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Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It

By Yongfeng Ju, Pincipal Consultant
Region: APAC

Sector focus: Industrial Technology, Digital

I FIND THE “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE” ASSIGNMENTS ARE THE ONES MOST COMPELLING TO SHARE. IN THIS CASE, IT WAS TO WIN AND FINISH A CHALLENGING PROJECT IN CHINA AND TO TEAM UP WITH A CLIENT FOR A SUCCESSFUL EXECUTIVE SEARCH, WITH LOTS OF PROBLEMS TO GET THROUGH.
THE CLIENT NEEDED SOMEONE IN THEIR CHINA OPERATION; THE CEO HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR THEIR HEAD OF QUALITY FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. DURING THIS VACANCY PERIOD, THEY HIRED SOMEONE FROM A DIFFERENT CHANNEL WHO DID NOT LAST LONG. THE LACK OF THIS ROLE HAD RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT BOTTLENECK FOR THEIR ORGANISATION.
THE OTHER PROBLEM? DUE TO THEIR UNIQUE ORGANISATION AND OPERATIONAL STRATEGY, THE COMPANY HAD SOME STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS: THEY NEEDED DEEP QUALITY ASSURANCE EXPERIENCE (PREFERABLY IN THE COMPANY’S AREAS), STRONG ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE AND AN EXCEPTIONAL CULTURAL FIT INTO THEIR FAMILY BUSINESS.
TO GET THE RIGHT CANDIDATE INTO THE JOB, WE WENT TO WORK. WE ANALYSED THE JOB STRUCTURE, STUDIED MORE ABOUT THE BUSINESS AND THE OPERATION BY TALKING TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND INTERVIEWED THEIR EXTERNAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DAILY CHALLENGES IN THEIR OPERATIONS. WE PREPARED A DETAILED SEARCH BRIEF TO DOCUMENT THEIR REQUIREMENTS AND DEFINE THE MERCURI URVAL STRATEGY. IT WAS A WAY TO DETAIL OUR SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THE SEARCH.
THE CLIENT WAS IMPRESSED AND AGREED WITH MERCURI URVAL’S STRATEGY. WE MADE AN EXTREME EFFORT TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY AND INTELLIGENCE INTO THE SEARCH PROCESS. WE GAVE WEEKLY UPDATES TO THE CLIENTS AND EVENTUALLY SHORTLISTED THREE INTERESTING CANDIDATE PROFILES FOR CONSIDERATION. THE CLIENT WAS PLEASED WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND AGREED TO INTERVIEW ALL THE RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES. ULTIMATELY, ONE OF THOSE CANDIDATES GOT SELECTED THROUGH MERCURI URVAL’S PLACEMENT, AND THE CLIENT HAPPILY APPROACHED HIM AS A FINAL CANDIDATE.

The recommendation came from two aspects: one based on Mercuri Urval’s consultant’s expertise in understanding the candidate’s experience, track records, leadership and more, combined with the unique Mercuri Urval’s science-based assessment, which tells much more detail about the person’s personality, leadership and potential. There were no disagreements because the whole process is transparent and has fact-based recommendations and the assessment. The candidate has performed very well in the client’s organisation and also contributed to the company’s further success in China. With this success, Mercuri Urval won the client’s trust to sign PSA.

Yong-feng Ju, Principal Consultant
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