Sebnem Arican is the Staffing Manager, MEMA (Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa) at HP. Within her role, Sebnem is responsible for HP’s strategic recruitment activities in 28 MEMA countries. Sebnem is tasked with building a best-in-class HR organization focused on building and developing the most talented and committed workforce for the company in these regions. In this interview with Bayt.com, Sebnem tells us what HP looks for in new hires and how top companies can retain their top talents. More about Sebnem Arican Sebnem Arican has a span of experience in Hewlett-Packard ranges from HR Generalist to HR Project Manager, and HR Manager. In these roles, she successfully led change initiatives and implemented specific HR strategies to achieve organization goals and objectives ensuring consistent delivery of corporate programs and policies. Prior to joining HP in 2006, Sebnem was the HR Account Manager of Siemens Business Services. Previously, Sebnem held the role of Human Resources Generalist where she introduced a variety of new HR initiatives ranging from competency management projects to competency-based job grading systems. Sebnem holds her Bachelor’s degree from Bogazici University in Language and Literature studies. She completed her HR Certification in Istanbul University. She is the Country Diversity Lead for Turkey and member of WIN (Women International Network). Sebnem is based in Istanbul, Turkey, and is married with one son. 1. Can you tell us a little about HP’s work culture? What is it like to work at HP? Our strength comes from our differences. HP has a very dynamic culture energized by the global collaboration of the best talents in the business. This brings together different nationalities, ethnic groups, and generations with diverse skill sets. At HP, there’s always the opportunity for improvement and we’ve always had an open door policy through which we listen to ideas and encourage creativity. When you’re working at HP you’re part of a team that runs after challenges and ever-expanding horizons, while continuously improving and growing. We work together to create a culture of trust and respect. We always strive for excellence in how we do things, and therefore believe that the contribution of each and every employee is crucial to achieve our overall business strategy. 2. What is the most important quality HP looks for in new hires? The passion to learn, grow, and succeed. 3. Technology is a very fast paced industry, so it must be challenging to hire talent in this industry. What are the challenges you face while hiring, and how do you overcome them? Given the limited talent pool of candidates with the required technical skills, an inadequate supply of qualified IT talents should the biggest challenge for any company working in this field. In order to reach these ‘hard-to-find’ professionals, we use blogs and job sites to share our job vacancies and career events. We also participate in and sponsor technology events to build a candidate pool for future hiring through networking. On the other side, technologies and skill sets are constantly evolving in the IT sector so we frequently need to reshape our hiring strategy to meet emerging business needs. Another major challenge is the attraction of these talents. They are constantly seeking for better opportunities; therefore, building a strong company brand is crucial. We try to ensure that we are offering growth opportunities, competitive compensation & benefits packages, alternative options (for e.g. flexible working hours), and visibility on social responsibility projects. Being known as a ‘great place to work’ makes it easier to attract top talents! 4. What's your advice for young professionals who want to start their career in the IT industry in the Middle East and North Africa region? A successful education history is critical along with being proactive, having a positive attitude combined with strong work ethic and a desire to learn and bring success to the company and region. In today’s fast-paced IT industry, soft skills are equally as important as technical skills, hence having good communication and problem solving skills are essential along with being customer-focused. At HP, we offer a variety of opportunities for students and graduates throughout the year. We follow a well-structured graduate development program for a period of 18 months called The MEMA Sales University. This program provides unique opportunities for young professionals across the region. They must be fresh graduates of top universities with degrees such as Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, or any other technical or business fields. We also look for advanced skills in written and spoken English, the ability to work well with others in an international environment, and adjusting to change while being results-driven. 5. What do you read to keep abreast of industry developments? I have memberships to leading local and global IT magazines. I also follow online technology news and open forums. 6. What advice do you have for companies who want to retain top talent? An engaged workforce provides the company with a competitive advantage. However, in today’s competitive job market, retaining top talents is one of the greatest challenges that the leading companies face. To retain top talents, companies should create a supportive, motivating environment that encourages personal growth. We believe that every employee should have the ownership of their own development plan; therefore, we encourage employees to build an individual development plan and we support them on the way to achieve their career goals through face-to-face training, live virtual training, and self-directed online courses. Employees tend to stay loyal to their company if they feel their contribution is appreciated and their opinions are heard. Therefore, companies should communicate with their employees all the time and build an open culture where everybody listens, shares ideas, and learns from others. HP provides a variety of internal social networking platforms and forums to stay connected with its employees. It is inevitable that these talents are often approached by other companies and receive job offers. As a result, competitive offerings, benefits and wellness programs, rewards, and recognition programs will also encourage employees to stay loyal to the company. Finally, appreciating employees’ efforts and achievements should be another critical strategy to retain top talents. Here in HP, we acknowledge employee accomplishments through Recognition @ HP, a tool that enables recognition of good work. 7. Can you tell us about your experience with Bayt.com? I am very pleased with the service offered by Bayt.com, as we’ve been working with Bayt.com since 2006 and throughout the years have had a dedicated Account Manager who’s engaged and continually supports us with new ideas and improved offerings. Are you an employer with a story to share? Email us at: reemb@bayt.net to publish your own story on Bayt.com Blog!
