CEO believes inconsistent recruitment practices undermine a company's ability to maintain quality
Talent Acquisition (TA) is one of the most important parts of a business to ensure the best prospective employees are bought in – but are often the most under resourced, putting an even bigger strain on candidate experience.
With many teams underfunded, overwhelmed and often viewed as a cost centre rather than a strategic asset, TA teams are frequently let to navigate rising workloads with limited support.
According to JobAdder CEO Martin Herbst, this is a persistent—and risky—mindset.
“Recruitment is often discounted as a vital part of the employee value proposition,” he told HRD.
“When hiring slows, TA budgets are squeezed, and when volumes surge—as we’re seeing now—teams are overwhelmed.”
In Australia’s competitive hiring environment, longer time-to-hire and higher cost-per-hire are common challenges. Yet, ironically, the very teams responsible for delivering a smooth candidate experience are often the most under-resourced.
Statistics, from Microsoft, highlight that it can take up to 42 days to fill a position – with some rising to over two months.
“It requires coordination among hiring managers, interviewers, and HR, and involves extensive content review cycles,” the tech giant says.
This sentiment is shared with Herbst, who outlined the importance of making sure every prospective candidate receives the best experience possible.
“Every candidate who applies is a potential brand advocate. If they receive no response, a slow reply, or poor communication, you risk turning them into a detractor. The recruitment journey is the first impression of your company—it shapes how people see your brand.”
“Recruitment gets treated as something you can ‘turn on’ when hiring ramps up, and ‘turn off’ when it slows,” he underscored, “That inconsistency undermines your ability to maintain quality and keep talent pipelines strong.”
Building a sustainable TA model
For TA teams to function effectively, Herbst advocated a clear alignment with company strategy, supported by strong internal processes and measurable goals. He recommended starting with what he calls the TA “jobs to be done”:
- Accurately define the role – Clear, precise job requirements.
- Attract the right candidates – Targeted sourcing and branding.
- Provide a strong candidate experience – For all applicants, successful or not.
- Identify top candidates quickly – Efficient screening and decision-making.
- Engage stakeholders effectively – Strong partnerships with hiring managers.
Once these foundations are in place, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation can be strategically applied to improve speed, quality, and consistency.
The role of AI in creating stronger TA teams
TA teams don’t always need resources such as money to complete their duties; something like having more time is an equally demanded asset.
Herbst said that AI could help ease some of the burden that many TA teams face – but shouldn’t be relied upon.
“Recruiters are one of the most human-centric professions there are,” he noted. “The problem is that 80% of their role is admin and only 20% is relationship-building. We need to flip that.”
AI can help reduce manual work—screening resumes, scheduling interviews, or automating routine updates—freeing TA professionals to focus on building candidate and stakeholder relationships, he said.
However, Herbst also stressed that technology should be layered on top of strong foundations.
“If your processes aren’t clear, adding technology will just exacerbate problems. It’s like putting a Ferrari engine in a Volkswagen Beetle - it will break down.”
Ensuring TA teams are future-proofed
Ultimately, Herbst says the sustainability of TA teams depends on leadership commitment.
“As a CEO, I need to be clear on the company mission, the people strategy, and how TA supports both. If HR leaders don’t have that vision, they should demand it,” he advises.
Embedding this vision into measurable outcomes—such as time-to-hire, quality of hire, and retention—keeps TA aligned with broader business objectives. Herbst pointed to objectives and key results (OKRs) as a framework for ensuring accountability and continuous improvement.
“If you want to stop having the same conversation about under-resourced TA teams, you need a strategy that links resources to outcomes. Align the TA team to company goals, equip them properly, and measure success consistently. That’s how you break the cycle.”
