South Australia’s job market is evolving rapidly. With defence, space and renewable energy projects driving demand, and hospitality and retail competing for younger workers, both employers and candidates are turning to technology to stay ahead.

“If you’ve applied for a job in Adelaide recently, chances are your resume was read by an algorithm before a recruiter,” says Yasmine Johnson, co-founder and director at EGM Partners, one of South Australia’s leading executive search and recruitment specialists.

From White Pages to search bars

Johnson remember when sourcing candidates meant flicking through the White Pages and collecting business cards. “Back in the day when I first started, it was the White Pages and the Rolodex of business cards,” she says. “Now, you can access people through LinkedIn or Google almost instantly.”

EGM Partners maps and pipelines talent nationally and internationally for specialised roles.

“We focus on candidates who aren’t actively looking for work,” Johnson says. “The benefit is being able to build relationships with people who may not be on the job market but are the right fit for certain roles.”

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Digital accessibility has transformed recruitment. “You can quickly do a search using keywords – for example, if I’m looking for a finance manager within the aged care sector, I can immediately see who the main players are,” Johnson explains.

“In the last nine years, we’ve placed more than 4,000 people into employment in South Australia, and we continue to drive that. There’s so much talent in South Australia, and there’s a lot of talent in the eastern states and globally that is interested in and happy to work in Adelaide.

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“It’s exciting when you can get good people into the state.”

AI and applicant tracking

Artificial intelligence is increasingly part of the recruitment process. Job ad generators, resume sorters and interview prep tools are gaining traction, though most employers proceed cautiously.

“There are lots of businesses using AI and automation to be more effective,” Johnson says. “A bot can do a phone screen, a bot can do an interview. That is all good but you still need that human element.”

Applicant tracking systems now scan resumes for keywords, schedule interviews and link to compliance checks like right-to-work verification. For candidates, that means tailoring applications is more important than ever.

Flexibility as a priority

Flexibility is also shaping hiring. “More than a third of Australians work from home at least part of the time, and younger workers in particular expect hybrid arrangements as standard,” Johnson says. “Employers who spell out remote options in job ads are seeing more applications – especially in competitive fields like IT and professional services.”

Yet face-to-face interactions are making a comeback. “During Covid, it was all video interviewing,” Johnson says. “But now employers are trying to bring people back into the office. You can see, touch and feel much more in face-to-face interactions.”

Balancing tech and human judgement

Johnson stresses that technology is a tool, not a replacement. “AI and systems can help with scheduling, assessing candidates and administrative tasks,” she says. “But the relationship building and human element are still critical. That’s what makes recruitment work.”

South Australia’s evolving recruitment landscape demonstrates how algorithms, AI and digital sourcing have transformed a once face-to-face process. Yet the enduring lesson is clear: technology can open the door, but human connection remains essential.

By the numbers: Adelaide’s job market

• 37% of Australian employees now work from home at least part of the week.

• 24 million monthly visits to SEEK, Australia’s largest job site.

• 14 million Australians use LinkedIn, including tens of thousands in SA.

• 1 in 3 employers are trialling AI tools in recruitment.

EGM is a sponsor of the South Australian Business Index lunch and networking event, which announces the top 100 South Australian businesses and delves into the insights it provides about the state’s economic future. Purchase your tickets now for Friday, 17 October at the Adelaide Convention Centre.