Hiring new talent has always been a difficult task.
With the recent rise in digital recruitment and networking, it has never been more challenging for employers in the blue-collar sector to nail down the perfect candidates to support their company.
Competition in the labour market in fierce, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the workforce is bursting with the perfect talent to fill every single position. Unfortunately, as more industries choose to digitally transform and implement AI-supported workflows. Australia is experiencing a major skills gap in several industry sectors, Jobs and Skills Australia reports that 36% of occupations are in national shortage. But this shouldn’t be a surprise, it is incredibly easy to fall behind as new technology is integrated faster than any on-site training can be provided to the workforce.
The recruitment process is not protected from digital transformation.
Hundreds of Australian businesses continue to use conventional recruitment methods, such as referrals, walk-ins, print advertisements, and internal promotional processes, but they are falling behind. These outdated methods of hiring can cost the manufacturing, logistics and transport, retail, and procurement sectors more than $20,000 per failed hire, including the loss in productivity, onboarding, and advertising.
What is the true cost of using the wrong hiring method?
Nobody likes Change. Change usually comes with a risk, and when the future of your workforce is on the line, it is understandable that taking any risks is not favourable.
Traditional recruitment methods are trusted by many organisations and have been largely successful up until now. Although phone calls, word-of-mouth referrals, newspaper ads, and physical job boards have worked effectively in the past, these methods no longer stand the test of time.
Yes, these methods are simple, local, and trusted, but relying on traditional processes alone can be incredibly time consuming for HR teams as they need to source potential candidates, manually read resumes, conduct interviews, onboard new staff members and organise training programs. This is why modern recruitment methods are often preferrable. By using digital tools and partnering with an external agency, businesses can gain access to wider talent pools, save time, reduce the likelihood of hiring the wrong person, and can target candidates that live outside local geographical boarders.
What are the key differences?
Before deciding which process is right for your company, all hiring managers should have a basic understanding of what each process entails. Depending on the industry, business size, job responsibilities, and location, the desirable method of recruitment can look a little different.
Not all job seekers are the same. Workers who are looking to fill industrial labour-hire roles will take a different approach to those who work in business support or executive positions.
Conventional Recruitment
Conventional recruitment methods include:
- Newspaper advertisements
- Flyers and brochures
- Job boards
- Word-of-mouth referrals
- Walk-ins
- On-site recruitment
- Job fairs and face-to-face networking
These recruitment methods rely on the ability to build and maintain personal connections with skilled workers and the local community. Although this approach is still effective for many regional businesses, especially industrial workers, it can be hard to fill roles that require a unique set of skills, qualifications, or work experience. Due to increased competition for skilled workers in construction, logistics, manufacturing, and professional services, the need for faster and more efficient hiring methods is increasing.
Modern Recruitment
Modern recruitment methods include:
- Social media platforms
- Online job boards
- Recruitment agencies
- Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
- Digital networking
- Email job alerts
As we continue to work and operate in a more digitally enhanced world, it would be incredibly naïve to assume that the world of recruitment would remain conventional. Although intimidating, being able to build a technologically supported recruitment process is a good thing. Particularly in Australia where workforce shortages in industries such as healthcare, IT, and skilled trades are common.
These modern approaches have allowed for businesses to source temporary or casual workers faster than ever, and when this is factor is coupled with the services provided by Staff Australia, many industrial companies are experiencing increased productivity and cost-effective hiring.
However, some sectors are becoming oversaturated, which can prove challenging when trying to identify the top stand-out candidates for specific roles.
It’s time to decide:
Recruiting internally can be overwhelming, which is why our team at Staff Australia has the knowledge and ability to implement both Modern and Traditional hiring strategies that are designed to support your companies’ unique demands and recruitment needs.
We use the best of both worlds, and here are the benefits:
How does Staff Australia use Traditional Recruitment Methods?
- Our team of recruitment experts are relationship-focused when it matters most. Using our recruitment database, our consultants and account managers maintain strong personal relationships with candidates, so when a job order comes in, we usually have a great candidate in mind and are ready to pitch your business opportunity to them.
- We are local. This means that we can service 100% on-site businesses and find local staff to cover those late-night shifts.
- We have used word-of-mouth referrals and print advertising for over 25 years. Our team knows our audience and are committed to using cost-effective and productive methods of recruiting as much as we can.
How does Staff Australia use Modern Recruitment Methods?
- Our talent pool is larger than ever. Our consultants have access to candidates from diverse locations, with various qualifications, skills, and backgrounds, which allows us to find the right person for your company.
- We can provide improved efficiency and reduce the time-to-hire, as we use automated tools and online applications speed up the recruitment process.
- Using both people-power, and online tools, we can target specific candidates to find the perfect match based on job requirements, experience, qualifications, and location.
- We utilise multiple social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to educate, entertain and engage with candidates.
- Our website is regularly updating with news, case studies, job opportunities and career advice to keep all candidates and clients informed about their industry. Not only this, but with job alerts sent by email each week, your job will be filled in no time.
Steps Forward:
When deciding whether to use conventional or modern recruitment methods, it is important to evaluate the specific hiring needs of your business. For companies in Australia, partnering with a reputable staffing agency like Staff Australia can offer you the best of both worlds— with access to modern tools and a deep understanding of the local job market.
Whether you need to fill temporary labour-hire roles or permanent full-time business support roles, our team is here to get you through the recruitment process with ease.
Staff Australia. People are our Business.
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