Job advertising has long been a recruiting staple for our industry. While job ads have always been a winning strategy, it's clear that what worked back then, is not always working so well now.
The recruitment goalposts have moved.
The days of posting a job ad and choosing from a flood of applications are behind us. Among the many factors contributing to this are:
Increased Competition: With more clubs, studios and boot camps, the demand for qualified fitness professionals has grown, leading to more competition among employers to attract the best candidates.
Reduced Candidates: The number of candidates graduating with a fitness qualification has decreased and pandemic-related business closures led to an industry exodus, leaving us with a significantly reduced pool of fresh candidates coming through.
Cross-Industry Competition: Other industries are also vying for skilled professionals, offering competitive salaries, remote work, flexible hours and other benefits to entice potential fitness employees.
More Realistic View of the Job: Job seekers are now more aware of the realities of working in the fitness industry (it's not 'running on the beach with movie stars'), leading to a shift in their expectations in a role.
The point of sharing this is to highlight the need to do things a little differently.
Party like it's 1999, but advertise jobs like it's 2023.
If you want to recruit as quickly as possible, the first thing is to ensure your ad is speaking to candidates. Look at addressing things like;
Additional Benefits: Candidates are looking for growth opportunities, career progression, and development. Make it easy for them to imagine a bright future with your business. Alternatively, position yourself as a platform for launching successful careers.
Culture, Values and Purpose: Many candidates are looking for more than just a job; they want to be among people who share their values. They want to be among people they respect. They want to be part of a tribe. For some, the ability to connect their role to a higher purpose is a priority.
Readability: Respect the reader. Keep things concise and use headings and bullet points for easy skimming. Candidates are often looking at multiple job ads. You want your key points/benefits to hook them in right away.
People remember how you made them feel.
A positive candidate experience helps set you apart from other employers and will back up any claims in your job ad that your business is a great place to work. It's also a chance to lay the foundations for recruitment opportunities in the future.
- Respond ASAP: A quick response shows respect for the applicant and their application. It brings you closer to filling the role and reduces the chance of losing the candidate to another employer. It's also a chance to learn what's working (or not) with the job ad.
The CV is not the person: CV writing is a skill not everybody possesses. Getting on the phone with a candidate is a good way to gain more insight into their experience and qualifications, and help establish a personal connection.
Open Communication: Keep candidates updated about the progress of their application, including if they're not successful. This encourages a positive view of your business and helps with future applications.
When interviewing, recognise it goes both ways: In the current market, the interview process is very much a two-way evaluation. Candidates will be assessing whether this role is for them, as much as you're considering them for the role.
Leverage HealthyPeople to fill roles faster
HealthyPeople offers a number of valuable tools to leverage your recruitment efforts:
Wider Exposure: Our most popular job option includes a listing on Seek. In addition, all HealthyPeople job ads are listed on the FITREC fitness registration job board.
Email to the HealthyPeople database: All jobs listed via HealthyPeople are sent to relevant industry candidates in our system.
Connect with local candidates: HealthyPeople job ads include the ability to connect with a community of more than 100,000 fitness professionals. All are sorted by location, when active and their chosen job type.
Ongoing recruitment is easier with HealthyPeople
HealthyPeople offers free and membership-enabled services to help employers connect with suitable local candidates in between job ads:
Engage with professionals: Reach out to candidates who look like a great fit for your business via the lists on HealthyPeople.
Collaboration with educators: HealthyPeople works with educators to help their students connect with employers for work experience opportunities. This is a free service for employers, simply reach out to the relevant educator.
Featured Professionals: Engage with local professionals who have requested we actively promote them to local employers.
Recruiting the right people for your business can be challenging, but with the right strategies and tools, it's an easier process.
HealthyPeople provides employers with a platform specifically designed to help small businesses reach a wider audience, more easily connect with local candidates, and find the right fit for their role as quickly as possible.
Get your job ad posted here. Or pick up a recruitment pack here.