Being the best

The best people want to work for the best companies, and the best companies want to hire the best people. Knowing which companies are best, what they're doing and who they're looking for will make you more competitive in international career planning.

Graduates and junior executives are looking for a variety of experiences, fast promotions and better opportunities - at their company or somewhere else. Because young people switch jobs more often than their parents, the best companies now strive to train and retrain their most promising recruits.

The Hay Group conducted a study in conjunction with Fortune magazine to learn what the world's top firms are doing to attract and keep staff. Pfizer, Marriott Hotels, Federal Express and Procter & Gamble are among the international organizations with offices in Thailand that have been surveyed by the Hay Group for this study and its annual ranking of the world's most-admired companies.

To work for these organisations, job seekers should:

1. Be proactive. They should recognise trouble and formulate solutions before problems occur. They should look for proactive companies, firms with the seven practices listed below.

2. Have people skills. They should strive to work well with others and constantly ask, " How can I contribute to the company?" Work skills simply aren't enough in today's competitive, people-oriented business environment.

3. Dare to dream. They should set goals high and strive to beat them. Timid people who keep telling themselves, ' I don't have any experience to contribute,' or, ' The company might not choose me,' will end up being mediocre or not being chosen.

The Hay study found that the world's best companies share certain traits:

1. A clear sense of direction. When employees know where their organisation is going and how it will grow, they can picture themselves as part of that jigsaw and contribute accordingly.

2. Act out their philosophy. The company's values should evident in everything it does. If a company says that its clients come first, then it should also treat applicants with respect during the interview process and its staff with appreciation.

3. Respect the connection between people and success. The best companies have strategies to coach, empower and reward their people, making them proud of their work.

4. Provide the basic requirements so employees can succeed. Employers should provide the resources for their staff to do their jobs and achieve their career goals.

5. Provide fair compensation and benefits. Good organisations will pay fairly, but may not offer higher salaries than their competitors. Instead, they will provide a good package of benefits.

6. Reduce barriers based on rank. Good companies create an environment that makes employees at every level feel they're a part of the company and just as important as everyone else. Many top-ranked companies have done away with executive dining rooms, executive washrooms and executive parking spaces.

7. Organisational practices, ideals or benefits that are viewed as special by employees. Some companies are known for their environmental concerns, others for meeting internationally recognised business practices, still others for providing education for their employees or supporting charities.

AREE CHAISATIEN

The Nation