With the help of aptitude diagnostic procedures, the individual strengths of a candidate can be precisely determined and the future career path can be optimally aligned with them. Job seekers are often unaware of exactly where their skills and abilities lie and may not even be looking for the perfect job for them. Job profile matching can open up completely new ideas and perspectives here.
More than 10,00 participants took part in a survey conducted by HR Consult Group AG with the aim of capturing current opinions on the service and image of recruitment consultancies. Among other things, the survey examined how well aptitude assessment procedures and, in particular, suggestions for suitable job profiles are received by candidates.
Just under a third of candidates are prepared to spend money on aptitude testing.
At 31 percent, just under a third of survey participants are prepared to pay for a professional profile recommendation. Almost one in four of those surveyed would spend up to 49 euros on a job profile recommendation, while 7 percent would even invest up to 89 euros. For more than a third, however, even 49 euros would be too expensive. At 32 percent, just under a third of respondents are not interested in this consulting service at all.
If the amount of the desired salary is taken into account in the answers, it becomes clear that the higher the amount stated, the less the cost factor plays a role. Candidates with a salary expectation of 150,000 euros and more form the largest group for both the "max. 49 euros" and "max. 89 euros" answers. Accordingly, this group cast the fewest votes for the answer "too expensive". Candidates with the lowest desired salary of 30,000 to 45,000 euros form the largest group for the answer "too expensive". However, a look at the distribution of shares for the answer "max. 49 euros" shows a similarly high demand for all desired salary groups. In other words, the need for a professional profile recommendation is not directly related to the desired salary, but rather to the price of the service.
However, one thing is quite clear: as salary expectations increase, interest in this consulting service decreases. This is certainly due to the fact that candidates with higher salary expectations have been in the job market for longer and therefore have the relevant professional experience. As a rule, they already know where their own strengths lie and in which positions they can best utilize them.
"Job profile matching is particularly helpful for candidates who are still unsure about where their professional journey should take them. But people who want to completely reorient themselves thematically - i.e. venture a career change - also benefit greatly from this analysis. It provides security during the orientation phase and ultimately also helps with the actual job search. Because only those who know what they are actually looking for will ultimately find a job that really suits them," explains Mr. Matthias Barhainski, personnel consultant at SENATOR.
After studying automotive engineering and industrial engineering, he began his professional career in the automotive industry in the areas of sales, development and marketing and also spent a year in Japan with one of the largest automotive suppliers.
He then moved to a globally renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing in Japan and South America and for marketing strategy in North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consultancy in Munich, where he has been driving development and expansion for over 20 years. As Managing Director, his industry focus is naturally on the automotive world as well as mechanical and plant engineering.
His doctorate in the field of aptitude diagnostics ideally rounds off his areas of expertise, particularly with regard to personnel and management consulting. The dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers as well as the definition of development areas for a successful professional career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz".
At the same time, his focus is on the development of networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous further development of systems and processes in personnel consulting.
Over the last 20 years in personnel consulting, he has developed several brands that are still operating successfully on the market today.
Aufgrund der zahlreichen Besetzungen in technischen und ingenieurspezifischen Bereichen entstand der Bedarf nach einer Eignungsdiagnostik, die primär auf Ingenieure zugeschnitten ist.
Infolge der jahrelangen, erfolgreichen Zusammenarbeit zwischen der HR Consult Group AG und dem geva-institut wurde eine Eignungsdiagnostik speziell für Ingenieure entwickelt: der Soft-Skills Check. Das geva-institut ist eine psychologische Unternehmensberatung, die sich auf Diagnostik und HR-Beratung spezialisiert hat.
Dabei kamen das wissenschaftliche Know-how des geva-instituts und die langjährige Erfahrung der HR Consult Group AG zugute.
Vor der Entwicklung der Eignungsdiagnostik für Ingenieure gab es für diese Berufsgruppe keinen Test, der annährend die persönliche, soziale und methodische Kompetenz im Hinblick auf ingenieurspezifische Eigenschaften erfasst und auswertet. Zwar existierten bereits Soft-Skills Tests aus verschiedenen anderen Bereichen, jedoch waren diese Fragmente nicht speziell auf Ingenieure zugeschnitten.
