Going Loud | Alexander James Blog

How to: Prepare for a job interview

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 02:25:45 GMT

Landing a job interview is just the first step—preparation is key to making a lasting impression. Follow these expert tips to get ready and boost your chances of success.

1. Research the Company

Before your job interview, understand the company’s:

Mission and values – Ensure you what the company stands for
Products or services – Know what they offer and review any recent news or launches
Culture – LinkedIn, the company website or even their social media pages for insights.

2. Know the Role

Review the job description you've been provided with carefully:

Identify the key responsibilities of the role
Highlight required skills
Prepare examples from your experience that match the role.

3. Practice Common Interview Questions

Some questions appear in almost every interview:

“Tell me about yourself” or "Tell me about your background"
“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
“Tell me about a time..."

Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers can often be helpful.

4. Prepare Questions to ask the interviewer

Always have thoughtful questions for the interviewer, such as:

“What does success look like in this role?”
“How would you describe the team culture?”
“What opportunities are there for growth?”

5. Plan Your Outfit and Materials

Dress appropriately for the company’s culture even if it is a virtual interview
Ensure your tech works if it’s a virtual interview or you're asked to make a presentation

6. Practice, Practice, Practice

Familiarise yourself with how your experience and skills fit the role that you're interviewing for
Focus on body language and eye contact.

7. Sleep Well and Arrive in Plenty of time

Get a good night’s sleep before the interview.
Arrive 10–15 minutes early.

Looking for your next role? Our recruitment experts can match you with opportunities that fit your skills and career goals.

Take a look at our latest jobs here

How To: Write A CV

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:17:43 GMT

Your CV needs to be an honest and authentic assessment of your work history; avoid embellishing or exaggerating your skills and experience level as these can be exposed as untruths and will undermine your genuine star power.

There’s something quintessentially Kiwi about not wanting to “go loud” about our accomplishments or achievements, but we must tell you; writing a CV (or resume) is not the place to be humble.

As recruiters, what makes a CV really stand out is a balance of personality and a robust summary of what you’ve done in your career so far. We know that the current employment market is very much in favour of the job seeker, but it’s important to put your best foot forward so a recruiter (or hiring manager) judges you appropriately so your dream job doesn’t slip through your fingers due to a sub-par CV.

Your CV needs to be an honest and authentic assessment of your work history; avoid embellishing or exaggerating your skills and experience level as these can be exposed as untruths and will undermine your genuine star power.

Beyond being honest, these are our top tips for anyone creating their CV from scratch or updating their most recent work experience.

Top Tips for Writing a Great CV

First Impressions Count
It takes a mere 20-seconds for someone to scan your CV and decide if they want to bother reading it in more detail so here’s how to avoid an instant dismissal:

✅ Use a font that's easy to read and stick to one size font for headings and one size for paragraphs.
✅ White space is your friend! Keep your sentences short, breaking up big blocks of text into bite-sized paragraphs - bulleted lists are great.
✅ Pay attention to spelling and grammar - avoid txt language, slang, and jargon.
✅ Send your CV as a PDF, unless otherwise specified in the job advert.
Dates Are Important
Don’t make a recruiter or internal hiring team guess what you’ve been up to! Include a clear timeline of your work history and if you’ve had a break between jobs, don’t be afraid to include a sentence explaining why.
Personality Matters
You are more than your skills and work experience so it’s important that your CV reflects who you are as a person.

Finding a balance between professional formality and personality can be hard, but an easy way of ticking this box is to include an “A Bit About Me” section where you can give prospective employers a glimpse into who you are and what makes you tick.

Culture and values fit are an increasingly important part of the recruitment process and this helps to differentiate you from the rest.
Highlight Results and Achievements
Summarising your work experience accurately is vital as your skills and knowledge base are going to be a major factor in whether you’re called in for an interview or not. One way of giving yourself an edge is to include a brief sentence or two about something you achieved or a highlight you’re particularly proud of while you were in that role.

Look beyond your KPIs and think about the choices and challenges you faced and how you (and your team) overcame adversity.
Customise Your Content
If the job you’re going for asks for specific skills and experience that you know you have, emphasise these and provide proof of your expertise.

This could be your one shot to convince the hiring manager that they need you to join their team so don’t be shy about going loud about why you’re exactly what they’re looking for. If they’ve asked for experience in a particular software or knowledge in a precise area that you have, make a point of showcasing these skills.

Popular opinion is to keep your CV short and sweet, so if you’ve got more you want to say about why you’re the one that the hiring manager should want then be sure to include that in the cover letter.

Our team sees hundreds of CVs every year and their confidence is instantly boosted when a job seeker submits a CV that paints a clear picture of their capabilities and competencies. It can be a struggle to promote you as a potential candidate when the documentation doesn’t speak to your viability for the role.

Do yourself (and the people screening your application) a favour and make sure your CV sets yourself up for success.

Ngā mihi nui

p.s. Here's a helpful "How To Guide" with these tips & tricks showcased on one easy page!

What is Search-Based Recruitment?

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 21:31:28 GMT

We choose to use a search-based approach when recruiting candidates for roles because it reaches talent that would otherwise be missed by using reactive recruitment methods.

Following on from a previous post where we explained what a recruitment consultancy actually does, here’s a bit more detail about search-based recruitment and why we’ve chosen to do it this way.

The recruitment industry as we know it today has benefitted from several technological advances that put us ahead of where the World’s First Recruitment Consultant was (newspaper classifieds, anyone?), but essentially the practice remains true to its origins, matching the right person with the right role. The way we play matchmaker at Alexander James is by using a search-based methodology.

We choose to use a search-based approach when recruiting candidates for roles because it reaches talent that would otherwise be missed by using reactive recruitment methods. General Manager, Toni Lea explains “at any one time, approximately 20% of talent is checking the typical job sites, i.e. Seek and TradeMe, so relying on posting a job ad and waiting for talent to come to you is counterproductive and results in only a 3% chance of successfully finding the right person for the role.”

We have spent the past decade developing and honing our search and head-hunting methodology and are true champions of this approach to recruitment, for these key reasons:

5 Ways Search-Based Recruitment Drives Success

The Consultant becomes an extension of your company
When you give the green light, it’s our job to understand who your organisation is and what you do. We research your industry and strive for the bigger picture of how this role will affect you and your team.

