Each Recruitment is Like the Last Piece Added to the Company's Puzzle

Can you introduce AMROP in a few words? 

AMROP is an international partnership, present in 67 countries, active in executive search and leadership consulting. We act as trusted advisors to boards of directors and executive committees. Each of Amrop's national offices is locally owned and managed, with all partners having a very detailed knowledge of their respective markets. We collaborate extensively at the international level, working on assignments between different countries. Thus, our "hunting ground" is on five continents, and our clients are large international companies and mid-caps in the fields of finance, digital, services, and industry. Our added value for them is our expertise in global recruitment, the fact that we know how to approach candidates regardless of their culture, and that we know how to interest and motivate them for the roles we are looking to fill. This is because, before each assignment, we discuss very thoroughly with the client their culture, their strategy, the role of the position in this strategy, the prospects of the person in the company, etc. For us, each recruitment is like the last piece of a puzzle. This last piece must fit perfectly into the whole company. We don't take candidates from company A and place them in company B, and we think of each new role in a term of at least five years.  

What a lot of people forget or don't see is that at a high level, technical skills are only the gateway for candidates to enter the recruiting process (if they didn't have them, they wouldn't be there). What makes the difference in the selection process are the soft skills: The way candidates can demonstrate that they will be able to integrate into the company, collaborate with others, federate their collaborators, in short, be true leaders.

What are the keys to good recruitment?  

I would mention three: Transparency, respect for the candidates, and respect for the clients. There must be total transparency between the client, the executive search consultant, and the candidates. The world is very small and keeping an excellent reputation is essential, especially in Luxembourg, which is a very specific market. For example, here, salary is no longer the main reason for a change of position. Candidates are not only sensitive to the challenge and the opportunities for evolution, but also the branding of the potential employer and the reputation of the team. We always inform candidates of the name of the hiring company and in almost all cases, candidates ask for time to do their own due diligence on the company and the team before continuing our discussions. In this context, employer branding, respect for employees, and internal communication are extremely important, as any useful information about the company, the reputation of the team, the work atmosphere, the quality of its managers, etc. can be obtained in just two phone calls.  

How can a company improve leadership at all levels?  

The short answer is to create empathy at all levels. In my discussions with clients, I try to make them understand that leadership is not at all about hierarchy. Some CEOs turn out to be poor leaders and I have often seen simple employees unify a large part of the company around them: A leader inspires his colleagues to follow him. We saw this during the COVID crisis when ordinary employees set up innovative projects within the company and outside (production of respirators based on diving masks, masks made of fabrics, etc.). Moreover, when a good leader leaves, he often takes part of his team with him. 

The paternalistic business model no longer works. Employees work in their own interest, as well as the interest of the company. They need freedom and recognition of their personal goals. In this context, many companies are now looking for the "global candidate" who does not limit himself in his head or geographically. They work from anywhere, have a strong sense of responsibility, and have excellent leadership skills to drive a company forward. My mission is to build long-term trust with clients and candidates so that both parties can find each other and move forward. In our business, today's clients are tomorrow's candidates and today's candidates are our future clients.