Location:

Moscow

Vacancy:

Design Engineers (narrow disciplines) with experience in oil&gas projects and fluent English

Vacancies closing period:

5 weeks

Initial Task:

International EPC Contractor involved in oil&gas projects in Russia approached us to recruit design engineers with specialized skills, including areas such as Piping, Electrical, HVAC, and Civil, to staff their office in Moscow. The key requirements were:

• Over 10 years of design experience in the oil and gas sector on international EPC projects
• Fluency in English
• Proven skills in working within international multicultural teams

Project Specifics:

We promptly conducted a preliminary survey of candidates in the Moscow region and encountered several restrictions:

• Less than 15% of relevant engineers truly possess English skills at the Upper-Intermediate level or above
• Most qualified specialists are employed by international or large Russian engineering companies and are seeking salaries 25-35% above the client's budget
• An underdeveloped employer brand: our client was not widely recognized as an employer in Russia, and candidates did not show immediate interest

Our Actions, Approach, and Results:

1. Market Analysis:
   We conducted a detailed overview of salary expectations and the availability of specialists with the desired profile in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, and other regions. We specifically highlighted the cost of attracting professionals with English proficiency in oil and gas design.
2. Consultation with the Client:
   We initiated a coordination session with HR and the technical client, where we proposed two resolution models:
   • Increase compensation to market levels
   • Maintain budget constraints but expand the geographical reach and consider relocation costs
3. Strategy Adjustment:
   The client decided to reconsider the budget towards an increase and also supported the idea of relocating specialists from other regions. We quickly expanded our candidate pool, including applicants from Kazan, Tyumen, Nizhny Novgorod, and Novosibirsk.

Results:

• Within 3 weeks, 8 relevant candidates were presented, 3 of whom progressed to final interviews
• 2 positions were successfully filled: a Piping Engineer and an HVAC Engineer, both with confirmed English proficiency and experience on international projects
• 1 candidate was successfully relocated to Moscow with minimal costs for the client
• We received appreciation from the client for our professional approach and data-driven solutions

Even with a limited budget and high demands for candidates (language proficiency, experience, narrow specialization), we excel at adapting our recruitment strategies to market realities, influencing the formation of requirements, and achieving results.

Thanks to our industry experience and ability to engage in dialogue with international clients, we help clients reach their goals without compromising on time or quality.