Black Swan Group AsiaPac MD, Richard Aldridge, was today quoted in Simon Mortlock’s efinancial careers article “Singlish and smoking: why recruiters in Asia don’t put you forward for banking jobs”. The full article is on this link and listed below – https://news.efinancialcareers.com/my-en/307932/recruiters-asia-reject-candidates
The busy post-bonus hiring season in Asian banking is almost upon us. If you’re applying for jobs later this quarter, you may well be speaking to agency recruiters sometime soon. But beware: recruiters won’t be inclined to recommend you to banks in 2020 if they develop any doubts about you. Meeting with a recruiter in Q1 could easily backfire if you make one of the following mistakes.
Stubbornness
“When someone has a pre-conceived idea of how much they’re worth and refuses to listen when I offer advice around a more realistic salary increase, I usually rule them out pretty quickly,” says Samantha Ding, an associate director at Kerry Consulting in Singapore. “There’s no point representing the person if I know the bank can’t afford them.”
Aloofness
If you really want a role, feigning aloofness won’t work. “If you’re non-committal or play it too cool – saying things like ‘I might be interested, put me forward and we’ll see’ – then unfortunately, it’s a no from me,” says Ding. “If you’re keen on the role, say so upfront – it’s not going to damage your negotiating position. Banks want people with a genuine level of enthusiasm.”
Smoking
Richard Aldridge, a director at recruiters Black Swan Group in Singapore, has met candidates who (literally) stink. “If you’re a smoker, fine – but it’s best not to have a cigarette or two just before heading into a confined interview room with another person – this will definitely put a recruiter off representing you to banks.”
Punking it
“I interviewed a candidate who turned up in casual clothes, had a punk-like hairstyle and multiple piercings in his eyebrows, nose and lips,” says Vince Natteri, director of search firm Pinpoint Asia in Hong Kong. “His skills were suitable for a top-tier investment bank, but when I asked him whether he’d remove his piercings and dress more formally for the interview he said ‘absolutely not!’ I explained the bank’s culture and why he risked missing out on an interview, but in the end I couldn’t submit his application.”
