ëCandidate careí- the future of recruiting says RCSA panel

Career coaching and candidate care will be the new big recruitment trend within the next five years, a panel of recruitment experts predicted at the RCSAís (Recruitment and Consulting Services Association) Candidates- where are they? seminar in Melbourne last week.

Panellists, including, National President of the RCSA and Director of Kelly Services, Stephen Shepherd, Vic/Tas President of the RCSA and CEO of DFP Recruitment, Robert Van Stokrom, CEO of Tanner Menzies, Peter Tanner and General Manager of IPA Personnel, Deborah Brown, agreed that in a tight candidate market, building long-term relationships with candidates will be a crucial element to staying in business.

ìThe biggest problem weíre having is that the people weíre looking for arenít necessarily looking for a job. What we need to do is shift the way we do business from a sales focus and trying to fill 50 vacant jobs for one employer, to focusing on a handful of good candidates and placing them in suitable jobs,î Mr Shepherd said.

ìDiscussing with candidates where their careers are heading, counselling them and referring them to companies is the way I see the industry heading in the next two to five years time,î agreed Mr Tanner.

RCSA Vic/Tas President, Mr Robert Van Stokrom said quality candidate care is crucial and simple things like returning phone calls will help build relationships and increase referrals.

ìMake sure you are a candidate care organisation and measure it by asking candidates how they were treated- the candidate grapevine is a lot more powerful than you think,î Mr Van Stokrom said.

In light of the skills shortage, panellists also said recruiters should start tapping into the diverse workforce and Job Network to help ease the shortages in 2007 and beyond.

ìNot everyone using the Job Network is unemployable, which seems to be the perception,î General Manager of IPA Personnel, Deborah Brown said.

ìRecruiters should be tapping into organisations that have access to people from non-English speaking backgrounds and people with disabilities- places where competitors donít seem to be looking,î Mr Shepherd said.

The RCSA supports the notion of thinking outside the box and has been active in promoting the employment of Welfare to Work participants through programs such as Recruit the Future, as well as recent involvement in a working group set up by the Equal Opportunities Commission for workers with a disability.