Finding and hiring the right candidate has never been easy, and SEEK’s recently released Quarterly Employment Snapshot highlighted something a lot of us already knew but: applications per job are surging, while there are almost double the regional roles vs metro ones.  But what does this mean for you in your quest for the right talent for your team?

More Applications Than Ever, But Finding the Right Talent Is Harder

According to SEEK’s Q4 2024 Employment Snapshot, job ads have declined by 10% year on year, yet applications per job have increased by 25% compared to last year. On average, employers now receive 202 applications per job ad—and in some states, it’s even higher:

• NSW: 225 applications per job
• VIC: 238 applications per job

While more applications might sound like a positive trend, it also means recruitment teams and hiring managers must sift through a higher volume of resumes, and I think we’re all quite aware that while there may be a diamond in the rough, finding it through the sheer volume of applications is both tedious and time consuming. Sorting through hundreds of applications adds pressure to internal teams, slows down the hiring process, and increases the risk of missing out on highly qualified candidates due to sheer volume.

For specialist roles like health and safety, where specific experience, certifications, and soft skills are critical, this challenge becomes even more pronounced… and the margin for error is tiny.

The Regional Job Market Is Growing—But Can Employers Find the Right Candidates?

One of the most striking findings from the SEEK report is the growing imbalance between metro and regional job opportunities. In NSW and VIC, there are now about three times more regional roles than metro ones.

This trend presents a significant challenge: while there are more job opportunities outside the major cities, finding the right talent for these roles can be difficult. Many professionals gravitate toward metro areas, and employers in regional locations may struggle to attract qualified candidates, let alone qualified candidates willing to relocate or commute to regional areas.

The Risks of Leaving Health and Safety Roles Unfilled

When a Health and Safety role remains vacant, or the wrong person is hired due to limited candidate availability, the consequences can be serious:

⚠️ Compliance Risks: Health and Safety Officers ensure that workplaces meet legal safety requirements. Without the right person in place, businesses risk fines, legal action, and reputational damage.

⚠️ Workplace Incidents: A lack of proper safety oversight increases the risk of workplace injuries, incidents, and even fatalities, leading to higher workers’ compensation claims and potential shutdowns.

In 2023, Safe Work Australia reported the economic cost of workplace injuries at $28.6 billion, while the average serious workers compensation claim was around $55,270 per claim!

⚠️ Lower Productivity & Morale: Employees perform better when they feel safe at work. A lack of strong safety leadership can lead to low morale, increased absenteeism, and reduced productivity.  How much lower productivity? On average 6.6 weeks of lost productivity per serious claim (Safe Work Australia, 2023)

⚠️ Increased Costs: Hiring the wrong person or leaving a role vacant for too long can cost a business significantly—both in reactive safety measures and lost operational efficiency.  Safe Work Australia estimates that poor workplace safety costs businesses 5-10% of annual payroll in lost productivity, compensation claims, and legal costs.

Can you afford that risk?

Why Specialist Recruitment Matters in This Market

With applications at an all-time high and regional roles outpacing metro ones, many businesses face longer hiring times, increased administrative burdens, and difficulty finding the right cultural and technical fit.

For specialist roles—like those in health and safety—working with a recruitment partner with industry expertise can make a real difference. Specialist recruiters can:

• Filter and shortlist qualified candidates faster, reducing the burden on HR teams
• Tap into industry-specific talent pools, including passive candidates not actively applying for jobs
• Improve retention rates by matching candidates based on both skills and workplace culture

This complements the work of internal Talent Acquisition teams, mitigates risk and saves both time and money in the long run.

Taking a Different Approach to Hiring in 2025 And Beyond

With applications per job at record highs and regional roles outnumbering metro ones, businesses need to rethink their approach to hiring—especially for specialist roles like Health and Safety.

For generalist positions, internal Talent Acquisition (TA) teams are well-equipped to handle high application volumes and standard recruitment processes. But when it comes to technical and compliance-heavy roles, engaging a specialist recruiter can make all the difference.

A hybrid recruitment strategy—where TA teams focus on broad hiring needs while partnering with experts for specialist roles—helps businesses:

✔ Save time by letting internal teams focus on high-volume hiring while specialists handle niche positions.
✔ Reduce risk by ensuring the right qualifications, certifications, and experience are in place for critical roles.
✔ Access hard-to-find talent through deep industry networks that go beyond traditional job boards.

Why Safety People?

As Australia’s leading Health and Safety recruitment specialist, Safety People has built a reputation for:

✔ Industry Expertise – We focus exclusively on Workplace Health & Safety (WHS), Environment, and Injury Management roles, ensuring a deep understanding of industry needs.
✔ Extensive Talent Networks – We connect employers with pre-screened, highly qualified professionals—many of whom are not actively applying for jobs but are open to the right opportunity.
✔ Proven Success – With a strong track record of placing top-tier safety professionals across construction, manufacturing, logistics, corporate, and government sectors, we have a 99% success rate in filling permanent roles.

Whether you’re struggling to fill a safety role, expand your team, or need help navigating the current hiring landscape, Safety People is here to help.

Let’s talk about how a smarter approach to hiring can benefit your business.