Karine holds a Public Administration degree from Notre Dame University and has several years of experience in the field of HR. In her current position, at Silkor Laser Medical Center headquarters, Karine is responsible for hiring for top-level positions. One of her proudest achievements at Silkor is to have successfully closed over 100 positions in Lebanon and abroad. Karine attributes her success in HR to her ability in effectively identifying candidate with drive and passion.
Questions:
1. How do you like living and working in your country of employment?
Living and working in the same country is wonderful for me. First off, working at Silkor has given me the opportunity to recruit from the GCC and for the GCC. This has exposed me to a variety of cultures and ways of thinking. I feel that I really connect well with most candidates as we share the same mentality and work culture. Secondly, I am lucky to have my career in the same region where my family and friends are, so I have all their support when I need it most.
2. What is your average day at work like?
Every day is different from the last; however as soon as I come to work I write down a to-do list of what I’m planning for the day. The list usually includes about 5 times the amount I could possibly achieve during the span of one day, but it’s good to aim higher. Once I’ve settled down I start searching for potential candidates for our branches across the MENA region, and in addition to my phone interviews and face-to-face interviews, I am also required to attend career fairs and conduct employee evaluations. By the end of the day I make sure that I’ve completed at least 80% of the tasks on my to-do list.
3. What is your biggest professional challenge?
Continuously helping employees grow in their career and enhance their skills- this is my biggest professional challenge.
4. What is the most important thing you look for in new hires?
While hiring new candidates I follow the rule “Hire the attitude, train the skills”.
5 What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring talent?
We look for candidates with a specific skill-set so the talent pool is quiet limited. It’s challenging for me when I am searching for candidates who have this unique set of qualifications. I also need to find candidates who are willing to be dispatched throughout the GCC region where the Silkor branches are located – this is quite difficult.
6. What is your favorite part of your role?
When you realize that you have given the organization an asset and found the right people for the right position! Seeing them grow as the company grows puts a smile on my face and pleases me immensely. In addition to that, I love the strong confidence and trust I have in the candidates I hire; especially when I see them develop and grow personally and professionally.
7. What has been the highlight of your career in HR?
The opportunity to hire candidates for Silkor’s different branches in the MENA region; as well as seeing Silkor and its team expand and continuously grow; are the two main highlights in my HR career.
8. What do you read to keep abreast of industry developments?
I try to keep myself updated by dedicating a few hours daily to go through HR websites and read up on the latest news and developments; I often gather new updates from ''The HR Review'' magazine.
9. What is your advice to someone looking to enter the field of HR?
If you have the passion for HR and if you are looking for a challenging and fulfilling career, I can tell you that the Middle East is the place to be. You also need to have the drive and ambition to deal with others and believe in their potential.
10. How do you see the Middle East evolve as a place to practice HR?
Since the Middle East is a fast growing market, organizations have come to value and understand the importance of effective HR practices. Thus, a lot of effort and hard work has been invested lately in improving HR practices in this region.
11. If you could wave your magic wand and make a significant development in one specific area of HR practices worldwide, where would that fall?
If I could wave a magic wand, it would be to bring about gender balance which we are still striving for, as women are still largely outnumbered by men in positions of responsibility in all fields. So basically, I am highlighting the fact that I would love to empower women and give them the attention they deserve in the work force. I am working in a company that is 99% women-oriented, I am surrounded by women who are driven and have great love and ambition for what they do. Silkor has grown and expanded and this is all the outcome of our women’s strength and persistence.