It’s vital for us to know about your culture, your values, and your place in the world so that we can “sell” you as an employer in an authentic way.
Targeting passive talent
By relying on the right person for your role to stumble across your job advertisement at exactly the right time you need them to see it, you’re risking success on happenstance. Sure, it can happen that exactly the right person applies for your advertised role but it’s a rarity, especially in a talent-short market.

A thorough search of passive talent, i.e. not actively looking for a new job, means you can shoulder tap anyone who fits the criteria and potentially entice them into joining your team.
The screening process is done up front
When undertaking a search assignment, the talent is screened for suitability from the start so disappointment can be avoided later in the recruitment process.

By asking relevant questions and gauging experience in that very first reach out, you are doing most of the hard work prior to the interview stage so that final part of offer and on-boarding can be completed with relative ease.
Top shelf talent at all stages
After the search and screening process is complete, you’re left with an impressive longlist of candidates for you to choose from to interview. These are people who match what you need on paper and in real life, so you’re almost spoilt for choice.

With each person being of such a high calibre, you’re safe in the knowledge that no matter who you choose in the end, there’s probably no wrong answer.
There’s mana in being head-hunted
When someone’s telling their friends, family, and current colleagues, there’s a certain level of mana (respect) that goes with the story of being head-hunted.

When someone is head-hunted it means that they’re recognised as being damn good at their job and were actively sought after by their new employer – and nothing can take that feeling away from them.

Another reason we champion the search-based recruitment model is because it allows for us to partner with you – clients and candidates alike – so that we can help get you to that next level of success, no matter what that might look like. When it’s done right, search-based recruitment means that we all can enjoy a true win/win scenario right now, and into the future.

Ngā mihi nui

(published for an on behalf of Tessa Phillips | Search Lead, AJ Construct )

Sector Spotlight | Cybersecurity

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:00:00 GMT

Depending on where you stand on it, you’re either celebrating or commiserating the explosive growth of AI experienced in 2023 but no matter where your preference lies, it's been a roller coaster witnessing the dynamic changes and impact it’s had on the employment landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand.

One sector experiencing unprecedented growth is cybersecurity.

In an era dominated by digital advancements, the need to fortify our online infrastructure has become top priority resulting in a shift in mindset for how we think about security but also caused a surge in demand for cybersecurity professionals across the Kiwi job market.

Danger, Will Robinson

The digital revolution has resulted in undeniable convenience, connectivity, and efficiency. However, this revolution is often referred to as “Pandora's box” due to the increase of cyber threats, ranging from data breaches to sophisticated hacking attempts. Recognizing the gravity of these challenges, businesses and government entities in New Zealand are doubling down on cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information and ensure the seamless functioning of their operations.

The Silver Lining

The growing awareness of all variations of cyber threats has led to a significant increase in the demand for capable cybersecurity professionals who can evolve and adapt as fast as the scammers and hackers. From large corporations to small businesses, everyone is staring to make the recruitment of skilled individuals who can safeguard their digital assets a top priority. This demand isn’t specific to any industry, with sectors like finance, healthcare, and telecommunications actively seeking cybersecurity experts to boost their defences.

To ensure there are enough people to meet this increased demand, they need to know what they’re doing which is why local tertiary institutions are adapting the courses they offer to produce a new generation of cybersecurity professionals. Education programs are now offering specialised courses that give students the knowledge and skill base need to tackle the ever-evolving cyber landscape. These initiatives are crucial in bridging the skills gap and ensuring a steady flow of qualified people into the technology workforce.

Official Response

The New Zealand Government has also recognised just how much cybersecurity is changing and has stepped up its efforts to raise awareness and our collective capabilities when it comes to maintaining a secure digital environment. Initiatives such as cybersecurity awareness campaigns, public-private partnerships, and increased funding for cybersecurity research highlight the commitment to fortifying the nation's cyber defences. This support not only benefits governmental entities but also trickles down to businesses and individuals, creating a more resilient digital ecosystem.

The growth and increased focus on cybersecurity in the employment market stands out as a proof of the evolving nature of the workforce. Closer to home, our team of tech recruiters have noticed an increasing demand for skilled professionals in this field which feels like it’s here to stay given our reliance on digital technologies continues to deepen. My advice is to look towards cybersecurity as a promising and rewarding career path, with the added bonus of knowing you’re contributing to the protection of regular Kiwi folk across the digital landscape.

Ngā mihi nui

How To: Handle Rejection

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT

If you’ve never been on the end of a “thanks but no thanks” conversation, we need to pick your brain on how to achieve unicorn status because you’re a rarity.

Rejection is one of those things that you need to learn from and move on, especially when it comes to putting yourself out there for new opportunities, like job hunting.

Job hunting is a journey filled with highs and lows, and rejection is natural part of this adventure. When the job market is competitive (as it is now), understanding that rejection is not a reflection of personal worth is vital. If you’re unsuccessful when applying for a job, take it as an opportunity for self-reflection and improvement.

Feedback is a Gift

One of the keys to mastering the art of rejection is seeking constructive feedback. As recruiters, we appreciate it when candidates are proactive in requesting feedback and taking advice in the spirit in which it is intended. This shows a genuine interest in personal development and can often provide simple yet effective insights that can help you as a candidate with future applications.

Resilience is a Virtue

Let’s face it, being rejected isn’t a fun experience and it can feel like a real blow to your confidence but being able to pick yourself up and be ready to face a new day is a skill that is invaluable. Kiwis are known for their “can do” attitude, and applying this mindset to job seeking can make a significant difference. Build resilience by focusing on strengths, learning from setbacks, and embracing the journey as part of the process.

Networking and Support

New Zealand’s professional landscape thrives on relationships and networking can play a key role in overcoming rejection. Signing up to industry events, online forums, or local (relevant) meet-ups can open doors to new opportunities and connections. Engaging with a support network, whether that be friends, mentors, or industry peers, can provide interesting perspectives, emotional support, and encouragement when times get tough.

Adapt and Evolve

It can help to think of rejection as a detour not a dead-end because it allows you to adapt and evolve into an improved version of yourself. In the Kiwi spirit of innovation, job seekers can use rejection as a catalyst for refining skills, updating CVs, and exploring new ways to develop personally and professionally.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is a powerful tool for everyday life, including facing rejection. If you can build on that resilience we talked about earlier and see challenges as opportunities, your growth will be unstoppable.