Seit vielen Jahren arbeitet die HR Consult Group AG eng mit dem geva-institut zusammen, welches alle nötigen Qualitätskriterien erfüllt und auf die Einhaltung der DIN Norm achtet.
Die gute Zusammenarbeit verbindet die theoretische Erarbeitung der Verfahren und die Expertise aus den realen Interaktionen mit Unternehmen und Kandidaten. So entsteht eine solide Basis für ein möglichst exaktes Instrument zur Analyse der persönlichen, sozialen und methodischen Kompetenzen. Auch heute noch werden die Testverfahren stets weiterentwickelt. Stärken werden weiter ausgebaut und Schwächen minimiert, indem man auf Erfahrungswerte setzt.
Beim Soft-Skills Check für Ingenieure werden Fragen zu den Kernthemen Motivation, Verhalten, Interesse, Führung, Bildungsweg und Tätigkeit beantwortet.
Um die verschiedenen Ingenieursgruppen erfassen zu können, sind auch der Abschluss, das Alter und die Führung, die Branche, das Geschlecht, die Hierarchie und die Tätigkeit Voraussetzungen für sinnvolle Auswertungen.
Diese bieten eine Möglichkeit zur Bildung von verschiedenen Cluster. Ein Cluster ist die Gesamtheit mehrerer thematisch zusammengehöriger Profile. Voraussetzung dafür ist neben der Unterscheidung der verschiedenen Ingenieursgruppen auch eine hohe Anzahl an teilnehmenden Ingenieuren.
Insgesamt haben mehr als 1.500 Ingenieure in Zusammenarbeit mit VDI Nachrichten am Soft-Skills Check teilgenommen. Darauf aufmerksam wurden die Ingenieure durch die Online- und Printausgaben der VDI Nachrichten. Erst nach dem großangelegten Test wurde es möglich unterschiedlichste Cluster zu bilden. Beispielsweise nach dem Geschlecht oder dem Tätigkeitsfeld.
Bei den obigen Abbildungen ist klar zu erkennen, dass das Cluster Branche zeigt, in welchen Bereichen Ingenieure eingesetzt werden. Ingenieure werden überwiegend im Automotive und Maschinen- und Anlage Bereichen gebraucht und eingesetzt. Deutlich sichtbar ist beim Cluster Tätigkeitsbereich, dass die meisten Ingenieure in der Entwicklung tätig sind. Erst an zweiter Stelle steht das Projektmanagement.
Ein Großteil der teilnehmenden Ingenieure ist zwischen 30 und 45 Jahre alt. Dies bestätigt sich auch bei der Hierarchie. Viele der Teilnehmer arbeiten als Fachkraft oder Projektleiter. Mit Hilfe des Clusters Hierarchie können verschiedene Untersuchungen angestrebt werden. So kann die Hierarchie in Spezialist / Fachkraft, Projektleitung, Abteilungsleitung und Bereichs- / Geschäftsleitung eingeteilt werden. Durch diese Einteilung können die Entwicklungen von Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen festgestellt und unterschieden werden.
Im nächsten Beitrag dieser Themenreihe wird nicht nur auf die Persönlichkeitsmerkmale, die über die gesamte Berufslaufbahn in ihrer Ausprägung gleichbleiben, näher eingegangen, sondern auch auf diejenigen Merkmale, die für eine Karriere im Ingenieursbereich verantwortlich sind. Wissen Sie, in welchen Persönlichkeitsfeldern eine Entwicklung stattfinden muss, um eine Karriere erfolgreich zu gestalten?
Bildquelle:
Betz, Armin: Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz – „Ingenieur bleibt Ingenieur“, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, 2015, S. 111 f., ISBN 978-3-00-052093-8
After studying automotive engineering and industrial engineering, he began his professional career in the automotive industry in the areas of sales, development and marketing and also spent a year in Japan with one of the largest automotive suppliers.
He then moved to a globally renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing in Japan and South America and for marketing strategy in North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consultancy in Munich, where he has been driving development and expansion for over 20 years. As Managing Director, his industry focus is naturally on the automotive world as well as mechanical and plant engineering.
