Remarkable influx non-Dutch in the treasury labour market

| 19-09-2016 | Pieter de Kiewit |

This week it will be the second time I will give a guest lecture at the Hogeschool Utrecht. They offer a minor treasury management to students with a finance and economy focus. It is my role to describe the labour market they might enter. In preparation I made a quick scan of the treasury labour market and noticed that treasury in The Netherlands, especially in the junior role, is staffed by relatively many internationals. I dug in and have some hypothesises about the why and consequences.
 
The first and obvious is that treasury organisations are by nature international organisations. Possibly treasury hiring managers are not bothered as strong by the bias managers do in other job types. Treasury does not have a prominent place in the Dutch financially focused educational system. This is not different from other countries, the job type is a too strong niche. Graduates are educated in a system where controlling, accounting and audit dominate. Dutch graduates shape their career to what they want and know about, so these three job types (and “onbekend maakt onbemind”). Non-Dutch graduates in the Dutch labour market are bothered by the earlier mentioned bias and shape their career based upon what they can get: a treasury job. Hence both demand and supply strengthen the influx.

Separately from this I want to mention the difference in mentality between Dutch graduates and many non-Dutch ones. I notice that work-life balance, having a rewarding job and an employer with social responsibility are important aspects for Dutch graduates. Many senior and/or non-Dutch managers have a hard time dealing with this mentality. Graduates who came from China or India are often best-of-class, energetic and very dedicated. Work is for them their first priority. This often outweighs their different communication style, especially in more junior positions.

I don’t think there are any dramatic effects of this development. The likelihood of non-Dutch moving abroad is relatively high so a brain drain might occur. Furthermore Dutch post-graduate education like the Register Treasurer program will suffer in popularity in favour of the ACT, CTP or CFA programs. Personally I enjoy the international treasury business environment and contribute in getting the right man or woman in the job. Let’s see what will happen

 

 

Pieter de Kiewit
Owner Treasurer Search