Searching for Candidates in Cairns

Hiring in Cairns today is challenging. With unemployment rates in the region at very low levels, combined with many employers chasing the very best talent, it can be hard to find the superstar through traditional methods.

In a candidate’s market, focusing on job boards such as Seek, Indeed or even LinkedIn is no longer enough. Especially in a regional market such as Cairns, where candidates can be passive and reluctant to respond to job ads and there is a steady stream of seasonal workers coming and going.

If you’re finding that your business is stuck due to failed recruitment campaigns and growing competition, this blog will help you revisit your recruitment strategies, Cairns-based businesses can follow.

The limitations of job boards

While job boards such as Seek and Indeed are an important tool in the recruitment process, they are by no means the only tactic a business can utilise. However, when they are used, many variables can improve your chances of success. From the type of ad, the information you provide about the role and your business, plus criteria settings. A recruitment agency will help you nail your messaging and branding to ensure you entice the right candidate to come forward.

What we found though, is that sometimes, the best talent (those who are doing a similar role already) often don’t browse job boards. Instead, businesses are overwhelmed with high volumes of unqualified applications, introducing a time-consuming process for your team to sift through. A recruitment agency will help minimise unsuitable applicants but also streamline the review and shortlisting, saving your team valuable time; especially if you’re already under the pump.

Local knowledge matters in Cairns

Understanding the local industries, salary expectations and trends is vital to a successful recruitment campaign. While some employers will have a great handle on the local market, businesses that do not recruit frequently, or managers who have little experience in recruitment, will find it difficult.

What then happens is that the recruitment campaign fails to attract the right talent, wasting money and hours sifting through resumes.

Relying solely on job boards also means businesses have limited access to the local talent. Whereas, a recruitment agency is armed with tens of thousands of pre-vetted talent they can reach out to within the community. In addition, they help to streamline the process so you get it right, first time.

How Signature Staff streamlines the process

When you choose to work with Signature Staff, you receive a fully tailored approach that finds the best candidates for your business. This can include:

1. Reaching candidates who may not be searching
   Increasingly, we find candidates may not be actively searching for an opportunity. With our vast database of jobseekers and star candidates, we use profile matching to uncover those who may be the perfect fit for your business.
2. Job ads that stand out
   Knowing what’s important to you, we create job ads that position you as an employer of choice, whilst clearly identifying the type of talent you are looking for. With our extensive recruitment experience, we utilise targeted advertising to maximise your visibility across the most relevant and popular job boards.
3. Screening and shortlisting
   We take the stress of finding the time to sift through applications, so you can focus on more important things. We take care of processing, ranking and shortlisting applications. Freeing up your time and ensuring you only see candidates that fit your criteria.
4. Interviews and testing
   For critical insights into employee experience, personal traits, and suitability, we conduct interviews with all candidates we present to you. In addition, we can also complete skill testing to ensure everyone you see is competent in the areas that matter most.
5. Reference checks and callbacks
   To provide you with a comprehensive picture of your next potential hire, we handle all reference checks.
   We also understand that not everyone enjoys letting people down, which is why we take care of notifying unsuccessful candidates.

A success story

We have been providing countless hotels and restaurants with high-quality temps for many years to ensure operations continue to run smoothly. Whether that’s during busy periods or in the quieter months.

Supplying idyllic locations, such as Cairns, Island Resorts, and remote properties around Australia with labour hire solutions that enable them to respond confidently to peaks and troughs in guest numbers, we have successfully built long-lasting partnerships with our clients in the hospitality industry. Here’s what Chief Operating Officer, Dilip Madhok of Daydream Island had to say:

“We have been working with Signature Staff for the last couple of years. Their outsourcing recruitment option suits us well. They are part of our recruitment team who market, advertise, shortlist, and interview, as well as complete reference checks.

What I like the most is that their service doesn’t attract the generic recruitment price tag. They have a solid database of candidates to tap into and nothing is a problem. Their team backs our HR team 100%.

I would highly recommend their recruitment outsourcing services, especially if you have a large team.”

Smarter hiring starts locally

If your recruitment campaigns are letting you down or worse, holding you back, we can help. Our team combines local knowledge, access to talent and strategic, informed recruitment intel to maximise your chances of recruiting your next superstar.

Want to learn more? Contact us for a free consultation.