Despite labour shortages, business closures, and a volatile job market, the recruitment sector proved prosperous last year, contributing ’£42.9 billion of direct Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy in 2021, [marking] a 21.7% increase on 2020 and a rise on pre-pandemic levels.’
Unlike other industries, the recruitment sector hasn’t been too badly affected by the pandemic; if anything, the uncertainty surrounding the job market gave the recruitment industry a boost, as it ‘employed over 200,000 people in more than 30,000 businesses in 2021—6.5% higher than the previous year.’
News headlines during most months in 2022 lamented labour shortages, from a scarcity of airline staff causing cancelled flights in June, to lengthy ambulance wait times in December due to an ‘NHS in crisis’, as well as frequent train cancellations because of a shortage of rail staff.
With such severe and constant labour gaps, employers may have found it too specialist and time-consuming to write job adverts, market positions, filter applications, and interview candidates—particularly so if they had multiple job openings at once. To maximise their productivity, employers likely found it much cheaper and more efficient to delegate their recruitment to those more experienced.
Given how severe these labour shortages have proved, since the pandemic, employers have been forced to find new ways to attract candidates and fill positions. This has brought more obstacles to recruiters’ doors, in their bid to remain competitive.
For example, some employers have engaged influencers to promote open roles. TikTok seems to be the most appropriate platform for this, especially if the employer wants to target young people. In these short videos, influencers describe a company’s atmosphere, and list the reasons why someone would want to work there. The aim is to appear relatable; most often, the work environment is presented as fun and laid-back, with young graduates enticed by promised of ‘pizza Fridays’ and after-work drinks.
Another potential fly in the ointment for the recruitment sector is the advancement of technology. Just as AI has the potential to put many other industries out of business, it’s also been suggested that it could ‘revolutionise recruitment’, with its ability to streamline the job-hiring process and save employers money.
Though, overall, the recruitment industry looks to be booming, individual recruiters must still ensure that they provide the best possible output, especially when automation and external marketing as mentioned above could prove cheaper than a traditional recruiter.
At Fast Recruitment Websites, we fully recommend a regular review of your recruitment website design. Its functionality and navigation must be on point, to attract both employers and jobseekers, and your website also needs to convey crucial information clearly and concisely. Communication is key, which includes your website, just as much as your phone manner and emails.
An attractive job advert should instantly tell the applicant everything they need to know. According to columnist David Clark, the key to a winning job advert is to highlight hybrid working arrangements, flexibility, and salary. He suggests leaving the gimmicky perks behind, adding, ‘There’s a cost-of-living crisis and people can’t pay their gas bills with Argos discounts. Focus on paying as much as you can afford in a base salary and don’t expect that cycle to work scheme to do any heavy lifting.’
Your website should make clear the most pressing aspects of any role, i.e. salary, location, and candidate requirements. This information should be easily accessible by all, including those with impairments or disabilities, and therefore should include such things as an easy-to-read typeface and consistent brand colours.
By implementing all of these things, a recruiter is much more likely to ensure that a new starter will stay loyal to the relevant company and remain in the job long-term. Gimmicky trends in the sector, like AI automation and TikTok job adverts, might initially attract a candidate to the role through humour, overpromising and unrealistic expectations of the job, but this is unlikely to enforce longevity if the company and culture is less than desirable—and this will cost businesses more in the long run.
Candidates that are influenced and won over by TikTok videos are perhaps only a small minority. Most jobseekers will be looking for stability and opportunities from reliable, reputable sources.
Does your website convey the professionalism of your agency as well as the company you’re representing? If you’d like a professional opinion, we’re the experts. Call us for a friendly chat on 01302 288591.
