From where I sit I have recently observed a marked increase in the amount of inaccuracy and unethical practices around the use of online job boards in the current payroll job market. A decrease in recruitment ethics is enormously frustrating for candidates and unfortunately nothing new. It contributes towards a major feeling of negativity and lack of trust towards the recruitment sector in general.
To increase the awareness of payroll job seekers I have included a few tips below to both enhance the effectiveness of your applications and help you to keep an eye on what to avoid.
Things to look out for:
- Fake Ads – some organisations are running online ads for roles which don’t exist. This is unfortunately done by unethical individuals or organisations as a method of ‘building a candidate database’ (which is then often then completely mismanaged) or creating an impression that they have a presence in a particular market when they don’t. Both situations are obviously highly misleading and ultimately detrimental to anyone that pursues the ad as a genuine opportunity.
Tip # 1 Be wary of anyone that is reluctant or unable to give you full details of any advertised vacancy. Wherever possible, always speak directly to a contact person and insist on them producing a detailed job spec from the employer. If they are unable to do this, I would begin to question whether they are authorised to recruit the role by the employer. If the initial response is via email only, request a callback or a copy of the details BEFORE forwarding your resume details.
- Obsolete Ads – In the online advertising space there are now literally hundreds of sites where roles are advertised. A number of these websites re-post ads for a prolonged period even after the position has been filled or is no longer available. This, in some cases, is a result of bad system administration (or for reasons stated above) but can also be incredibly frustrating for people applying for the positions.
Tip # 2 Keep a close track of any roles that you have applied for including the specific date and full details of the role that you have applied for. It is not uncommon for the same role to reappear under a different job title and/or advertiser at a much later date.
- Industry “Specialists” – Beware of large organisations that recruit everything from the Mailman to the CEO and be mindful of the old adage “jack of all trades – master of none”. As an experienced payroll professional you can demand that the people assisting you with your career choices also fully understand the intricacies of the payroll sector and the specific features of the roles you are pursuing. In today’s job market the days of the generalist are numbered, and there is an increasing move towards the additional value that “subject matter experts” bring to all areas of the recruitment process.
Tip # 3 Engage with people that have a proven knowledge of the payroll sector and are well networked within that sector. Try to deal with people that genuinely have your payroll career aspirations at heart and are qualified to give you credible advice.
If you would like to speak to an industry specialist about developing your payroll career, you can contact me at andy@www.austpayroll.com.au