Rejection isn’t an easy thing to face, and when all you’re getting back is the “thanks but no thanks” and even no response at all. Hindsight is a powerful thing and when you’ve landed yourself a role that ticks all your boxes, you can look back and realise that those rejections were probably just the universe getting you ready for where you’re supposed to be.

And just so you know, there will be times when you will be the one giving the “thanks but no” conversation so remember that you need to put yourself in the other’s shoes and handle it with kindness and compassion.

Ngā mihi nui

Sector Spotlight | STEM

Mon, 13 May 2024 23:00:00 GMT

As someone who has been around longer than Google, it’s safe to say that we’re living in an era known for its technological advancements and rapid scientific progress. Things are faster and more convenient than ever before which I’m grateful for.

While this fast-paced world comes with a hefty price tag, I want to focus on something other than cybersafety and the social dilemma… future proofing our future.

The demand for skilled professionals in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields is higher than ever however, a concerning global trend has emerged: lower numbers of tertiary students are enrolling in STEM programs, which could create significant challenges for the future workforce. I want to explore the far-reaching effects of this phenomenon and why you should care about it.

If the Covid-related talent shortage taught us anything, a workforce imbalance, i.e. a surplus of grads in non-STEM fields and a shortage of STEM-related professionals, it creates an employment market where candidates are king. If you tick the boxes required for any job opportunity, it felt like candidates could almost write their own employment offer including work type and salary. Sounds great right? Unfortunately, we’re now seeing people who have now priced themselves out of the market.

Looking even further into the future, a drop in qualified in STEM experts could hinder economic growth and innovation, as well as technological innovation and advancement, potentially leaving industries and economies trailing behind in the global race for competitiveness.

According to local statistics*, Aotearoa New Zealand seems to be bucking the global trend of tertiary students opting for non-STEM disciplines, resulting in a disproportionate distribution of skills in the job market, but how long will we escape the consequences of this worrying STEM trend and what can we do to stop it altogether?

How to Protect the Future of STEM

Remove the Roadblocks
Many of our tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) look at STEM subjects as being in the “too hard basket” making it unlikely they would consider studying these fields even if they were interested in knowing how things work and why.

By making Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics more accessible to the masses, it would attract a more diverse range of students to this vital disciplines.
Representation Matters
To dream of a possible future, you first need to see yourself there. The absence of relatable role models in STEM fields, especially among underrepresented groups, like women, Māori and Pasifika, makes it harder for the next generation to imagine themselves doing it.

Encouraging diversity and showcasing successful individuals in STEM can inspire a wider range of students to enter these fields.
STEM in the Spotlight
Inadequate education and resources seems to be a regular issue in the media; there just aren’t enough teachers with the knowledge and passion to encourage students to thrive at STEM subjects at school.

There’s no silver bullet for fixing the New Zealand education system but perhaps parents could talk about STEM stuff in the home and shine a light on people like Nanogirl (Dr. Michelle Dickinson) who make science accessible and fun – check out this list of international STEM influencers who could ignite something in our tamariki and rangatahi brains.

While it's encouraging that the number of people studying STEM subjects at local tertiary institutions is experiencing steady growth, it’s vital that this is maintained to ensure the security of our future workforce. By raising awareness of this potential talent trap, we can work together towards cultivating a diverse and skilled STEM workforce that is essential to continuing to drive innovation, economic growth and global competitiveness.

And that feels like a win/win for everyone.

Ngā mihi nui

*educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary-participation: Provider-based enrolments: field of study of the courses studied at tertiary education providers.

Industry Insights: Women in Construction

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:30:01 GMT

Aotearoa New Zealand is a magical place. If you travel an hour in any direction, you’ll find either an ancient forest, a rugged coastline (or picturesque beach), or a damn good barista-made coffee.

Against the picturesque backdrop of our diverse landscapes, a remarkable (yet overdue) transformation is underway within the construction sector, or “as built” environment. A recent MBIE report predicts that the number of people who work within the construction sector will reach 160,200 by 2027, which begs the question – who are those people going to be?

While women are still seriously underrepresented in this sector (reportedly only 14% of the civil construction workforce are female), it’s undeniable that there’s a slow but steady shift in the number of women choosing to find their fit in construction. This shift is starting to leave an indelible mark on the 'as built' environment – a testament to their resilience, innovation, and achievements.

As a woman working on the periphery of the industry, I’m keen to explore the journey of Kiwi women in construction and the profound impact they are making on our local infrastructure.

Progress Makes Perfect

Given that New Zealand was the first in the world to give women the vote, it makes sense that the wāhine toa (strong women) who live here have continued to break barriers and demand a commitment to diversity across the motu (nation). This commitment is reflected in the construction sector's changing dynamics.

Over the past decade, women have not only become a more prevalent force but are also excelling in roles traditionally held by men, architects, engineers, project managers and quantity surveyors, for example. This shift is about more than just equal representation; it's a celebration of the unique perspectives and talents that women bring to the construction landscape.

Breaking Biases

In a sector that can often feel as though it’s stuck in the 1970s, the women who have chosen to work in construction are breaking barriers and challenging biases on a daily basis and, in turn, defying expectations and surpassing boundaries.

Change needs to come from within and there are some simple steps everyone can take to be a true ally, for example:

ensuring that PPE accommodates male AND female shapes and sizes
allocating a female-only toilet or changing facility
considering a buddy-mentor programme that encourages women to shine a light on other women in your organisation
celebrate the achievements of women in your organisation – remembering to call out any toxic behaviour and language at the same time!

Trailblazing Initiatives

Recognising the need for a more diverse workforce, New Zealand has actively embraced initiatives aimed at empowering women in construction. Mentorship programs, training sessions, and support networks have become catalysts for women entering and thriving in the industry. These initiatives not only contribute to a more inclusive sector but also address the skills shortage plaguing construction.

For a more in-depth look at a successful trailblazing initiative, check out NAWIC .

As architects of change, women in construction are not merely participants but architects of progress in the 'as built' environment.

Women's influence is visible in sustainable building designs, innovative project management strategies, and meticulous on-site quality control. It’s not that women do things better than their male counterparts, it’s that they design and plan from a completely different perspective allowing them to consider elements previously overlooked but can have a profound impact on the finished product.

As a recruiter for the construction sector (specialising in manufacturing and logistics), I’ve noticed a distinct change in how we approach talent acquisition which feels more inclusive and allows for more diversity. There’s no longer a reluctance to put forward female candidates for roles in this male-dominated industry as I know our clients are trying to “be the change” needed to find success in the world. And I’m here for it!

