Gain more applications for your vacant jobs
Updated: Nov 15, 2021
Things are tough at the moment for many Australian businesses who are struggling to fill even primary blue-collar vacancies. We have put together five tips (in no specific order) to guarantee you more quality applications for your vacant roles.
#1: Think outside the box
Many employers tend to go for the same type of person or follow a people formula from the past because it has served them well. By adopting an outside the box thinking strategy finding an optimal solution may kill more than two birds with the same stone. A short reflection on this problem may lead you down the path of:
Consider having two part-timers instead of one full-time person.
Perhaps the job title you have advertised is not 'sexy' enough. Are the duties that this job entails reflective of this title? Is your understanding of the title the same as everyone else's? Can you ask the outgoing staff their thoughts?
Could you promote someone fit for the role and hire externally for their old position? Usually more junior you go in terms of hierarchy, the easier it is to find staff.
Are you reaching out to the same demographic you always do? Often minority groups in society are overlooked—for example, a person with a disability or long term unemployed. The challenges associated with employing people in this category are often far less than most people think and usually non-existent. The benefits of diversity are tremendous.
#2: Move quickly
Candidates are receiving offers quicker than they can schedule interviews – it's imperative to not "drag your feet" during the hiring process. Candidates may be fielding multiple offers and do not have the time (or desire) to wait around for numerous interviews and week-long wait times.
Organisations with robust hiring processes should consider streamlining their processes and implementing time constraints around these new processes. Not sure how to do this? First, utilise the virtual options for interviewing (even if your company is working in the office). Second, be proactive, and be prepared to make offers quickly after reaching a decision. "Time spent without an offer on the table is time a candidate could be receiving another offer."
#3: Don't keep tapping the same resources for candidates
It's time to broaden your horizons on your searching and sourcing efforts! Maybe you are using the same job boards or asking the same contacts for referrals, but getting creative when looking for quality candidates is critical.
It's vital to be proactive (and aggressive) in your hiring efforts and consider exploiting resources you wouldn't have used in the past.
#4: Be open-minded
Once upon a time, flexibility used to be seen as a perk; now, candidates assume it. An estimated 80% to 90% of candidates are looking for a position that offers some flexibility or a hybrid working model. Companies with no flexibility in the workplace risk drastically reducing the candidate pool.
It is also not uncommon for organisations to be a bit looser in their approach to other matters - many workplaces have adopted a casual clothes policy or opened up their offices to become dog friendly.
#5: Employer branding matters
The tables have turned in the hiring game, and candidates hold more control than they did previously. In previous years, a company's name might be enough to garner the attention of job seekers, but now it's imperative that companies "do more to sell themselves to candidates than they have in the past."
Whilst the salary is significant, it's about more than just the dollar in the current market. Explain how a candidate can grow within your organisation, programs and mentorships you can provide, and opportunities to work on projects that are important to candidates. Most importantly, explain how your company will impact their lifestyle.