Advantek is a Norwegian company founded in 2008, with offices also in Portugal and Sweden, providing tailor made solutions within Digitalization, Engineering, and Project Management for various industries.
Our focus is on each individual and what we can achieve as a team. The journey begins with the recruitment of our consultants. Advantek’s recruitment process aims to address not only the technical requirements for a given position but also the alignment of each candidate’s culture with that of the company. “To preserve our team’s good environment, the candidate needs to be technically gifted but also fit the DNA of an Advantek engineer”. says José Alexandre Silva, HR Partner and Talent Acquisition Manager in Portugal.
We are guided by its 3Ps: People, Passion, Performance. These pillars, which form the DNA of Advantek, are naturally considered when initiating a recruitment process.
José Alexandre Silva states that “Advantek seeks candidates whose values align with their core principles of innovation, collaboration, integrity, and continuous learning”.
According with Caroline Nylén, People and Culture Manager in Sweden, “We always present our core values and explain what culture means to us”.
The recruitment process begins when needs are identified. From there, our teams engage in active recruitment through searches on LinkedIn and exchanges of messages with potential candidates. Communication is extremely important throughout the process. Susana Bastos, Talent Acquisition Manager in Norway, describes Advantek’s recruitment process as “transparent and clean” and emphasizes, “A clean and transparent language/communication helps the recruiters to find the ideal candidate”. José Alexandre Silva adds, “In every interview, we create a good relationship with every candidate with a fluid conversation in a professional but relaxed manner”.
How is Advantek’s branding, and culture reflected in the process? The assimilation of values is entrenched in the various teams we have and tasks, including recruitment. Thus, the way interviews are conducted, the transparency in communication are practical ways in which Advantek’s culture is reflected in the process, confirm the recruiters.
However, processes can face challenges and setbacks. “Branding Advantek and our culture is one way to keep the candidates still interested even if the process takes too long. We also hire on speculation; we know that is a high risk, but it’s a way to make sure that we will not lose a great candidate”. says Susana. In the case of Portugal, resorting to availability
and a methodology of Recruitment Daily Meetings helps to overcome the adversities that arise during the processes: “Regular team meetings ensure alignment and good decision-making, while clear delegation of tasks minimizes confusion. Additionally, maintaining open lines of communication with candidates reduces time frames and enhances the overall candidate experience”.
One HR trend tells us that traditional CVs (with job titles having more importance than skills) are outdated. In Advantek’s case, a well-constructed CV is always important, but what they seek, beyond alignment of values, are skills. As Susana from Norway argues, “Advantek looks for skills. Nowadays everyone uses the title that they feel more comfortable with, and some titles don’t even say anything. Skilled engineers are what Advantek is looking for”. Same opinion has Caroline: “Nowadays, everyone uses titles they feel comfortable with, and some titles may not convey much information. Advantek is specifically seeking skills in engineers”.
Finally, we discuss someone’s permanence at Advantek and the biggest challenges in the recruiters’ view: recruiting or retaining? From Portugal, José tells us that “both attracting and retaining talent pose unique challenges, and I consider both of them important but not particularly difficult for Advantek,” considering the culture within the company. However, Susana cautions that “Both have their challenges, but attracting something is more challenging because people are not always open to try new things”. reinforcing the idea that many people are afraid to step out of their comfort zone. Caroline reinforces that saying the “Main challenges are to attract good candidates, when there is intense competition among companies”.
We provide a recruitment experience closely aligned with our values, basing processes on transparent communication, and ensuring that candidates feel comfortable throughout, considering everything involved in recruiting new engineers. “Advantek recognizes the importance of all aspects and prioritizes creating a supportive and engaging workplace culture to foster long-term employee commitment. We don’t sell an engineering project; we sell a project for people’s lives”. concludes José Alexandre Silva.