Ngā mihi nui

The Perks of Being a Ground Breaker

Sat, 30 Mar 2024 23:00:00 GMT

We might be small, but we're mighty.

Some may think that large organisations offer safety and security, but it can also mean a lot of bureaucracy and slow decision making.

We're lucky. We have the safety and security that comes from being part of the Alexander James group, but we can adapt quickly and easily because we have a flexible organisational structure and the decision-makers are in the trenches working alongside the team on a daily basis. Our innovative thinking and ability to respond to your needs quickly is something we take pride in and we've had excellent feedback from both clients and jobseekers that benefited directly from our entrepreneurial culture and willingness to try something new and different.

For example, when we worked alongside a client that had set themselves a goal of increasing diversity on a large scale with these specific objectives:

To engage with local iwi and generate their support for a new facility being built in their area
To target rangatahi (youth) and encourage them into work
To increase female representation in leadership roles in this traditionally male industry

These objectives were daunting but we were determined to do our best to help our client achieve them. We knew that things can only be changed when you change the way you do things so we put our "outside the box" thinking hats on.

Three Ways We Challenged the Status Quo

Iwi were approached very early on in the process and their concerns/questions were listened to with appropriate responses given.
Frequent open days were held in the region and iwi were always involved and made their presence known. Our client and the AJ Construct team became familiar faces to the local people.
Whānau interviews were implemented (an industry first for a recruitment consultancy!) which meant that young and/or inexperienced jobseekers felt supported and encouraged by their nearest and dearest.

As you can imagine, this process required time, energy, and focus from the AJ Construct team and our client's internal hiring team but it helped knowing that we had each other's backs - we both wanted each other to succeed.

And that's another benefit of choosing to partner with a small but mighty team; you get to build genuine relationships and get stuff done better and faster.

Ngā mihi

Walking the Talk: Hiring Rangatahi

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 22:45:00 GMT

When General Manager, Toni Lea, found herself in a position to hire an 18-year-old straight out of high school, she hesitated to walk the talk and offer them a job. This is the opportunity to share her journey - from initial doubt to embracing the power of inexperience - and how it turned out to be the best decision I have made.

For anyone who knows me, it will come as no surprise to know that for years, I’ve been a staunch advocate for taking a chance and giving rangatahi (young people) an opportunity to engage in full time work.

I regularly challenge people on roles when they say experience of at least two to three years is required. And I’ve consistently gone loud about the undeniable benefits of hiring someone with no experience but a good attitude and what this can bring to an organisation.

But when I found myself in a position to hire an 18-year-old straight out of high school, even I hesitated to walk my talk and offer them a job. I want to take this opportunity to share my journey - from initial doubt to embracing the power of inexperience, and how it turned out to be the best decision I have made – in the hope that it will encourage just one person to give a young go-getter the chance to prove themselves.

The Power of a Positive Attitude

One of the greatest advantages of hiring someone with little to no prior experience is their fresh perspective and untapped potential. When I first read the CV of this particular young candidate, I hesitated because of the absence of any kind of work history (beyond part-time jobs). I took a moment, gave myself a shake and reminded myself of the countless success stories of those who started their careers without any experience but went on to achieve great things.

Throughout the initial interview, I was immediately impressed by the candidate's positive attitude. Their enthusiasm, gratitude, and eagerness to learn were almost tangible. They possessed an unwavering determination to prove themselves, which I recognised as being a valuable asset. Attitude is something that cannot be taught or acquired through experience alone.; it’s a quality that can drive someone to surpass expectations and inspire their team-mates.

Dedication and Eager Learning

The initial interview went better than expected so it was easy to convince myself to offer a second interview where I was further impressed by the candidate's dedication and eagerness to learn. Despite their lack of experience, they had taken the initiative to research our organisation, understand the role, and familiarise themselves with our industry. Their dedication demonstrated a strong work ethic and a genuine desire to contribute to the team.

During the interview process, it became evident that this candidate possessed a hunger for knowledge and a thirst for personal and professional growth. Their willingness to learn and adapt was infectious and would eventually come to inspire the rest of the team to do the same. It quickly became clear that their lack of experience was not a hindrance but rather an opportunity for them to shape themselves into an exceptional professional.

Manners, Respect, and Team Spirit

As the candidate transitioned into their role, their demeanour continued to impress me. They conducted themselves with exceptional politeness and respect, not only towards senior members of the team but also towards their peers. This level of professionalism is often overlooked in the hiring process, yet it plays a crucial role in fostering a positive work environment.

Furthermore, this young person displayed a remarkable ability to collaborate and work effectively within a team. Their willingness to listen, contribute, and support their colleagues brought a renewed sense of camaraderie and unity to the workplace. It was a refreshing reminder that a positive attitude and strong interpersonal skills are just as important as technical expertise (which can be taught).

An Epic Future Ahead

Now, a couple of months into their role, I can confidently say that hiring this dynamic and dedicated person straight out of high school was the best decision I’ve made. They’ve not only met my expectations but exceeded them in every way. Their dedication, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn have had a transformative effect on the entire team.

This experience has reinforced my belief that experience should not be the sole determinant when evaluating candidates. While experience undoubtedly has its merits, it should not overshadow the immense value that an inexperienced individual with the right attitude can bring to an organisation.

As hiring managers, we must be open to challenging our preconceived notions and biases when evaluating candidates. Experience should not be the be-all and end-all in the hiring process. By giving rangatahi their first opportunity, it’s not only a win/win for all involved but it feels damn good knowing you’re putting something into motion that could potentially change lives forever.

Ngā mihi nui

Case Study | The Tauriko Story

Sun, 24 Mar 2024 22:23:40 GMT

A state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in the beautiful Bay of Plenty needed a whole new workforce ready to service it when it was time to go.

In 2020, Winstone Wallboards (WW) announced it was relocating its manufacturing and distribution operation from Auckland to Tauranga which meant a whole new workforce was required. After a robust testing process, the AJ Construct team was chosen to be the WW recruitment partner for the entire Tauriko project and I was the lead Consultant working with them to source and place talent.

