The dying wish for a career – can we dig out the generation contract?

I recently read an article written by a young woman, explaining why she didn’t strive for a career. Why indeed she thought we should stop working altogether and enjoy some unemployment. Of course the article was probably meant to ruffle some feathers but it got me thinking: Do we actually still have something of a "generation contract"?What contract do generations have?The "generation contract" is a concept that refers to the social and economic expectations and obligations that exist between different generations. It is a kind of unwritten agreement between d

Updated 3 years ago

Money, money, money – why don’t we just pay people more?!

As an executive search consultant, I look at salaries in from many different angles. Especially lately with the ever-tightening candidate market and increasing difficulties filling positions, it seems to be fair game in the salary expectations. But there’s more to it – and there’s economic realities – something that concerns us all! Such as these:Salaries are on the rise – and dropA recent economic outlook by OECD showed how much real wages are declining in relation to inflation in the different OECD countries. Between the beginning of July and the

Executive Search trends for 2023

If you ask me to characterize 2022 with just one word, I’ll go with “extreme”. And perhaps “uncertain”. Aftermath of the pandemic, rampant inflation, raging war – all of those are factors that are changing and influencing the business climate keeping the race for hiring senior talent remain extremely strong. Now, as another challenging year is coming to its end, let’s take a look at where current trends lay and what the important takeaways for the upcoming (hopefully less challenging or at least more certain) year are.Retirement wave and post-pandemic supply shorta

Are job ads dead?

We are fortunate to navigate an industry of major growth! So far so good. Growth, innovation and disruption call for a great number of talented people and some fine leadership to be able to keep up. And you might have noticed, times are changing. The job market is not an easy beast to tame, nor is it a calm pond, where every swing of a fishing rod gets you the exact fish you need. The process involves sifting through multitudes of candidates in order to understand thoroughly where objectives and expectations of both - a client and a candidate - align. It means identifying, targeting, assess

Taking a stroll with my customer avatar

Whoever has been dealing with storytelling in the context of strategic communication, has probably been introduced to the customer avatar. The ideal customer, the one person that represents the mass of people you want and need to talk to. Whatever need it is you’re addressing, it can be the ideal candidate, the perfect visitor to your store, the one person that really needs your product, the avatar is that in one person. It may seem a bit odd to assimilate a vast number of people in one Steven, Christian or Beth to the address, but it also has something of a calming notio

What comes after the great resignation? A service-free-zone?

I’m sure you’ve heard some talk about the severe talent shortage and its consequences in basically all industries. Just recently you could easily observe it compressed in the situations at the airports. Not enough staff anywhere to remotely conquer the task of having as many travelers on their way into summer vacation as there were. How are you supposed to handle all the bags, when there are not enough people to pick them up, carry them around, deliver them. How are you supposed to have planes on time or take off at all when there are not enough pilots to fly them, ground personnel to guide

You’re an executive? It’s likely you need to up your Social Media Game

Social media are fun! All those innumerous interesting articles from all sorts of know-it-all gurus, endless stunning photos of last night meals from breakthrough influencers, tons of memes that will make your belly hurt for how hard you laugh. Just pure joy in your stress-free life!Let’s dial back the sarcasm and get to the point: you shouldn’t forget that social media have become one of the most powerful brand-building tools in the current day and age. Why? Because social media essentially offer dialogue directly with your audience. But not only that. Thanks to the Linke

Is digital leadership a skillset or a mindset?

The digital transformation is a topic that’s been with us for a long time and it’s quite clear by now that there is no way around it. But companies keep on struggling with it especially when it comes to the fact that it’s a constant transformation that never stops. A transformation that effects all aspects of a company and makes for a whole new working environment and relationships between colleagues and to customers. The constant and ongoing transformation calls for leadership that is agile and able to adapt and keep up with all the changes. Sounds nerve-wrecking, doesn’t it?&nbsp;<

“What are your salary expectations?” – and the answer

A thriving industry is generally good news. Especially if it is as thriving as the Life Sciences are right now. Taking some of the general developments during the pandemic into account, we’re facing a vast number of positions, an exceptional growth that wants to be fulfilled. And the good news (and kind of bad news at the same time): salaries are on the rise as well!The sky is the limit – isn’t it?With the ever-growing demand for talent and an overall growing industry, it’s also good times for executive search consultants like myself. The

It’s going well for Biotech – how to keep up with the growth

Looking back at recent developments in Biotech – through a global pandemic – investments and innovation increased significantly, companies saw continued growth, share prices skyrocketed, and overall business has been great. Some have expressed that these developments even rendered Life Sciences one of the most stable growth areas worldwide. In a recent whitepaper that I contributed to together with colleagues for IIC Partners (read here<