Indeed Report:
They Still Call
Australia Home
Expats returning home are key to unlocking
corporate Australia’s competitive edge
There’s a very clear halo effect that comes from familiarity. When hiring for professional roles, recruiters are assessing pedigree, but they’re doing that all wrong...There's immense opportunity for recruiters in looking beyond the familiar and opening their minds to the ability and skill that returning expats can offer businesses and in turn, the Australian economy.
Paul D’Arcy
Senior Vice President Marketing
Indeed
Meanwhile, expats themselves need to be prepared and mindful. Things may have changed in their home country in their absence. Events have taken place that have shaped Australia that may have eluded them, and returned expats may have achieved a level of seniority that does not exist here… we all need to remain connected and value our Australian diaspora and the contribution they make, domestically and internationally.
Yasmin Allen
Chairman
Advance
As executive search recruiters, when we take a brief, it’s our job to find the person that matches their criteria as closely as possible, not just the best person ‘on the market’. The perception from clients with returned expats is that the shift in experience while overseas may no longer seem relevant to the local market here.
Paul Simms
Managing Director
Wright Executive
What is of concern… is that recruiters are reluctant to hire a returned expat for an Australian-based role because of ‘cultural difficulties’. Most returned expats will have extensive experience in navigating and adapting to very complex contexts outside Australia and as a result, possess great skills in cross-cultural communication. These skills are as valuable and relevant inside Australia as they are out.
Penny Burtt
Chief Executive Officer
Asialink
A candidate’s time abroad helps to develop cross-cultural understanding and other perceived benefits, such as communication and linguistic ability, global market understanding, specific product knowledge, improved work ethic, job satisfaction and technical expertise… Candidates should showcase how their time overseas has honed their soft and professional skills, and the value this offers to the Australian employer, throughout the hiring process.
Andrew Morris
Director
Robert Half
We need the best skills and most talented workforce in the world, that means doubling down on economic growth and innovation to make sure the jobs expat Australians need are here when they return. We also need an education and skills system that works for those who need to re-skill and re-train when they return.
Jennifer Westacott
Chief Executive
Business Council of Australia
Many returning expats bring larger scale and transformational leadership experience in markets that have already faced challenges we are now facing locally – including digitisation, innovation and regulatory change.