Israel's largest executive search company, Emda, was chosen as the local partner of the top global executive search firm Korn/Ferry, adding Israeli talent to the company's 1.2-million-strong worldwide database, and offering global opportunities to Israeli executives. “We have to find the person who is Israeli enough to flourish in this market and American enough to work with the headquarters, so that’s where our added value comes in,” says Emda chairperson Nurit Berman. “It’s an interesting process of learning who is who in which zoo.”
A first-of-its kind study conducted by Emda together with Korn/Ferry International explored the characteristics of the Israeli compared to the international manager. The sample included CEOs and business unit managers and medium and large Israeli companies, and its findings were compared to the largest global database of managers who had undergone similar assessments. Among other things, the comparison revealed that the Israeli CEO's cognitive skills are a match for the world's finest in terms of analysis and reasoning, and that he is perceived as accessible, warm and informal, willing to listen but not very sharing.
All too often, there comes a moment when successful managers realize they are no longer sought after in the labor market. It can be a sobering experience, but also an opportunity for growth. Nurit Berman of Emda explains this is exactly the right time for employing the very same skills the managers had brought to the corporation in the service of a new one: Myself Incorporated.
In 2012, the Israeli market saw a significant reduction in the supply of available jobs, and right at the beginning of 2013 we are beginning to hear termination announcements by various companies. Experts warn that this situation may worsen, but Emda's Nurit Berman believes the admittedly high number of recent terminations does not foreshadow a massive layoff wave, and that the trend will reverse itself in the near future: "There will be no sharp transition to mass recruitment, but we may expect a return to normalcy, that will become firmly established by mid- or end-2013, as stable firms renew their recruiting efforts".
It used to be that workers went to work, now they are looking for self-fulfillment and meaning in their jobs. Or it could be that they are doing the same things - just working longer hours. Nurit Berman of Emda states: "the next generation will go through 3-4 jobs during their careers looking for their professional identity"
If women want to get paid like men do they have to be relentless in getting what they deserve. Nurit Berman of Emda is certain that the salary gap has a lot to do with a lack of conviction and knowledge on behalf of women: "negotiating is seen as unfeminine, but your goal is to get what you're worth, and you have to come to the negotiating table prepared".
What was once considered an unattractive position is now a hot commodity in the market, with an increased demand and shrinking supply of skilled professionals. Nurit Berman sees the CFO as part of the company's image: "with such duties as money raising and management of road shows, it's a critical position for any organization".
Can a crisis also be an opportunity? The market proves that it certainly can, particularly for those who have identified the business opportunity in a market of 250,000 unemployed. Thus, like mushrooms after the rain, a hodgepodge of courses and workshops for the unemployed have recently cropped up, with offerings ranging from upgrading professional skills to physical makeover. Nurit Berman of Emda strongly recommends that before committing, you should assess the marketplace's true needs and thoroughly check the course's program and contents, as well as the professional qualifications of those behind it.
