Congratulations to Scott Craig, TalentVine’s Recruiter of the Month for January 2025!
Agency: Podium People Solutions
Location: Brisbane
Specialised Industry: Senior Logistics & Supply-chain, Manufacturing
Employer Rating: 9.5/10
Recent Successes:
Warehouse Operations Manager
Group Manufacturing Manager
Logistics Manager
Finance Manager
Tell us about your journey as a recruiter
Well, to be honest recruitment and HR weren’t on my career radar at first. In fact, you could say the opportunity to pursue this path found me.
Like many young Aussies in their early twenties, I had made the pilgrimage to London and was being interviewed at an agency for a hotel management position. During discussions they mentioned they had an opening for a Recruitment Consultant if I was interested and I was lured by the prospect of working more regular Monday to Friday hours which gave me more opportunities to travel on weekends!
I spent a short time working in hospitality recruitment before moving to a larger UK accounting and finance recruiter. It offered good training, systems and processes, and I ended up managing a team. This experience gave me a great understanding of the industry and the confidence to partner with a former colleague when I returned to Australia to set up our own consultancy.
Flexibility in the workplace has become the new norm, but even decades ago, this was a major factor driving me to start my own consultancy, and work for myself.
During my time at the helm of Podium People Solutions (formerly Enigma International Resourcing), I’ve experienced all types of market conditions – the good, the bad, and the downright ugly, and have adapted each time. I enjoy working in an industry which is constantly changing and the variety of work I do across operational and commercial areas.
What changes do you see happening in the recruitment industry in the next 12 months?
The short answer – Artificial Intelligence (AI).
AI is being touted as a threat to many aspects of most industries, including recruitment.
I agree, being able to assess and screen multiple applications will save time. However, will talent slip through the cracks as we lose the human touch to better assess culture fit, attitude and personality? Can we place our faith in tools of the future which are supposedly 100% accurate in assessing these important attributes?
One of the positives I see from AI is an enhanced candidate experience. The recruitment process must move more quickly, and there’s no reason for candidates not being responded to on the outcome of their application.
It’s one of the biggest complaints I hear about our industry.
I’m also watching with interest, as the Work From Home (WFH) / Hybrid model evolves and changes. Employers are wanting their employees to spend more time back in the office engaging face-to-face with their colleagues. While the hybrid model has its advantages, and no doubt is here to stay, some employers are starting to reduce the number of days employees can WFH.
Other changes include employers increasing a focus on building diverse teams, and as technology changes the workplace, the need to continually upskill and reskill their employees.
What's one piece of advice you'd give to employers?
Having a good employer brand is crucial. The job market continues to get more and more competitive and there are many benefits to being an attractive employer with a good reputation. Not only will you attract, and retain the best talent, but a good employer brand will also reduce the time to recruit, the cost of recruiting and increase employee engagement and productivity.
Aside from building a strong culture and investing in the development of your employees, it’s important you run a professional recruitment process. Acknowledging the receipt of applications, responding to every applicant with an outcome and providing timely feedback to interviewed candidates is important. So is conducting thorough interviews including describing your company, its values and culture, selling the role and the opportunity, and sticking to a recruitment timeline.
What can often be overlooked is the role an external recruiter plays in your employer brand. This person is an extension of your team and is representing your company in the market. Not only should they understand and effectively communicate your culture and values but it’s crucial they also run a process which maintains, or better still, enhances your employer brand.
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