Due to the numerous positions in technical and engineering-specific fields, there was a need for aptitude testing that was primarily tailored to engineers.
As a result of many years of successful cooperation between HR Consult Group AG and the geva-institut, an aptitude assessment specifically for engineers has been developed: the Soft Skills Check. The geva-institut is a psychological consulting firm specializing in diagnostics and HR consulting.
This benefited from the scientific expertise of the geva-institut and the many years of experience of HR Consult Group AG.
Before the development of aptitude diagnostics for engineers, there was no test for this professional group that even came close to assessing and evaluating personal, social, and methodological skills with regard to engineering-specific characteristics. Although soft skills tests already existed in various other fields, these fragments were not specifically tailored to engineers.
For many years, HR Consult Group AG has been working closely with the geva institute, which meets all necessary quality criteria and ensures compliance with DIN standards.
This effective collaboration combines theoretical development of the procedures with expertise gained from real-life interactions with companies and candidates. This creates a solid basis for an instrument that is as accurate as possible for analyzing personal, social, and methodological skills. Even today, the testing procedures are still being further developed. Strengths are further expanded and weaknesses minimized by drawing on experience.
The soft skills check for engineers involves answering questions on the core topics of motivation, behavior, interests, leadership, educational background, and activities.
In order to be able to record the various engineering groups, the degree, age, leadership, industry, gender, hierarchy, and activity are also prerequisites for meaningful evaluations.
These offer the possibility of forming different clusters. A cluster is a collection of several profiles that are related in terms of subject matter. In addition to distinguishing between the different groups of engineers, this also requires a large number of participating engineers.
A total of more than 1,500 engineers took part in the Soft Skills Check in collaboration with VDI Nachrichten. The engineers were made aware of this through the online and print editions of VDI Nachrichten. Only after the large-scale test was it possible to form a wide variety of clusters. For example, according to gender or field of activity.
The figures above clearly show that the industry cluster indicates the areas in which engineers are employed. Engineers are predominantly needed and employed in the automotive and machinery and plant sectors. The activity cluster clearly shows that most engineers work in development. Project management ranks second.
The majority of participating engineers are between 30 and 45 years old. This is also confirmed by the hierarchy. Many of the participants work as specialists or project managers. With the help of the hierarchy cluster, various investigations can be carried out. For example, the hierarchy can be divided into specialists, project managers, department heads, and division/business managers. This division allows the development of personality traits to be identified and differentiated.
The next article in this series will not only take a closer look at the personality traits that remain consistent throughout one's entire career, but also at those traits that are responsible for a career in engineering. Do you know which personality traits need to be developed in order to have a successful career?
Image source:
Betz, Armin: Aptitude Diagnostics in Practical Use – "An Engineer Remains an Engineer," German National Library, 2015, p. 111 f., ISBN 978-3-00-052093-8
After completing his studies in 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 world-renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing for Japan and South America as well as marketing strategy for North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consulting firm 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 complements his areas of expertise, particularly in relation to human resources and management consulting. His dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers and the definition of areas of development for a successful career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz" (Aptitude Diagnostics in Practical Use).
At the same time, he focuses on establishing networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous development of systems and processes in HR consulting.
Over the past 20 years in HR consulting, he has developed several brands that continue to operate successfully on the market today.
REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPANY MANAGEMENT WHEN ESTABLISHING A COMPLIANCE FUNCTION
One question that repeatedly arises in corporate practice is that of the scope for discretion in establishing and operating a compliance management system. Here, a distinction must be made between binding and entrepreneurial decisions made by company management.
There is no room for discretion when it comes to complying with legal requirements. These must be complied with without exception. These are binding decisions.
However, there is certainly room for discretion when it comes to defining and implementing organizational measures. After all, company management does not usually consider ensuring compliance with laws and regulations to be its primary task, but delegates this to a specific group of people and specifies the organizational framework. Even monitoring and control can be delegated to supervisors. In this respect, these are primary management and organizational tasks that fall within the scope of entrepreneurial tasks—and there is undoubtedly room for entrepreneurial discretion in this regard.
