I am sure that most of you will be able to empathise with the following situation. You have advertised an entry-level position that is perfect for a fresh graduate with the potential to advance quickly within your organisation. This is a great opportunity for you to prove yourself as a HR superstar. By unearthing someone who has the potential to drive your organisation forward, you will certainly show senior management the value you bring to the company. Unfortunately, this is no easy task. One of the toughest aspects in recruiting new graduates and relatively inexperienced candidates is looking beyond the resume, developing an understanding of each applicant, and determining whether they have what it takes to blend in to your organisation.

The Power of Graduate Training Schemes

Back in the days of the Han dynasty, and for centuries after, to successfully become an imperial official, candidates had to go through a gruelling examination system. This system worked fantastically well as a method of identifying the most talented young scholars from across China. After they were selected, these scholars would then develop and progress through the imperial ranks, perhaps even one day advising the emperor himself. This system may now be a relic of China's ancient past, but there are some valuable lessons we could learn from it.

China is currently experiencing a level of growth and development the likes of which we have never before seen. As the world's largest population transitions towards an open market economy, we are confronted by a myriad of opportunities and challenges on a daily basis, at all organisational levels. Local and multinational companies are racing to establish a foothold in the Chinese market and secure their place in what, over the next 25 years, will become the world's largest economy. Ironically, given its 1.3 billion inhabitants, one of the most perplexing challenges facing companies in China is the undersupply of qualified and capable talent to drive this growth into the next decade. Dubbed the ‘War for Talent', HR professionals China-wide are struggling with staff acquisition and retention as employees make excessive demands and job-hop from position to position at unsettling rates. In an effort to uncover some answers to the problematic question of ‘how do I attract and retain the best staff?' I spoke to the managing directors of 4 of China's leading recruitment firms.

Dream Teams - Part 2

Last time out, I began my Synchronicity series by discussing the first two key elements of building your dream team - sharing a common goal and establishing defined roles within your team. This time around, I will take in the other two key factors to ensure you have a full understanding of what it takes to forge a fantastic team.