Australian Resource Sector Employers Told to Revise Recruitment Tactics in Time for Upturn

http://www.pr.com/press-release/173858

The who’s who of the Australian resources sector were encouraged to change their recruitment tactics to meet the increased labour demand forecast for the resources sector this morning at an industry breakfast run by Mineblogger.com.au.

Perth, Australia, August 23, 2009 --(PR.com)-- HR experts from Chevron, Woodside, BHP Billiton, Leighton Contractors, United Group, HWE and more took advice from guest speakers, Chamber of Minerals and Energy president Kim Horne, and employer marketing specialist ReAgent CEO Mike Beeley.

Mr Horne was optimistic about the future of the sector and employment opportunities that he said would grow with recently announced development projects including Gorgon and the FMG expansion.

He said it was time for recruiters to be more innovative in their approach to attracting people and to look beyond those who were already from within the sector and the State.

“Despite the recent downturn we believe a rapid growth outlook is projected to resume in the early part of the next decade which will boost employment opportunities in the sector,” he said. “We need to prepare for this next growth phase and start building tomorrow’s workforce. But we also need to look outside the sector in order to find new talent, rather than just stealing people from each other, which simply causes unsustainable salary increases.”

He suggested that to meet forecast growth, the resources sector would need to take a leadership approach and sell Perth and Regional WA in order to secure workers from other states, sectors and overseas markets.

Mr Beeley supported this approach and encouraged the exploration of innovative ways to stand out from the crowd and seduce job seekers by making an emotional connection through a variety of mediums that would capture all audiences.

“Rather than looking for candidates, you need to create them. Appeal to both active and passive job seekers, by seducing and engaging with them,” he said. “Recruiters need to look at all mediums such as blogging sites, trade shows, online social marketing networks, sms marketing and alumni programs, which should all form part of a comprehensive campaign.”

Mineblogger chief Jody Elliot said the CME outlook was good news for the State and that WA recruiters in the resources industry could lead the way with innovative recruitment tactics.

“While the job landscape has changed during the past year, CME’s report highlights continued job opportunities in the sector and a strong future demand for labour for committed projects,” Ms Elliott said.

“Mineblogger can be used to complement traditional recruitment tactics, and is specifically designed to engage the passive job market. It is a unique information resource for employers and job seekers in the resource sector," she said, “We encourage employers and industry experts to post news, tips and information relating to careers and job opportunities in the industry onto the website."

The Mineblogger site provides employers with a free link to communicate with potential candidates about upcoming projects.