Hanoi must highlight talent recruitment in the amended Capital Law: law lecturers

As talent attraction and human resources development are key to the capital's growth, experts hope the amended Law will cover this issue.

The Politburo Resolution 15-NQ/TW of May 5, 2022, on the development of Hanoi until 2045, sets development goals for the capital.

Outstanding students and young adults in 2022 honored by Hanoi authorities. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Accordingly, Hanoi in 2030 will become a modern, cultured and civilized city, the center driving the growth of the Red River Delta, the Northern Economic Zone and the whole nation.

Hanoi will also strengthen its international cooperation and integration and catch up with other major cities in the region and the world.

To realize these goals, the Hanoi Party Committee must build a healthy, solid and dynamic organizational apparatus with highly capable, ethical, creative and determined personnel.

The leadership of municipal and local government must have high-quality professionals and be determined and dedicated to the development of the capital.

The capital needs detailed plans and measures to attract and explore high-quality human resources domestically and internationally and encourage qualified officials to grow.

In recent years, Hanoi has taken measures to attract highly qualified people to work for the government. These individuals have received training to improve their professional skills.

The Hanoi People's Committee has issued many regulations on recruiting talent and rewarding outstanding students.

Under these regulations, many outstanding professionals, scientists and craftsmen have been recognized for their groundbreaking initiatives and solutions. For their achievements, they each receive a bonus worth 10 times the minimum salary, and many of them have been hired by government agencies without having to take competitive exams.

Every year, the city government awards credits to outstanding students. By the end of 2022, a total of more than 2,060 outstanding graduates of Hanoi's universities and colleges had been honored.

Lecturer Nguyen Nhu Phat of Hoa Binh University in Hanoi said that talent recruitment and employment should follow specific job descriptions and requirements, which specify the professional skills, knowledge, and performance an individual should fulfill.

He suggested local lawmakers develop the rules and criteria to define talents and address their qualifications and practical competencies.

Government agencies should create specific job descriptions and requirements for their vacant positions, focusing on an individual's determination, creativity and desire to make the best effort and benefit society, he said.

"The recruits should have feasible plans to develop their professional skills and improve their work performance," he said.

Doan Trung Kien, rector of Hanoi Law University, said Hanoi government agencies have recruited about 55 excellent university graduates and 77 outstanding athletes and artists since 2013.

However, he said that the lack of incentives and a good working environment, as well as career advancement based on certificates and qualifications instead of performance, have caused talents to lose interest in working for the local government.

The rector recommended that the amended Capital Law focus on talents in fields other than science, which is currently regulated.

"There should be a proper policy to treat both domestic and foreign talents to avoid human capital flight," he said.

The government should allow Hanoi to be responsible for making its own decisions on recruiting talents, set an exceptional regime of salaries and bonuses for various jobs, increase the incomes of officials and employees, and create a healthy work environment, Kien said.

"Government officials and employees must attend training courses. They should be given opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge and keep up with new trends in the world," he said.

Lecturer Bui Xuan Phai of Hanoi Law University said human resource development and talent recruitment must be linked to the capital's development strategy and considered essential for the city's growth.

The city needs to conduct research on graduates, especially outstanding ones, he said.

"The research should focus on their demand, mental health and determination, how much they can earn and how they can be promoted if they work for the government," he said.

It should also compare working for government agencies with working for private enterprises and organizations, so Phai advised that the results can be used to adjust related regulations.

Hanoi may consider setting up a special unit to deal with existing and potential challenges, adding that government agencies must retain talent and offer them a bright, long-term future with promising salaries, incentives, and opportunities.