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Back to basics
Volume 49, No. 14, August 09, 2007 |
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JOIN THE CLUB: Defence Force Recruiting targets high schools, expos and events to generate the most interest from potential ADF candidates. Pictured above, 17-year-old Michael Marriner gains an insight into life as a pilot from 2OCU’s FLGOFF Peter Tippner during an open day at RAAF Base Darwin.
Photo by PTE Shannon Joyce |
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Years ago Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) used to visit my old high school every three months and even do interviews there as part of the selection process. Now they don’t visit at all, except for the two-yearly career expo, which they even failed to attend last time.
DFR are doing a great job with their updated website, exciting ads and glossy brochures, but they need to get back to their grass roots, also.
They should get out to high schools (city and country) to talk directly to the students like they used to. There is still a stigma in the country that the ADF is something that ‘other people do’. Great candidates who are interested in a ADF career are being put off because it all seems a bit surreal to them, and they can’t relate to the ADF. I have discussed this with my old high school careers counsellor and he couldn’t agree more. He laments what seems to be a lack of interest by recruiters to get out into the community.
Young kids need actual people to relate to, not just someone’s photo in a brochure or the internet.
Could this decrease in high school visits be caused by the decreasing number of actual ADF personnel working in recruiting, due to its privatisation?
OFFCDT Murray Turland
9 division
ADFA
Director General Defence Force Recruiting BRIG Simon Gould responds:
Like Defence in general, DFR is working smarter and using the latest tools and techniques to get the best result from its not unlimited resources.
And we are experiencing success; in the current environment of low-level unemployment, industry-wide skills shortages, and a buoyant economy, Defence achieved one of the best recruitment results of the last decade in the 2006-07 financial year.
DFR carefully targets high schools, expos and events which will provide a high pay-off measured by potential candidate interest and, ultimately, actual recruitment.
We know that we currently only visit about half of all Australian secondary schools. But, our capacity to cover schools and key events of interest will be improved by 40 per cent as we roll out new recruiting capability this year.
In addition, Defence employs a number of tools to reach into schools, including: the ADF Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Awards; new eye-catching events promotion vehicles; and cadet information camps, to name a few.
All ADF members have a role to play in attracting new recruits and DFR is developing a new campaign, ‘Everyone’s a Recruiter’, to encourage a more active approach.
This step acknowledges that broader ADF support is becoming crucial to the success of our recruitment process, and will include the distribution of recruitment packages that ADF personnel can utilise at business and school engagements.
For further information on the workings of DFR and activities currently underway, you can look at the Service newspaper supplement, ‘Recruiting – it’s everyone’s business’, published July 26.
Best wishes for your career and thank you for your interest in recruiting. |
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