Recruitment

Recruitment: Four reasons why you may not be getting quality job applicants

Grain Central, September 6, 2019

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Click here to access these and earlier Jobs Central recruitment listings.

 

CHOOSING where to advertise your job openings is important, but no matter how many page views a jobs website or a newspaper gets, if your job posts are not engaging, they will not attract the best talent.

One of the recurring themes when it comes to unfilled job vacancies can be the “skills gap”. Especially when advertising for meat and livestock sector positions in rural and regional areas – many skilled applicants already have successful jobs.

Adding to this – there are more positions out there demanding skilled workers than there are unskilled workers.

Businesses are having trouble attracting candidates who possess the necessary talent to fill the role. Yes, the issue of the “skills gap” still exists in many rural and regional areas, therefore employers may need to review their job advertisements to make sure they are attracting the right candidates for that region.

Top job seekers think a little differently than the unqualified candidates you’ve probably been getting. Despite the high unemployment rate, top candidates have a choice in where they work, and they’re being very particular about where they apply and interview. A reason you may not be getting qualified applicants is that you aren’t tailoring your recruitment process to appeal to these top candidates. You want to make it easy for a job seeker to apply.

So what is preventing the influx of job applicants?

Here are four top reasons you may not be getting qualified candidates, and what you can do to remedy your mistakes…

Your job description lacks description

When it comes to sales, people know that if you don’t have a great sales pitch, then you’re not going to get the clients that you are looking for. The same can be said for a job posting.

If your ad is not as well put together and attractive as the opportunity itself, then you are not going to lure in the candidates that you need.

Vague job descriptions that offer little-to-no detail on what the job is about are sure to bring down your response numbers. Sell the culture and lifestyle that comes with the opportunity to work for you, tell them what the role entails and hint at the opportunity for growth within your business.

Too many requirements listed

Postings that demand “5-10 years of this” and “15+ years of that”, yet fail to explain what the role actually entails are a no-no. Again, bleak job descriptions hurt you and are even worse when you are demanding an applicant have a certain amount of credentials, but offer no reason why.

The same is true for salary. Jobs offering “$x/week and must have 5-10 years of experience” may push job seekers to look elsewhere e.g. pay that is commensurate with experience.

No mention of benefits

Every job-seeker is interested in the perks that may come with a position. If someone sees a job ad that demands many credentials coupled with a heavy workload, yet offering no benefits, he or she is prone to keep it moving. Make sure you list the benefits that come along with a role to attract more applicants. Remember, the benefits are not always monetary. Think outside the box.

For example, the AWX Group is a big advocate of leveraging on one’s company culture. If your company culture entails social/recreational or other activities, then advertise it.

The look of your advertisement is not appealing

This may sound trivial, but it counts. When it comes to job listings you do not want to leave anything to the imagination. A simple ad with no company logos and no links to your website may deter job seekers – why? Because they want to find out more about you, and they want to know what your business is all about. Job seekers should see your brand in job listings (or at least be able to click on a link that takes them to your website), visually sighting your brand makes a good impression. If your cattle production business, feedlot or butchery does not have a logo, create one. There are websites online where young trainee graphic designers will build an attractive logo for small businesses for little or no cost, to gain experience.

It’s important to think about quality over quantity. You want to attract job applicants, but most of all you want quality applicants.

Ensure that you know enough about the actual job duties so that you can write an effective job posting that gets the attention of qualified applicants.

 

Source: Meat Processors Pty Ltd

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