There were a number of different challenges involved in recruiting for the Tauriko plant in Tauranga, including:

This was a high stakes project! The Tauriko plant was an integral part of the Winstone Wallboards’ future and would be able to produce plasterboard more sustainably and effectively. Having the right capability in place to ensure successful commissioning and operation was vital.
We were working towards some ambitious diversity and inclusion targets and making sure that we were communicating with and supported by the local iwi was integral to finding success
There was a serious talent shortage, especially in the regions like Bay of Plenty

With a lot of grit and determination, I'm stoked to confirm that we recruited 100% of the roles required four months ahead of the WW target and over the course of this time, we got to know their business, their people and became a true partner to the internal hiring team.

I am incredibly proud to have been part of this milestone project, and am humbled by what the WW team have to say about the work we produced.

How To: Negotiate a Job Offer

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:30:00 GMT

Have you ever heard the saying, "if you don't ask, the answer is always no"?

This is something I keep in mind whenever I feel awkward or uncomfortable asking for something I need, and it’s an approach I advocate for candidates to adopt when you’re in that final stage of the job application process.

And if you find yourself at this stage, be sure to take a moment to feel proud of this accomplishment because not everyone achieves it.

In this post I want to look at negotiating the terms of your employment, which is an often overlooked yet crucial step in the job seeking process. When handled appropriately, it can ensure a mutually beneficial arrangement for you and your potential new employer.

As someone who’s been a recruitment consultant for several years, I’ve helped many candidates understand the art of negotiation and how securing a package that aligns with your skills, experience, and market value is essential for a positive onboarding experience.

Tips & Tricks for Negotiating a Job Offer

Do Your Homework : before entering negotiations, take some time to conduct thorough research on the industry standards, company policies, and salary benchmarks in the local market. Websites like Trade Me Jobs and SEEK provide valuable insights into the prevailing salary ranges for different roles. Understanding the market will empower you with knowledge to confidently negotiate terms.
Timing is Everything : timing plays a pivotal role in how successful your negotiation is. In an ideal recruitment process, discussions around salary and benefits would occur after as part of your interviews. The movement pushing for organisations to display salary as part of the job ads is gaining momentum, and recruiter best practice lets potential candidates know very early on what the salary band looks like so there are no unhappy surprises later. Being transparent is a good thing as it allows you to decide how much you want to explore the opportunity with this particular employer.
Express Yourself : while negotiating, it's important to maintain a positive and enthusiastic tone. Reiterate your excitement about the role and the company, making it clear that your goal is to create a win-win situation. This approach fosters a collaborative spirit and encourages the employer to consider your requests more favourably.
Know Your Value : be confident knowing what you’re bringing to the table and what that’s worth to the organisation who have identified that they want you to join their team. By keeping your achievements, skills, and experience in mind as you negotiate, it will help you to remember that you’d be an asset worth your weight in gold.
Consider the Whole Package : job offers often extend beyond just the base salary so it’s important to consider the entire compensation package, including benefits, bonuses, work hours, and flexibility. Sometimes, employers may be open to adjustments in these areas even if the base salary is non-negotiable. Assess what matters most to you and negotiate accordingly.
Know When to Walk Away : while negotiations aim for a mutually beneficial outcome and a calm and collaborative approach can foster a positive relationship that flows on to a positive onboarding experience, it's crucial to know your limits. If the employer is unwilling to meet your reasonable expectations, be prepared to walk away knowing you gave it your best shot. And remember, that you wouldn’t want to work somewhere that isn’t prepared to be open to fair compromise.

By following these (hopefully) simple and reasonable tips & tricks, you'll be well-positioned to secure a job offer that reflects your worth in the local job market. And remember, the negotiation process is an opportunity to establish a positive employer-employee relationship that sets the tone for your future success within the organisation.

Good luck!

How To: Interview

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 01:00:00 GMT

Use every interview as an opportunity to shine, showcase your skills, and stand out for all the right reasons – and remember, that practice makes perfect.

You’ve put together a CV and cover letter that makes a hiring manager (or recruiter) want to meet with you as a potential candidate, nice work!

An interview has been set up, so now what?!

Kiwis are notoriously bad for “going loud” about their accomplishments and while many hiring managers and recruiters understand that cultural differences can play a big part in how a jobseeker behaves in an interview, there are a few key dos and don’ts that everyone can use to ensure that a job interview is more than just a conversation. Use every interview as an opportunity to shine, showcase your skills, and stand out for all the right reasons – and remember, that practice makes perfect.

The Dos:

Do Your Homework: research the company, its culture, values, products and/or services, and recent developments. Check out their website and social media channels so you can not only tailor your answers to align to the company’s goals, but also impress the interviewer with the time you’ve spent preparing for this moment.
Dress Appropriately: while we not encouraging you to be anything other than your true self, it’s important to choose your wardrobe with first impressions in mind. Again, if you’ve checked out the company’s social media feed you may notice what their staff are wearing in photos which might help point you in the right direction. If in doubt, its better to be slightly overdressed than under.

Showcase Your Achievements: during the interview you will probably be asked for specific examples of how you’ve contributed to your previous workplaces. If a humble brag is all you’re comfortable with, make sure you do so with facts and/or figures relating to your actions and the impact they made. It’s also really important that you know your CV thoroughly and are prepared to answer questions about each role.
Listen, Pause, Speak: the interviewer will have a list of questions they need to get through so they know what’s coming next. To present yourself confidently and calmly it’s important that you maintain eye contact, actively listen to their questions and comments, don’t rush your answers – take a moment to collect your thoughts and respond thoughtfully.
Ask Thoughtful Questions: at the end of most interviews, you’ll be given the opportunity to ask any questions you might have about the process or organisation you’re interviewing with and it can be tough to come up with something on the fly. When you’re in homework mode ( see Do Your Homework above ), pay attention to areas that interest you that can then bring up in the Q&A part of the interview. It’s okay to ask about company growth, why this role is available, team dynamics, and professional development – but only if they haven’t addressed it already ( see Listen, Pause, Speak above ).
Be Authentic: being yourself is the most important piece of the puzzle. A recruiter or hiring manager knows a thing or two about reading people and if they’re good at what they do, they can spot a fake easily. You’ve already whetted their appetite with your stellar CV and cover letter so back it up by being yourself and connecting on a personal level.

