The Dark Side of the Boom

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The Dark Side of the Boom – Leveraging the mining slump to attract skilled labour

Here at Employment Office, we often hear our clients lament that they ‘just can’t compete with the mines’.   We’ve heard the legends of entry level workers earning in excess of $100,000 whose only responsibility is keeping dust moist with a water hose but, even the mining companies, with their outrageous salaries and impressive benefits packages, have shown that they are not impervious to labour market conditions.

If your business has found itself in direct competition with the mines and come up short in the past, maybe it’s time to have another go.  Global commodity prices have dropped significantly as China’s hunger for raw materials has dwindled.  The current resource market conditions mean that even Mining behemoths such as Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are being forced to restructure their workforce and rethink their remuneration structures and benefits packages.

These factors, coupled with the upcoming Federal election (which has created significant uncertainty for mining expansion plans), signify to prospective candidates that mining work may not be as lucrative and secure as they once thought.

Now is your chance to advertise and fill those vacancies that have proved to be so difficult in the past.

How should you go about framing your advertising to attract the candidates that you might have lost to mining companies in the past?  First of all, you’ll need to decide what advantages working for your business has over working for a mining company.  These might include things such as going home every night, access to better amenities and facilities, job security, more time with your family, workplace safety etc.

These are tangible benefits that candidates who have previously been on mine sites will take very seriously and they don’t affect your bottom line in any way.  Additionally, your remuneration package will be more competitive and may potentially even exceed what a mining company is willing or able to offer.

It’s no longer the Wild West for the Australian mining companies and now, with a playing field that is starting to level out, you can successfully recruit the skilled workers you need to grow your business.  If you would like to discuss how Employment Office can assist you with attracting skilled workers, call 1300 366 573 and speak with your Account Manager today.