The following requirements apply when establishing a compliance function:
Organizational requirements
Liability for legal violations is not strict liability. Liability lies with the company management in person if it fails to take appropriate organizational measures. Case law[1]assumes that company management has a duty to create the organizational conditions necessary for the representative to actually fulfill their duty to prevent compliance violations. The scope of this duty is related to the size and structure of the company. Case law does not provide any further details on the "how" of a compliance organization, which allows the reverse conclusion to be drawn that it sees the establishment and design of a compliance function as an original entrepreneurial task.
In addition to the aspects already mentioned, such as personnel allocation, organizational anchoring, task definition, andcontrol/monitoring, one of the key organizational requirements is integration with other management functions within the company. These include, in particular, general risk management, quality management, controlling, and auditing. The form this integration takes depends on the organizational structure; however, it is essential that the compliance function is not an isolated "stand-alone solution."
Requirements for monitoring and control
In principle, the organization employed (both within the meaning of Section 130 OWiG and Section 43 GmbHG) requires appropriate 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 operational organization.
However, the monitoring and control measures must be practicable and reasonable. The exact limits of practicability and reasonableness are not clearly defined. However, they are likely to be exceeded if the intensity of monitoring and control is so high that it effectively amounts to the supervisor taking over the tasks of the supervised entity. This would effectively nullify the right to delegate tasks.
Requirements for investigations and inquiries
The lawsspeech[2] assumes that—although no clear obligation to do so can be derived from the law—a company must then implement internal Investigations / inquiries must be initiated if there are concrete indications of a violation of the rules, even if these indications are not the result of regular, ongoing monitoring within the scope of the compliance function. If the compliance function identifies violations of the rules in the course of its regular activities, an investigation must undoubtedly be initiated in order not to call into question the meaning and purpose of the compliance function per se.
Summary and outlook
Sound judgment is required when setting up, implementing, and operating compliance management systems. Cost considerations on the one hand and the question of organizational proportionality and internal acceptance on the other are weighty arguments in favor of implementing not what is possible, but what is necessary in the area of compliance. The permissible use of entrepreneurial discretion should therefore also be exercised at this point.
However, this leeway should not obscure the fact that implementing a compliance management system is a business necessity, as the mere absence of such a compliance function can already 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 variety of different specialist disciplines. On the one hand, a legal perspective is necessary, but this alone is not sufficient. Rule violations can occur anywhere in a 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. On this basis, the right measures for setting up and implementing the CMS are then derived and implemented. In addition, knowledge and experience with other management systems are required., such as risk or quality management systems, advantageous in order to ensure the necessary integration of systems within the company.
Eckart Achauer, studied law and business administration, postgraduate studies leading to a Master of Business Administration (MBA). In-service training as a 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 various management positions at a Swiss insurance group (claims department, sales, assistance) before moving into management and business consulting in 1997.
As a consultant and managing director of various consulting firms, Mr. Achauer has specialized in organizational and process optimization as well as 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 analyzes 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 companies. Thanks to his many years of experience as a manager and consultant, he is very familiar with the practical challenges of business.
They are coordinators, communicators, problem solvers, and (ideally) interculturally competent: international managers. Increasingly, cross-border tasks at internationally active companies are being assigned to them in order to cope with the growing complexity of management.
What tasks does an international manager have to tackle? What requirements must they meet and what expectations do they face?
International managers are primarily selected on the basis of their professional qualifications. They perform their duties with extensive specialist knowledge, but the necessary cultural background knowledge is often overlooked when filling positions. However, understanding different cultural mentalities is extremely important for successful cooperation with business partners from abroad. In this context, it is completely wrong to assume that good English skills are enough to 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 conversation partner 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 tact and a high degree of empathy. Every person is influenced by the prevailing values and views of their own cultural circle, and international managers are no exception. In business interactions, one's own cultural background should never be transferred to the conversation partner. It is much more important to view a situation from the perspective of the other person, regardless of one's own perception and assessment.
case study
The following case study shows you what mistakes an international manager can avoid if he understands the mentality and culture of his negotiating partners.
