CXO Trends across the Globe
Just as cuisine, language and other cultural facets change with location, the way in which CXOs are hired also varies across globe. The recruitment processes are generally influenced by the work culture of that specific region and along with that, the way in which the CXO operates and executes his duties have many inherent facets. We bring here a quick and quickry overview of the CXO trends of the five top business regions.
United States of America –
Americans have a flair for storytelling. They give more importance to the human connect while hiring. They like articulate talkers who can paint the big picture. With an affinity for fancy B-schools, they prefer candidates coming from well-known companies. They prefer shorter and crisper resumes and also short interviews. The major thrust is given on meeting the targets and delivering the promise and so CXO salaries are weighed more on variable pay.
Europe –
While being modern in outlook, Europeans think long-term and hire for the long term, relative to the Americans. They are also a lot more formal than Americans in their approach but not as much as the East. They have well-evolved structures and processes for the recruitment. They also maintain a sharp distinction between professional and personal life enjoying a better work-life balance.
India –
Indian promoters give significance to gut-based and instinctive hiring despite having processes and structures, with HR heads and headhunting agencies. Their hiring is prompt and sometimes above logic. The old-generation entrepreneurs are warm and hospitable and often delve into personal lives of the candidate to know more about them. They prefer leaders which share their passion and line of thinking and invest heavily when they think they have found the right person.
China –
The Chinese entrepreneurs prefer people who can follow their orders and are great executors along with a penchant of respecting hierarchy. Questions are not taken well by them. At the same time, things can change on a whim. Often there are little processes and structures, unlike the West. The job profile, position, team, salary may change at times. The hiring is done quick and the relationship is kept very transactional even at the topmost levels.
Japan –
The Japanese like to be old schooled, very structured, formal and consensus-driven. They expect their CXOs to be good listeners, well-cultured, humble, conservative in speech, precise in decision-making, measured in body language and meticulous in approach. They like very detailed resumes to know the candidate well. Unlike Americans, they expect candidates to reply to the point. They have a strong ethnicity bias coupled with stronger HQ control. They prefer hiring for the long term and reward loyalty.
South Korea –
Koreans are never looking for executives strong on strategy. Their needs are transient and they are always on the lookout for people who can sing their tunes. They fall back on their two-in-one-box talent strategy where for every local position there would be a Korean shadowing the senior executive. Their expectation from the CXO is to deliver come what may. The teams are fluid and keep altering as per the need of the organizations keeping the CXOs on their toes!
Image courtesy by BCCL 2016
