Pay is only one factor that workers value in seeking employment.
Choosing a job usually comes down to three factors: the size of the pay packet, the possibility for personal and professional growth and the employer’s reputation.
A recent survey by Big Four auditing firm Ernst & Young put these at the top of the list of what employees are looking for when hunting a job as Ukraine’s labor market starts to pick up.
The 2010 Best Employer in Ukraine report by Ernst & Young revealed that professional candidates in Ukraine have several expectations from employers: 68 percent of job seekers are interested in high salaries, 63 percent look at personal and professional growth opportunities and 60 percent make judgments about the company’s market position.
Both a positive internal image among employees and the right external image significantly contribute to a company’s employer image.”
– Olga Gorbanovskaya, head of the human capital group at Ernst & Young.
“Both a positive internal image among employees and the right external image significantly contribute to a company’s employer image,” said Olga Gorbanovskaya, partner and head of the human capital group at Ernst & Young.
That is why in the fight for best professionals, many employers look carefully at their image.
Before the crisis, such concern was more common for international companies represented in Ukraine than local businesses.
Harsh economic times force companies to fight harder for business, making reputation all the more important.
A company’s products and industry can also significantly affect its attractiveness in the eyes on potential employees, added Gorbanovskaya.
Recruiters say the employers’ reputation not only plays an important role, but can even be decisive.
“If the reputation of the company is bad, people may turn down the job even it offers more money,” said Ruslan Gromoviuk, a partner at Talent Advisor, a consulting agency.
Employees are happier working for respected companies, even if compensation is smaller.”
– Ruslan Gromoviuk, a partner at Talent Advisor.
“At the same time, employees are happier working for respected companies, even if compensation is smaller,” added Gromoviuk.
More than money, people are interested in being part of a leading and successful business with strong corporate culture and respect among employees.
“Some companies even have a special professional who keeps their finger on the pulse,” said Gromoviuk.
When looking for a job, one third of the respondents in the Ernst & Young survey use employment websites as the main source of potential employers.
Apart from on-line resources, candidates consider relatives, friends and the mass media as trusted sources for such information.
Some job seekers find out about a company from working with it in a business partnership.
“In this era of new information technologies and a growing number of Internet users in Ukraine, personnel and client satisfaction levels are critical to an employer’s external image,” said Gorbanovskaya from Ernst & Young.
Kyiv Post staff writer Olga Gnativ can be reached at [email protected].
