It’s no secret that when it comes to recruiting, lack of applicants is the number one concern amongst employers. Over the last two years, it has been reported that recruitment difficulty across the board has increased by 17%. Within the technician, trades and labourers’ sectors, up to 80% of employers are reporting recruitment struggles, especially with highly skilled roles. The time taken to fill roles can be high, with 52% of employers reporting that those same highly skilled positions take over one month to fill.
Here in Central Queensland the struggle is very real however, here are three steps you can take to make the most of the applicants coming your way.
1. Be realistic about the skills you need
It’s common for employers to over-egg the skills needed for the role. We recommend taking time to assess which criteria really are essential and list only these in your job advertisement. Whilst nice-to-have criteria may define the perfect candidate for the employer, they can deter relevant applicants from applying, as many will not apply if they feel they do not meet all the listed criteria.
2. Look within your existing team
Opening opportunities to your existing team can be a highly successful strategy to recruit for your highly skilled vacancy. Talking to your team about their career aspirations can identify those with the potential to meet the role requirements, albeit with additional coaching support and investment in skills education and development. These internal promotions demonstrate that employers are invested in the development of their existing staff. In return, you’ll be repaid with loyal and engaged employees – and lower overall long-term business costs.
3. Be flexible
Job seekers are increasingly more selective in the roles they will apply for. Since the pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift towards mental and physical well-being in the workplace and those companies that can demonstrate their support of this mindset will tend to get more applicants. Obviously not all roles are suitable for work from home or 9-day fortnights, but spending some time to identify what candidates might perceive as undesirable working conditions or hours will allow you to put in place some mitigating incentives.
Plan for success
Of course, there are more strategies that can be undertaken to secure top talent, such as utilising your networks and existing employees, strategic workforce planning and value propositions, to name a few. Combined with the three steps above, your recruitment outcomes will be even more successful.
For assistance with your Recruitment or Workforce Planning Contact Us.