VF Corporation: Employees and Applicants Must "Understand Brand DNA"
"Finding the right talent is always a challenge," says Human Resources Officer Francesca Magni. "It's about attracting the person who puts the right assets on the table and understands the DNA of VF Corporation and its brands (like The North Face, Vans and Eastpak)." Francesca Magni explains how she wins talented employees in an interview and what applicants have to bring.
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!was founded in 1899 in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. It is today one of the largest clothing companies in the world. The VF screen is home to brands like Vans, Eastpak, The North Face and Icebreaker. The company wants to continue to grow both internally and through acquisitions.
VF could be an attractive employer for career starters and job changers in the fashion industry. Francesca Magni knows that. Since 2011 she has worked as an HR professional for various brands of the VF family. Today she is Senior Recruitment Manager EMEA and leads a team of recruiters in three different European countries. She lives the benefits and challenges of recruiting every day for a company better known than its corporate brand for its brands, and knows best what it takes to succeed at VF. "
The opportunity for employees: different brands, one company
ISPO.com: The VF Group brings together many attractive brands under one roof, which can be a disadvantage on the job market. Are you less noticed there, because the VF group is not known to many applicants?
Francesca Magni: Most candidates know our brands. At the same time, we are aware that the entire VF family may be less familiar to humans. But in recent years we have increasingly presented ourselves as "One VF". As the largest apparel company in the market, we have become known beyond our industry.
Employees need to understand the brand DNA
Do you also give your employees the opportunity to switch from one brand to another within the VF Group?
For us the change between the different brands and regions is not only a possibility, but it is actively promoted. We love having different people with different brand experiences sharing their knowledge and skills across the brands and consumer segments. Most of our senior leaders have previously gained experience in the other parts of the company. This is true for everyone - not just sales and marketing.
How important is it for your employees to identify with your brands? For example, should applicants who apply to The North Face have a high affinity for outdoor activities and can prove it?
VF is about lifestyle, which means that people who work for a particular brand need to be able to understand the brand DNA and connect to relevant communities. Let me give you an example: In order to work for vans, you do not necessarily have to be a skater, but you have to be interested in this world and be open enough to explore it from the customer's point of view.
"We need curious people who act courageously"
What else does an applicant need to bring to the VF Group?
VF is an international company with very different brands. For us, it is crucial to recruit people who grow and support our diversity. We need curious people who act courageously and promote initiatives in a complex, international environment. As part of the purpose of the Company, we expect our employees to be integrity-minded, courageous, curious, empathetic, and persevering, as these are the guiding principles on which VF is built.
Have the requirement profiles of the applicants changed in recent years? Or are they even continuing to change as a result of digitization?
Yes, the type of candidate profile needed in the Digital, eCommerce and Direct to Consumer sectors is constantly changing. We and our employees must eventually adapt to the constant evolution of markets and consumers.
But all jobs in the company are affected by this. In other words, the human resources department also needs to become more digital, product staff are more involved in innovation and technology, and sales people need to be trained online, and so on.
Learn with tips from the executives
How can employees in your company evolve?
We encourage employees to shape and support their careers by providing tools that help them identify their goals and strengths and connect them to the needs of the business. It's about finding the right fit and growing together. Our employees are supported by a coaching culture.
We believe that it is important for the employees and for us as a company to gain diverse experiences. That's why we encourage our employees to gain experience in different bands, functions and locations.
In order to continuously develop our staff, we not only offer training but also focus on 'on the job learning' (project, assignments, advices, ...) and learning from each other (formal or informal mentoring). For example, all of our employees have the opportunity to attend Leadership Journey Meetings with our executives to learn more about their careers and experiences and have a conversation.
Where can he take you? At which locations do you offer jobs?
We offer jobs in our European headquarters in Switzerland, in the two hubs in Belgium and the UK, and in most European countries (Barcelona, Milan, Paris, etc.).
"The market is developing very fast"
Where does your company have the most difficulty in recruiting?
I would say that it is not directly related to VF itself, which challenges us in recruiting. The market is developing very fast and the main need now is to find the best candidates on the market that match our culture.
Are there any employees who started at the VF Group on the lower career level and are now in management positions?
Yes, we have a lot of people who started their careers in junior roles and are leading a department today. Dirk Jacobs, creative director of Vans EMEA, joined the company in 2011 as Senior Retail Design and PM for the Jeanswear Coalition in Belgium. Throughout his career, he switched various jobs, brands and locations. Based on his experience, he is now responsible for defining, designing and implementing the brand's creative vision. Jakobs leads an international team with 12 employees.
Further acquisitions promise new job opportunities
How will you evolve in the future to become even more attractive to applicants?
In addition to our organic growth, VF also grows through acquisitions. Which of course also allows employees to discover new brands and opportunities and to share their knowledge and experience in different countries and cultures. So the opportunity to grow with the main players in the market while staying in one company will remain attractive.