How to Attract and Retain Global Careerists: Evidence from Finland

Abstract

While the demand for international professionals willing and able to work in locations where they are needed around the world is high and increasing, the identification of employees with adequate competencies, who are interested in relocating abroad and able to successfully complete an international assignment, is a challenge of strategic importance for international firms. In this article, we discuss the challenges to talent management presented by global careerists, i.e. very experienced international managers with long-term global careers involving various international tasks. We reflect on and cross-analyse observations from a set of studies carried out with such Finnish business professionals. We analyse how multinational corporations (MNCs) can attract, motivate and gain the commitment of global careerists who offer companies the most experienced human resources available in terms of implementing their internationalisation strategies.