Cyprus recruiters look for advanced soft skills

Businesses highly prioritise candidates with advanced soft skills, said Irina Karpova, the head of recruitment at a leading Fintech company in Limassol.

Karpova said that securing individuals who align with the company culture was crucial, and she emphasised the importance of skills such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, creativity, integrity, and a positive attitude.

When it comes to the talent acquisition process, the effectiveness of utilising an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is significant. “An ATS allows us to create a comprehensive CV database, advertise job vacancies on the website, engage with candidates, and efficiently track their applications,” said Karpova.

Additionally, conducting interviews online, specifically through platforms like Google Meet, has proven to be an effective way to speed up the recruitment process. Karpova believes this “makes the process more flexible and cost-effective.”

In terms of sourcing and attracting a diverse range of candidates, the use of various tools and technologies was also important. LinkedIn was a primary tool for finding candidates, she said.

AI search engines have proved effective in searching through multiple platforms, with Karpova saying, “these tools are invaluable for identifying talent across social media, specialised communities, and IT platforms.”

Based on her experience, the most sought-after functional areas and job roles in Cyprus include various IT and marketing positions. In the marketing field, positions like business development managers, user acquisition and retention managers, and affiliate managers were widely sought, the constant demand for back-office professionals, including payroll and tax accountants, lawyers, and migration and mobility specialists.

Cultivating and sustaining strong relationships with both clients and candidates is vital in the recruitment process. Emphasising the significance of understanding customer needs, Karpova said that, “investing time in creating candidate profiles and conducting market research is crucial.” Furthermore, the importance of a personalised approach, coupled with appropriate communication and constructive feedback, was mentioned.

Karpova also shared a challenging recruitment scenario she had encountered: hiring hard-to-find candidates quickly. She noted the emerging trend of companies being open to hiring remote workers or relocating the best candidates. This trend had transformed the recruitment process, requiring talent acquisition specialists to be well-versed in multiple areas, including migration laws, tax laws, and relocation processes across different countries.

Diversity and inclusion were also important considerations in the recruitment process, said Karpova who spoke of the need to engage in different communities and professional networks.

“Utilising job boards that cater specifically to diverse candidates and encouraging employee referrals from diverse backgrounds are key strategies,” she said. In her team, they have a set of diversity metrics to measure the success of their strategies.

For recruitment to be effective, both technology and human touch must play part in the hiring process. She said, “Utilising technology tools, such as automated application responses, streamlines the process.” Nonetheless, all other interactions and engagements with candidates involve personalised communication by real individuals.

“We refrain from employing chatbots or AI assistants to maintain a personal touch,” said Karpova.