Insider trading in the jobs marketplace
Whether you’re a business owner or an employee and job seeker you naturally want to keep your finger on the pulse and know what is going on in the employment marketplace.
Trying to keep up to date with the latest employment trends of where the jobs are is like trying to trade stocks right now; you’re never quite sure how long the trend will continue. So it helps if you can get some ‘insider secrets’!
Companies are finding it increasingly more difficult to source staff and unemployment figures are below 4% (ABS Feb 2008) so it’s no longer as simple as placing an ad online and waiting. Despite this low statistic it can still take the average job seeker, graduate or a new-comer to Australia up to 3 months to find a new position. Clearly, in today’s employment marketplace finding people and finding jobs call for different approaches.
So what approaches work into today’s job marketplace?
Consider some of the approaches outlined below next time you are hiring or job seeking. Chances are they will give you a quicker, faster and better outcome than more traditional approaches.
Approaches for Small Business Owners
1. Advertise your role online (remember your company website and the free job boards too!), send the ad to all your acquaintances (internally and externally) and offer incentives for good quality referrals not just successful hires
2. Contact any industry groups with which you have connections and ask them to advertise your role in their next email bulletin or newsletter
3. If you have a spare hour check out the social networking sites such as Linkedin and FaceBook for possible candidates leads
4. Think about running the job ad in a trade magazine or journal, consider online versions of publications as well
5. Look through the list of previous applicants you have met over the last 18 months, give some of them a call and ask them to keep an eye out for any friends who are job seeking
6. Do you really need someone full time? Job sites such as www.parttimeonline.com.au and http://www.priorities.com.au/ can help you find high quality professionals who want to work part time
Approaches for Job Seekers
1. Write a job seeking plan of action and commit to attending 2 networking events a week for the next 4 weeks
2. Aim to meet at least 5 new people at each event and follow up with them within a week of meeting them
3. Touch base with your previous bosses, colleagues and acquaintances, let them know what your situation is and that you are on the market
4. Do a short training course and meet up to 20 new people on your first night- check out CAE course listing if you are in Melbourne www.cae.edu.au
5. Make a list of companies you would like to work with, give them a call, get a name and send in your resume and covering letter- remember to follow up
6. Join an online resume database service like LinkMe, see www.linkme.com.au and upload your resume now – it takes less than 1 minute!
