Bob Akins says the goal of Cymer Inc. is to take tomorrow’s technology and commercialize it today.
It’s not all that different from their goal when it comes to human resources.
Akins, the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Cymer, is charged with finding tomorrow’s great talent and getting those people to sign up with Cymer before a competitor lures them away.
Much like the ongoing evolution of technology — a familiar theme at Cymer, which manufactures laser components for integrated circuits — the race for the best and brightest performers is constant and requires Akins and his leadership team to be ever-vigilant in their recruiting and retention efforts.
“It’s the biggest challenge I’ve had in leading Cymer,” Akins says. “We need to attract and retain really great people who can thrive in this environment of high-speed technologies. We need to take technology, mature it, package it and get it to chip makers who are producing their products around the clock. To do that, we need to find the people who really enjoy doing that, keep them here and keep them motivated. And those kinds of people tend to be rare.”
To make it happen, Akins needs more than talent. He needs talented people who can grow with Cymer, embrace the company’s mission and values, but still bring different perspectives to the table, particularly on the subjects of innovation and global growth. He needs team players who are individual thinkers.
Recruiting and retaining top performers is far from an exact science, but there are a number of steps you can take to improve your standing, even as the economy continues to falter. These are some of the ways by which Akins attracts and keeps people at Cymer, which generated $459 million in revenue last year.
