Fred Schlomann: Certainly in the mobility world the highest cost to company of moving people around the world is the cost of the expat themselves. They are 3 to 4 times the cost of base salary alone to keep these folks on assignment but the real issue there is do we need these people and making the right decisions around the right people. I think in terms of managing the other aspects of compensation and benefit, I think those are all issues you’ve mentioned around the table.

Host: Todd can I throw you a human resource question within your company …have a lot of the perks disappeared, I mean the housing and the American club memberships, I don’t know if you ever went that route but are those pretty much gone? Is everybody on a cash and pay as you go basis now?

Todd G. Everts: I think everyone’s on a pay for performance based on what you are specifically are contributing to the enterprise where in the past everyone was painted with one brush and simply being an expat meant that you’ve got many of those perks and I think today going forward it’s more based on the individual need of the position and what your specific contribution would be to the bottom line.

Host: Fred you were going to add to that?

Fred Schlomann: I think there are some fundamentals here in the sense that you send somebody from the US to Hong Kong or Singapore, they need housing. Certain items are going to cost much more than they do back in the US so I mean there are certain basics here which are going to recur regardless of performance. The issue’s what standard do you provide? Is it a 3 bedroom house in mid-level or a 3 bedroom apartment mid-levels or is it a place in Stanley? I mean these are the kind of trade-offs the companies are now looking at.

Host: Stanley is such a schlep anyway. It’s overrated.

Fred Schlomann: It’s a long way.

Host: Takes an hour during peak hours. That’s a lot of gas you’re burning, you’re wasting time especially if you’re driving. On an individual basis then how can one maximize the potential…how do you package yourself, how do you present yourself…do you go in tin cap and a hand on one knee and of crouching position looking really pathetic or does humility pay now?

Fred Schlomann: Assuming I have a job, that’s the starting position. You’ve got the job or are you going for the job.

Host: There are more working people than non-working people.

Fred Schlomann: Differentiation is the narrow game, right? Anytime you’re negotiating or anytime you’re trying to stand out you have to have those skills and qualities that are going to differentiate yourself from somebody else and international experience in my mind is a great differentiator and having that skill set that nobody else has.