4 tips to attract the right candidates

Hiring is all about getting the right talent in the right role. But recruiting can feel overwhelming in a candidate-rich market where job applications have continued to grow. 

At the same time, the rising cost of living means people are looking for more certainty before moving roles, making it harder to get talent across the line as they prioritise stability and security.

However, a smart approach to hiring makes it easier to attract the most suitable candidates, and secure the best fit for the job. 

Here are four ways to improve your recruitment process. 

Candidates are looking for organisations with a strong brand, explains Tracey Montgomery, general manager at Pure Source Recruitment. “There’s an assumption that only big companies can have a good employer brand, but that’s not the case. A small business in the suburbs can have a strong employer brand.”

Instead, she says, it’s all about values. Candidates are looking for an employer that matches their personal values – and for evidence that backs this up. With candidates taking more convincing to switch jobs, Montgomery says they’re doing their due diligence and researching well beyond ads. This means it’s about more than listing values on your website. They need to be validated in online reviews, social media and by word-of-mouth.  

It’s never too late to start building your brand and employee value proposition (EVP), says Emily Wilson, managing director of recruitment consultancy Future You. “Organisations which spend the time evaluating and developing their EVP are going to be ahead of the rest by knowing who they are, what their culture is, and what their product and services are.”

Job ads are your opportunity to draw people in, especially if you’re not working with external recruiters, says Montgomery. It’s a chance to give people a real sense of your organisation, its values, and opportunities. A poorly written ad, however, can turn people off.

Montgomery regularly hears from candidates put off by poorly written job ads. “A candidate told me she saw an ad she really liked in terms of the company and the role, but it had a bunch of typos that just showed a lack of care,” she says. “These are the little details candidates look for.”

To level up your job ads, Montgomery suggests being specific about what the role involves, including details on required skill sets and how they’ll be used, and broader information on the company, its values, and potential for career growth. Use clear, relevant keywords to help with targeted job advertising.

Being open with remuneration helps attract the right talent in a market where candidates say money matters. SEEK research reveals that job ads that show salary receive on average 47% more applications than ads that don’t. When a salary is above benchmark this increases to 105%.

“This shows transparency and links back to proving your organisation’s values, as well as making sure you’re not wasting a candidate’s time by applying for jobs well outside the realm of their salary expectations,” advises Montgomery.

If you can’t include salary in the job ad, be clear about remuneration early on. “A big complaint from job seekers at the moment is very drawn out recruitment processes, like not finding out the remuneration until they've got to the third stage,” says Wilson. “In your first conversation, understand the current remuneration of the talent and outline the salary remuneration for the role, otherwise it might be completely misaligned.”

Having the right screening process in place makes it easier to find skilled talent that’s right for the role among applications. Map out what you’re looking for and the relevant keywords. The right tools simplify this and can help reduce bias, something critical in an effective hiring process.

Using tools like SEEK Pass can further streamline the process by filtering applicants with verified credentials that meet your role’s minimum requirements. For example, by selecting ‘Right to Work’ as a required criterion and using SEEK Pass verification, you can confidently identify candidates with verified working rights, making it easier to build your shortlist.

Finally, don’t forget the importance of closing the loop at every stage of your recruitment process. “Make sure to get back to every single person that's applied to the role within a timely fashion,” Wilson advises. This closes things out in a respectful, professional way, even if they aren’t progressing, plus builds your employer brand in the long run.