The Engineering and Construction sectors in Australia are performing well in a market that many commentators are calling soft. The construction sector is one of the countries growth areas with a 9.5% increase for commercial construction projects in 2018. We have seen this momentum continue in 2019 with projects throughout New South Wales and Queensland across construction, infrastructure, engineering and architecture and project management, consulting and development.
Whilst work and projects might be plentiful, our industry (like many others) is experiencing a skill shortage at all levels and most companies are having to compete for top talent. It’s not uncommon for our brightest and best to lure towards the big four, top banks or overseas for exciting and different opportunities. This not only impacts our domestic talent pool but also diversity and retention rates.
It’s not all doom and gloom; however, at CGC after working with candidates and employers for over ten years, we’ve come up with our top three recruitment strategies for hiring new talents.
Whilst the Australian construction and engineering industry are constantly evolving, we do get good lead times on projects. It sounds like a no brainer, but consider your current projects and pipeline and take an optimistic view of resourcing. It can often be a good idea to have an early conversation with a recruiter, like CGC. Get a feel for the talent pool in the market and determine what action you’ll take if you convert all your pitches. After all, it costs nothing to have a conversation but could cost you a contract if you don’t have the resources to start or complete a project.
Planning ahead will also avoid “reactionary hires” where you recruit based on availability alone. These can cause fit or skill issues further down the line.
And don’t forget to talk to your team. They know people in the industry and can provide useful referrals that will potentially save you time and money.
Just like a good CV is important to any recruiter, a compelling and clear job description (JD) plays a key role in attracting the right candidates. We’ve all read a JD that sounds like three jobs squished into one - no one wants that job!
A JD needs to be clear, concise and honest. If you’re looking for a project manager in Woop Woop, say so, there’s no point wasting a candidate’s or your time if, for whatever reason, the job's not right. You also need to be clear on your own expectations, especially if the role has challenges, as it might need an improved remuneration or benefits to attract the right people.
And whilst we need to list skills needed, qualifications, experience, etc., don’t neglect the benefits as it’s your chance to sell the role. Talk about your culture, the business, the high-level strategy and future opportunities. All this can help a candidate to really want a role and go out of their way to get it. This could also include attracting candidates who aren’t necessarily looking for a new role, however, your opportunity is too good for them to ignore.
Companies that receive fewer job applications probably aren’t taking advantage of technology to advertise positions correctly.
Bear in mind that job seekers today are using recruiters, job sites, apps, networking and social media to find a job. They don’t even have to do this actively; they can, of course, set up alerts and get opportunities delivered directly to their phone or inbox.
Based on our latest recruitment report, recruiters, such as CGC, are often across different platforms and have established and well-optimised profiles. They can be recruiting 100’s of jobs at any time which gives them a higher profile than most businesses. As such, companies can leapfrog any technology shortfalls.
Finding good candidates can be difficult, time-consuming and expensive. This is why companies often use recruitment agencies like CGC. Even once recruitment fees are factored in, the time saving alone can result in improved efficiency, effectiveness and adherence to project timeline.
So, if you want to increase the chances of getting the most talented candidates for your business and projects, partner with a trusted recruitment service provider.
Contact CGC Recruitment today for better and targeted recruitment solutions.
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