The challenges of hiring during a recruitment talent shortage

Australia is currently facing a massive recruitment talent shortage. In March of this year, employment portal SEEK recorded the highest number of new job listings in its 23-year history.

Currently, there are over 4,300 jobs that have been posted in Newcastle and the Hunter – excluding job ads being posted to social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

The team at Peoplefusion has observed a decrease in applications per job by 20 per cent which shows the amount of competition that workplaces are currently up against.

Why is this happening?

We believe there are three key reasons behind this recruitment talent shortage.

1. Candidates are looking for job security. COVID lockdowns, business closures and Government wage subsidies have left some employees concerned about their employment future.

2. COVID has also changed the way businesses operate, allowing people more flexibility to work from home and improving their work-life balance.

3. Employees are happy to stay where they are. If an employee has experienced a stable 12 to 18 months with their current employer, they are unlikely to want to risk change.

Is it better to leave a role vacant if you can’t fill it?

The recruitment talent shortage has made us stop to consider whether it is best to just leave the role vacant or change your criteria to target more applicants.

Ultimately, seeing a decrease in applications can be disheartening as it means there are less people to choose from. But don’t give up!

When you leave a role vacant, it can leave your other employees with more work to do. More work for current employees can lead to burn out, and if they are burnt out, they are more likely to accept an offer for another job elsewhere.

Before you know it, you are faced with a surprise resignation letter from a trusted employee.

Targeting candidates during a recruitment talent shortage

We believe it’s time to consider changing how you are selling the job within the job ad. You need to stand out from the job board and do something different!

Job ads need to be bold, capture a candidate’s attention and highlight exactly why they should work for you. Instead of saving the selling points of the job until the interview, you need to showcase the job and the business, from the get-go.

This may include using videos, testimonials from other people within the company and good news stories.

A reflection of your company mission and values in the advertisement is a standout move, as it helps candidates form a connection with your business.

We know that recruiting can be a tiring process and often employers want to put it off as long as possible. But it doesn’t have to be hard!

Hiring quickly and efficiently could be the difference between securing the perfect employee for the position or letting the perfect person be snagged by someone else.

Having trouble recruiting? We can connect you with the best talent.

Contact us today to discuss hiring your next candidate.