The Don'ts

Don't Be Late! Being on time is a sign of respect and professionalism – too early can indicate poor time management and arriving late can send a negative message about your reliability. Figure out where you're going and how you're going to get there ahead of time ( see Do Your Homework above) .
Put Your Phone Away: it can be tempting to spend time distracted by your phone but by paying attention to what’s happening in the reception area and being quick to notice anyone approaching creates a much better first impression than scrolling your newsfeeds – it also keeps you firmly “in the zone” for the interview.
Avoid Overconfidence: we’re all for “going loud” about how great you are and feeling confident in your ability to get the job done, coming across as arrogant or overconfident sends a negative message to the interviewer. You want to let them know you’re excited by the opportunity and continue your learning and development with the company.
Negativity is Bad: you may not have had a great experience with a previous employer but it’s best to present your experience with a positive attitude and focus on what you learned from it.
Steer Clear of Rambling: this don’t supports Listen, Pause, Speak in the dos. Keep your answers concise and relevant. Long-winded, rambling answers can be a sign of being unprepared.
Never Underestimate Non-verbal Cues: your body language speaks volumes! Fidgeting, slouching, or letting your attention waiver can send negative messages about how you feel about the interview. If you’re neuro-diverse and are not always in control of how your body moves, we recommend being upfront with the interviewer so they can show patience and understanding (this also supports Be Authentic in the dos).

It might feel like a lot to remember and it’s okay for your first few interviews to feel like a first pancake – don’t be too hard yourself if end up having a few “trial and error” interviews before your confidence grows. And remember, recruiters and hiring managers are people too and they’ve been in your shoes before.

Ngā mihi nui

p.s. Here's a handy 'How To' Guide with our top tips on how to smash that interview!

How To: Raise Profile

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 21:55:43 GMT

These days a headhunting scenario isn’t all that rare, but what can you do to raise your profile in a way that increases your chances of making that happen? We’ve broken it down into some easy steps using LinkedIn that can increase your chances of success (whatever that looks like for you).

Securing yourself a new job is wonderful.

Being proud to tell your nearest and dearest about the new job is special.

Knowing that you were headhunted for the new job because your skills and experience elevated you above others in your industry is an unbeatable feeling.

These days a headhunting scenario isn’t all that rare, but what can you do to raise your profile in a way that increases your chances of making that happen? We’ve broken it down into some easy steps using LinkedIn that can increase your chances of success (whatever that looks like for you).

Headhunting, also known as an executive search, is the process of searching for talent that best fits an available job opportunity. It’s a more proactive strategy than regular recruiting as it involves identifying and reaching out to people who may not even be looking for a job but might consider a move given the right incentive.

The word “headhunt” derives from when consultants would search and hire high-level employees or the “head” of a company, but at Alexander James we apply this intense scrutiny to all our search assignments no matter what level the role sits because we believe that it extends the reach to those talented people who would otherwise be completely overlooked.

So, how do you get noticed?

Top Tips for Raising Your Profile on LinkedIn

Update Your Profile!
As consultants, we use a LinkedIn service called LinkedIn Talent Solutions where we can undertake a search for a specific job title with specific skills in a specific location so if your profile doesn’t properly reflect what it is you’re currently doing, then we’re never going to find you.

✅Have you updated your headline to accurately sum up what you do?
✅Is your current role accurate?
✅ Are your key competencies and skills listed?
✅ Have you included your experience using software or tools related to the role you're working?
✅ Do you have a professional looking profile photo?
✅ Have you reviewed your previous roles and responsibilities to make sure they showcase your journey?
Are You Open to Opportunities?
LinkedIn updated their platform a while back to allow people to let recruiters know you're open to being contacted about job opportunities (or not). By updating this setting it means you rank a bit higher in our search results.

This can be accessed via the Privacy settings in your profile.
Get Connected
The proverb, “the more the merrier” absolutely applies to LinkedIn connections. Reach out to colleagues and past acquaintances and enjoy building your digital network. If a consultant seeks a connection with you, it probably means that you’ve appeared in a talent search and they think your skills and experience are top notch.

By accepting a connection with a recruiter, it can indicate that while you may not be interested in a career move right now, you’re happy to entertain the idea of it in future.

When it comes to increasing your chances of being shoulder-tapped, what you know needs to be balanced by who you know.

Going through this list and checking off our recommendations will not only raise your profile in this talent-short market, but it will also strengthen your position for when the pendulum swings the other way and there’s more people looking for work than there are jobs available (it’s just the way it works).

And if you start getting inundated with messages from keen recruiters, try not to get too annoyed by them and take their reach outs as the confidence boost it actually is.

Ngā mihi nui

p.s. Here's a handy 'how-to' guide we prepared earlier for you to save and refer to later.

Open Minded Recruitment

frances@alexanderjames.co.nz (Frances Cross) — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 22:22:07 GMT

Recruitment is fundamental to building successful and diverse teams that drive organisational growth and innovation. In today’s rapidly changing world, where diversity of thought and experience is supposed to be celebrated, the value of keeping an open mind during the recruitment process cannot be overstated. An open-minded approach creates an environment where hidden talents can flourish and brings a fresh perspective to the team.

Aotearoa New Zealand is small.

So small in fact I think that instead of six degrees of separation it’s more like three or four.

When you work in recruitment for a specific sector or industry, that gets further reduced to one or two. It’s almost impossible to meet a potential candidate that doesn’t know someone you do – it often feels like “Riley” worked with “Sam” who is related to your friend, “Alex”.

There are times that this absolutely works in our favour because a potential candidate has already been casually vetted or vouched for by someone you trust and respect. But then there are times where a Riley did something or acted in a way that wasn’t how Sam would have, and from now on Riley has developed a reputation for being not a team player or a hard to deal with.

I’m calling time on conscious bias against people and reckon we all need to keep more of an open mind about people instead of taking Sam and Alex’s opinion as golden – especially when it’s a tight labour market and the role you’re working on needs to be filled.

Recruitment is fundamental to building successful and diverse teams that drive organisational growth and innovation. In today’s rapidly changing world, where diversity of thought and experience is supposed to be celebrated, the value of keeping an open mind during the recruitment process cannot be overstated. An open-minded approach creates an environment where hidden talents can flourish and brings a fresh perspective to the team. If you only hire people who look and behave like you, then you’re going to be left behind in more ways than the obvious.

Breaking the Bias

Humans are naturally inclined to form judgements and make decisions based on preconceived notions and biases – its one of the reasons we’ve managed to survive and evolve into what we are today. When it comes to recruitment, these biases and willingness to believe what you hear about people can lead to missed opportunities. By giving candidates the opportunity to make their own impression on you can mean an even wider pool of talent to dive into.

