North America
Recruiting in North America covers Canada and the US.
Recruiting in Canada
Canadian professionals are in high demand worldwide, for their exemplary work standards and expertise. As a bonus, Canada also welcomes overseas employers.
Qualifications and Expertise
Canada has almost 200 Institutes of Higher Learning, which generate high-quality graduates in Science, IT, Business and Engineering. Many of the top universities in Canada are on par with those in the US. Three of the world’s top 50 business schools can be found in Canada, namely the Richard Ivey School of Business (University of Western Ontario), the Rotman School of Management (University of Toronto) and the Schulich School of Business (York University).
Recruitment Considerations
For Canadians, work considerations go beyond salary and other monetary incentives. Canada offers a well-balanced lifestyle, with attractive medical coverage, flexible work arrangements and ample opportunities for personal development. These factors play a big part in their job selection.
You may dispense with employment agencies when recruiting in Canada as career fairs are well received. You are encouraged to recruit from late September to mid-October, November and late February to mid-March for both graduating students and working professionals. Canadian students are also keen to participate in overseas internships between May and August, during which time you may decide to offer them full-time positions.
Recruiting in the US
The US is home to top-performing professionals in virtually every industry, including ICT, business, finance, biotechnology and R&D. In terms of ability, innovation and sophistication, the US is possibly the market that produces some of the best talent in the world.
Qualifications and Expertise
Expertise in the US is not homogeneous across the country. Each major city has its own niche specialisations and focused industries. For instance, the financial centre is in New York City, while the top infocomm companies and entrepreneurial minds gather at Silicon Valley in San Francisco. Boston, hometown of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has a concentration of biotechnology and R&D expertise, while glamour town Los Angeles, home to Hollywood, produces talent in all aspects related to entertainment.
There are some 6,000 colleges and graduate schools in the US, among the most respected being the Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Yale and Princeton, which attract top students from around the world. The US draws some half a million international students each year, about 4,000 of whom are Singaporeans.
Recruitment Considerations
Graduates from top universities in the US are considered the crème de la crème, and are aggressively pursued within the US and beyond. These graduates command high salaries and if they are your target group, issues such as good public relations and human resource practices in your firm will play a big part in attracting them.
With Asia set to see the largest growth numbers, Singapore’s strategic location as a springboard to emerging regional markets can be a pivotal selling point. Singapore’s position as an English-speaking, cosmopolitan country is an attractive factor.
When conducting recruitment in the US, it is important to bear in mind that questions regarding issues like age, race, nationality and number of children may be considered discriminatory. Interviews and resume templates should focus on work-related issues like their willingness to travel.
The recommended recruitment period is from January to February and September to October, in line with the recruitment activities of universities. US students are also generally keen to participate in overseas internships during the summer break, from May to August. These may be excellent opportunities for assessing candidates for full-time employment. You can partner Contact Singapore for these recruitment events.
Partnering Contact Singapore
To find out more about how Contact Singapore can partner you in reaching out to global talent, email us at singapore@contactsingapore.sg.
Find out more about our North American offices here.
To check out Contact Singapore’s events in North America, go to Events page.