Thomas L. is an international manager and is leading cooperation negotiations between a German plant manufacturer and a Russian company. In an initial meeting, he explains the upcoming procedures to his Russian colleagues, outlines milestones, and defines processes. Since his Russian colleagues do not object, he assumes that both sides are in agreement. A few weeks later, upon inquiry, he learns that the cooperation partner has not implemented the agreed steps and processes, or at least not as agreed. The Russian colleagues justify this with unexpected circumstances. Thomas L. is disappointed and wonders whether this 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 the Russian colleagues simply means that nothing has been decided yet. The very process-oriented execution of the explanations also does not correspond to the more person-oriented Russian mentality. With the necessary cultural knowledge, Thomas L. would also not have mistakenly assumed that the cooperation partners would inform him of delays on their own initiative. Concealing or glossing over negative events is part of the pronounced 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 consider that he also had to factor in the time needed to build and maintain the business relationship.
With the right preparation for the cultural characteristics of his Russian negotiating partners, Thomas L. could have avoided this unpleasant situation.
How good are your intercultural skills?
Put your own intercultural competence to the test with our self-assessment. Our test does not assign a score on a scale, but rather aims to raise your awareness of the various dimensions of intercultural competence.
professional competence
How well do you know your own culture? Are you aware of the prevailing 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? Are you familiar with the special features of the target country? List the most important business characteristics of your home country and rank them in order of importance from 1 to 10. Check whether these characteristics also apply in the destination country and what numerical value they would have there.
social skills
How do you deal with stress? Could you resolve conflicts in the destination country in accordance with local cultural expectations? Do you like the destination country and its inhabitants, or do you have a negative attitude toward them?
self-competence
Are you aware of the paradigms that shape your worldview? Which paradigms are culturally determined, and which are subculturally determined? To what extent do these paradigms influence your self-image?
decision-making authority
Take a step back and analyze your own culture. Can you take an independent perspective? What conclusions does this analysis lead you to draw about the destination country? Do these conclusions help you to consciously shape your encounter with the culture in the destination 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 be aware of these characteristics in order to work successfully with business partners abroad. If you take into account the aspects we address in our blog post, it will pay off in your everyday work as an international manager. We wish you every success!
The complete series of articles entitled "The roles of an international manager" by Sergey Frank has been published online in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung and can be accessedHERE.
In addition, personnel consultant and bestselling author Sergey Frank has already presented in aHANDELSBLATT COLUMN how companies can best conduct themselves abroad.
Candidates appreciate working with recruitment consultancies and rate the experience positively overall. This assumption was confirmed by the HR experts at HR Consult Group AG in a recent survey.
For the survey, 518,653 candidates who had already been in contact with recruitment consultants were asked to answer 38 questions on the topic of "recruitment consulting." Over 10,000 responses provide the first relevant snapshot of opinions on the service and image of recruitment consultants. For the first time, candidates' wishes, ideal scenarios, and current situations in their dealings and collaboration with recruitment consultants were also addressed in open-ended questions.
1. Recruitment consultancies as representatives and points of contact for candidates – a WIN-WIN situation!
The candidates surveyed view cooperation with recruitment consultancies very positively. On average, 76% stated that recruitment consultancies find the right candidates for a company and represent the interests of the company.
From the candidates' perspective, an average of 48% said that recruitment consultancies find the right job for them and represent their interests. It is worth noting that almost two-thirds of young candidates (aged 18–34) see recruitment consultancies as representatives of their interests and the ideal point of contact for their own job search.
Mr. MATTHIAS BARHAINSKI, authorized representative of Senator HR Management GmbH, describes the image of personnel consultancies from his point of view as follows:
"It is clear that in this age of digitalization, companies' expectations of future employees and candidates' expectations of a new employer are becoming increasingly extensive. As a personnel consultant, you can only be successful if you meet both sets of expectations. As a service provider, you are the one who represents the company to the outside world and the candidate to the company.
This is particularly recognized by the younger generation of specialists and managers. They know that a personnel consultant can represent candidates more effectively and competently than they could themselves, especially when analyzing the company's requirements and negotiating with the company.
After completing his studies in 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 world-renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing for Japan and South America as well as marketing strategy for North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consulting firm 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 complements his areas of expertise, particularly in relation to human resources and management consulting. His dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers and the definition of areas of development for a successful career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz" (Aptitude Diagnostics in Practical Use).
At the same time, he focuses on establishing networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous development of systems and processes in HR consulting.
Over the past 20 years in HR consulting, he has developed several brands that continue to operate successfully on the market today.
What was previously only a guess has now been confirmed by our candidates in an extensive survey: they rate their collaboration with recruitment consultancies as positive overall and particularly appreciate the advice they receive.
