Rehires - A Necessary Choice in China

By Frank Mulligan, Talent Software

Question: When do you know there is a shortage of staff, or a War for Talent?.

Answer: When people start to rehire ex-employees.

I donít know if this constitutes a trend, or a wave, but there is definitely a stronger willingness in China right now to rehire staff who have previously left.

In the past they would have been regarded as deserters, rats, traitors etc. People who should be shunned and never be spoken of again. People who should be forced to carry a plaque around their neck illustrating their lack of loyalty.

You get the picture.

But the realisation is dawning that they are a great source of skills and an immediately accessible network. They know your company, your clients, your competitors, and unless they were actually fired for incompetence, they can hit the ground running and deliver for you immediately on hire. They are also seasoned, by definition, and can bring on board coaching and mentoring skills.

Smart companies that I have seen have begun to institutionalize this approach and have made it policy. They maintain the necessary information on departing staff and keep contact with them using their ATS or email system. Taking it further some even contact them directly on a regular, scheduled basis.

This is something that Cisco introduced to me many years ago when they politely informed me that they had a bigger database and network of telecommunications skills than any headhunter in the market in China. They had effectively made themselves the best headhunters in their own business, and they did it in every country that they operated in.

I have since been informed that this particular group in Cisco either left or was disbanded. This is a big pity because the model allowed Cisco to almost completely do away with 3rd party hiring suppliers.

Sorry, did I just suggest this was good? .... My apologies.

frank.mulligan@recruit-china.com