In what is clearly a tight employment market underpinned by a dramatic skills shortage, employers have become even more specific and demanding of their human capital requirements. This phenomenon is not isolated within our local market place but a world wide trend. The mandates we have worked on recently both in Australia and offshore has seen an increasing propensity for organisations to be more specific about the requisite skills and experience that candidates must have to be considered for appointment. Whether it be a professional services firm, a mining organisation, an infrastructure group or government department, they are all "tightening" their human capital requirements.

This is quite a unique trend and something we have not experienced in the jobs market before. Organisations are becoming more discerning with their hiring intentions and less flexible with their people requirements. The backend of all of this is recruitment processes are becoming far more aggressive. Recruiters are having to be far more ingenious in the "getting" of talent. Creative advertising supported by dedicated search as well as on-line solicitation is the order of the day. Social networks are allowing head-hunters to cast their nets further and deeper into their traditional markets whilst they broaden their reach into non-traditional markets such as offshore. The whole face of recruitment is changing. I recently visited a technical university in the Philippines which is an Australian owned initiative tailor making workforces specifically for Australian workplaces. Their curriculum is purpose developed so graduates will qualify with Australian accredited qualifications in vocations from nursing, through mining and hospitality to mention but a few. Upon graduation the students immigration visas are processed and arrangements made to induct them into the specific workforce of the company.

This is the new age of employment!

A friendly reminder for those who are interested in supporting a most worthy cause in the Abused Child Trust, the Channel 7 hosted Melbourne Cup Calcutta at Baguette Bistro and Bar event on November 1 is filling up fast with only 47 tickets remaining! Please download the invitaiton for further information and details on how to secure your seat.