For our latest survey, we compiled 38 questions on the topic of "recruitment consultancies." The aim was to obtain an up-to-date and comprehensive picture of opinions on the service and image of recruitment consultancies. Over 10,000 candidates took part in this survey. In addition, for the first time, the candidates surveyed were given the opportunity to contribute their wishes, ideal expectations, and personal experiences in dealing and working with recruitment consultancies.
Candidates would like to receive offers at least once a month.
At 80 percent, the vast majority of survey participants would like to be informed about new offers and career opportunities by a recruitment consultant at least once a month or more often. More than a quarter of all respondents (27 percent) would like quite intensive support (weekly contact), while 23 percent of participants would be satisfied with information every two weeks. Just under a third (30 percent) of all respondents would like to be informed about new career opportunities by their recruitment consultant once a month.
This preference is also confirmed by a more differentiated analysis of different age groups: in all age ranges analyzed, a monthly cycle was most frequently cited as the preferred option, followed by weekly information.
Our survey on the topic of "recruitment consulting" continues. In addition to the frequency of contact, it is also important to know which media can be used to reach our candidates and at what time. More on this in the next blog!
After completing his studies in 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 world-renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing for Japan and South America as well as marketing strategy for North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consulting firm 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 complements his areas of expertise, particularly in relation to human resources and management consulting. His dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers and the definition of areas of development for a successful career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz" (Aptitude Diagnostics in Practical Use).
At the same time, he focuses on establishing networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous development of systems and processes in HR consulting.
Over the past 20 years in HR consulting, he has developed several brands that continue to operate successfully on the market today.
What was previously only a guess has now been confirmed by our candidates in an extensive survey: they rate their collaboration with recruitment consultancies as positive overall and particularly appreciate the advice they receive.
For our latest survey, we compiled 38 questions on the topic of "recruitment consultancies." The aim was to obtain an up-to-date and comprehensive picture of opinions on the service and image of recruitment consultancies. Over 10,000 candidates took part in this survey. In addition, for the first time, the candidates surveyed were given the opportunity to contribute their wishes, ideal expectations, and personal experiences in dealing and working with recruitment consultancies.
Email remains the top communication channel
With more than two-thirds (67 percent) preferring to be notified by email from their recruitment consultant, the vast majority of respondents still want to be contacted by phone (10 percent). An equal number of candidates do not prefer any of the available communication channels. Only 4 percent and 3 percent of respondents, respectively, would like to receive messages from their recruitment consultant via social business networks or WhatsApp.
Candidates' preferred communication channels
The right time is and remains an individual matter.
Changing jobs is often a step that should not be shouted from the rooftops. If possible, your current employer should not find out about your job search until the new position is secure. The desire for discretion is also reflected in the responses of the candidates surveyed. 28 percent of all respondents would prefer to be contacted by phone after 6 p.m. At 40 percent, the majority stated that their availability by phone varies greatly. Very few candidates prefer to be contacted by phone from morning (before 8 a.m.) to afternoon (until 5 p.m.).
Preferred time to contact candidates
Mr.Daniel Fertl, Head of Research at Senator HR Management GmbH, confirms that it should be clarified individually with each candidate when and how contact should be made:
During the initial interview, ask each candidate how often and by what means they would like to be contacted if you have suitable job offers for them or need to clarify important questions at short notice. Too many calls or emails may put pressure on the candidate, while too little contact can quickly give the impression of neglect. As a recruitment consultant, it should therefore be your top priority to find out what the candidate prefers. This will then form the basis for further cooperation."
After completing his studies in 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 world-renowned premium car manufacturer, where he was responsible for product marketing for Japan and South America as well as marketing strategy for North and South America.
In 1994, he decided to become self-employed and founded a personnel consulting firm 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 complements his areas of expertise, particularly in relation to human resources and management consulting. His dissertation deals with the identification and verification of typical personality traits of engineers and the definition of areas of development for a successful career.
These are scientifically derived and presented in the book "Eignungsdiagnostik im Praxiseinsatz" (Aptitude Diagnostics in Practical Use).
At the same time, he focuses on establishing networks and cooperation models as well as the continuous development of systems and processes in HR consulting.
Over the past 20 years in HR consulting, he has developed several brands that continue to operate successfully on the market today.
