Malaysian companies are increasingly appreciative of contributions by skilled professionals, and willing to provide attractive pay packages to join their establishments, said a leading international human resources (HR) company.

Talent2 International Sdn Bhd director (South Asia) Leigh Howard said the "war" for talent was real, with many local companies and multinationals (MNCs) looking to hire the right individuals and talents to provide a competitive edge for their organisations.

Howard, who is also in charge of talent acquisition, said there was a positive and significant shift in the attitude of Malaysian corporations in term of HR recruitment in recent years.

"Smart companies are willing to pay a premium for talents an individual posses that can provide a competitive edge against their rivals," he told The Star.

Howard said Talent2 headhunted for a broad range of employees ranging from top executives such as chief financial officers to highly skilled individuals that could handle critical mission operations.

He said executive search was a market mapping and/or research-based approach to identify, approach and select the best talent from competitors and other target organisations.

Talent2 also provides services such as payroll outsourcing and HR solutions, and is known as a leader in innovative recruitment and HR services.

Howard noted that recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), which refers to an employer transferring their recruitment activities to an external service provider, was a fast expanding segment of the HR outsourcing business.

"Talent2 consultants essentially has to sit onsite embedded in the company's HR department to provide an end-to-end service," he said.

On the knowledge and competency of local workforce, Howard said there was a sizeable pool of talent that could be sourced in the country.

He said Talent2 was able to source or headhunt about 70 per cent of the talent domestically for local companies and MNCs.

"Most local talents have professional expertise for in-demand jobs, but might need some retraining by our company to meet our clients' needs," Howard said.

He added that Talent2's forte was in its training methodology and ability to search and recognise individuals with talent need by corporations.

Howard said the outsourcing market was estimated at US$25 billion in 2007 and currently, HR outsourcing was the fastest-growing segment.

"Many companies, especially MNCs, are looking for the best talents in their respective industries and employ us as head-hunters to fulfil their needs," he said.

"We see fantastic opportunities in Malaysia and consequently, made the country our hub in Asia," he added.

Howard said Talent2 expected its workforce in Malaysia to expand from 60 currently to 200 in the next 18 months, especially when its Petaling Jaya office commence operations in two months.

Talent2's parent company, Talent2 International Ltd, is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange with annual revenues of around A$153 million (US$140.25 million) and has 41 officers in 17 countries.