5 tips on hiring good admin staff
By Education

 

  1. Know the market

A good place to start is knowing what are the hiring trends. Watch or read the market updates. Download a salary guide. There are plenty of free downloads like this one from EST.10. Australians are living in the best labour market in 50 years. By the end of last year, there were 13,242,000 Australians in paid work, nearly 3 per cent higher than a year earlier. A record 366,100 jobs were added in November 2021 alone, eclipsing forecasts by about 160,000. The great jobs boom is certainly happening,” Clark says. “Candidates are increasingly aware of it, and we are seeing more conversations around salary than in the past. Organisations are finding they need a really strong value proposition and must be able to clearly articulate why a candidate should join them. Unsurprisingly, the number of applications per job advertisement is declining, putting even more power in the hands of high-quality candidates to negotiate their terms and packages.

 

  1. Pay attention to detail

The little things can make a big difference when assessing admin staff. A candidate’s phone manner, the presentation of their resume and personal communication skills can shed some light on how well they will contribute to your company. Is the candidate as polite on the phone as they are in person? How are their verbal and written communication skills when interacting with you? How do they treat others in your company while at the interview? The answers are often helpful insights into what someone may be like in a company.

The same can be said about your talent search. Make sure you’re using an updated, accurate job description that reflects what’s most important for success in the open position as even the best tips aren’t going to help you if the job ad doesn’t actually describe the type of candidate you’re looking for. Too often, hiring managers dust off the previous job description and use it as is, without considering how the role may have changed since it was last filled. They may not want a carbon copy of the attributes of the last person in the job, so reassess carefully.

 

  1. Be specific in your job postings and ADD THE SALARY!

There are thousands of openings (literally) for administrative jobs posted every year. That’s why you need to stand out from the competition. Consider giving these job ads a more enticing, eye-catching job title. Creativity can go a long way here, but make sure it’s not too grandiose or misleading. You don’t want to mislead your candidates about the role especially when it ultimately requires the same sort of administrative work as positions with more mainstream sorts of titles. Instead, you want to appeal to more highly skilled applicants or those who desire a company with opportunities for career growth and want more than just another admin job. Candidates want to hear about your company culture, what it takes to succeed in the role and why they should want to work for you instead of the competition. The other main detail of the job listing is the salary. Admi candidates will not apply to jobs that are under their desired salary expectations. On the flip side of the coin, they will however apply to jobs with larger base salaries so we suggest adding some screening questions to identify the most suitable candidates.

 

  1. Look for the “X-FACTOR”

The top administration talent will always go above and beyond. They are just wired that way. A candidate who has used their initiative to complete additional training or acquire further qualifications could be the go-getter you have been looking for.

One of the most valuable tips is to note if an administrative candidate has gone above and beyond in their career. That, of course, includes their performance in previous jobs. But also consider things they’ve done outside the workplace. You are looking for qualities that suggest the person is a star candidate.

 

  1. Post job ads on the right job boards

Mainstream job boards like Seek, LinkedIn, Indeed and Careerone are good for posting these types of jobs, but your best option is to use a niche admin only job site like Admin Avenues. This is the best way to find qualified candidates who frequent administrative job boards.

Think you have the skills necessary to be an amazing admin professional? Let Admin Avenues help connect you with an employer and find an Australian admin job that’s right for you.