Our Top 3 Changes for Recruitment in 2021

Job Ads will become less effective

One of the most noticeable impacts of COVID on the candidate market has been the almost complete disappearance of the ‘casual’ candidate – those candidates who often browse job boards and might occasionally apply if something catches their eye. This group has gone AWOL right now, in large part due the cautiousness that has entered the market. Candidates who’ve been with an organisation that has weathered COVID are deciding its more prudent to stay-put, rather than risk moving unless there’s a very compelling reason to do so.

This means that a job advertisement alone will not be enough for a large number of candidates right now (they haven’t been for a while really, but more so now) – candidates will need more information, more detail, more conversations to decide if the role is worth considering.

Finding the ideal candidate will be more about the connection and conversations you have with them, rather than them applying to an advertisement – that’s not to say we should all dispense with advertising, more that it’s likely to be far less reliable.

The process will be more labour intensive

This is the outcome of the point above. It’s a function of the increased need candidates will have to be presented the role, or in other words, have someone talk them through it – not just the role and its function of course, but more about the culture of the team, the organisation, the reputation of the manager, the likely rewards, where the company is going and ultimately, does it sound like a great job and a good fit?

This all takes time and resources to not only find those candidates who haven’t applied to an ad, but then get in touch, get some time with them, get to know them and understand what might be THE thing that they would move for – not just “we’re a market leader”, “we have a great culture” or “these products are great”, but more meaningful descriptions or examples of what life at Company X could be like if they made the move.

“Old School” makes a come back

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no technophobe or sceptic – we embrace technology as it’s a business essential, particularly in targeting candidate audiences. What it won’t do, however, is create connections with candidates, it doesn’t create trust or belief or an understanding. A message to someone you found on LinkedIn for example, doesn’t guarantee a response, particularly for people gainfully employed – and even if you get a response, it will most likely be a ‘thanks but no thanks, I’m not interested right now’. Technology, or at least the technology currently available, simply can’t replace the personal touch, the ‘old-school’ approach of getting on the phone and having the conversation and discussion that leads to an understanding for both client and candidate as to whether they should progress further with the recruitment process. Its not revolutionary, its not a sophisticated piece of software or AI, but it works!

What can you do to navigate this? Work with a partner who can:

Find candidates without relying purely on advertising
Commit the time and resources necessary, and
Build the personal connections needed to properly engage candidates

If you’d like to find out more about how EPHealthcare can help you navigate through these challenges, get in touch with our Director, John Evans jevans@ephealthcare.com.au or 0418 65 64 68.

Our Top 3 Changes for Recruitment in 2021

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