Together with expert recruiters, we talk about the development of the HR sector in the region and share tips for beginners and experienced professionals.
Alexandra Gadzhieva, Tashkent city, Head of Recruitment at Person Hunters, @personhunters
About me
I have been working in HR since 2006. She started her career in a professional recruitment agency, then worked as the HR director of a large production holding in Uzbekistan.
At the moment, I have returned to my favorite field — recruitment at the company Person Hunters.
How the HR and recruiting industry is developing
Cooperation with recruitment agencies in the CIS takes place on similar terms. There is a shortage of personnel and competencies throughout the region. Everyone is adapting to Generation Z, which is entering the market — they have their own principles and rules of operation.
The wishes of employers remain unchanged: they want to close positions faster in order to focus on business tasks.
At the same time, big changes are taking place in the world. Digitalization is coming to the fore, and with it there is a great demand for IT specialists. As Uzbekistan is growing rapidly, there is still a need for marketers, financiers, and technology specialists in a narrow field.
About the requirements for candidates
An important advantage of a candidate in any field is knowledge of foreign languages. Especially English. There is high competition in the market, more and more foreign companies enter, often with a better product. In order for local companies to keep up with their competitors, they need qualified employees. And to be qualified, you need to draw information not only from Russian-speaking sources, but also from literature in English.
In the Uzbek market, qualities such as engagement and love for your business are important. Many companies are ready to hire young specialists and grow them inside the organization. The human component and attitude to the profession have a strong influence on the choice of a candidate.
Recommendations to candidates
The most important thing is not to stop developing. For example, in the profession of a recruiter, you can develop in different ways: grow vertically, expand your qualifications horizontally, and even move diagonally into related areas. But you need to constantly improve yourself, because without knowledge of the specifics of the industry, you will quickly cease to benefit the company.
Each candidate should have their own unique value proposition. It's a combination of your knowledge and experience. What you are proud of, what you enter the market with. You can determine the CCP yourself by conducting a skills audit. And if you realize that something is missing, you can take courses or listen to specialists.
Yulia Astanina, Almaty city, Chief of Practice, ANCOR, @ancor_kazakhstan
About me
I am the head of practice at ANCOR recruitment agency. Our staffing company has been doing business in Central Asia since 2007. We offer our clients outstaffing, outsourcing, recruitment, consulting and temporary staff services. We work not only in Kazakhstan, but also in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.
How the HR and recruiting industry is developing
The main feature of the local market is the shortage of experienced specialists, followed by a shortage of personnel. Kazakhstan requires a lot of developers, data analysts, and cybersecurity specialists. But practice shows that over the past five years there has been no significant influx of employees in this area. Because IT is a complex field, work in which requires involvement, great efficiency and talent.
Kazakhstan is an active subsoil user. Therefore, we see that civil engineers, power engineers, geologists, mechanics are in great demand. It is worth mentioning the agricultural sector separately. There is a huge shortage of staff here. Many employers are willing to hire students without experience. Of course, career development may not be as fast as in IT, but this is also a promising area.
About the requirements for candidates
Almost every second vacancy in our work is accompanied by an item about the need to know English. The minimum required level is Intermediate. This is due to the fact that many companies like to share experiences and send employees to study in other countries. It is also common for large companies to have their head offices abroad. Therefore, it is important to know English as the language of international communication.
Recommendations to candidates
For those who are still studying at the university, I advise you not to forget about self-development. Be sure to attend events — inside the university or outside. Pay attention to the choice of an internship place — it is desirable that it corresponds to your future career. Do some volunteering. At the interview, this will allow you to show what you are interested in and in which direction you plan to develop.
I advise established professionals to work on a personal brand: talk about themselves on social networks, write articles, speak as a speaker, share experiences.
I advise you to be friends with recruitment agencies. Employers often do not look for candidates on websites, but immediately contact us. Therefore, it is important that your resume be in such organizations.
