the talent they would need in the first quarter of 2013.

Business sectors such as fast moving consumer goods, luxury, healthcare, IT and automotive, all reported healthy demand. For example, Antal's clients in fast moving consumer goods are predicting that product and brand managers with good commercial experience will be a hot commodity next year. Additionally in the retail sector, store managers with good English who are willing to work in second- and third-tier cities can almost name their price.

So, on the face of it, the hot job titles do not appear to have altered. So how have things changed?

Simply put, employers are becoming increasingly picky when hiring.

Grace Zhang, Antal's practice leader for luxury retail, said that her clients are normally happy to interview "as many people as it takes" to find the perfect candidate.

She added: "In the past they were happy to make a choice from three or four people, often compromising on areas of the job description.

"Now they will wait until the ideal person is available. Furthermore, they want value for money from their new hires. They expect people to fit in with their current wage structure and want to see a clear track record of tangible success. They want results today rather than potential for tomorrow."

It's not that companies are requiring more experience for the same job, or even higher educational qualifications.

Instead they are looking for core values, such as professionalism, confidence and demonstrable decision-making abilities.

So, as a candidate thinking about making a change in 2013, what do potential employers want to see from you?

Of course, you need to have the skills and experience, but what will separate you from the pack?

First, demonstrate in the interview your critical thinking ability.

Give clear examples of how you identified problems, evaluated opinions and implemented solutions.

Second, show your listening skills. Active listening is something most people don't do. When the interviewer is speaking, analyze what she is saying and ask a closely related question.

Third, be confident. Workplace 2.0 is a place where the confident will flourish.

But even more than all of that, remember who your customer is. All of us have an internal customer and she is the most important person in your commercial world. If you want to keep your current job or apply for a new one, then think about what your internal customer wants.

Think about the goals of the organization you work for. Think how your abilities align with that goal, and find out how to exceed their needs.

But we have to be realistic.

Without doubt, China still offers amazing opportunity for those with the courage to accept the challenge.

As one of my clients told me recently, China is like traveling at 300 kph. Maybe it is slowing to 280 kph, but it is still much faster than anywhere else.

Buckle up for 2013, it promises to be an amazing ride.

Jonathan Edwards is a partner at Antal International China (Shanghai)

(China Daily 01/15/2013 page17)