Author: Emma Doyle

Here are our top 5 challenges faced by semiconductor candidates when searching for career progression opportunities…

1. What is the role?

As a senior recruiter in the semiconductor industry, I know first-hand just how little even a well-written job description represents the role. A key battle for me at the beginning of a search is to engage with hiring managers, HR, and team members to fully understand what the role is, what it means to the business and why it’s even there in the first place; day-to-day and long-term.

2. What’s the culture of the business?

Impossible to know unless you already know people in the business. The semiconductor industry is a small world but it’s still rare that a candidate will have a clear view. Most recruiting processes fail because of cultural mismatches – pre AND post hire. That is why we always get to know the people in the business before launching a search and the foundations of our Delve screening and interviews are built on cultural-fit, matching motivations and aligning on aspirations.

3. What are the businesses expectations, goals and projections?

I’m yet to work with a business that publishes their internal strategies, investments, growth plans etc on a job description and it makes perfect sense. Trust is a key pillar of our values at Delve, this means clients will share valuable insights about their business for us to relay to candidates who we believe could be a great fit. Candidates who will buy in to their goals and ultimately, have a positive impact on them.

4. Why would I leave when the going is so good?

I rarely come across candidates who are unhappy with their current employer or assignment. We work in a fascinating industry with ongoing innovation, exciting problems to solve and end products which have a beneficial impact on our societies and environment. The ‘going’ is often very good and even more so now, than ever. What I will say is that under these circumstances, businesses must adapt and be more flexible in their recruitment because far fewer candidates are actively looking. This means, the going has also never been as good when it comes to landing an opportunity that you may not have been accepted for in the past.

5. What if I feel bad about moving on or burn bridges?

I always empathise with candidates here. Signing an offer with a new business can be hard and we should never overlook any emotional or sentimental associations with your current employer. Often, they will have played a very important part in a candidate’s career and created a great place to grow. I personally believe it’s right to feel some sadness when making a change rather than being happy to get out.

I recently placed a candidate who had spent eight years with a leading semiconductor IDM and had similar concerns. The candidate eventually took the opportunity, is very happy, and I met them for the first time face-to-face at an exhibition – alongside his ex-employers stand. My point being, if you’ve worked hard, given your notice and continue to work hard until the end of that period – you won’t burn bridges. Plus, it’s highly likely your superiors or colleagues have or will have been through the same experience as you – empathy full circle.

Written by Nathan Falconer, Senior Search Consultant at Delve Search GmbH, Munich.

As companies expand and become more successful, so does the need to recruit and retain great people to build their teams.  Working in the semiconductor market, we have seen phenomenal growth over the past few years across many of our clients. This has resulted in a hugely competitive candidate marketplace and more emphasis on the conversations around how to find and retain the best people. 

Delve is here to help customers find the right candidates for their business but also to support and advise on the equally important subject of retention. We speak to people all day, every day, who are looking to leave their role and one of the first questions we ask is ‘why?’, giving us a great insight into how best to retain your team.

Here are our top tips on how managers can stay ahead when it comes to retention and in turn drive more engagement in their teams…

Effective onboarding and communication – From the day they sign their contract make sure the communication is open and regular. Great onboarding is essential and sets the tone for a working relationship. The probation period is crucial and although it’s a time where employees need to shine and show their worth, managers also need to realise that it’s a two-way street and they also need to show that their company is the place to be! Beyond this, having regular and open communication with team members enables managers to ensure they are aware of any threats, challenges, or demotivating factors early.

Training and development – Whether it’s a new hire, or someone who’s been in the company for years, training and development should be a regular talking point. In our experience, employees who feel like they are being invested in are more likely to stay in their roles. 

Recognition and feedback – A lot of managers find recognition difficult, and it can take practice to get it right. Everyone, no matter what level, wants to feel valued and if you’re a manager your team probably crave that recognition from you. Managers, particularly in technical environments, need to be successful at praising and rewarding success and having processes/systems for doing this in the workplace. Feedback is also a key part of this, not everything your employees do will be worthy of recognition. In fact, sometimes you will have a deep feeling of despair around their abilities. It’s important though that managers give constructive criticism and create a positive environment to improve. Remember, people want to feel challenged but not attacked.

Say/do ratio – A very simple and effective concept. If you say you’re going to do something, do it! I can’t tell you how many candidates I’ve spoken to, who say “my manager promised me ‘X’ but it never happened”. This is a huge demotivator for employees and it is a major factor in them losing confidence in their managers.

Make sure they have the tools – If employees feel like they’re doing their job with their hands tied, this is a huge problem. I’m not saying you need to cave to every demand (my manager keeps refusing the pool table and €2k coffee machine I requested) but ensure you listen to requests and their equipment is fit for purpose. 

Flexibility – Prior to COVID, employees having so much flexibility and the ability to work from home was less common. Now it’s a topic on most of our calls with candidates. It’s an expectation that companies have flexibility and in this competitive market, your competition will be offering it. There are obvious limits to this, and it can make management, training new employees and idea sharing difficult. Achieving a balance here is key to ensuring employees are happy and results are maintained.

Company culture – As finding new people in the semiconductor market becomes more competitive, many companies are looking for employees who are relocating both nationally and internationally to satisfy this need.  This can present challenges when integrating people into the existing company culture and making sure they feel part of the team.  If they haven’t already, companies must be aware of these challenges and put plans in place to actively help relocators integrate into the business both professionally and socially.

For more information on our experienced Semiconductor consultants and how we can support your recruitment needs visit.www.delvesemiconductor.com