Why do specialist recruitment agencies use generalist job sites?

[Kelly Magowan]

Yes, this happens a lot and really does confuse me.

I have spoken to so many people in the industry for CEO, s to Recruitment Professionals, GM’s of marketing and so on – whose approach to sourcing talent is keep it simple and cut costs! Specialist recruitment firms and big umbrella recruitment firms with specialist streams seem to like to buy ads in bulk.

I understand costs are a consideration and keeping it simple are as well – however do you do this to the detriment of sourcing the right and best people for your clients? Why are your clients paying for your specialist expertise - if you are posting their jobs on generalist job sites?

If I am selling a product or service, do I only market it via one channel or maybe two and pick the cheapest and easiest to manage? Not if you want to stay in business you don’t.

It is interesting that when it comes to Recruitment Professionals and even marketing professionals, the attitude to talent sourcing seems to be using the cheapest and easiest option – not necessarily the best. If you ask most job seekers - they prefer to go to niche sites that deliver jobs that meet their criteria, they don’t want to trawl. Perhaps we all need to listen to our customers more.

Clearly as someone who owns a niche job site, I am going to have a fairly strong view about niche sites and their benefits (which are now proven) yet I am wondering what other views are out there.

[Vikas singhania]

hiThe Indian IT industry, already under pressure since the downturn began in the US financial, banking and insurance markets last year, ...

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Vikas Singhania
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[Kelly Magowan]

Hi Justin,
This is true, context is important given our market size and that we are traditionally late adopters when it comes to anything to do with talent attraction and retention. One would think that given segmentation in all other consumer markets that niche offerings will eventually be adopted. I suspect it is a few years away.
I agree - I think Seek is a habit, like people being addicted to the pokies. Consultants keep posting new, rehashed and the same jobs over and over again hoping to hit the jackpot. It is purely a numbers game. Seek is certainly a good mass offering and one that is necessary, however one would hope that our job board market evolves.
Kelly

[Chris Russell]

Great question, too many recruiters dont realize the power and targeted focus of niche boards. There is definitley a "follow the herd" mentality among many firms out there. People are slow to change.

[Justin Hillier]

Kelly,

I think it is important to put this question into context. The Australian market is far different then that of the wider global market and more developed UK and USA markets. These regions have a plethora of job boards and niche boards survive and flourish nicely. One of the main reasons for this is candidate volume.

The Australian market is not large enough to sustain various nice job boards and Seek dominate the market segment and have for a long time. I think there is a place in Australia for niche job boards and even agregator's, however unless someone works out how to beat Seek, companies and recruiters will continue to utilise their site. A 70% candidate market share is to high to say no to for many many businesses and understandably so.

Having worked for Seek in the sales team (yes I know them fairly well, 5 years will do that) and in the UK market with the largest job board there as well I can see the potential for niche boards in Australia but its a big mountain to climb.