Word of Mouth in Telecommunications

Whether you approach the market as a contractor or a permanent employee, you have either worked or know someone that has worked with the big boy companies, such as Nokia, Huawei, Ericsson etc. I’m referring to the dominant forces in the telecommunications market, those of which support global projects. Some employees enjoy the working culture of the larger organizations, whilst others might have a different opinion on the matter. However, it is difficult to disagree with the vast amount of opportunities available to any worker with these global companies, and to count yourself out of these opportunities because of past experiences or from word of mouth, will only work to hinder earning potential and experience.

Having spoken to hundreds of contractors and permanent employees in the telecommunications market, it has been an eye opening experience. Gathering the inside scoop on the current market, I have found there to be mixed feelings on working for different companies. The employee brand is critical. One thing is for sure, no one conversation is the same as the last. No single experience of working with a particular business is comparable to the next. Each individual has established their own experiences with these organizations, but the only trustworthy ones are from firsthand accounts. It’s difficult as a recruiter to find the perfect candidate for a position, only then for the candidate to be discouraged by what they’ve heard from someone else.

With such a large variation of jobs, the bigger companies allow for prospective workers to travel to various places around the world. Such workers are also building contacts for themselves. When I come across a candidate that has previously worked with the hiring manager or someone within the company that they wish to apply for, I can tell you from firsthand experience that the candidate has a much higher probability of success with their application. These relationships are easier to come by in larger scale companies due to the number of employees and contractors working there.

It is important to keep an open mind when applying for roles. Another person’s experience will not be your own. Keep in mind that if you were to disassociate yourself from one company, this counts for a lot of possibilities that you will no longer be considered for. In the end rather than protecting yourself you’re only hindering the possibility for new opportunities.