12
CSIA FOCUS
Navigating a changed industry
With more than 35 years working in recruitment, joint managing director at Citrus Group Paul Smith has a wealth of experience and expertise in the industry. Here, we talk with him about the evolution of recruitment and how best to navigate the management of remote and home-based workers.
How would you describe the Australian recruitment industry as it stands today, in the wake of the pandemic? Prior to the pandemic, the industry was buoyant, and you always see a lot of recruitment companies come and go. However, with the pandemic it has been necessary for agencies to either adapt and change the way they operate or go out of business. The industry has changed significantly; it has become a lot more difficult to find talent. The call centre sector has always had access to travellers and overseas students and, now they are no longer available, this has left a large gap. With every downside though, there is usually an upside and we are very fortunate that, in a lot of areas, the call centre industry has grown during the pandemic. More traffic on the phone and internet has seen an increase in call volumes and demand for people, whether working from home or onsite, and we have certainly seen a significant demand for our services.
