Select Group op de Antwerp 10 Miles

The fact that several profiles are increasingly hard to find in our job market today is no longer news. The pool of available talent is slowly drying up, especially for certain specific profiles. Companies need to get more creative in convincing talent working elsewhere to join their ranks. What if we were to cast our net in different waters? Select Group is focusing on international recruitment and did so in 2023 for an internal position.

The labor market's tightness is particularly felt today in some specific fields. Think of IT profiles, engineers, or technical professionals. Ask companies with job vacancies for these kinds of profiles today, and the answer is: "They can no longer be found!" When all domestic sources have run dry, there's always the option to look to international talent pools. But how do you go about it?

Software Developer in Morocco

Thanks to the close collaboration among members within Select Group, they can quickly explore other options. Xpertize, active in Morocco, acts as a bridge between the Belgian and Dutch entities within Select Group and the local market for Moroccan talent. With the hiring of Zakaria, a software developer from Marrakesh, we made use of our own services for a first internal international recruitment.

'In early 2023, it became clear that we needed to strengthen our team in the field of software development,' says Jeroen Huygh, Corporate IT Manager at Select Group. 'We had to find a software developer with the necessary experience who could evolve into a product owner of a specific software that we use within our organization in the long term.'

Extra Difficulty: Mainly Freelancers Available

After an internal briefing about the profile, a vacancy was posted by Select Group's internal HR team. It quickly became evident how challenging this task was. 'IT profiles are always hard to find, but in this case, an additional difficulty arose. Software developers prefer to work as freelancers so they can take on various projects for different clients. For this position, we were looking for someone who could support the project in the long term and who would be willing to join us as a permanent employee. He or she would need to become our in-house expert.'

Many potential candidates stumbled on this aspect. Select Group's internal HR department pulled out all the stops, including using unconventional channels specifically for IT professionals, such as Reddit, and reaching out to companies tailored to individuals with autism spectrum disorders. But finding the right candidate was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

The open vacancy came to the attention of their colleague Naïm Bentaleb, who, along with his brother, is responsible for Xpertize in Morocco. He suggested to Jeroen that they also search for software developers in Morocco. With the help of Xpertize, they received many applications from Morocco. They conducted a second round of interviews with several candidates, including Zakaria, who eventually accepted their offer.

Xpertize as a Key Local Link

The job interviews were conducted via video calls, which posed no obstacle for Select Group's internal HR team. 'We immediately noticed that Zakaria was a great fit for Select Group. He was also enthusiastic, presented himself professionally, and passed the technical screening.' Both the colleagues in Morocco and Zakaria are fluent in French and English, which facilitated communication.

To further streamline communication between Moroccan candidates and Select Group as their prospective employer, Xpertize played a crucial role. They prepared candidates for their international or remote adventure on-site, and they also provided information to the future employer about the local job market in Morocco and the general framework from the outset. A local partner is necessary to bridge this gap.

Remote Work or Relocating to Europe

Zakaria currently works from Morocco. In IT profiles, this is a common way of working that also appeals to many IT professionals. However, there are other non-remote options. For instance, Select Projects recently hired an engineer from Morocco who traveled to Belgium a few days before starting.

Depending on the job vacancy and the preferences of the candidate or employer, one of these options can be chosen. Alternatively, if appropriate, a hybrid option can be selected where the candidate starts remotely temporarily and later travels to Europe. As always, the members of Select Group work entirely tailored to individual needs and can provide support in various forms for international recruitment.

Want to know more about international recruitment? Don't hesitate to contact us.

Select Group has more than 10 different brands. Ten different entities, each with their own character, but all sharing the Select Group values and standards. Ten (and more) different directors who joined the group with their own story.

For the first time since the creation of Select Group, all these brands were brought together. At the beginning of 2022 Select Group came into being in its current structure. With its own logo and website. This was the moment to bring all members together physically for the first time. Most of them knew CEO Bart Gonnissen, but not each other. A missed opportunity. The various directors came together for a two-day meeting in Limburg.

Getting to know each other and learning from each other

‘The intention of this two-day event was mainly to get to know each other better. Everyone knows each other's company by name, but what do they do exactly and what are they good at? On the first day, the focus was on getting to know each other. Each entity had prepared a presentation'.

On the second day, we took the time to listen to each other's challenges: what are we up against and how can we help each other out', CO-COO Jelle Destoop explains. 'We are all in the same group and can certainly learn from each other. A lot of action points have been noted and during the two days we have also gained some inspiration. A successful first meeting.'

Discover all brands within Select Group on our website.

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In June of last year, Peps Interim took a significant step in their growth story by opening their first office in Flanders. Frederick Doublet and Marjolein Van Parys took on this important task. Companies on both sides of the language border can now rely on Peps Interim for the recruitment of primarily technical workers.

Active since 2005

Peps Interim has been active since 2005. Three entrepreneurs founded Peps Interim to approach the interim world differently: building long-term relationships with clients, emphasizing transparency, and maintaining personal contact with interim employees. With this vision, Peps Interim became a solid player in the sector in Wallonia.

Since 2018, Peps Interim has been part of the Select Group. With this affiliation, Peps Interim could fully pursue further growth. Several new offices were added without deviating from the trusted formula. With seven offices in Wallonia and a well-known name, Peps Interim crossed the language border for the first time in 2023.

New service in Flanders: international recruitment

In June 2023, Frederick Doublet and Marjolein Van Parys opened Peps Interim's first office in Flanders, specifically in Ghent. In addition to the familiar services, Peps Interim in Flanders also focuses on international recruitment.

"The tightness in the job market is strongly felt by our clients, who are looking for technical profiles. It hampers their growth which is a major concern," says Frederick Doublet.

"The pool of available talent in Belgium is extremely small, so it's worthwhile to look abroad. Within Europe, there is still a considerable amount of high-quality technical talent available. Our clients can rely on full support from Peps Interim. We take care of the journey to Belgium, housing, permits, and other administrative tasks."

Synergy with other members of the Select Group

The synergy within the Select Group remains significant, both in Flanders and Wallonia. Recently, the office of Select HR in Mouscron has been integrated in the Peps Interim network. By collaborating within the same pillar, new opportunities can be created.

Synergy is also on the agenda on the northern side of the language border. With the offices of Select HR Ghent and Peps Interim Ghent in the same building, the interaction between the two companies is very swift. "Clients of Select HR in need of specialized technical workers for example construction workers can be assisted by us, and vice versa, we can refer our clients struggling with other personnel issues to the experts at Select HR."

With the opening of the office in Ghent, Peps Interim has expanded its presence to Flanders, strengthening its position as a reliable partner for companies in the technical sector. Peps Interim remains committed to providing high-quality technical personnel on both sides of the language border. Discover more about Peps Interim on their website: pepsinterim.be