“Recruitment is undergoing its biggest transition in decades,” says Glen Callum Associates

Date: Thursday 19 August 2021

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Recruitment in the automotive aftermarket is undergoing its most significant change in a generation, says Glen Callum Associates (GCA) following on from the consequences of the pandemic.

With lockdown restrictions now easing, GCA is reporting that employer confidence is growing, with businesses conducting reviews of their current structures and assessing their staffing requirements.

Job vacancies are at a high not seen since 1997 and the skills shortage means there is a distinct lack of available talent, which currently stands at a 24-year low.

GCA is now urging aftermarket companies about the importance of streamlining their recruitment strategy, warning that the cost of a bad hire could have considerable detrimental consequences.

Kayleigh Bradley, Senior Recruitment Consultant at GCA, comments:

“We’ve gone from a candidate-led recruitment market to an employer-led market and back again in less than 18 months. Without question the employment market is undergoing a transformation.

“We are currently experiencing a hiring market trend, whereby employers are now having to widen their appeal and convince the best talent to come and work for them. This is in stark contrast to traditional candidate shortlisting and interviewing, with candidates competing for a vacant job.”

GCA is now sharing best practice when looking for a recruitment partner, suggesting that they should be able to advise on the availability of staff for the specific aftermarket sector, believing it’s a recruiter’s job to know whether it’s a candidate-driven market or a client-driven market.

Bradley adds:

“There’s no doubt that over the past year, the remit of a recruitment consultant has expanded significantly. We are no longer being seen as a service that you only use when hiring for a role, but as a professional who businesses have a regular dialogue with to ensure they are kept up to date with the latest trends and the changing face of the industry.”

According to GCA, it is a recruitment partner’s job to understand the current blockers to candidates applying for and accepting offers, and to be able to advise on how a client can give themselves the best opportunity to attract and secure talent.

Bradley believes that an important part of the recruitment process is engaging a candidate, by talking to them about the company, its history, its people and its plans:

“This is only achieved if your recruitment consultant talks to you and takes a thorough brief; asking about your organisation, your team members and your cultural fit – all of these aspects help you secure a candidate that wants to work for you and your business.”

Another key point that GCA raises is that of headhunting:

“In a candidate-driven market, the ability to headhunt sets recruitment consultants apart from their peers. There is a definite need to uncover that hidden talent, engage with them and tell them your story. Only this way can you be sure you are seeing the best staff available to you.

“Job adverts have a place in the recruitment process, and hopefully always will, but with applications at an all-time low, opting for a recruiter that headhunts can add to your candidate talent pool.

“When reviewing your recruitment partner, ask yourself can they find the needle in the haystack, can they tell your story and sell your role and, most importantly can they consult, both with you and your candidates?”

For more information on Glen Callum Associates, please visit www.glencallum.co.uk

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