3 Interesting Facts about the Canadian Staffing Industry

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By Lorna Faires

Topics: Staffing Services

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3-Interesting-Facts-about-the-Canadian-Staffing-Industry.jpgThe Canadian staffing industry is ever evolving, growing, and changing. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, though. A new generation is starting in the workforce; many new and experienced workers are looking for employment opportunities, and organizations are looking for talented individuals to join their teams. Canadian staffing agencies are helping people in all sorts of different circumstances find employment.

There are many exciting things to look forward to as this industry continues to rise. Here are some interesting facts that you may not know about the Canadian staffing industry. We hope this gets you excited about employment prospects for yourself or your organization in the upcoming years.

1. The Importance of Technology in the Canadian Staffing Industry

As with many other industries, technology plays a large role in how the staffing industry works and how it will continue to evolve and grow. Customer relationship management (CRM) and applicant tracking system (ATS) software are vital to how the staffing industry functions now. Staffing firms use these tools to keep track of applications, match resumes with postings, and match talent to certain corporate cultures.

The industry in general places a heavy focus on analytics. Recruitment analytics software helps fill the gap in skill shortages for various industries. As it stands, many industries are facing skill shortages in recruitment. But the hope is recruitment analytics will help determine the best recruitment processes. Such analytics can demonstrate the benefits of using social media for certain industries or roles, how to access passive candidates, or how to target specific demographics. While this industry has traditionally been perceived as entirely human-related, technology is actually playing a very significant role.

2. Branding Is Key

As with every competitive market, differentiation is key. The Canadian staffing industry is no exception. With the industry on the rise, many more companies are joining in, presenting challenges to existing agencies. Therefore, it will become increasingly important for each firm to find a unique way to brand itself.

While agencies have tended to focus on repeat business or clients in the past, the latest trend is to find new business. However, to attract these new businesses, agencies have to give serious thought to how they want to brand themselves and whom they want to attract. This will help determine what clients and talent they get. Of course, networking and managing the relationship with both clients and talent will be an important part of getting and retaining new business as well.

3. Niche Firms Are on the Rise

The key to effective branding also involves agencies finding their niche. By this, we mean that agencies have to think about where their own areas of expertise lie. While a good recruiter can hire for any role, one steeped in the knowledge of a particular industry would be better suited to finding the best candidates for that field. For example, if an agency focused on hiring IT staff, they would have to have considerable knowledge about the IT world to make an informed, effective hire.

This focus would also have an effect on how the agency brands itself. Whereas another agency might make the most of word of mouth, an IT staffing agency would likely focus on online social networking to find the right people. They would then use keywords and specific language to find their clients and potential talent. Ultimately, the goal of a niche firm is to be known in their particular industry; they want people in that field to know that they should go to them for their recruitment or employment needs.

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Lorna Faires

I have over 15 years of experience in the staffing industry, in a management role. I possess a strong background in recruitment, screening, and connecting candidates with the right employment opportunities. I love all animals, but especially my 3 dogs. Hiking and canoeing are my passions, and getting out into nature and being unplugged is my favourite way to spend my vacations.

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