Diverse Perspectives For The Win

Teams made up of people from diverse backgrounds and experiences bring an invaluable range of perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. By being an open-minded recruiter it allows for the inclusion of candidates who might not fit the traditional mold but offer unique skills and experiences. Truly embracing diversity can lead to increased creativity, innovation, and adaptability within your team and wider organisation.

Unlock Hidden Potential

Our GM has written about giving rangatahi ( young people) a chance before and I want to reiterate that candidates who lack direct experience in a specific role or industry shouldn’t be dismissed without fair consideration. By keeping an open mind, we can appreciate that transferrable skills, adaptability, and a genuine willingness to learn often outweighs direct experience. Fresh people come with fresh ideas and energy.

People Can Change

The world is changing at a ridiculously fast pace, and organisations need to adapt quickly to remain relevant and competitive. A workforce that is open to change and embraces continuous learning is invaluable in navigating this landscape. Recruiters who understand that people are shaped by their experiences and have learned from those positive and negative interactions and/or outcomes are proof positive of a growth mindset and a willingness to step out of their comfort zone to thrive.

In a world where innovation and versatility are paramount, being open-minded when it comes to recruitment isn’t a choice, it’s a necessity. By challenging biases (conscious and unconscious) and focusing on potential, we have the power to build teams that are future fit in a literal and metaphorical way.

And you never know, maybe Riley would end up being the grinch of the story if they were only given the chance to change someone’s mind about them.

Ngā mihi nui

(posted for and on behalf of Cameron Zukor | Consultant, AJ Construct )

Safety First

Sun, 20 Aug 2023 21:32:52 GMT

The recruitment industry has been targeted as easy pickings for scammers because hopeful people can make easy targets. There's even a disclaimer on SEEK job ads advising not to give over your bank account details as part of a job application.

Let me tell you a story.

“Jude” was new to our organisation and received messaged from one of our Managing Directors asking them to rush out and get some gifts for our client (it was around Christmas, so it made sense). Jude was referred to by name and the message came through with the photo and full name of said Director. Jude thought it was slightly odd that photo proof was asked for instead of the physical vouchers, but the Director was often out and about, and they wanted to do a good job so Jude ventured forth to accomplish the mission.

Fortunately, at the store someone at the checkout took note of how many vouchers Jude was buying and asked them to verify that this was a legit request by the Director as there was a scam doing the rounds for this type of thing. Jude was sceptical but rang the Director expecting a quick confirmation and was stunned to discover that it was not a legitimate request.

Close call! Jude was embarrassed but relieved the checkout person cared enough to ask about it.

“Jude” is not a simpleton. They are tech savvy and try to keep up to date with current events, but hadn’t heard of this scam and it could have easily turned out to be a story without a happy ending. It used to be so obvious when something was fake or you were being scammed, but if you’ve been following Nigel Latta’s most recent activity, you’ll be aware of just how clever local scammers are and just how easy it is for busy people to let their attention slip and hand over access to their bank account and/or identity.

The recruitment industry has been targeted as easy pickings for scammers because hopeful people can make easy targets. We noticed a disclaimer starting to appear on SEEK job ads advising not to give over your bank account details as part of a job application.

We want to “do the right thing” and raise awareness of a current scam doing the rounds in the recruitment industry, and how you can protect you and your nearest and dearest from being taken advantage of.

Fake Job Ads

Posting a job ad is easy and making it seem legitimate is even easier, so it wouldn't be that hard to be tricked into sharing your personal information like home address, passport details and employment history. Once a scammer has this type of personal information, they can use it to conduct a range of criminal activities including online fraud.

But how can you tell the difference between a true opportunity and a fake one?

Double-check the company branding (see examples)
Scammers are counting on you to be too busy to pay attention and simply skim over the details - it’s as easy as swapping the font on one letter! The same principle applies to web addresses (e.g. big-business.co.nz instead of bigbusiness.co.nz - most browsers allow you to verify a link by hovering over it before clicking).
Verify the vacancy on the organisation’s own website
Most recruitment consultancies and in-house recruitment teams post across multiple platforms, not just one. That means that if a job ad is only showing on one platform, its worth phoning the organisation to double-check the legitimacy of the vacancy.
Don’t trust the messenger
While some recruitment consultants do reach out electronically to gauge interest in an opportunity, it’s normal to follow-up with a phone call to properly screen candidates and schedule any interviews. If you’re being invited to interview or conduct an interview only via a messenger service, we reckon that’s a red flag.
Personal information comes later
A recruiter doesn’t need your passport details in the screening stage, and they don’t need your full home address as part of the application process (a suburb and city will suffice).
No fees!
If you’re a job seeker, the only conversation around money that should take place is the one about how much you’ll get paid if successful, if any job ad or “recruiter” is asking for a placement fee then you’re being scammed.

It’s frightening how many good people have been tricked by bad opportunists and how often scams evolve and new threats emerge. We recommend following Cert NZ and sharing any of your own scam experiences (no matter how embarrassing you may find them to relive), because knowledge is power.

And remember if something sounds too good to be true then it probably isn’t.

Ngā mihi nui

How To: Build a Career CFO Edition

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 22:09:08 GMT

As recruiters, we know that your career path can be as individual as your fingerprint, but we also know that if a C-suite role is your ultimate goal, there are some strategic steps you can take that will help you get you there.

If you’re one of those ambitious, driven people who’s hungry to be a future CFO (Chief Financial Officer), we’re talking to you!

As recruiters, we know that your career path can be as individual as your fingerprint, but we also know that if a C-suite role is your ultimate goal, there are some strategic steps you can take that will help you get you there.

As recruitment consultants, when we’re considering options and evaluating talent for a CFO role, there are some key things we look out for no matter who the client we’re representing is:

Does this person show a highly strategic mind and a history of carrying significant responsibilities?
Does this person have a sound combination of financial expertise, leadership skills as well as a track record of success?

Drilling down even further, we look for someone who has proven their mettle at all levels of the financial ladder (not necessarily time at the Big 4, but this doesn’t hurt) and built a solid network of supporters who wouldn’t hesitate to back their bid at the top job.

Here’s what we mean:

Six Steps Towards the CFO Role

Experience and Expertise
When reviewing a CV, we need to determine whether you’re suitable (and capable) of nailing the CFO position, because just like Spider-Man “with great power, comes great responsibility”.