His doctorate in the field of aptitude diagnostics ideally rounds off his areas of expertise, particularly with regard to personnel and management consulting. The dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers as well as the definition of development areas for a successful professional career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz".
At the same time, his focus is on the development of networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous further development of systems and processes in personnel consulting.
Over the last 20 years in personnel consulting, he has developed several brands that are still operating successfully on the market today.
REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPANY MANAGEMENT WHEN SETTING UP A COMPLIANCE FUNCTION
One question that arises time and again in corporate practice is the question of the scope for discretion when setting up and operating a compliance management system. A distinction must be made here between binding and entrepreneurial decisions by the company management.
There is no room for discretion in complying with statutory provisions. These must be complied with without any ifs or buts. These are binding decisions.
On the other hand, there is certainly room for discretion when it comes to defining and implementing organizational measures. After all, company management does not usually take on the task of ensuring compliance with laws and regulations as an original task itself, but delegates this to a specific group of people and provides the organizational framework. Even monitoring and control can be delegated to supervisors. In this respect, these are original management and organizational tasks that fall within the scope of entrepreneurial tasks - and there is undoubtedly entrepreneurial discretion for these.
The following requirements apply to the establishment of a compliance function:
Organizational requirements
Liability for breaches of the law is not strict liability. Liability applies to the company management in person if it fails to take suitable organizational measures. Case law[1] assumes that the company management has a duty to create the organizational conditions to ensure that the agent can actually fulfil the duty to avoid compliance violations. The scope of the duty is related to the size and structure of the company. The case law does not provide any further details on the "how" of a compliance organization, which allows the reverse conclusion that it sees the establishment and design of a compliance function as an original entrepreneurial task.
In addition to the aforementioned aspects of personnel allocation, organizational anchoring, task definition and control/supervision, the main organizational requirements include integration with other management functions within the company. These include, in particular, general risk management, quality management, controlling and auditing. The form in which this integration takes place depends on the organizational structure; however, it is essential that the compliance function is not an isolated "island solution".
Monitoring and control requirements
In principle, the organization used (both within the meaning of Section 130 OWiG and Section 43 GmbHG) requires suitable monitoring and control of the persons to whom the tasks of the compliance function are assigned. Random checks on employees are therefore a fundamental basic function of the company organization.
However, the monitoring and control measures must be practicable and reasonable. Where exactly the limits of practicability and reasonableness are to be seen is not clearly defined. However, they are likely to be exceeded if the intensity of monitoring and control is so high that it comes close to the supervisor actually performing the supervisee's tasks themselves. This would de facto undermine the right to delegate tasks.
Requirements for investigations and inquiries
The rightsspeech[2] assumes that - although no clear obligation to do so can be derived from the law - a company must have internal Examinations / investigations if there are concrete indications of a breach of rules, even if these indications are not the result of regular, accompanying monitoring from the compliance function's area of responsibility. If the compliance function identifies breaches of rules in the course of its regulatory activities, a corresponding investigation must be initiated without doubt so as not to call into question the purpose of the compliance function per se.
Summary and outlook
A sense of proportion is required when setting up, implementing and operating compliance management systems. Cost aspects on the one hand and the question of organizational proportionality and internal acceptance on the other are weighty arguments for implementing not what is possible, but what is necessary in the area of the compliance function. The permissible exhaustion of entrepreneurial discretion should therefore also take place at this point.
However, this leeway should not obscure the fact that the implementation of a compliance management system is a business imperative, as the mere absence of such a compliance function can give rise to personal criminal and civil liability on the part of the company management.
Dealing with a compliance management system is complex and requires a number of different specialist disciplines. On the one hand, a legal perspective is required, but this is not sufficient when viewed in isolation. Breaches of the rules can occur anywhere in the company. Therefore, in-depth knowledge of organizational structures and the interaction of functions and processes is essential in order to identify and define the requirements for an adequate compliance management system in the context of the company-specific risk landscape. The right measures for the structure and implementation of the CMS are then derived and implemented on this basis. In addition, knowledge of and experience with other management systems, such as risk or quality management systems, This is an advantage in order to ensure the necessary interlinking of systems within the company.
