Last week I represented iknowho at the annual international RCSA conference in Fiji.

Truth be told, coming from an advertising background, having stepped into a consultant role recently, traveling solo into the unknown, I wasn’t sure if I would relate to the speakers or industry members. Recruitment can sometimes have a less than favourable reputation as an industry and I was keen to understand what content would encourage hundreds of recruitment consultants, business owners, suppliers and speakers to fly to a tropical island to continue the conversations around the future of the industry and ultimately strengthen the industries community as it stands. 

I was blown away by the entrepreneurial spirit and passion evident not only by key speakers but those who engaged within the many workshops held over the three days.

My personal favourite highlights and insights:

Video My Job

David Macciocca – Founder & CEO of Video My Job spoke of the changes to come in how we advertise roles, from the traditionally written advertisement to video content that can be streamed on multiple social platforms using multiple devices. The Video My Job ad is a way to communicate an opportunity in an engaging, evocative way while also building your recruitment brand. Statistically speaking the results make the program a no brainer with recruitment consultancies reporting that 82% filled their jobs faster, 91% created a stronger shortlist & 100% of candidates had a positive experience

“Videos shared on LinkedIn have a 100% greater engagement and a 75% greater share rate”

• Daniel Sanders, APAC Talent Brand Consultant, Linkedin

“By 2019, social media will be mostly video.”

• Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook

An exciting announcement that the Video My Job team have now partnered with SEEK and we should see a major impact in the way both passive and active candidates engage with job advertisements and recruiters.

Artificial intelligence & Tech Advancements

Everyday life is being transformed by artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. Exactly how this is occurring and the reach of its impact are topics of global interest. How do we understand the capabilities of new technologies and access them to our advantage? Antony Young from SEEK highlighted how tech advancements are changing the recruitment space and transforming our interaction with employment marketplaces on a local and global scale. How we adapt to these advancements will be the difference between which consultancies continue to evolve.

The collaboration with suppliers from a technology perspective and consultants was not only organic but exciting to witness. The capabilities of technology and the willingness of the industry as early adopters with such platforms was energising and left me feeling excited for what’s to come in the recruitment space as we continue to evolve.

What’s to come:

• Consultants will be able to achieve their overall goal of connecting with talent using a more targeted, sophisticated approach

• Talent can access the right consultant for their personalised needs and engage on their own terms.

• Business and personal brands can be amplified through content and smart SEO/SEM will allow the right networks to engage across multiple platforms.

The overall vibe of the three-day conference, was one of support, collaboration, intelligence and passion. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the industry and a member of the RCSA.

Watch this space.