Mutually Beneficial: Companies Hiring Through Alumni Networks

Interview with Thomas Fuschl

What makes collaborating with university alumni networks so exciting for businesses?

We are an internationally active business, and collaborating with alumni networks gives us access to a pool of highly qualified people who have a strong theoretical background and, more often than not, also a wealth of relevant professional experience.

What has it been like to collaborate with the WU Executive Club?

Collaborating with WU Vienna's WU Executive Club has always been a very pleasant experience. The Executive Club’s staff members have been extremely supportive and very open-minded about giving us access to their channels for recruiting purposes. We were right in assuming that this would allow us to get in touch with highly qualified experts who have strong backgrounds in business and economics. Finding finance professionals for 3 job openings with very specific requirements was a big challenge, but thanks to the help of the WU Executive Club, we ultimately succeeded in filling the positions.

From Borealis' perspective, what challenges are there when it comes to finding top talent? What positions in particular are you looking to fill?

Finding candidates who are really outstanding is never easy, but they can be found - and we are eager to do just that. Therefore, our close collaboration with the WU Executive Club is beneficial to us in many ways: We gain access to extremely performance-driven candidates with interesting career track records and strong sets of skills, we save money and time when it comes to recruiting and we take advantage of the opportunity to do employer branding among a very interesting target audience.

What is it in particular that distinguishes MBA graduates from other candidates?

Many MBA graduates are prepared to go the extra mile for their careers and want to stand out from the rest by demonstrating high degrees of commitment and flexibility. Because they focus on the things that really matter and adopt an international perspective, they have a much better appreciation of the big picture in today's increasingly globalized business environment.

Why, in your opinion, is Borealis an especially attractive company for internationally experienced managers? What sets Borealis apart from other global players?

Borealis is a globally active company with a very value-oriented culture. Placing great emphasis on being open and respectful, we always treat others as equal partners - across cultural and national borders. Working for us offers you excellent career opportunities and a very attractive overall package, but most importantly it is simply great fun.

What is the “candidate of your dreams” like?

He or she is a highly qualified, open-minded individual who is eager to make a difference and has a strong set of values. What sets the best candidates apart from the good ones is their high level of enthusiasm and that they have a certain spark (that extra something).

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