In days gone by, “talent” was shorthand for “bright, able, qualified, energetic but a little inexperienced“. In the workforce it has more recently come to represent qualified, proven, experienced. And there’s the rub with the talent shortage, it’s a demographic accident in an ageing population within a developed economy. The trouble is, not enough organisations have stood back and looked at what they might need longer term, what always recruiting the experienced might cost them directly and indirectly and what they might gain from youthful exuberance and clarity of thought.
We have also often seen quite capable candidates rejected because of “cultural fit” or “communication skills” (make of that what you will) and you can see why we have some acute shortages across Australia and even in higher unemployment markets. I’m not sure what it is, but I have always found ethnic origin and accents fascinating filters on insights – think of it, with only English, we wouldn’t have schadenfreude or je ne sais quoi – after all the idea of “I don’t know what” having clarity of meaning in English seems absurd!
We have employed Indians, Pakistanis, Irish, English, Australian, New Zealanders, Greeks, Maltese, Bosnians, Colombians and Brazilians so far in our short history and our business is richer for it. Most were young, qualified and inexperienced – but they made up for that with a willingness to learn and a strong work ethic. We search for the qualities we want and don’t compromise.
Graduates as Interns
Imagine my disappointment to meet countless qualified engineers, computer scientists, software developers and business graduates driving cabs and cleaning offices and then listening to tales of woe from employers about talent shortages.
Our solution, our little contribution to the situation is to design an internship program – which could only be launched after successfully picking our way through the minefield of the Fair Work Act. We also discovered a handful of internships that bring students into Australia from overseas, facilitate Australian Host Companies to train them and then see them go home with their new found knowledge – to a competitive economy! Our program is an opportunity for employers and workplace entrants alike. See here for more details …and here’s our launch video.
Your internship initiative sounds fantastic Andrew! You’re absolutely right re employers turning down quality candidates due to “lack” of communciation skills. I’ve heard of recruiters hanging up the phone as soon as they hear a foreign accent. You certainly sound like you’re different from the hundreds of other recruiters out there! Well done