Get Smart About Staff

There should also be a considered approach to recruiting in regional areas. Megan Harrison, senior human resources consultant for the Australian Business Limited Apprenticeships Centre, explains that an employer’s approach to recruiting in regional areas should differ from recruiting in metropolitan areas.

"In regional areas where the population is considerably smaller than the major metropolitan locations, the number of candidates seeking alternative employment obviously reduces as well. This makes the task of finding the right person for the job more challenging. In a candidate short market, managers need to proactively seek candidates rather than taking the traditional approach where candidates simply apply to work for them. And, always check references. The candidate may be well known for contributing to the community, but it is their working performance in previous positions that you should be interested in."

Consider using a variety of advertising mediums to widen your search. And choose the most appropriate advertising medium for your target audience. Online job boards such as Seek may be relevant for administrative positions, but not appropriate for retailing roles. Also, advertise in regional newspapers and relevant industry magazines, but don’t forget word-of-mouth, the traditional 'bush telegraph', and a sign on the business window. Use business networks and contacts to spread the word about a vacant position.

If you are experiencing skills shortages in your region check out the Government’s Skill Matching Database that helps match skilled migrants with skill shortages in regional areas in each state (www.immi.gov.au/skills)

12 Steps To Successful Recruitment

1. Understand labour market trends, emerging technologies, workforce demographics, and your competition.

2. Ensure those responsible for hiring are skilled in articulating the organisation’s value proposition, culture, expectations, and future direction.

3. Recruit with securing top talent foremost in mind.

4. Know that wages alone are insufficient to attract and retain talent.

5. Appreciate how important your employer branding or perceived image is.

6. Understand how important good staff are to your business, and what each individual brings to their role and the organisation.

7. Design and deliver customised recruitment messages to the target audience via communication mediums they are comfortable and familiar with.

8. Recognise that retention must be treated as a strategic issue–one which can deliver lasting bottom line benefits to an organisation.

9. Invest appropriately in people, processes and software, to ensure the recruitment process is a robust one.

10. Have retention strategies in place from day one.

11. Think carefully about the job you need to fill, and the type of person you need to fill it. Develop accurate and thorough job descriptions with the skills necessary for the position now and in the future.

12. Build a database of skills and good people. Applicants who may not fit one job may well fit another in the future.

* Charisse Gray is senior business writer with NSW Business Chamber.