Myriam Le Cannellier, Co-founder and Director of DSML Executive Search, was recently interviewed by the French American Chamber of Commerce (Northeast), regarding the key difference in hiring in the United States and Europe.
What is DSML Executive Search?
DSML Executive Search is an executive search firm that specializes in helping European companies find the managerial talent they need for their growth in the US, across the US. We are based in Chicago, with a small secondary office in Boston, but we work across the USA. Our clients are mainly from France, but we also work regularly with clients from other European countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria and Sweden.
What are the key differences between hiring in the United States and in France?
Unlike in Europe, the US employment market is a very fluid and flexible market. This means that candidates in the US are comparatively much more in the driver’s seat. And this is often a challenge to adjust to for candidates who are new to the United States.
As an employer in the US, you really have to sell yourself. There are many components that go into attracting and retaining talent. For example, while a candidate can join a company very quickly in the US, they can leave a company just as quickly. That fluidity in the market is a major difference.
At a macro level, it is also a market that has far fewer rules and regulations than in Europe. This is true at the federal level in the US. However, locally at the state level, there are a number of different regulations that employers need to follow, as well as best practices. These differences add a level of complexity to the market not found in France, for example.
Can you speak to the key differences in regards to employee benefits?
The US has cultivated a market in which benefits are very important. As an employer, you cannot simply hire someone and pay them a salary. There is an expectation that there be comprehensive benefits around the compensation itself. This differs greatly from Europe in that by and large, employees are paid by their employers but receive health care coverage through the government, among certain other benefits. In the US, these benefits fall into the companies’ responsibilities.
Finally, salaries vary greatly between the US and Europe. Quite often, they are higher in the US than they are for similar positions in Europe. The magnitude of the salary gap is often a surprise to newcomers. The processes when it comes to hiring are also quite fast, as they’re linked to the fluidity of the market. This means it’s paramount for employers to have a solid hiring process in place to be able to make a decision fast enough to not lose candidates and overall see more efficiency.
Myriam Le Cannellier is the Co-Founder and Director of DSML Executive Search. Myriam, originally from Paris, is a Chicago transplant. Her passion is connecting with people, which led her to co-founding DSML Executive Search. Myriam walks us through some of the most common questions she hears from clients.