CS News
The United States is home to some of the most influential companies in the world, attesting to the spirit of innovation and enterprise that defines the best in its talent force, and its top universities and colleges have the highest global reputations, attracting the world's best and brightest students. In this issue, Contact Singapore identifies key segments of this rich talent resource that may be relevant to Singapore-based companies and the value they can bring.
Celebrated for its ideals as a land of freedom and opportunity, and its rich culture of innovation, the United States is a top talent destination. At the same time, in the highly mobile global economy of today, it is also a valuable talent resource.
In brief, the United States has a population of almost 313 million people, with over 250 million living in densely populated, highly urbanised cities. New York in the northeast, California on the west coast, and Texas in the south are currently the metropolitan areas with the most people. These states have individual economies that rival most countries in the world. The strength of their most successful industries attracts significant investor money and high-calibre professionals. For recruiters, the size and maturity of these pillar industries also mean that a full array of skillsets, including experience in highly specialized areas, are often available.
Skillsets applicable to Singapore industries
Places like Silicon Valley in California and Austin in Texas, sometimes dubbed Silicon Hills, have deep resources and large information technology employers, and consequently attract internet entrepreneurs, software engineers, specialty project managers, systems architects, cloud computing experts and research engineers in abundance.
San Diego in California, Boston in Massachusetts and the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill in North Carolina are leading international centres in medical research, drug discovery and biotechnology. The strong presence of big pharmaceutical companies, biomedical companies, medical equipment manufacturers and research universities have attracted, as well as nurtured, significant clusters of biotechnology and biomedical specialists and researchers from around the world.
New York, on the east coast, and Los Angeles, on the west coast, are the twin pillars of the country’s entertainment industry. Fast-paced and highly competitive, these places are the stomping grounds of experienced creatives, technicians, effects specialists and media executives who are at the top of their game at creating cutting edge entertainment. New York is, of course, also a global finance hub and the base of banks, financial institutions, international aid organisations, influential think tanks and multinational corporations. The city is home to a force of professionals – lawyers, doctors, accountants, economists, strategists and C-suite executives – with strong international market credentials.
For a regional and global centre like Singapore, United States-based talent can inject fresh perspectives and a healthy diversity of viewpoints to complement the local workforce. Those who are interested in Asia often have experience in large American multinationals. They are useful for Singapore employers that need people who can manage large geographical regions and handle multinational clients. Another advantage they bring with them is their valuable connections to business and alumni networks in the United States.
Recruit from among the brightest and best in the U.S. and the world
The quality of higher education in the United States is often regarded as one of the best in the world. Top American universities and colleges boast formidable alumni of world leaders, Nobel Prize laureates and other global influencers. The influential Times Higher Education Rankings placed 51 American universities among the world’s top 100 schools for 2011-2012. Heading the list is the California Institute of Technology, or Caltech, which also received top billing for its physical science and engineering disciplines. In the northeastern states, the eight Ivy League colleges, namely Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University are all hothouses of business, engineering and pharmaceutical talent.
Remarkably, these American universities attract not just the nation’s best and brightest but also the world’s top students. According to the State Department, a tiny one percent or so of American students (about 270,000) are currently studying in higher education institutions overseas, while almost 723,000 foreign students are enrolled in higher education institutes in the United States – a figure provided by the International Institute of Education. The largest foreign student delegations come from China and India and they tend to pursue STEM fields, i.e. science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In fact, foreign students comprise half or more of doctoral graduates in engineering, mathematics, computer sciences and physics, according to the National Science Foundation.
Traditionally, many foreign graduates stay on to pursue research careers or other permanent jobs. However, this trend is shifting amid worries about work visa applications and the future of the United States economy. Increasing numbers of students now say they plan to return home after their studies or stay only a few years. Students from Asia are increasingly motivated by growing opportunities in their home countries and hence, the desire to start their own businesses.
Homing in on the opportunities in Asia
Returning Asians, including Singaporeans, as well as highly educated and mobile American professionals have strong potential for recruiters in Singapore.
Singaporeans number just over 4,000 on American campuses according to the United States Education Information Center in Singapore – a significant pool for local hirers. Many are undergraduates at Cornell University, New York University and University of California, Berkeley, while institutions like Harvard, Stanford and MIT are popular among Singaporeans pursuing advanced and professional degrees. There is also a large contingent of professionals who are working or living in the United States, judging by the turnout of about 5,000 Singaporeans at the first Singapore Day event held in New York’s Central Park in 2007.
Many of these Singaporeans that Contact Singapore has met are keen for the opportunity to return home to work. Some of the most common reasons they express are a desire to be closer to family, a better environment to raise their children, a better school system or simply the familiarity that Singapore offers.
Having lived abroad, these Singaporeans are likely to be independent, adept in cross-cultural communication and exposed to new ideas and viewpoints. Because they know and understand the systems and rhythms of Singapore, they have the advantage of being able to assimilate in the workplace with little adjustment.
Returning Asians are another potential pool of talent that makes a good fit for Singapore employers. Like Singaporeans, their strongest motivations for leaving the United States tend to be friends and family back home and the perception that the economies in Asia are stronger. Singapore appeals to this group because it offers good career opportunities and a comfortable high-quality, western lifestyle while being a short flight home, whether that is in Indonesia, the Philippines, China or Korea.
These overseas Asians have often been abroad for a while and adapt quickly to new environments. Given that they are willing to move to a third country, they are likely to be self-starters and go-getters. They bring to their work a unique international perspective while maintaining an inherent understanding of the complexities of Asian culture and business practices, making them valuable assets, particularly if they are fluent in one other Asian language.
With unemployment in the United States hovering stubbornly at 9%, Americans are also beginning to look for opportunities to gain exposure in Asia. Singapore is a preferred base because of its English-speaking environment and western-style conveniences. This pool is made up of a mix of Americans who have a strong interest in Asia; who are learning Chinese or another Asian language with a view to moving east; or those who have traveled extensively in Asia or lived here previously, perhaps on an expatriate stint or internship. Or, they may be scientists and researchers attracted by the strong support for research work in Asia, especially Singapore. The best of these American talents are likely to be highly educated and culturally attuned. They bring with them a natural curiousity for the world, a drive for innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit that has made the nation famous for its start-ups.
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A good time to recruit
As more United States-based talent turn their sights on the opportunities in the growing economies of Asia, particularly China and India, now is an opportune time for Singapore companies to explore what they have to offer. Singapore’s reputation, location and strong fundamentals give Singapore companies a keen edge in recruiting the best of the influx.
Contact Singapore regularly conducts events to attract top US-based talent to consider Singapore as a career destination. Recruiters can tap on our existing reach by posting on our job portal, or participating in our eCareers@Singapore events in order to advertise your positions.
2012 presents a unique opportunity to reach out to Singaporeans living in the United States. In conjunction with Singapore Day 2012 organised by the Overseas Singaporean Unit, Contact Singapore will be profiling career opportunities at home to Singaporeans across the United States. Contact us to find out how you can be part of the line up of recruitment events.
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