Hey look! A Unicorn — this guide from Big Wave Digital covers hey look! a unicorn in the Australian market. Read on for a practical, current view.
When it comes to technology recruitment Sydney, the difference between a good hire and a great one comes down to judgment. Here is what Big Wave Digital sees in the technology recruitment Sydney market, and what it means for your team.
Say you’re hiring a mid-level digital marketer. Ideally they’d have a wealth of experience, be great with clients and demonstrate their well-honed creative and data analysis skills. That’s not asking too much, right? But perhaps it is. Of course employers want it all, but can anyone truly be the master of two such different areas of expertise – creativity and data analytics – and most importantly, do them both well?
“To be a true expert with skill and experience in two very different disciplines is highly unusual” and “It would be near impossible to find the perfect candidate to fit such specific criteria – it really would be like trying to recruit a unicorn!”
says Keiran Hathorn, Managing Director of Big Wave Digital.
Top tips for hiring the right digital marketer: – Hey look! A Unicorn
1 . Critical vs desirable skills
Be clear about the critical skills and experience needed for the role. Does the need for a ‘big picture’ creative thinker outweigh brand strategy experience? Don’t get distracted by the endless possibilities that you would love your ‘perfect’ candidate to have – be realistic and hire for the skills that your business requires today. Can some of the desirable skills, perhaps team management or data analysis, be taught on the job? Or maybe the role could be shared – finding two experts in their respective fields could be much easier than looking for one.
2 . Are they a good cultural fit?
Take the time to think about the overall culture and personalities within your business. Are you dismissing great candidates that would be an ideal fit with your team? Do you need a creative ‘ideas guy’, or in fact do you really need a ‘doer’ that can implement your existing campaigns with flair? Building a business based on culture, and hiring people that compliment this, is a good way to ensure longevity and low turnover of staff, and provide a happy, thriving workplace.
3 . Have your eye on the future
Building your business for the long-term is the key – get the right people in the door and invest in them. Recruit for the priority expertise and culture, then invest the time and money to cross and upskill – perhaps it’s the responsibility of managing a new client account or the opportunity of being mentored by senior creative staff. The prospect of professional development will keep staff engaged, let them grow into their role and is a great way to retain good people.
4 . Is an empty position costing you money?
Often positions are vacant for a long time because employers are holding out for the perfect candidate… that simply doesn’t exist! What is the true cost to your business if you don’t make a hire in the next 2-4 weeks? Will you be able to deliver the next client campaign without the additional staff? If you don’t know or it makes no difference, then perhaps the role isn’t as critical as you think. Is it time to reassess the skills that you’re searching for, or perhaps time to cast the net wider and consider interstate or overseas candidates?
Employing the right people is key to the success of any business, but keeping your expectations realistic is also important. Take the time to reassess what’s critical and timely to the role and hire accordingly – rather than searching for your mythical unicorn!
For wider context on Australian hiring trends, see SEEK’s employment market insights.
Big Wave Digital is a specialist Australian technology recruitment agency. If hey look! a unicorn is relevant to your hiring or career, our team can help — that is exactly what hey look! a unicorn work like this is about.
For more on hey look! a unicorn, talk to Big Wave Digital. As specialists in hey look! a unicorn, we help employers and candidates across Australia get hey look! a unicorn right.
When it comes to hey look! a unicorn, Big Wave Digital brings specialist Australian market knowledge.
