Managers looking for international notice should first learn how to become “eligible”: for instance, by speaking in conferences, getting an MBA and attending various networking events, specialists say.
“Working in a company with wide international exposure, one is involved in regional analyses and taking part in all sorts of international conferences, where one can build a list of contacts. A manager who shows initiative in a workgroup in a regional event is sure to get noticed,” says Sorin Roibu, managing partner of executive search and HR consulting company Arthur Hunt.
Nicolaie Chidesciuc has in recent years been one of the most visible financial analysts in Romania, standing out thanks to his darker-than-average forecasts, which for the most part came true. He has also had a lot of criticism for the central bank’s policy, having been recruited by ING in December 2007, after five years with the central bank.
Human resources experts say that visibility in the specialized media can be a starting point for executives looking to attract headhunter attention, but it is not enough.
“One has to be visible on the market, get their relevant comments published and stay impartial in relation to the rumors flying around. Prestigious education and qualifications count only if the executive’s work does not indicate sufficient managerial ability,” says Mihaela Damian, country manager with executive search firm SpenglerFox, part of Irish group Grafton.
There are a number of ways to become visible internationally – for instance, the executive can be well-known locally and put forward for an international position by the local branch of a regional executive search company.
Chidesciuc is a graduate of the Faculty of Finance and Banking in the Academy of Economic Studies and earned a PhD in economics with a thesis on “Monetary and exchange rate policy considering EU integration.” He also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst certificate, one of the most prestigious international qualifications in financial analysis.
The network of contacts built during their managerial studies can be a starting point for executives looking to increase their profile.
Are employers staying away from overqualified candidates?
The crisis has forced many employers to reduce their recruitment budget and also become more particular about whom they pick for management positions. Organizers of management education fairs say that few employers look for MBAs in Romania.
The fourth edition of the Top MBA supplement published this year by ZF shows that almost 4,000 managers have graduated MBA or Executive MBA programs in Romania, and the number of graduates decreased by around 15% last year, as companies took greater care in making their training budgets.
“There are a number of reasons; an overqualified employee is considered much more costly, at least this is the current perception, whereas he/she is really much more productive. Right now, employers prefer to train the employees showing special performance or potential by sending them to MBA classes, which is another reason why such requirements do not turn up among recruitment criteria,” says Peter Barta, executive director at the Post-Privatization Foundation.
Daniela Cretu, graduate of the Executive MBA program offered by business school ASEBUSS, believes motivation, confidence, maturity and determination in decision-making are the main qualities expected of an MBA graduate.
“An employer who decides to invest in a manager’s MBA training expects the investment to pay off and show in the employee’s performance,” says Cretu, who works as a business and Leadership Coaching, Training, Speaking consultant certified by John Maxwell Team.
In a difficult economic period, hiring a top MBA graduate can seem a costly move, but, on the long-term, the company can stand to gain.
“The need for stability and continuity has made employers and employees both to keep the status quo: companies only hire if it is absolutely necessary and employees prefer not to change jobs, despite new opportunities making them consider a career change,” says Marius Ghenea, president of Fit Distribution.
Two in three Romanians get MBAs for a promotion
More than two thirds (63%) of Romanians want to take an MBA course in order to advance their career, while in Russia this share is 55% and in Greece only 51%, according to a recent study by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a company specializing in education and foreign studies, which holds an MBA fair in Bucharest every year.
Usually, after graduation, managers have three options: climb in their current workplace, change their job for a better position in a different company, or become entrepreneurs.
“The greatest advantage was undoubtedly the people I met and their diverse cultures and professional backgrounds. One of the most important aspects was that we were all able to share our personal and professional experiences, and thus enrich our knowledge base,” says Roxana Marcu, a graduate of IE Business School.
The next educational fair for managers will be held in Bucharest on October 27 at the Hilton. The business schools represented in the QS World MBA Tour fair include IE Business School, Hult International Business School, IESE, Vlerick Leuven, ESMT, INSEAD and Skolkovo Moscow School of Management.
(English version by Radu Bostan)