Uncovering talent has become one of recruitment’s greatest challenges with record low unemployment rates and skill shortages. If Einstein was right and ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results’, then this challenge requires us to think outside the box.

No longer is the approach to hire one individual, to fill one role, the best practice in recruiting. So, what’s the answer? 

EMPLOYEE REFERRALS

Many hands make light work. It’s a win-win to have employees—preferably top performing, trusted employees—refer those like themselves. And don’t limit referrals for open positions. Be clear on the type of skills, experience and attitude that are a good fit for the organization and encourage employees to identify these people.

And here’s a ninja tip. Use alumni as a source for referrals—those people who left the company on good terms and whom you’d welcome back in a heartbeat.

PARTNER WITH THE 'GIG' ECONOMY

The number of people working in the ‘gig economy’ is booming. According to a December 2020 report by the Actuaries Institute, ‘since 2015 the gig economy has grown 9-fold to capture $6.3bn in consumer spend, and to involve as many as 250,000 workers.’

And the good news is that the growth applies in all Australian states. The availability of professionals to assist with time-boxed, specific outcomes is something worth considering. Try Fiverr, Upwork, 99designs, and Freelancer.com, to name a few.

LOOK WITHIN

What if the right candidate was already within your organization? If there is one thing that we’ve learned over the past 3 years, it’s that the nature of responsibilities continues to change, outdating role titles and descriptions.  Challenge the skills, experience and knowledge needed to perform the role—what’s true ‘must have’? Investing in an existing employee by upskilling or cross-skilling may be a quick, more efficient route than recruiting externally. That does not mean the identified employee is a perfect fit, but it shows a commitment to existing employees. And that, in turn, helps to show an organization's employee value proposition in action.

WHERE ARE YOU AT IN YOUR CAREER PLANNING?

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