Eckart Achauer, studied law and business administration, postgraduate Master of Business Administration (MBA). In-service training as European Quality Manager (DGQ), mediator specializing in business mediation and Certified Compliance Manager (TÜV).
He worked for around 10 years in the international insurance industry in the management of a Swiss insurance group in various functions (claims department, sales, assistance) before moving into management and business consulting in 1997.
As a consultant and managing director of various consulting companies, Mr. Achauer has specialized in organizational and process optimization as well as in the development and implementation of management systems - quality management, risk and compliance management.
At Senator Executive Search Partners, Mr. Achauer is responsible for compliance management. As part of compliance audits, he analyses their organizational "compliance fitness", raises awareness and trains management, executives and employees and supports companies in setting up and implementing individual compliance management systems. In doing so, he always takes into account the specific risk situation of the company. Thanks to his many years of experience as a manager and consultant, he is very familiar with the business challenges faced in practice.
They are coordinators, communicators, problem solvers and (at best) interculturally competent: international managers. More and more frequently, cross-border tasks of internationally operating companies are assigned to them in order to cope with the increasing management complexity.
What tasks does an international manager have to face? What requirements must they fulfill and what expectations do they face?
International managers are primarily selected on the basis of their professional qualifications. They fulfill their tasks with extensive specialist knowledge, but the necessary cultural background knowledge is often disregarded when filling the position. However, understanding different cultural mentalities is extremely important in order to work successfully with business partners from abroad. In this context, it is completely wrong to assume that a good command of English can overcome all challenges. Mastering the respective national language for international tasks should not be underestimated. Certain nuances of communication can only be conveyed and understood in the native language. Even a basic knowledge of the local language helps to create a pleasant atmosphere and show that you treat your interlocutor with respect and as an equal.
In addition to the necessary language skills, international managers should also be able to work well with people from different cultural backgrounds. This requires a great deal of sensitivity and a high degree of empathy. Everyone is influenced by the prevailing values and views of their own culture, and international managers are no exception. In business dealings, your own cultural background should never be transferred to the person you are talking to. It is much more important to view a situation from the other person's perspective, regardless of your own perceptions and evaluations.
Case study
The following case study shows you which mistakes an international manager can avoid if he knows the mentality and culture of his negotiating partners.
Thomas L. is an international manager and leads the cooperation negotiations between a German plant manufacturer and a company from Russia. In an initial meeting, he explains the upcoming procedures to his Russian colleagues, names milestones and defines processes. As the Russian colleagues do not object, he assumes that both sides are in agreement. A few weeks later, when asked, he learns that the cooperation partner has not carried out the steps and processes set or has not carried them out as apparently agreed. The Russian colleagues justify this with unexpected circumstances. Thomas L. is disappointed and wonders whether the behavior is due to unreliability. With the necessary knowledge of the Russian mentality, Thomas L. could have avoided this situation. The lack of objection from his Russian colleagues only means that nothing has been decided for them yet. The very process-oriented execution of the explanations also does not correspond to the more person-oriented Russian mentality. Nor would Thomas L., with the necessary cultural knowledge, have wrongly assumed that the cooperation partners would inform him of delays of their own accord. Concealing or glossing over negative events is part of the distinctive culture of saving face in Russia and many other Central and East Asian countries in order to avoid painful confrontations for both sides. Furthermore, Thomas L. did not take into account that he would also have to allow time for building and maintaining the business relationship.
Thomas L. could have avoided this unpleasant situation if he had been properly prepared for the cultural idiosyncrasies of his Russian negotiating partners.
What about your intercultural competence?
Put your own intercultural competence to the test in our self-test. Our test does not determine a score on a scale, but rather aims to sensitize you to the various dimensions of intercultural competence.
Professional competence
How well do you know your own culture? Are you aware of the applicable values and norms? How well do you know the culture in your target country? What values and norms apply there? What is the historical background of the target country? Do you know the special features of the target country? List the most important business features of your home country and sort the features in order of importance from 1 to 10. Check whether the features are also valid in the target country and what numerical value they would have there.
Social competence
How do you deal with stress? Could you resolve conflicts in the destination country in line with local cultural expectations? Do you like the destination country and its inhabitants or do you have a negative attitude?
