INVISTA EM CONHECIMENTO - Revista O Papel

O Papel – What are the main characteristics of thecurrent labor market?Maria Lucia Ginde – I see the use of technologygrowing continuously within the operationalenvironment of plants. Not by chance, more and morecompanies seek qualified professionals, ready to dealwith all these technologies. At present, professionalqualification is indispensable. I would say that agood technical background is no longer a competitiveadvantage, but rather a prerequisite. Additionally, forcompanies, it is important to select professionals witha profile of competencies and values that are similarto those of the organization, in order to create moreengagement and identification.O Papel – Also regarding peculiarities of the currentjob market, do you see any aspects that you did notidentify in the market a few years ago?Maria Lucia – Yes. The first clear change is that,today, the labor market is much more dynamic than afew years ago. At present, there are many opportunities,which make good professionals to be highly coveted. Iconsider this a relatively new characteristic and a verygood one, both for professionals as well as the economyas a whole. However, from the perspective of desiredprofile, requirements are also on the rise. In practice, Isee that companies are always searching for the bestprofessional. Today, behavioral aspects have the sameimportance as technical competence. In other words,a person needs to be qualified and have the correctposture to conquer a job.O Papel – How can professionals prepare themselvesto satisfy all these demands?Maria Lucia – Professionals should be tuned into changes and movements in the market in order toshape their behavior. Being flexible, adaptable, havingresilience, networking, good knowledge of informationtechnology (including relationship networks), beinginnovative and focusing on results are fundamentalattributes. In summary, the technical knowledge of aprofessional must always be aligned with the latest interms of technology and methodology, as an example.For such, employees must take advantage of allopportunities they have in a company to learn. If aperson has stopped learning, this is a sign that it istime to change, to consider the possibility of changingjob positions or going to another area. In this case, itis wise to talk to one’s superior to see whether thereare opportunities within the same company. If therearen’t, it is worthwhile to search for another company,since staying up to date is one of the most importantthings nowadays. Professional updating in a time ofconstant changes, where knowledge can becomeobsolete from one moment to another, is fundamental.Therefore, professional development should be acontinuous process.O Papel – Speaking specifically about thepulp and paper industry, does the sector have itsown characteristics? What orientation is given toprofessionals in the sector to satisfy the current market?Maria Lucia – In this field, being able to differentiateyour products from the competition and be profitableis the main challenge of companies. Therefore,professionals should seek continuous innovation,consider new possibilities throughout the entireproduction chain and, most importantly, in a sustainablemanner (relying on less environmental resources andensuring greater return after the production process).Within this context, one positive fact that stands outis that companies need the contribution from all theiremployees. Here at K-C, for example, we have programsthat encourage employees to manifest their innovationcapabilities in different ways. In fact, the work modelwe adopt actually simulates this. Employees have theopportunity to discuss work practices and suggestinnovative solutions. Therefore, it is up to the companyto create a way to stimulate employees to contributewith innovative solutions. The companies that willremain in the market down the road will be those thatknow how to analyze and put into practice ways ofencouraging the contribution of all their employees.O Papel – What are the best ways today to outline acareer plan in the pulp and paper sector?Maria Lucia – Not only in the pulp and papersector, but in all other industries, professionals needto establish their career objectives and take onresponsibility for each step taken. In the past, peopledeposited responsibility for their career in the hands ofcompanies and followed the steps imposed by them.All professionalsneed toanalyze theircompetencies,qualities anddesires in orderto envisionopportunitiesand managetheir careerpathsjunho/June 2012 - Revista O Papel51