Hays Office Support - Public Sector
January - March 2012
Hotspots
Executive Assistants with Secret or Top Secret Clearances are in high demand, however EA's with any level of clearance find roles quickly in ACT. The Department of Defence have a huge backlog of clearances to process, which leaves a shortage of temporary candidates with clearances to fill positions in the meantime.
Early this quarter Administrators will be needed to cover staff on annual leave. Employers look for candidates with good data processing experience, excellent computer skills and the ability to communicate well over the phone and in person.
Entry-level Administrators, who had previously been victims of the global financial crisis, are now sought to support organisational growth.
Scribes are needed in the NSW state government.
There is also a requirement for candidates with experience and knowledge of the specific systems used by the department or organisation that is hiring. In such cases, employers want candidates who can commence in the role with minimal training. They also want candidates to be flexible so they can perform a variety of tasks.
At a senior level, demand exists for candidates such as Executive or Personal Assistants, Team Assistants and Senior Administrators. We've also seen more CEO movement in the not-for-profit sector, which has created new Executive Assistant positions to support them.
Overcoming skills shortages
Given the demand for candidates with clearance in ACT, some employers are recruiting candidates with a lower level of clearance or will re-activate expired clearances, although this is not always possible. Often the department will internally promote to fill gaps until the right person becomes available.
In larger government departments, employers are gaining approval to recruit much more quickly than in recent months.
Some organisations are improving the speed of their process and are thus offering candidates after interview. Some are also becoming more flexible in the skill set they require, while others have increased benefits, or are offering longer contracts, to secure the best candidates.
We have seen cases of employers retraining their current workforce in response to the shortage of particular skills.
Employers are also using temporary-to-permanent recruitment to assess a candidate in the role before offering them a permanent position.
The coming quarter
Across the public sector, few opportunities are expected to be available in the first month of 2012, with the exception of holiday or maternity leave cover. However from February we expect temporary and permanent vacancy activity to lift as candidates start moving on to new roles and employers fill their vacated role.
Temporary assignments will be the preferred recruitment option for employers with budget restrictions or who need headcount flexibility.
The not-for-profit sector is expected to continue growing at a steady pace, and we are seeing more permanent opportunities in this area.
In Queensland, temporary assignments will be used until the state election has been completed. The new government may amalgamate departments, which will create new roles. Once voluntary separation packages (VSP's) are completed, operational staff will be recruited for the administrative pool, such as Administration Officers in Communities at the A03 level or Executive Assistants.
Employer trends
Employers are making decisions quickly when they need staff and will often shorten overall recruitment timeframes.
However they often ask for a large number of resumes during the shortlist stage, which slows the process initially. They are also asking for testing results and some have strict systems expectations, such as SAP or TRIM, MS Suite or fast and accurate data entry speeds.
Yet others are becoming more flexible in their expectations and are placing greater emphasis on softer skills, such as communication or interpersonal skills.
At the entry level (administration) there is a demand for highly skilled candidates but little flexibility on salary. At the senior level (such as an Executive Assistant to a CEO) employers are showing salary flexibility in order to secure the right candidate and there is also a greater focus on cultural fit.
Candidate trends
There is a steady flow of candidates, although quality remains an issue and the number of highly skilled candidates has decreased. Quality candidates can receive two to three offers. New Year projects will drain the candidate pool further.
In Queensland however, the number of good quality candidates has increased due to VSPs and the market has been flooded with project, policy, reception and administrative candidates.