Self-competence
Do you know the paradigms that determine your world view? Which paradigms are culturally determined, which are subculturally determined? To what extent do the paradigms influence your self-image?
Competence to act
Take a detached look at your own culture and try to analyze it. Can you adopt an independent perspective? What results does such an analysis provide you with for the target country? Do the results help you to consciously shape your encounter with the culture in the target country?
In summary, it can be said that every country has its own economic, social and cultural characteristics. In addition to language skills, it is very important for every international manager to pay attention to these particularities in order to work successfully with business partners abroad. If you pay attention to the aspects we address in our blog post, this will pay off in your day-to-day work as an international manager. We wish you every success!
The complete series of articles "The roles of an international manager" by Sergey Frank has been published online in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and can be accessed HERE.
HR consultant and bestselling author Sergey Frank also presented in a HANDELSBLATT COLUMN how companies can best conduct themselves abroad.
Die Zusammenarbeit mit Personalberatungen wird von Kandidaten geschätzt und insgesamt positiv bewertet. Diese Vermutung konnten die Personal – Experten der HR Consult Group AG in einer aktuellen Umfrage bestätigen.
Für die Befragung wurden 518.653 Kandidaten, die bereits Kontakt mit Personalberatern hatten, gebeten, 38 Fragen zum Thema „Personalberatung“ zu beantworten. Über 10.000 Rückläufer spiegeln erstmalig ein relevantes Meinungsbild zum Service und Image von Personalberatungen wider. Auch wurden erstmals Wünsche, Idealvorstellungen und Ist-Zustände von Kandidaten im Umgang und in der Zusammenarbeit mit Personalberatungen in offenen Fragen beantwortet.
1. Personalberatungen als Interessenvertreter und Ansprechpartner für Kandidaten – eine WIN – WIN Situation!
Sehr positiv sehen die befragten Kandidaten die Zusammenarbeit mit Personalberatungen. Durchschnittlich 76 % gaben an, dass Personalberatungen den richtigen Kandidaten für ein Unternehmen finden und die Interessen des Unternehmens vertreten.
Aus Sicht der Kandidaten sagten durchschnittlich 48 %, dass Personalberatungen die richtige Stelle für sie finden und ihre Interessen vertreten. Erwähnenswert ist hierbei, dass fast zwei Drittel der jungen Kandidaten (18 – 34 Jahre) die Personalberatung als ihren Interessenvertreter und optimalen Ansprechpartner für die eigene Jobsuche sehen.
Herr MATTHIAS BARHAINSKI, Prokurist der Senator HR Management GmbH, beschreibt aus seiner Sicht das Image der Personalberatungen wie folgt:
„Es ist erkennbar, dass in Zeiten der Digitalisierung der Anspruch der Unternehmen an zukünftige Mitarbeiter und der Anspruch der Kandidaten an einen neuen Arbeitgeber immer umfangreicher werden. Als Personalberater ist man nur dann erfolgreich, wenn man beiden Ansprüchen gerecht wird und man ist als Dienstleister derjenige, der das Unternehmen nach außen und der den Kandidaten ins Unternehmen vertritt.
Dies erkennt vor allem die junge Generation der Fach- und Führungskräfte. Sie wissen, dass ein Personalberater gerade bei der Analyse der Anforderungen des Unternehmens, aber auch bei der Verhandlung mit dem Unternehmen den Kandidaten optimaler und kompetenter vertreten kann, als er es selbst könnte.
After studying automotive engineering and industrial engineering, he began his professional career in the automotive industry in the areas of sales, development and marketing and also spent a year in Japan with one of the largest automotive suppliers.
He then moved to a globally renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing in Japan and South America and for marketing strategy in North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consultancy in Munich, where he has been driving development and expansion for over 20 years. As Managing Director, his industry focus is naturally on the automotive world as well as mechanical and plant engineering.
His doctorate in the field of aptitude diagnostics ideally rounds off his areas of expertise, particularly with regard to personnel and management consulting. The dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers as well as the definition of development areas for a successful professional career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz".
At the same time, his focus is on the development of networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous further development of systems and processes in personnel consulting.
Over the last 20 years in personnel consulting, he has developed several brands that are still operating successfully on the market today.
