Career and HR, page 15
Employment news from Slovakia
I’m too sexy for my job...
THERE could be many reasons why a person with a university degree is working in a fast-food restaurant. In Slovakia people who are too good for their jobs, so to speak, haven’t been a problem for the labour market, but this may be changing. “It happens quite often that people who have a university degree apply for positions where only a secondary school graduation is required,” Marcela Glevická from the Profesia.sk job portal told The Slovak Spectator. There are professions in Slovakia’s job market where more than half of the people have a higher level of education than is required. The ranking is topped by bank loan specialists, 61 percent of whom are university graduates. Other professions include librarians, tour guides and physiotherapists.
Amended Immigration Law in the Slovak Republic
Residence permits in Slovakia for nationals of non-EU member countries are governed by the Act on Residence of Foreign Nationals. As of January 2014, the amendment to the Act on Residence of Foreign Nationals introduced significant changes, namely in terms of permits for temporary residence.
Leadership and the Brain – A User´s Guide to Empathy
Insights into leadership in the fast-evolving business environment can be found in the history of our own evolution. Over the last few million years, the human brain has changed faster than that of any other living species. We have developed such a large cortex (modern brain) in comparison to the deeper, older regions of the brain, that we are less in touch with our instincts and non-verbal signals. Not only is the cortex the most modern part of our brain, it is also the most considered, reflective and forward-thinking. Most of this brain growth is connected to the evolution of language and interpersonal capabilities, such as empathy, cooperation and strategizing as a group.
Extension of higher level collective agreements in Slovakia
New rules for the extension of applicability of collective agreements entered into force on 1 January 2014. Compared to the past, the employer’s consent is no longer a condition for extension of the binding force of higher level collective agreements. Although pessimistic scenarios on the possible effects accompanying this legislation could be forecast, only the future will show how the law will be brought into life. In the meantime, it is recommended to become familiar with the new legislation.
An American University Education in Prague
The American higher education system has some characteristics that make it distinct when compared to Universities in other developed markets around the world. For example, good U.S. Institutions tend to pay a significant amount of attention to the development of the critical thinking of students, and offer interactive and generally small-sized classes (especially when compared with big European Universities). They offer strong relevance of the course content to industry and markets, which is coupled with the development of practical knowledge and skills for students. To achieve this, they develop and train faculty who have been selected based on their abilities to teach, academic skills and background, as well as practical knowledge they can offer. They generally are faculty with strong connections (and often background) to the real-world contexts where their graduates are destined to work.
Some employment, HR and executive search companies in Slovakia
- Amrop Slovakia – Context Driven Executive Search, www.amrop.sk- Arthur Hunt, www.arthur-hunt.com- CPL Jobs, www.cpljobs.sk- Grafton Recruitment Slovakia, www.grafton.sk- Index Nosluš, www.indexnoslus.sk- Iventa Slovakia Management Consulting www.iventa.sk - Lugera & Maklér, www.lugera.sk- Manpower Slovensko, www.manpower.sk- McROY Slovakia, www.mcroygroup.com- Menkyna & Partners Management Consulting, www.menkyna.com-Proact People Slovensko www.proactpeople.sk- Profesia, www.profesia.sk- Target Executive Search Slovakia, www.targetfuture.com- Trenkwalder, www.trenkwalder.sk
Hiring remains modest
SLOVAK employers are cautious when it comes to their hiring plans for the final quarter of 2013, according to the latest survey conducted by Manpower Czech Republic and Slovakia. The employment agency conducted its regular quarterly survey on a sample of 752 employers across the country.
One in 10 Slovaks earns below €340
SLOVAKIA’S average monthly salary is between €805 and €888 depending on data sets, but nearly two-thirds of Slovaks earn less. In addition, one in 10 Slovaks working in full-time employment earns less than €400 gross per month, which comes to just under €340 after taxes. Among women, the proportion is slightly higher at 12 percent, according to analysis by Poštová Banka, which utilised data of the Statistics Office about wages in Slovakia in 2012.
Institutions and organisations in the labour market
Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Familywww.employment.gov.skMinister: Ján Richter
Crisis focuses employee benefits
WHEN companies started feeling the pinch of the economic crisis, employee benefits like free beverages, tickets to cultural events, fitness centre memberships, pension contributions and free health check-ups, were among the first things to go. Firms began to examine which benefits actually boosted employee loyalty the most with so-called cafeteria plans, where workers choose their own benefits and flexible work schedules, proving the most motivational.
Labour costs in Slovakia grow, unsurprisingly
SLOVAKIA, once regarded as a low-cost country with a cheap and qualified labour force, is no longer as cheap as it used to be, as the country has experienced some of the fastest growth in labour costs in the region. For experts, neither the robust growth nor the still comparatively low labour costs in Slovakia are a surprise.
Wages highest in IT, energy, telecom
THE SLOVAK labour market’s hunger for IT and telecom experts means that positions in these sectors continue to top wage rankings. However, given the significant impact that supply and demand has on wages in Slovakia, salaries in some sectors are seeing more growth than others.
Young Slovaks are self-confident
SLOVAK university students and graduates think they have a lot to offer to prospective employers, according to the First Steps into the Labour Market survey, carried out among students across central Europe by accountancy firm Deloitte. It polled students and graduates, most of them studying business, in 11 countries. The Pravda daily reported that usually, it is people in their thirties who have high self-esteem concerning their professional skills.
Slovak women of the year 2013
ELIŠKA Kubíková, vice-dean of the Medical Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava, has been named Slovak Woman of the Year for 2013. The poll to decide the award was organised by the Slovenka women’s weekly. Kubíková accepted her award at a ceremony held at the Slovak National Theatre in Bratislava on May 21, along with an award in the category of health care.
Poorly prepared job applicants
THREE out of five job interviews in Slovakia fail due to insufficient preparation by applicants, and four out of five CVs are discarded by potential employers due to their disorganised structure or lack of information. People who have not yet held a regular job, such as school-leavers, tend not to appreciate the importance of good preparation, statistics from recruitment agency Adecco suggest.
Tackling unemployment with EU funds
SLOVAKIA continues to suffer from high unemployment, with its biggest sore points being joblessness among young people and the long-term unemployment. To combat the problem, the government is considering using EU funds, including those which were originally allocated for other purposes.
Some HR and employment agencies
- Amrop Slovakia, www.amrop.sk
Pressing for gender quotas
ARE there enough women in managerial positions? Do they need a special approach? Is the introduction of quotas to boost women’s representation in company management structures necessary? These are questions to which the European Union and its member countries have been searching for answers. However, the Slovak government does not like the idea of quotas and local HR experts are also critical.
Institutions and organisations related to employment in Slovakia
Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, www.employment.gov.sk
Vocational training in the spotlight
SLOVAKIA’S job market lacks skilled mechanics and technicians, according to businesses who claim that once the generation of workers in their fifties retires, there might not be enough qualified workers to replace them. The Education Ministry sees this as a major challenge, and promises to come up with a set of new measures that would make vocational training more attractive to students and encourage participation by businesses.
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