Searching for Candidates in Townsville

Hiring in Townsville is becoming increasingly complex. With more than 3,200 active job ads listed as of February 2025 and unemployment at historic lows, competition for skilled candidates is fierce. Major infrastructure projects, defence expansion and mining growth are driving unprecedented demand, making it harder than ever to secure top talent through traditional channels.

Relying solely on Seek or Indeed in Townsville’s ever-challenging job market, is rarely enough. With labour demand expected to increase by 12% across the region by 2026, the best candidates are often already employed and unlikely to respond to ads. This leaves many employers sifting through a flood of unqualified applicants while missing the talent they so desperately need.

And it doesn’t look like the problem will ease any time soon. KPMG estimate that 18,000 new jobs over 5 years will be created to support major projects, pushing the Townsville population toward 240,000.

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, Townsville-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. Our recruiters go beyond job boards, utilising an extensive local candidate database, direct outreach and exploring DAMA-sponsored skilled migrants where appropriate. This helps raise the visibility of your campaign to high-performance who can genuinely transform your business.

Local knowledge matters in Townsville

In a city like Townsville, where recruitment is influenced by numerous factors beyond job advertisements, local knowledge is crucial. Employers must navigate a tight housing market, wage competition, and growing demand in healthcare and education. Townsville is also gearing to become Australia’s ‘army capital’ with growing personnel in the region, putting further strain on engineering, aviation maintenance and research roles.

Failing to take local conditions into consideration when developing a recruitment strategy can result in costly campaigns that fail to attract the right talent.

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 on employee experience, personal traits, and suitability, we interview any 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 give you the complete picture of your next potential hire, we take care of 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

In Townsville, we’ve supported employers in sectors as varied as hospitality, healthcare, and resources, providing temp and permanent staff who keep operations moving.

Supplying growing cities such as Townsville and remote locations around Australia with labour hire solutions that enable them to respond confidently to peaks and troughs in guests, 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

In today’s competitive job market, having a strategic approach to recruitment is essential for success. By partnering with Signature Staff, you gain not only access to a wealth of local knowledge but also benefit from innovative recruitment strategies that extend beyond traditional job boards. From reaching passive candidates to crafting standout job advertisements, our tailored approach is designed to help you find the right talent efficiently.

As Townsville continues to evolve, your recruitment strategies must adapt to meet the growing demands. With our expertise, we can help you navigate this complex landscape, ensuring your business is equipped with the skilled talent necessary to thrive. Let us empower your recruitment process, transforming challenges into opportunities and setting your business up for continued success in the Townsville economy.

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