4 tips for creating a standout SARAs submission
Recognising outstanding professional service and exceptional client support across the industry, the awards shine a light on the positive impact recruiters make on people’s lives.
Entering the SARAs has many benefits – from industry recognition to benchmarking your work against the best in the business – but how can you ensure your submission stands out?
Lesley Horsburgh, Managing Director of APSCo Australia, is one the judges in this year’s SARAs and shares her tips for crafting a noteworthy submission.
Skip the buzzwords A submission that relies on jargon won’t give the judges a clear picture of your impact and results as a recruiter – so go beyond the buzzwords to clearly demonstrate your achievements. Depending on the category, Horsburgh says this could include client or candidate testimonials or case studies. “Submissions should include very clear and honest ways of showing what you've achieved,” she says. “The recruitment industry makes a significant contribution to people’s lives, communities and the broader economy. Demonstrating the contribution your business makes in that context – whether that’s finding someone a job or enabling a business to grow its people – is essential. Your submission needs to articulate the impact you make.”
Tick off the criteria The SARAs include a number of award categories – from Recruitment Agency of the Year to Recruitment Consultant of the Year – and each has a unique list of criteria. Horsburgh suggests cross-checking your submission against the award criteria, just as a candidate ticks off the essential criteria of a job ad in their application. “All entries must be judged equally and the only way we can do that is by judging against the criteria for each award,” Horsburgh says. “Don’t rush your submission – take time to compare it to the criteria to ensure each point has been met. That way, you’re in with an equal chance.”
Show measures of success Using data or statistics in a submission provides quantifiable evidence of your achievements. This could include data that measures candidate experience, for instance, or the return on investment of a workplace innovation. “Businesses have become much more data driven, so including statistics in your submission is one solid way to show the outcome of your initiative and shows you are measuring progress,” says Horsburgh. “Submissions need to highlight results. It’s one thing to say ‘We have innovated’, but what does that actually mean? How does that translate to the day-to-day in the business? What does it deliver?”
Ensure a polished presentation Have you ever seen typos in an application? Dates that don’t add up? Sentences that don’t make sense? Poor attention to detail can hinder a candidate hiring opportunity, and the same goes for an award submission. Horsburgh recommends having your submission checked by another recruiter, a friend, or perhaps someone in your marketing team, to ensure a polished presentation. “View the submission as a window into your business, it is after all an extension of your brand” she says. “Is it presented well and clearly? Has it been spellchecked? “Awards are about credibility, so you want your submission to be credible as well.”
Visit www.seek.com.au/sara for key dates and tips on how to prepare your next SARAs submission.