With unemployment figures on the rise in Australia, many companies are finding themselves with an overwhelming number of applicants. We Can Help Now, you may ask, "Why use a recruiter when I can do it myself?" The answer is as simple as 1, 2 ,3! 1. Time There are 86,000 seconds in a day. Don't waste it pouring over resumes! Take out the stress from the entire recruitment process and let our Recruitment Specialists run through our database of quality, background-checked candidates to find the best fit.   2. Experience Our team of Recruitment Specialists have over 20 years in matching the right people to the right business. Let us ask the questions and we'll filter through the answers to give you a shortlist of fantastic talent, perfectly suited to your needs.     3. Southside Staffing Guarantee Your happiness is our priority. With our Placement Staff Guarantee, we'll provide a once-off replacement should our candidate leave within the 3- or 6-month period. If you are looking for recruitment assistance - Office, Industrial or Executive (Permanent, Contract or Short Term Temp Staff for Emergencies), please don't hesitate to reach out to any of our team members directly.

Australia entered its first recession in 29 years following a second consecutive quarter of GDP shrinkage to the end of March, halting a decades-long run of prosperity for the nation. The ‘conjoined catastrophes’ of the bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic has left the market needing a significant and far-reaching stimulus from the government to preserve jobs and get things moving again. The Construction sector is going to be just as key to the recovery efforts in our country as it has been to the sustained growth we have enjoyed. Demonstrating their understanding of this, the government recently announced the HomeBuilder initiative which will pump $680 million into residential construction projects to stimulate jobs, development and trade to weather the economic storm. We’ve broken down the key elements of the initiative and it’s intended impact, below. Time-sensitivity The Housing Industry Association has predicted a potential 50 per cent drop off in new build projects in the second half of 2020, making not only the value of the new program important but also the timeframes that have been stipulated. To ensure a speedy start, owner-occupiers taking up the scheme must have signed up with a registered builder before December 31st and the works must commence within three months of the contract being signed. Property Eligibility As this is a scheme to stimulate the residential market, no commercial [...]

Candidate reference checking is a pivotal part of the hiring process. Unfortunately, the process can feel quite involved and overwhelming – especially when you’re busy running your company. As recruiters, we understand the value of quality reference checking. When a candidate misrepresents their experience or abilities at the hiring stage, it can lead to serious complications down the line. That’s why our process for checking references is rock solid, built on years of experience interviewing and following up to avoid any potential problems. Want to know more about how we conduct our reference checks? Best practice reference checking is something that recruiters excel in, so we’ve compiled the top reference checking tips we live by to show you how to get the most out of this vital stage. 1. Plan and Take Notes Good planning and clear ground rules form the foundation of any successful reference check and subsequent hire. We communicate with candidates upfront to get an early indication of their referees and make it understood what our client expects at the latter stages. If the candidate realises how important it is for us to check references, they’ll be able to prepare their referees, enabling the process to progress as smoothly a possible. It’s important to plan out the questions we want to ask referees to help us obtain the necessary clarity and [...]

We’re in the very midst of summer, which means the rising temperatures are an added risk to your workforce. The danger of heat stress is a very real one, and it’s important to know how to manage these risks for your workers. Aside from keeping them safe, happy and productive on-site, the way you navigate work in harsh conditions can also impact the reputation of your business, and ensuring a positive employee experience is key for attracting and retaining quality talent in the long term. To help you maintain onsite health and safety during the heat waves, here is our helpful advice on managing work in hot conditions. Preventing Overheated Workers Stopping heat stress from developing in the first place is the best-case scenario, so let’s take a look at some of the best tips you can share with your onsite workers to ensure they’re operating at top capacity. Stay hydrated Our bodies sweat to fight against overheating, but if we aren’t able to sweat efficiently due to dehydration, working in the direct sun or restrictive clothing, it will be much harder to stay cool. Dehydration can even occur inside, especially if workers are near heat-producing machinery. Avoiding prolonged exposure to extreme heat and wearing lightweight clothing (where safe/appropriate) is a good start. Workers should also avoid antiperspirant deodorants (again, to encourage sweating and [...]

In the commercial and industrial sectors, Christmas is the biggest time of year, and having a quality pool of temporary employees is invaluable for helping a business to succeed during these high-pressure periods It may seem strange to start thinking of hiring Christmas casuals long before the holiday, but there are actually many great reasons why you should consider finding your casual employees sooner rather than later. Here’s why you should start your casual talent recruitment drive now. Stay Competitive In the past, many businesses have left their recruitment drives until closer to the holiday. However, recent years have seen a large uptick in companies advertising temporary roles as early as August, with most opportunities being posted around October and the start of November. This means that businesses are hiring early and filling vacancies long before December. Don’t get left out in the cold; finding the sweet spot to start advertising is essential. August may be a bit too early for many businesses, while any earlier will definitely mean missing out on job seekers who are looking to make a change as the year draws to a close. Too late, and there is a chance that all the best talent will have already been snapped up. Between October and early November seems to be the happy medium, so you can ride the wave of [...]

Whether it’s a resignation that comes out of the blue or one that you’ve been aware of for some time, losing talent can leave gaps in organisations at any level. Replacing talent can often be time-consuming and costly, not to mention the affect it can have on productivity and morale. This is where succession planning comes in. By identifying employees with potential and bringing their professional development into focus, organisations can take a big step in minimising the impact of any loss. But where do you start when developing a succession plan? Identifying Employees with Potential Preparation is key. Sometimes, the answer is standing right in front of you i.e. the “obvious” choice. Usually, this is the second in charge, someone who has worked closely (or the closest) to the vacant position or their predecessor. However, don’t discount others in the team or wider business who might be flying under the radar. While their fit for the role may not be as overtly obvious, they may have the skill set, personality and drive to succeed. Look out for the people who readily put up their hand, go the extra mile and self-educate to better themselves professionally. It is also important to note that candidates who are already embedded in the organisation (inside or outside the team) are more likely to be a good cultural [...]

No one wants to waste money, which is why keeping recruitment in-house seems like a sensible option, at least at face value. However, in-house recruitment is not without its share of pitfalls. At Southside Staffing, we see many small businesses encounter unexpected snares and expenses when they begin hiring internally. With business performance relying heavily on having the right people, it’s essential to strike the right balance between managing costs and doing what it takes to get a good outcome. We want you to have all the facts when deciding between an in-house recruitment process or working with a recruitment agency, which is why we've put together some of the biggest hidden costs of hiring directly to keep in mind. The Buried Consequences of Internal Recruitment In addition to the obvious expenses involved in recruitment such as advertising on a job board, there are several other costs a business may have to deal with. The Strain on Administration One of the disadvantages of recruiting directly is the unforeseen toll this will take on your administration. In the world of recruitment, posting the job advert is just the beginning. Businesses recruiting in-house take on a huge number of tasks, such as writing the job description, sourcing job boards, screening resumes, shortlisting applicants, conducting interviews, checking references, communicating with candidates, making offers, handling negotiations and drawing [...]