Project Manager in High Tech: Treat Yourself to the Next Step in 2023
It's exciting to become an entrepreneur and start a business, especially when choosing a very specific niche as a recruitment agency. But focus pays off, and that's one of the most important lessons we've learned this year. We are also looking forward to next year, where we will continue to assist even more project managers in R&D to Industrialization in finding their place. In this blog, we share our lessons and plans. Take advantage of it!
Lack of Recruiters Specialized in High-Tech Project Managers
We're having difficulty finding good project leaders in the high-tech sector!
That was the feedback we heard from the market at the time of founding GHYSELS. Directors in R&D to Industrialization, in particular, were complaining about this. So, we decided to specialize as a recruitment agency in this very specific group of project managers and connect high-tech talent and companies within this niche.
Because Bart has been in the recruitment field within R&D to Industrialization since 2006, he understands the market like no other. His judgment and talent for identifying potential have not failed him even after the start of GHYSELS. Because a recruiter with knowledge of the content doesn't present a flood of potential candidates, none of whom exactly fit the profile.
That's the raison d'être of GHYSELS: using expertise to help organizations and project managers in the high-tech sector find each other faster and better. From scale-up to multinational and from R&D to Industrialization.
I'm searching, Would You Like to Brainstorm with Me?
We mentioned it before. Choosing a very clear focus as a recruitment agency is quite exciting. Those who operate in a niche often have to say no frequently. In the early days of our company, this was challenging because there's a tendency to seize every opportunity. Also, we didn't always speak to the right project leaders, making it challenging to make the right match. Trust and our network had yet to grow.
But focus pays off. We now speak to the right candidates, with profiles that align well with what is sought in the high-tech sector. As a result, in 2022, we've been able to serve many excellent companies by filling positions for secondment, interim, and permanent roles.
Our network has grown and become invaluable. More and more project managers are finding their way to us. Professionals who may not have been available a year ago now say to us, 'I am actively looking, and I would like you to brainstorm with me.' Project managers see us as a serious conversation partner to discuss the next step in their careers.
On the other hand, more and more companies from R&D to Industrialization are also approaching us, including Frank van Eldijk from Sioux Technologies. Frank is delighted that we found a project manager for him, someone starting in December. Frank says, 'Bart has made a really nice selection of suitable candidates. It was a very open and constructive collaboration, where I was not only well assisted but also always felt heard and seen.'
Photo: Sioux, one of our satisfied clients in 2022
Coaching Project Managers to Excel in Their Profession
Our goal is to help project managers become even better at their profession. We achieve this through advisory discussions, knowledge sharing via blogs, and the knowledge sessions we organize (such as a recent event on stakeholder management).
We strongly believe in the importance of personal growth, and we have structured our approach accordingly. When you're in the right place, you become happier and better at what you do. That's why we actively contribute to the personal development and growth of all project managers we place. Being a project manager is like being an athlete at the top of your game. You don't become a heavyweight overnight; you have to accumulate experience and put in the work. We believe that project managers, like athletes, deserve a top coach.
This year, we welcomed Karin Rosch as our coach. She assists all project managers placed through us in making their start a success. Coaching sessions focus on the practical aspects of the project at hand. Project managers can bring project-related situations to the table and discuss challenges they're facing. Karin says, 'It's a combination of asking questions, listening, and providing advice that helps project managers excel in their work, developing a keen organizational sensitivity and a smart approach.'
Photo: Karin Rosch coaches project managers placed by GHYSELS every month for six months
Our mistakes and key lessons in 2022
In the early stages of entrepreneurship, there is a tendency to take on things other than your core business. This was especially challenging for us because we operate in a niche. It happened that we took on job vacancy issues that did not align 100% with our specialization or match our way of working, where direct personal contact takes precedence.
Another lesson: outsource processes that take a lot of time. We pay others to handle our blogging, social media, and accounting, for example. It's an investment, but it allows us to focus on what we are good at and what gives us the most energy.
The most important lesson this year: clearly define your own focus. Know what you are good at and say no to things where your strength does not lie. Create a menu of things that energize you, and if a request falls outside that, say no.
What energizes us, and therefore is on our menu, is a direct collaboration with managers of companies in the high-tech industry, such as Philips and ASML. Each company has its own challenges and a different way of working. Uncovering the real question behind the question means you need to have business insight. Becoming a full-fledged conversation partner who can think, advise, and challenge. That's what gives us energy.
Photo: our office on the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven
Strategy and Plans for 2023
The technology industry and companies are still growing rapidly, so there continues to be a high demand for talented project managers. However, the economic outlook for 2023 and its impact on the companies we work with remain uncertain.
We now have the network and experience to serve companies with urgent and large-scale challenges. Companies like ASML and other high-tech firms in Eindhoven are within our reach. Bart occasionally joins various entrepreneurial clubs in the Eindhoven region to become more recognized. It's inspiring to see how other entrepreneurs in the region approach their businesses.
Speaking of learning from each other's approaches...
At the end of 2022, we organized a networking event for project managers in R&D to Industrialization. This was a milestone, as we enjoy seeing people improve in their profession – the core concept of our business. The theme of this event was stakeholder management. Those who intelligently influence stakeholders achieve success sooner and on a larger scale within a project. During our event in late November, project managers discussed how they usually handle this aspect, and they had the opportunity to exchange experiences. Coach and advisor Karin Rosch also shared various practical tips, some of which you can find in our blog on stakeholder management.
In 2023, we plan to organize even more knowledge events to help project managers further enhance their skills.
Another focus for 2023 will be the establishment of our own secondment organization. We've observed that companies desire even more support in their hiring policies. We expect to launch this initiative in April 2022.
Photo: During our knowledge session, project leaders exchange experiences on stakeholder management at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven.
Make the next move in 2023
As you can see, we have plenty of ambitions for the coming year. With the end of 2022 in sight, and also at the end of this year's final blog, we would like to thank a few people.
We want to thank all our customers who have given us their trust. All the project managers in our network: thank you for choosing us as a conversation partner for advice on the next step. Jan Cardol, for the collaboration and all the valuable insights. Karin Rosch: you achieve fantastic results by coaching the project managers. And all the partners we have worked with this year.
We wish everyone a healthy and wonderful 2023. Our wish is that this is the year where even more people are in the right place. And to all project managers who are no longer being challenged, we want to say: make the next move. Don't stand still. Keep taking steps to develop yourself. You only live once.
Happy 2023!
p.s. We are currently recruiting for ourselves too! We are looking for a junior recruiter to increase our recruitment capacity. This way, we can anticipate the expected growth next year and serve more customers. So, do you know or are you a junior recruiter with good advisory skills and an affinity for the technical industry and business processes? Contact us!
