Australia's fastest job search

Destination Talent started as a simple blog addressing all aspects of recruitment. We recently launched our new website and the aim is to be a one-stop portal for all things recruitment in Australia. We are pretty much in start-up mode so we can trial new things fairly quickly. We have a few new things in mind, but our main brief is to connect employers and vendors, and also generate quality content on recruitment issues. Apart from the portal, we offer research and marketing services exclusively to the recruitment and HR sector. If the stars align correctly, we may formally launch a consulting division soon. I joined the industry when fax machines were still in vogue, so a lot of things have happened since. The Internet has significantly changed the way recruitment is conducted. Now, with just a few clicks I can reach 70 million professionals on one network alone. There’s also a big shift in the behaviour and composition of the workforce, and this in part is driving a lot of the change in our industry. For various reasons, we spend less and less time with a particular employer, and shorter forms of employment like contracting and part-time work are preferred by many. Mega trends like population growth, migration and ageing population also have a major bearing on our industry. I’ve also seen two recessions, witnessing firsthand how intricately our industry is connected to business cycles. I think the idea of outsourcing recruitment to a third-party provider is also a lot more acceptable to employers. As they say, the only constant is change. Interest in the application of social media in recruitment has grown significantly since I started blogging a year and half ago. Our research in 2009 found 53% of recruiters dabbled with social media; the latest RCSA survey puts the number at 94%. Recruiting in its current form is predominantly a reactive activity; I think social media offers new opportunities to reach out and build relationships like never before. However, it is different from other media in that attention cannot be easily bought; interaction, openness and sharing are a key part of the process. Trust needs to be earned. Personally, I swear by social media; it’s a game changer in many ways and used correctly I think it can play an important role in recruitment and candidate outreach (branding). Correct usage is however subject to a lot of different interpretation. It’s an evolving medium and there are still many unknowns. It’s likely what’s effective will be a factor of the industry you are in, the audiences you want to reach and the strategy you pursue. Blogging works for me in that I am prepared to give away what I know to an audience who wants what I know. In return I get traffic, and it opens new opportunities for me. What works for some will necessarily not be the same for others. I think what’s clear is that the medium rewards generosity. The more you give the more you get out of it. It can be a game changer as much as you are prepared to be generous with your knowledge, expertise and time. That’s no easy task. It’s easy to dabble with social media, no doubt, but I think the benefits from casual involvement, bereft of a deliberate strategy, are minimal. It’s probably better not to embrace social media unless you are totally committed, and subscribe to the idea of openness, transparency and generosity. So much to do, yet there’s so little time. I’ve been saying for years, that I’ll graduate from doing a half to a full marathon. So that’s still #1 in my priority list. I’ve followed John Sumser’s work religiously since 1999. There weren’t many blogs, newsletter or outlets to follow recruitment material/personalities in the early days. John stood out, not only because he is a prolific commentator and generous with his knowledge, but was an early adopter of channels which allow others to follow him. Of course, we are spoilt for choice now; I regularly read the work of at least a dozen recruitment bloggers and can count many who have contributed significantly to my own thinking. Closer to home I pay attention when the likes of Ross Clennett and Greg Savage have something to say, which is quiet often. Outside of recruitment, I find Seth Godin’s constant theme on respect, sharing and telling good stories influential. I think our industry can also draw a lot from Peter Drucker’s timeless wisdom. It’s election year and we are treated to a first-hand view of how public policy will affect the recruitment industry. Mega trends like population growth, migration, ageing population and generational change are already upon us. Each year thousands of new jobs seekers land in Australia. Disruption to labour supply, in a country will a small workforce of 10 million, will always have a direct bearing on how the recruitment industry operates and evolves. I think job seekers will wield a lot more power, in the context of access to information. With more information come more choices to find work. I believe most jobseekers are unaware, but will eventually wake up to the fact that they have more power than they ever did. The challenge for recruiters, in a world of plenty, is how to stand out; a lot of effort will go into branding and reaching out as opposed to just advertising. Traditionally, our industry rewards vendors who have the best information. Job boards maintain hegemony over passive candidates. A cohort of social networks attempt to connect you to thousands of professionals. So, battle lines will be drawn on who has the best information and access to candidates. Crowdsourcing may prove to be a disruptive force in certain sectors. The likes of 99desing offers information on 70,000 designers, so even a 1% migration of creative professionals to crowdsourcing sites will be disruptive for recruiters in that space. Over the years, many tools have threatened to disintermediate the recruitment industry, but recruiters continue to adapt, evolve and find a way to thrive. No amount of technology will be able to replace the value inherent in face-to-face human interaction. The longevity of recruiters lies in their ability to be trusted advisors, so any tool or service that enhances that capability will prosper. A lot of attention/effort is given to keeping up with the latest trends and chasing shiny new tools, but I think there will be a renewed focus on professionalism. It’s unlikely recruitment will get any easier. Everyday a new tool is added to the already burgeoning recruiter’s toolbox, but it’s impossible to master all the tools. It’s tough enough just to keep up with LinkedIn, imagine the challenge of having to monitor activities on a couple of social networks? Smart recruitment will require making hard choices. Knowledge of what tools works for which audience, in what context, will be critical. I think data driven workforce planning will be a pre-requisite to tackle any recruitment assignment.