Bio:
Jessica joined .PSLAB BEIRUT in March 2010 as a Manager in Team Resources. She is responsible for the development, management and implementation of a human resources unit, talent acquisition, learning and process optimization. Upon completing her Masters Degree in Psychoanalysis from the UK, Jessica moved to Dubai and worked at the Dubai Autism Centre as a child psychoanalyst. She then completed a degree in Psychometrics from the Cambridge Assessment Centre, joined the British Psychological Society and decided to start her career in recruitment, executive search/headhunting with a startup training company then KPMG-Dubai. Following that was her relocation to Lebanon. Coming from a multi-cultural and artistic family, Jessica is a Lebanese national, born in Belgium, and lived in Antwerp, Beirut, London and Dubai.
Questions:
How do you like living and working in Lebanon?
Despite its- more often than not - political and economical instability, Lebanon remains home to my emotions and life experiences. Now, working in Lebanon is as ‘unique’ as living in it, I would say. Everyday brings a new challenge, and the secret of its success relies merely on one’s determination and drive towards achievements and observable change within organizations and for the country.
What is your average day at work like?
A typical day at work is just like looking out the window of your car while driving to the office in the early morning. It is dynamic like the traffic, interesting and dissimilar like the diversity of our cultured city, but most importantly it is natural, human, spontaneous and very interactive like most of the Lebanese Professionals’characteristics.
What is your biggest professional challenge?
It is true that my profession is Human Resources and my natural challenge is would be usually related to my responsibilities at work. However, the real challenge is to achieve something that satisfies you on three levels: personally (my aspirations), professionally (the company), and collectively (my country, since I moved back). The biggest challenge for me was to set up a professional Human Resources Unit and observe the change on all levels. Evaluate the impact on the people and the company, receive constructive feedback, build relationships, and amplify the general expectations and necessity to build such a unit which also raises a sense of belonging within an organization.
What is the most important thing you look for in new hires?
I firstly look for a firm handshake and a strong eye contact. A determined character and direct individual. I emphasize on personality traits and the way the candidate carries himself because they reflect the potential to integrate and aptitude to learn. In other words, I firstly look at how much the individual resembles the company and then the prospective goes beyond expectations and adds value.
What is the biggest challenge you face in hiring talent?
The biggest challenge that we are facing is the scarcity of talents due to the instability in the country. Talents in our industry are seeking careers in other markets from the Middle East and in the west looking for long term security and financial rewards that could not be matched in Lebanon. On another hand, what you see is not always what you get. Once we are recruiting, no matter how reflective and extensive a trial period or a test can be, at the end of the day what you hear and see influences up to 80% of your first opinion. This aspect in recruitment can not only go against you when a new joiner disappoints you but also when you miss out on great candidates who only need time to open up, ease up and show the real potential they have.
What is your favorite part of your role?
Learning and Development or Talent Management. Learning how to become a professional in all aspects and developing the skills of the people around you. Again, this is a core motivator with three facets: gaining experience and knowledge on a personal level, sharing experiences and knowledge with others, and raising awareness by improving the company’s level of service and overall team performance.
What has been the highlight of your career in HR?
I am still aiming at larger achievements through experiences and recognize that passion is the greatest highlight. My pride until now is forming an HR team, coaching junior colleagues and seeing the professionals they are becoming day after day.
What is your advice to someone looking to enter the field of HR?
To be in the HR Field, you should first and foremost be a people’s person with a firm character. Being well-informed about psychology, body language, business etiquette, inter and intra-communication are key factors while dealing with people and developing internal procedures Organization and time management skills are also crucial to succeed in such a multi- tasked role.
How do you see the Middle East evolve as a place to practice HR?
The positive side of the story is that there is a lot of room, curiosity, knowledge, and potential to evolve. The negative side is the instability, misunderstanding and lack of belief in the role that the HR could play in the development of the company, its standards and values, the employees, and consequently the overall performance any given organization.
If you could wave your magic stick and make a significant development in one specific area of HR practices worldwide, where would that fall?
A magic stick would shed the light on the importance of people’s potential vs. their performance. It is a ‘magic stick effect’ in itself when you observe the upbeat evolution of a team by recognizing the implication of skills development, soft skills and technical training, knowledge sharing and collective problem solving, feedback and learning, and all in all constructive communication.
Anything else you'd like to share with the community of Bayt.com Employers?
I would like to express my gratitude, satisfaction and highly professional collaboration with Bayt.com on different levels. From profile search, to job postings, to virtual job fairs and industry news, Bayt.com is constantly evolving and growing into a reference for innovation and excellence in the Human Resources field.
