Faisal Al-Zahrani is the Senior Head of Recruitment at Marafiq. Faisal is married and has three kids. He was born in 1965 and has worked in BAE Systems, the leading company in space and aviation industry, from 1997 to 2012. Faisal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Administrative Sciences from King Abdulaziz University. He graduated in 1993, and later obtained a Master’s Degree in Technology Management from the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain, with a Minor in Total Quality Management (TQM). Mr. Al-Zahrani received advanced training in recruitment and is a member of the Saudi Management Association (SMA) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). He attended more than 50 training courses in different subjects, and presented over 20 training courses in HR, ER and recruitment. His experience in HR spans over 11 years, eight of which were in the recruitment field. Faisal shares his experience and views on HR and the recruitment profession in this interview with Bayt.com..
Saudi Arabia is my home country and living here is amazing. I live and work in Jubail, a city in the east of Saudi Arabia and one of the largest industrial cities in the world. Jubail is quiet and cozy, and enjoys a good infrastructure, a beautiful corniche and many parks and gardens where the children can play. In Jubail there are many big factories. While most of them produce petrochemicals, the company I work for, Marafiq, specializes in producing the most important thing for people and industrial corporations – water and power. I like working in Jubail; every day brings a new challenge and a new experience. Jubail is a city that is growing rapidly.
I believe that I cannot do my work without the full support of my team. I encourage them to give their best in the workplace and help them to overcome any work difficulties they could face. In my daily activities, I focus on doing the required tasks on time while applying the best practices in the HR field; it’s very important for me not only to serve my clients but also to please them. I usually advise my team members to always satisfy their clients and give them more than what they expect. Regular meetings with my team and other parties are important to me. I meet with my guests if I have the time or I ask my assistant to do the necessary on my behalf. I think that empowerment is one of the best tools to improve the productivity and loyalty of your team. Weekends for me are a time to spend with the family. On the weekends, I give my family time for recreation and take them to Jubail’s many parks or to the sea. I give my family the chance to decide whether to go on a picnic or visit relatives in Dammam. Sometimes we combine both by inviting our relatives and going with them for big family picnics where we bond and enjoy our time together.
At Marafiq, we consider a bundle of criteria in new hires, but the most important thing for us is the applicant’s qualifications, which include the educational certificates and the training the applicant has received. This gives us a picture of what the applicant can bring to our company. After qualifications we look for relevant work experience. We also take into account the capabilities and competencies the applicant has. On the other hand, we also understand that the labor market is now booming, and talented employees expect companies to provide them with the best offers. In this regard, we ask applicants about his current income and salary expectations to give us a clear picture of what to offer.
From my experience, I see that there are two major challenges: the first one is finding the right talent for some of our vacant positions which can be very difficult, especially when we search for professionals in a new field or technology. The second challenge is presenting offers that do not meet the applicant’s expectations and handling their rejection. In order to overcome this last barrier we signed a contract with an international consultancy firm to research salaries provided in our industry and provide us with advice and recommendations.
Marafiq's work culture is one that is characterized with the continuous development of employees by training them either inside or outside Saudi Arabia. Marafiq is keen to develop leadership on both the managerial and employee levels. It has earned the Best Work Environment in Saudi Arabia for the year 2011 and King Khalid Prize for Accountable Competitiveness in 2010. In Marafiq we stick to our core values: Customer Focus, Team Work, Accountability, Transparency, People and Social Responsibility. We make sure that these values are reflected in our day-to-day activities.
The highlight of my career happened very recently when, in quarters 3 and 4 from last year, Marafiq decided to invest in a number of projects with a capital of billions of Saudi Riyals (SAR). I see these projects as a challenge for me to recruit the best talent to ensure the viability of each and every project. In order for me to succeed in this challenging task I make sure to liaise with department managers to get a clear picture of who we need and when. Moreover, I am a member of a team responsible for managing change in Marafiq. I am also a member of a team that liaises with department managers to minimize and optimize the cost of HR/manpower in Marafiq. So far, we’ve achieved a reduction by SAR 19 million in the total cost of HR.
Frankly speaking, the Middle East companies only began to focus on the HR policies and practices in the early 2000s. The HR policies and practices we apply now is based on the “know-how” that was transferred to us by international companies that started operating in the region in the 1970s and 1980s. We learned from these companies the importance of HR and its practices and policies and consequently personnel departments changed their names to “HR” departments. As we realized the importance of the new HR policies and practices, we also discovered a gap in understanding and applying the right practices. To fill this gap, I think we must train our employees on the modern and latest successful practices in HR. We should also encourage HR professionals to draft and develop their own HR policies.
My advice for young professionals who are preparing themselves to start their career is to work hard to develop their capabilities and skills. Don't wait for other people to train you or take you to the next step; be proactive by teaching and training yourself. Look at the market and ask yourself what the most popular disciplines are, and then go study one of the specialties that are most in demand. When you get the chance to be interviewed don’t panic or get nervous; speak confidently and openly, remember that you are trying to market and sell yourself to the company which invited you to the interview. Be a good marketer and convince the interviewing panel that you are the best candidate for the position. Be sure and optimistic about your success in the interview, if you failed in the interview don’t consider it a failure; instead look at the matter as a lesson. When you receive a letter of regret after an interview don’t be angry, but act positively and send the contact person a nice email thanking them for their time and efforts and asking gently them about the reasons why you were not considered for the position, mentioning that you are inquiring in order for you to improve your skills in your interviews with other employers. Today English is the primary business language, so do your best to learn this language. Also, learn how to be proficient in all MS programs and applications. It’s also important for you to be up-to-date with the latest in your industry. Keep abreast of the latest news and trends in your specialty and take the time to read.
I would like to thank Bayt.com for this chance to share my thoughts with readers from all over the world. I find it very fulfilling to share the experience I’ve gained throughout my life with the leading job site in the Middle East. I wish that what was mentioned here will be valuable and helpful for jobseekers and employers alike.
