Friday, November 30, 2012

3 Advantages of Working With an Executive Search Firm in Asia




Working with an Executive Search Firm in Asia insures that you make the right decision when hiring a person for your business.  

The costs of a bad hire can have negative results:

-Downtime in sales activities.
-Downtime in planning, operations and strategy.
-Downtime in expanding your business.
-Downtime period…

Why do people invest millions of dollars and significant time in Asia, then decide to skimp or save money on their recruiting costs by searching internally, posting on job boards, or, using a firm outside of Asia to find their person?

It just doesn`t work.  The paradigm I like to use is trying to fit a square into a round peg.  Over 50% or more of hires made with the above strategy result in the person leaving or being dismissed.  After 10+ years in Executive Search and Business Strategy Consulting, in both the US and Asia, you wouldn`t believe how many times I`ve seen this.

Companies can avoid this by partnering with a regional firm in Asia.  Here are 3 advantages of working with an Executive Search Firm in Asia and how it can aid you in your Talent Acquisition strategy:

1) Knowledge of Local Markets
Search Consultants based in Asia have clear advantages when understanding the local market.  A large-percentage of the Search Professionals will have an excellent understanding of the language, culture, business practices as well as access to candidates not available through the general market.

2) Time Zone
Being in the same time zone makes it easier to connect with potential candidates.  When you`re not working with a 16-hour time difference you can call, source and speak with people during the same business hours.  When a client hire is critical, being able to meet several candidates face-to-face and providing that information to the hiring company is very important and can`t be done when you live 5,000+ miles away.

3) Marketing & Customer Intelligence
Strategically partnering with a Search Firm in Asia broadens your company`s presence and brand in the market.  Through the organic process of search and touching several top-level candidates in the country, your company`s presence and impact gets naturally expanded.  Working with a Search Firm in Asia also will provide you on market intelligence regarding your industry.

It behooves companies who are not currently using Search Firms in Asia to reconsider given some of the convincing points above.

Feel free to let me know how you are currently implementing your Talent Acquistion strategy in Asia, we`d like to know. 

About the Author:
Howard Ichiro Lim is a bilingual and bicultural Business Strategy & Search Consultant.  He works in San Francisco and Tokyo spending half the year in each country to stay up-to-date on market information and keeping in touch with clients to better assist them on their US/Asia business strategy.  His company Incredible Consulting Group provides Business Consulting and Executive Search services in the US and Asia.


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