FIRST IMPRESSIONS 3

The joy of simultaneous multi-country assignments. and also my experience recruiting in Sweden, Spain and Italy, and the people I had the honour of engaging with.

When flying to Milan from Heathrow in the summer, the heat and humidity is incredible when stepping out of the plane onto the runway. As a genuine 'Englishman', unused to any temperature above 25c and albeit very well travelled, this was distinctly 'foreign'!

System Software Associates offices were located in Vimercate near Monza. I remember sitting in the taxi and glimpsing the legendary Monza racing circuit; rather special. The offices were ideally located as there was an hotel in the same area with a typically wonderful Italian cuisine; especially the risotto........of course. And Risotto Milanese is still my all time favourite Italian dish; whether with prawns (still a family joke) or fungi. Not to mention the penne arrabiata!

Well, I guess I could carry on writing about the incredible food enjoyed in various countries, but the mission here is to share the first impressions of engaging with and successfully recruiting the many enterprising individuals with whom I am still in contact; passively observing their advancement in a highly competitive industry sector.

Being an in-house recruiter (and before and after, as a free-lance headhunter) flying around Europe's most treasured cities one experiences the joy of so many different cultures, languages and attitudes to life and business.

Milan will always remain vividly in my business memory. For the business professionals, the passion demonstrated when it came to discussing and exchanging the ideals of the company. For I have always 'presented the client company' and never 'sold the job on offer'. For if a recruiter cannot with great, naturally enthusiasm, present the client (in-house recruiter, or independent), this will set of alarm bells that will be easily registered by the candidate.

More about Milan (not forgetting La Galleria) in the next article.