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South Africa – Jobseekers prefer using recruitment agencies

28 August 2014

Most jobseekers want to be contacted periodically by potential employers with work opportunities that fit their skills sets and interests, according to the 2014 Kelly Global Workforce Index (KGWI), reports The Star.

The survey from South African recruitment firm Kelly Group (not to be confused with the American recruitment agency with the same name) indicates that it is becoming increasingly important for employers to add a personal touch in their search for top talent.

The Kelly Global Workforce Index is an annual survey that reveals the opinions of 230,000 people from 31 countries across the globe about the world of work and the global workspace.

Tracey Czakan, Managing Director of Kelly, commented: "While investing in strategic approaches in an effort to attract top talent remains the name of the game for recruiters, according to the 2014 survey, online job board postings and the use of social media are yielding the best results. The survey also reveals that building an 'authentic' connection with key prospects via regular and personalised communication channels are proving to be increasingly effective when engaging with active and passive jobseekers.”

Ms Czakan continued: "With 76% of prospects revealing a preference for online job board searches and 33% choosing company-specific job boards as their source of potential posts, it seems safe to say that employers need to consider meeting jobseekers on their own terms. Connecting with them in their preferred ways and within their online platform of preference is a great way of achieving this.”

"With that said, South African jobseekers still favour word-of-mouth, as well as recruitment agencies and staffing companies, with 20% of survey participants citing these channels as their most recent means of securing a post. Online job boards only scored 14% in comparison - this means that local employers should continue to look at more traditional means when engaging with South African talent.”

"However, growing your presence on online recruitment job boards is still advisable for those organisations wishing to keep abreast of international trends," Ms Czakan explained.

Although job boards were less of a favourable route in South Africa, an online application process scored well with South African participants.

"Interestingly, the ability to submit a resume or CV electronically using various devices, such as your laptop or tablet, was the most influential factor when it came to a positive job application process. This scored 38% as opposed to an awareness of the salary range, which only came in at 7%," Ms Czakan added.

"It comes as no surprise that better benefits and more money will still lure top talent. With that said, the promise of an improved work-life balance, as well as opportunities for development can also help seal the deal. This search for personal fulfilment and professional growth should form part of candidate relationship building from the outset and companies that prioritise these factors will no doubt have the competitive advantage over other employers."

While South Africa's workplace is unique in many ways, the need for personalised service remains the same. Half (51%) of local survey participants agreed with global sentiment that receiving periodic contact in the form of phone calls, e-mails and more, regarding work that fits their skills sets and interests is how they would like to be engaged by prospective employers.

"It seems that in today's world of work, engaging with top talent in an authentic and personalised manner is the way forward for employers of the future," Ms Czakan concluded.