Having a clear short- and long-term business plan, carefully constructed vision and mission as well as employing the perfect executive-level or technical talent are keys to the success of any start-up technology company in not only Indonesia but also Asia.
That was the clear message from experienced headhunter Inge Sari Purnama of executive recruitment company Monroe Consulting Group Indonesia during the Tech in Asia flagship conference in Jakarta.
Ms Purnama, who heads the search agency’s Technology Division in Indonesia, was speaking during a round-table discussion on recruitment, alongside people strategy expert and consultant Anne Caron, who worked for Google for a decade and is a current member of the ex-Google Entrepreneurs Community.
“It is critical that you make the right hires as quickly, efficiently and cost effectively from day one, manage these employees so they are producing results and are happy in their work and ensuring that you can attract and retain new talent as the company grows.”
Ms Purnama said that among the most important hires a company could make was a human resources management executive, with solid experience in compensation and benefits, organisational change, recruitment, talent mapping and working with search agencies to source talent.
“There is a lack of talent in a number of key areas in the technology sector for a number of reasons, which means we are experiencing heavy competition for these individuals and there is a tendency for talent to job-hop and they often have unreasonable salary expectations,” she said, adding the company could manage these expectations.
“Monroe has been in the game in the technology sector in Indonesia for 20 years, we have an extensive data-base of suitable candidates, we specialise in mapping the available talent and securing the services of people who have not necessarily been looking for new career opportunities because they are comfortable where they are because they are good at what they do.”
Working with a recruitment agency, particularly in the information or financial technology sectors was increasingly vital as the technology landscape was constantly evolving, she said.
“Human resources executives already have a lot on their plate and staying up to date with the latest industry trends, developments and advances takes up valuable time,” she said.
“Monroe Indonesia hosts regular information-sharing sessions with leading industry figures and our consultants are highly informed and highly professional when it comes to sourcing and securing talent.”
Tech in Asia consolidated its signature three events in Singapore, Tokyo and Jakarta into the one event in 2019.
“Indonesia is our chosen destination due to its immense potential and is highly regarded as a key market to win for companies with regional ambition,” Tech in Asia said.
“More than 6000 international stakeholders of the tech and start-up ecosystem will gather at Indonesia’s capital to share their journey and gain insights on how to succeed in this diverse archipelago.”
Ms Purnama said Indonesia was an increasingly important market for tech companies looking to expand and tap into the potentially massive market.
Monroe Consulting Group specialises in executive recruitment in emerging markets in Asia and Latin America.