Most creatives aren’t looking. They’re doing.
Let’s be real: if you’re relying on job ads to find top-tier talent, you’re probably missing the people you actually want to hire.
The best creatives?
They’re not polishing up their résumés.
They’re not scrolling job boards at lunch.
They’re too busy making great work.
But they will move—if the right opportunity finds them. That’s where outbound hiring comes in.
What is outbound hiring—and why does it work?
Outbound hiring is the proactive approach. It means going out and finding people, not waiting for them to come to you.
And in creative recruitment, it works.
Here’s why:
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70% of professionals are passive candidates—not actively job hunting, but open to the right opportunity
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Only 29% of hires come from job ads, despite making up 60% of all applications
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Referral and network hires stay longer and perform better than inbound hires
Outbound hiring cuts through the noise. It doesn’t rely on volume—it relies on relevance.
Why job ads fall flat in creative
Job boards still have their place. They’re fast. They’re scalable. They’re useful for entry-level and volume hiring.
But for roles like:
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Senior Designers
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Creative Directors
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Social Leads
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Strategists
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Integrated Creative Teams
…a job ad just doesn’t cut it.
You’ll often attract the most available person, not the most aligned.
And the real gems—the people shaping award-winning campaigns right now? They’re not refreshing Seek. They’re probably not even updating their LinkedIn.
At The People Place, we go out and find the right people
We’re a creative recruitment agency with offices in Melbourne and Sydney. And we do things differently.
Here’s how our outbound process works:
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We build long-term relationships with creatives across Australia.
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We know who’s thriving, who’s ready, and who might be open to a new chapter.
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We reach out personally—not with spam, but with context.
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We never cold pitch a role that doesn’t make sense.
We know the work. We’ve worked in agencies, led teams, and built brands ourselves. So we don’t just match skills. We match values, ambition, and energy.
Real story: no ad, no problem
We were briefed on a Senior Designer role in Melbourne. Big creative ambition. Fast-growing agency. Needed a confident design voice.
We didn’t run a job ad.
We didn’t post on LinkedIn.
We just called the right person.
A designer we’ve followed for years. Someone not actively looking, but curious about the right kind of opportunity.
Nine days later, she started. And she’s thriving.
That’s outbound hiring done well.
Why passive candidates make better creative hires
Here’s the thing about passive candidates:
They’re in it. They’re embedded in culture, trusted by their teams, and focused on the work.
They’re not burnt out from applying. They’re not ghosting recruiters.
They’re also not juggling five other interviews.
They’re thoughtful, curious, and waiting for the right reason to move.
That’s why they’re such valuable hires.
And that’s why relationship-based recruiting matters.
Creative hiring in Melbourne & Sydney is shifting
Australia’s creative industries are booming—especially in Melbourne and Sydney.
Did you know:
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Creative workers make up 8.7% of Victoria’s workforce, and it’s growing fast
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Freelance and contract hiring in creative roles is up 25% in two years
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65% of creative businesses regularly hire freelancers—a jump from 45% in 2019
The job market is fluid. Talent is moving, but not through traditional channels. If you’re relying on job ads, you’re likely missing your window.
Rethinking creative recruitment
We’re not here to fill inboxes. We’re here to make meaningful matches.
That takes time, trust, and a bit of creative instinct.
But when you get it right—it sticks.
If you’ve been posting ads and not seeing the right people come through, it might be time to switch it up.
Let’s rethink creative recruitment. Let’s go outbound.
Let’s talk
Whether you’re building a team in Melbourne, Sydney, or anywhere across Australia—we’ll help you find the creatives you actually want in the room.
📩 Reach out: [email protected]
🌐 Visit: peopleplace.com.au
