Why it's simply not a long-term solution to steal candidates from competitors
With the international borders opening up, the opportunities for overseas recruitment has become real again. Australia is heavily reliant on skilled migrants relocating here and the dearth of opportunities in the past two years has put a strain on the workplace. That, however, is now changing and allowing companies to broaden the scope of search for new talent.
“My clients demand international talent and believe in putting extra effort in their brand, social media and employment packages to attract the best and the brightest,” Gearoid Considine, managing director, BrightSide Consultants, told HRD.
BrightSide Consultants is an Australian boutique agency for the top civil engineering and construction professionals, who embark upon national and international searches for the right candidates.
“BrightSide Consultants is undertaking an international recruitment campaign in April 2022 to the Republic of Ireland, the UK, and the EU, as well as attracting and welcoming home Australian and New Zealand expats at the request of my clients,” Considine said. “I only work with clients who have a futuristic view and not putting their head in the sand and hoping all will be right.
“Robbing Peter to Pay Paul - taking staff from your competitors - is not a long-term sustainable strategy and only drives up wages and disloyalty. With estimates suggesting that Australia will experience a loss of 1.1 million people over the next decade, due to curbed migration as a consequence of COVID-19, the resulting slowdown of economic growth is likely to hit 4 per cent by 2025 which will reduce economic activity by an eye-watering $80 billion. Now is the time to recruit experienced international talent.”
Considine believes loyalty and cultural fit are two key areas to look at when it comes to recruitment, as well as understanding personal and family aspirations.
“We undertake psychometric testing to understand how people do lead and how they want to lead, as well as understanding the best team fit and what environment will allow them to excel,” he said.
Universities in Australia are also a big employer, as well as a haven for international students, and there forced hiatus in 2020 and 2021 has put a big strain on the financial viabilities of tertiary institutions. With the influx of students resuming, so will opportunities for skilled overseas workers to work on campuses around the country.
“At RMIT Online, we have a very diverse team, and we're always looking for the best talent who fits our roles and our culture, independently of where the talent comes from,” Rachael Francis, human resources director at RMIT Online, said. “But we're also conscious that it is not easy for Australia to solve the current skills shortage in Australia. There is a false dichotomy between immigration and reskilling - Australia needs both.”
In a talent shortage like we're facing, companies need to understand that they won't find candidates with the perfect experience or the perfect CV all the time.
“As part of their strategy, they will need to identify skills and potential and upskill and train the new entrants. We do this internally and with several partners. On a bigger scale, the country must develop a system that genuinely prepares people to join the new economy. Australia needs a concerted effort from governments, companies, and educational institutions to retrain Australians at scale with the skills required by the market.”
Francis believes for this to work then governments will need to invest more in programs to help mid-career professionals find their new vocation and have the courage to retrain, which will also have to help professionals gain some initial experience, the hardest part of the transition.
“Companies will need to increase their collaboration and investment in education,” she added. “They must also be more open to hiring based on skills and not only on one's career history and educational institutions will need to work closely with companies and governments to identify skills shortages and create and adapt courses accordingly.”
Of course, human resources will also have a big role to play in helping a company not only attract talent but set the parameters in which a new employee can thrive.
“HR, and specifically talent attraction teams, will play the really important role of conduit,” Francis added. “We are the external voice of the company, making sure that candidates see and hear information about why they should consider working with us. And since we spend every day talking to candidates. They are the voice of the market back to the company – what is important to prospective employees, how attractive is this as a place to work, what things should we consider that aren’t already happening or on our radar.”
