Robert Walters reviews

Thank you very much for your review. I’m not sure when you worked for us but in the areas of management development and consultant training we believe we are consistently making improvements, so I’m sorry if you somehow feel that you missed out on this. In a fast-moving industry, there are times when we experience some management change. However, for the last few years we’ve never had a situation where a team has not been managed directly by either a manager, associate director or director. Our associate directors in Tokyo all have over 7-8 years’ experience at Robert Walters and our directors, over 10 years. That sort of tenure is pretty high for our industry and indeed, for most industries. I’ve been working here for 19 years, so I truly believe this is a place where you can have a long-term career. All consultants go through a 6-week induction and we ask people to do this regardless of experience level. This training covers everything from headhunting, to candidate interviews and systems use - everything we feel a consultant needs to successfully make placements. Additionally, all consultants are given online training each quarter and offsite training at around 6 months. Managers also receive regular on-the-job training and attend lunch and learn sessions, so training is something we believe should be continuous throughout our people’s careers with us. We often receive great feedback from staff on the quality of our training, so I would be keen to hear from you exactly what you feel is missing, in terms of guidance. In our industry, long-term relationships with clients are built on successfully filling jobs with quality candidates. This is a cornerstone of our business. Retainers are a means to more successfully help a client fill a job. I can also assure you that under no circumstances do we condone ‘place then pull him out within a year’. Our team profit share bonus system is based on an individual’s contribution to that profit. It’s designed to help avoid some of the problems you describe in terms of lack of support and guidance, in that we can reward people for acting in the interests of the team and broader business, rather than just prioritising themselves. In my experience, this is often the norm in commission based schemes. Please feel free to contact me directly should you wish to discuss any of the points above or provide any further information on your experience with us. David Swan, Managing Director, Japan and Korea E: david.swan@robertwalters.co.jp