The problem of recruiting and retaining talent is not a new one, but it is an issue that requires urgent focus if procurement is to fight off competition from other functions and hang on to good people in this tough economic climate.
At a procurement talent event in March, AstraZeneca CPO Ashley Readshaw threw down the gauntlet for the profession to rise to the challenge of defining itself better and improving its image. “Procurement has a victim mentality – it is not seen as a stimulating career for talent,” he said. (more…)
As you all have gathered from my last column, I am a reality television addict. It doesn’t stop with Big Brother – I am also a fan of talent shows such as X Factor and The Voice. I enjoy the way they work through those with questionable ‘talent’, through to the average performers and finally to the stars. For these shows, finding the talent is simple with people travelling from far and wide to get their chance.
Unfortunately for us in business, finding star quality is not that simple. We don’t have an endless queue of talent knocking at our door and the talent we want may not be looking for a new opportunity. (more…)
The UK’s most senior bosses have admitted they are mummy’s boys. According to a survey by the adult learning website Love to Learn, nearly two out of three men who worked as chief executives, senior civil servants, surgeons and similar high-flying jobs described themselves as such.
Men with a high salary and job status were more likely to turn to their mothers for advice on key life decisions. The results compared to only one in five men in working-class professions such as casual labouring, and two in five men who described themselves as semi-skilled or manual workers. (more…)
I have been both an interviewer and an interviewee a number of times within my 14-year procurement career, during which I have come across and asked a variety of questions, some of which have been more successful and insightful than others.
I have compiled and refined these questions a number of times to come up with what I believe is a list of the best 10 procurement-focused interview questions. I hope some of these will be of use for the next time you are looking for the next procurement professional within your organisation. (more…)
First of all, never turn down the opportunity of a ticket. Second – and more pertinent to procurement professionals – never underestimate just how valuable a single individual can be. (more…)
We all know the importance of building a strong business brand and the benefits that will bring, but many people do not understand the value of their own personal brand.
Here is a quick test. If you asked 10 people in your organisation to anonymously write three words to describe you and your management style what do you think
Advent calendars are being opened and snow is on the ground in parts of the UK, so it’s time for a bit of musing about A Christmas Carol. Specifically, Ebenezer Scrooge and his place in the modern world.
I’d like to think that he doesn’t have one, but sadly that just isn’t the case. This has come to my mind as a result of two conversations with friends. Both of them work at companies with very well-known and wealthy owners, although the way they are each viewed by their staff couldn’t be more different. (more…)
The economic implications of globalisation have been far-reaching and well documented. But as supply chains get longer and more complicated, organisations have been forced to make more business-critical decisions, which are having a significant impact on hiring. The global marketplace has made supply and demand more volatile and harder to forecast. The need for a dynamic and highly flexible approach to employment is imperative. Candidates able to adapt to this new climate are best placed to succeed. (more…)
As procurement and supply chains have expanded globally over recent decades, overseas career opportunities have increased with them. About half of the jobs currently available through Langley Search and Selection are international roles – many of which are very highly paid, and offer a higher salary than equivalent UK roles. (more…)
During the past 25 years, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with all kinds of high-level decision makers. Based on their responses, I believe we carry the blame for the continued mis- and under-representation of procurement on executive policy making committees. (more…)
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