Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08MOSCOW1748, Russian Labor Market: Good Talent is Hard to Find (and

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08MOSCOW1748.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08MOSCOW1748 2008-06-19 12:38 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Moscow
VZCZCXRO3176
RR RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #1748/01 1711238
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191238Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8672
INFO RUEHLN/AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 4991
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 2876
RUEHYG/AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 3219
RUEHHE/AMEMBASSY HELSINKI 3361
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 2744
RUEHRA/AMEMBASSY RIGA 5403
RUEHVL/AMEMBASSY VILNIUS 3147
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 2333
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 1726
RUEHKV/AMEMBASSY KYIV 0254
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MOSCOW 001748 
 
FOR CA/FO, CA/VO, CA/FPP, EUR/RUS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12956: N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV PGOV SOCI CASC RS
SUBJECT: Russian Labor Market: Good Talent is Hard to Find (and 
Keep) 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary:  In recent meetings with U.S. companies operating 
in Russia, executives highlighted the increasing difficulty they 
face in attracting talented Russian employees.  Competition has been 
largely among foreign companies operating in Russia.  Recently, 
however, Russian companies have begun to successfully compete with 
their foreign counterparts. Executives also stressed that the 
competition for qualified employees is complicated by an outdated 
and at times corrupt university system that has not adapted to the 
current demands of the labor market.  These obstacles have forced 
U.S. companies to devise innovative methods of identifying, 
attracting and retaining Russia's best talent.  End summary. 
 
------------------------- 
Competition and Retention 
------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) As U.S. companies continue to expand their presence in 
Russia, they are increasingly faced with competition for the 
recruitment and retention of talented Russian employees.  A recent 
U.S.-based entrant to the Russian market admitted that it blatantly 
poached employees from its rival.  An oil industry executive 
confirmed that his company also engages in the same practice - he 
said he used to work for TNK-BP until he was approached with a 
better offer from ConocoPhillips. 
 
3. (SBU) Until recently, U.S. companies competed with other Western 
businesses operating in Russia for the country's best talent.  As 
Russian businesses have become more successful, they are now on more 
equal footing with their foreign rivals to offer comparable salaries 
and benefits.  Philip Read, General Manager of American Airlines, 
and Edward Verona, former Vice President of Exxon-Mobil Russia, both 
said their companies were finding it more difficult to match the 
offers of Russian companies and thus attract and retain the best 
employees. 
 
4. (SBU) U.S. companies in Russia are dealing with increased 
competition by finding creative ways to attract and retain new 
employees.  Apart from the obvious solution to increase salary 
offers and other financial incentives, Stephen Schueler, Managing 
Director for Procter & Gamble (P&G), said it differentiates itself 
from Russian companies by promising training and guaranteeing only 
in-house promotions.  Mr. Schueler added that other companies are 
also following suit. 
 
------------------------------ 
Obstacles to Evaluating Talent 
------------------------------ 
 
5. (U) In addition to competition for talent, U.S. companies also 
face the challenge of evaluating qualified employees in light of an 
outdated and corrupt university education system in Russia.  The 
inability of the system to develop in pace with the Russian and 
global economy has resulted in a severe mismatch between the skills 
that are taught and the rapidly changing demands of the labor 
market.  According to Minister of Education and Science Andrei 
Fursenko, only 15 percent of all Russian universities are of "high 
standard" and provide the necessary training which meets today's 
demands.  This means that even if a prospective employee has an 
advanced degree from a Russian university, he/she may not have the 
necessary knowledge or skills that the degree usually exemplifies 
nor that are required for a job in the same field. 
 
6. (U) The Russian university education system also suffers from 
endemic corruption.  In March, the Russian Interior Ministry 
reported that corruption is worsening in the higher education 
system.  UNESCO found that university bribes in Russia surpassed 
$520 million in 2007.  Bribery in Russian universities can take on a 
number of forms, including but not limited to: 
 
-- grade buying; 
-- paying a teacher for tutoring who is the same teacher to later 
officiate exams; 
-- promising special services in line with a parent's job, such as 
medical treatment from a parent who is a doctor; and 
-- buying a trip abroad for a teacher. 
 
7. (SBU) These obstacles to identifying the truly qualified and 
skilled student have forced U.S. companies to devise innovative 
solutions in their hiring process.  Companies we spoke with 
 
MOSCOW 00001748  002 OF 002 
 
 
(mentioned above) told us that, by and large, the trend has been to 
rely less on grades and transcripts and instead to introduce tougher 
screening for applicants. As a result, U.S. companies are coming up 
with their own programs to identify and train up-and-coming talent. 
For example, Topcon, a U.S. subsidiary of a Japanese company which 
specializes in high-tech products such as global positioning systems 
and semiconductor inspection products, relies on a combination of 
recommendations and internships. It has developed informal 
relationships with several Russian universities and regularly seeks 
recommendations from faculty members. Promising students are offered 
an internship. 
 
8.  (SBU) Other companies prefer more formal relationships with 
universities. ConocoPhillips, for example, offers scholarships to 
students with the understanding that the student must maintain his 
or her academic standing or lose the scholarship. After graduation, 
students receiving an offer are placed on a three month probationary 
period. Most new employees survive the probation, which is a tribute 
to ConocoPhillips' relationship with the universities. 
ConocoPhillips said that if a significant number of students did not 
pass the probation, it would rescind or reduce scholarships to that 
university. 
 
9. (U) Rather than rely on relationships with universities, other 
U.S. companies perform their own employee screening. P&G said that 
although it relies to some extent on grades, it requires every 
prospective employee or intern to (i) speak English fluently, and 
(ii) pass an IQ test. According to a P&G executive, 80 percent of 
those who take the test fail to meet P&G's requirements. While 
measuring English proficiency and administering the exam are 
expensive, P&G believes the benefits of a fair and transparent 
process outweigh the costs. 
 
RUSSELL