View from Davos: Despite Unemployment, Talent Hard To Find

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Talented workers are hard to find despite high levels of unemployment worldwide, says Valerie Germain, managing partner of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles International Inc.

“There is still very much a war for talent,” says Germain on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Employers are seeking very specific skills right now: in particular, crisis-management skills are in strong demand. “There is a hunger for people who have experience navigating through difficult times,” she says.

Clients no longer see Europe as a growth area. That is symptomatic of the continent’s problems coping with a sovereign-debt crisis that has fostered an environment of uncertainty.

Instead, demand is coming from emerging markets, where employers are seeking employees with experience in dealing with transformation, innovation and volatility. Key industries for hiring include industrial production, consumer services and energy. Notably, banks and financial service providers aren’t among those hiring.

Some nations are doing a better job than others in nurturing their own talent. “Some of the German organizations are a lot more proactive in this than other countries,” adds Gareth McIlroy, regional managing partner in Asia.



Original Article Source by Barrons.com