ABOUT FIVE YEARS ago, China's booming economy presented many opportunities and that caught the eye of international recruitment agencies. They realised the demand for experienced executives would rise as the country's workforce pool was limited.
As the country's economic success story continues, recruitment firms are planning to increase their presence and firmly establish themselves in the mainland.
The strategy of Hays Group exemplifies this. The company bought executive recruitment specialist St George Harvey Nash in April this year for $108 million and renamed it Hays Executive. It plans to hire more staff to strengthen the new division's mainland network.
Hays Executive has offices in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai, where it employs 40 recruitment professionals. The firm will open a new office in Beijing and hire between 20 and 40 experienced recruiters by the end of this year to work in its various branches.
Candidates should have at least a bachelor's degree and some marketing experience, preferably in executive recruitment.
Hays Asia-Pacific director Matthew Underhill said applicants ideally should relate to people and be good at sales.