Here are 9 ways you are being hit by the candidate shortage in the creative and digital industry and how to overcome them.

We are currently seeing a tip in the scales post lockdown which has meant that the level of suitable candidates out there is not matching the number of job roles arising. There are a number of reasons the candidate shortage is going to hit you and make your hiring process harder. Luckily we have some solutions. 

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1. There isn't any overseas talent entering the country.

An international lockdown has meant that the usual influx of talent from other countries has not filled the portion of the talent gap that it usually does. 

Border closures and flight availability mean just over 4,300 critically skilled workers have entered the country since last March. This has meant that some of the highly skilled workers across the creative and digital industry have not been able to come here to fill roles. 

How to get around it: This is not necessarily the end of the world,  international travel will start again and there will be an influx of international talent, but until then you will have to work harder to attract the top talent that is already here, we can make it easier by tapping you into a network of established, experienced candidates that come from 22 years of being in the industry.

2. Fewer people are swapping roles or taking the risky job moves.

Security was key throughout the Australian lockdown. Transitioning to working from home and a turbulent job market has meant that employees and candidates value security above everything else. There has been fewer risky changes in career, more people taking permanent or long term roles rather than short contracts and JobKeeper meant that employees stayed in roles without the need to move.

How to get around it: The lack of people changing job roles is actually giving the creatives and digital experts who freelance and work contract roles the time to shine when they previously wouldn't, as many employers are now adopting a flexible work force or utilising the ever growing world of freelancers. If this is something you have been thinking about adopting or want to know more about the world of freelancing, give us a call on (03) 9514 1000.

3. The increasing job market creates the Franken-briefs.

Much like the monster after which it has adopted its name, the Franken-brief is frightening to look over, can have the ability to scare people off and is, generally, entirely misunderstood. As a job brief is being pieced together, there may be the urge to start harvesting elements from other job positions in order to create one role that seems to cover it all. Great in theory but, if poorly constructed, can become increasingly difficult to fill.

In recent times, we've experienced several Franken-briefs presented to us. Of course, working with an agency means that you have the luxury of hearing their advice and working with them as industry specialists however their advice might sometimes be difficult to accept, especially if you're keen to see your creature come to life. Ironically, it is the creation of such requirements that is creating a modern day skill shortage of a different kind.

How to get around it: You need to speak to people that understand these briefs and have worked these roles before, niche agencies like ourselves that specialise in the creative and digital industry. There hasn't been a brief too crazy or too confusing for us yet. As experts in the field we have been able to help many employers fine tune their briefs and job orders so that it is attracting the right candidate. Be honest with yourself, do you think your brief is too confusing? If so, give us a call and let us take a look, and we'll be able to find the perfect match.

4. There is an industry wide increase in job roles.

The reasons why it is now getting harder to fill a role have also resulted in an increase in job roles in market, which has made it fiercely competitive to find the right candidate as there are more prospective jobs to apply for. 

How to get around it: Improve your job ads to reflect your employer brand. Make sure your job roles stand out amongst the crowd. You can do this by posting on niche job boards and tapping into the networks of niche agencies like ourself. There is a thing called the hidden job market that our candidates are aware of, but not many employer are, by working with us you are tapping into the hidden job market. 

The need to fill a role quickly has meant that the vetting process that is usually completed, such as referencing, interviews and matching resumes and folios to a brief can go out the window, or not done properly. Allowing certain information to fall through the cracks, which means you may end up with a skilled candidate but not a cultural fit or vice versa. 

How to get around it: The vetting process is long, time consuming and can become costly, with lost hours and missed deadlines. There is one obvious solution - that is to use a service that has already done all of this for you, referenced the candidates, interviewed them, checked their resume and ensured their folio is up to speed and matches your brief. This will save you so much money in the long-run. 

6. There are just fewer applicants.

Organisations lack the volume of attractive candidates they need to make a quality hire. One reason is that your job posting is simply not being seen by enough eyeballs. Unfortunately, finding more applicants isn’t as easy as simply posting jobs online. More opportunities for job seekers means their applications are spread thin, and hiring companies see fewer applicants.

How to get around it: Rather than attracting more candidates, attract the RIGHT ones. This is where a recruitment agency can come in handy, we can be the perfect matching service. We will make sure you only see candidates that would be perfect for you.

7. Are you advertising in the right places? Don't fall into the trap.

Having a candidate rich market can mean that you feel the need to post jobs in as many places as you can, cast the net wide, to catch as many candidates as possible. This approach can prove to become more costly and time consuming and has absolutely no guarantee of catching the right candidate. 

How to get around it: You can just throw your job ads up all over the place, this will solve the lack of applications problem. This however wont solve the problem of having the wrong candidates apply, or save you time and money in the vetting process. The way you get around this, is by posting your jobs on nice job boards like our own as this will also give you access to our own network of 3000+ experienced, vetted candidates.

8. Are you getting ghosted, or left on read? 

While the term ghosting is synonymous with online dating nowadays, it’s unfortunately becoming a more and more recognised - and costly - phenomenon in recruiting. You’ve been through the whole interview process, decided on your top candidate and sent out the offer letter—sounds perfect, but for many employers, the hiring process isn’t quite as predictable as it once was. In fact, candidates ghosting employers is becoming a problem. This is not necessarily anyones fault just a result of a strong job market.

How to get around it: Being ghosted is the worst experience and no one deserves it.  Remain transparent and keep your communication channels open for candidates, if they know you are available they will remain available. You can access a network of creative and digital experts who are proactively looking for work and remain in constant contact by using an agency like ourselves. We conduct regular phone calls with out entire network to minimise the possibility of ghosting. 

9. The best candidates tend to have multiple offers on the table.

Highly desirable candidates know that they’re in demand. They can bank on their relationships and professional equity in a big way. And due to our increasing interconnectedness, top candidates know about more opportunities and get more job offers in the hidden job market. It is safe to assume that your top candidates are weighing your company and geography against other opportunities and locations.

How to get around it: You have to be the better offer, the better proposition and have a a back-up who is equally suitable. This is something we can help with. We ensure that we have a pipeline of multiple candidates that fit your brief meaning there is always a plan B as good as plan A.