Do you have a solid background in finance, accounting or a related field?
Is there a progression in financial responsibility as you made your way through your career? Do you show an undeniable understanding of financial systems, accounting principles, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, risk assessment, and financial analysis?
Strategic Leadership
Given that a CFO is a key part of any executive team and that they play a strategic role in shaping an organisation’s financial direction, we need to know that our client would be in a safe pair of hands if they choose you as their person.

Can you showcase your leadership abilities and strategic mindset?
Do you have a list of accomplishments such as implementing successful financial strategies, driving revenue growth, optimising cost structures, leading mergers and acquisitions, or spearheading financial transformations?
Know-How, Can-Do
When you make it to CFO level, you need a deep and thorough understanding of the industry you will be operating in. When we consider your suitability for the role, we’ll pay particular attention to your ability to integrate financial insights with the bigger picture operational and strategic aspects of our client.

Is your career further strengthened by your business acumen, industry knowledge, and understanding of market trends?
People Skills
It’s not enough to be gifted with financial prowess, a CFO needs to interact with internal and external stakeholders, including other C-suite players, the board of directors, investors, auditors and regulatory bodies.

It’s not easy to navigate these vital and, at times, sensitive relationships. Are you a confident communicator, a strong presenter, and a skilled relationship builder that has proven experience in communicating complex financial information, influencing decision-making, or built collaborative partnerships?
Achievements+
When we’re comparing CV’s, we love seeing when a candidate believes in the “go loud” approach when it comes to specific achievements and measurable results.

If you’re gunning for the CFO job, have you emphasised your contribution to the organisation’s success by way of quantifiable metrics and success stories that demonstrate just how awesome you are? These act as tangible proof that you’re ready for this C-suite challenge.
Credit for Credentials and Qualifications
While clients may require different education qualifications, its safe to assume that a CFO position will need you to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field.

But it’s not enough just to have a framed piece of paper on your wall. We’d consider a candidate with a professional certification as a Chartered Account (CA) or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in a higher regard than a candidate without one.

If this list has left you feeling overwhelmed and perhaps a little daunted at the prospect of ever being ready for the CFO step, don’t worry! You’ve got time to build on the foundations you’ve already started to lay. We often say that knowledge is power and at least now you know the “total package” we’re looking for as a recruiter when sourcing for a CFO role.

It’s also important to remember that you’re more than the skills and experience listed on your CV and we make it a priority to really understand what makes you tick as a person because we want to match the right person for the right role, every time.

Ngā mihi nui

Talent Solution #3: Parents Returning to Work

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 21:41:45 GMT

Did you know that according to the 2018 Census ^* , there are more mums in paid employment than ever before?

Following on from our previous post , there are a lot of ways to work around talent shortages but you need to be willing to embrace solutions that challenge the cookie cutter mentality, like embracing the parents who want to return to work!

Did you know that according to the 2018 Census ^* , there are more mums in paid employment than ever before? That’s 352,700 women with kids under the age of 14 getting amongst it in the New Zealand workforce, which makes up around 28.5% of all working women.

Doesn’t really sound like that many, does it? Not when you consider that at AJ 34% of our team are working mums (would be a higher percentage if we counted those with kids aged 14+). It’s been our experience that a mum makes one of the most passionate and dedicated workers, so we’re always stoked when one decides to join our team.

And it seems as though the feeling is mutual.

We conduct engagement surveys every quarter and when we ask the team ‘the demands of my workload are manageable’ and ‘I have flexibility in my role’, we usually get top marks which means that everyone, including our working mums feel supported and able to maintain that essential work/life balance. That’s something we’re incredibly proud of because we know how hard it is for mums to conquer their “mum guilt” and feel good about what they’re doing for themselves, and their families when they go to work.

For every primary caregiver who’s returned to work, we reckon there’s a few more that would do the same if they could find a role that suited their needs. They need an employer that understands that kids and family come first so there will be times they’re needed elsewhere and must drop everything to look after their nearest and dearest. They need a supportive team that picks up any slack when things hit the fan on the home front, all the while knowing the favour will be paid back tenfold. They need a role that allows them to reconnect with what they’re good at while giving them opportunities to continue their learning and development.

Our symbiotic relationship with the working mums (but this can be applied to parents returning to work) on our team works in three key ways:

Three Ways to Support Parents Back Into Work:

Part-time hours that suit
We negotiate hours that work for both of us. Some parents want to work school hours only, while others are happy to work full-time hours but not the full five days.

As long as expectations are clear and reasonable from the outset, we’ve found a parent returning to work puts in a performance that is everything we need and more.
Job sharing
There are some roles that simply cannot be scaled back to fit within part-time hours, so to counter this we found two amazing and capable mum’s to share the role over the course of the week.

They cover each other seamlessly and our clients feel supported 100% of the time. When asked how it works for them, we’re told “that they love knowing that when it comes time for them to leave, there’s no guilt because they know that the other will do what needs to be done, and vice versa.” How’s that for unity.

Imagine that; knowing that even when you’re not there, important tasks will be completed as if you were doing them yourself!
Hybrid working
The various lockdowns have proven that we can work effectively at home, so we’ve embraced hybrid working and have offered the team to work from home on an ‘as and when’ basis.

This means that if a working parent that is also the main caregiver has a kid home from school sick or injured, they used to have to take sick leave but now they can choose to juggle their commitment as caregiver with their commitment to their work.

We can’t tell you how many times a parent has sacrificed all their sick leave to look after other people and end up with not enough to cover her own health and wellbeing needs, so it feels good knowing that this new policy will alleviate that concern.

If you’re struggling to find the right person for your role, it might be that you’re missing out on people who are everything you need and more simply because your search criteria are too narrow. Broaden that scope to include part-timers, job sharers and hybrid workers, and you just might find your options increase exponentially.

Ngā mihi nui

Kim

*Women in the Workforce 2017, Stats NZ

What Is Recruitment?

Tue, 16 May 2023 21:35:42 GMT

At a meeting with a potential job seeker, the question was posed... "what does a recruitment consultant actually do?"

If you were to tell the origins story of the recruitment industry, Henry Robinson an English merchant and writer would be the hero. In 1650, Henry proposed that the British Parliament create an “Office of Addresses and Encounters” that would connect workers with employers. When his idea was rejected by Parliament, Henry decided to launch the agency himself and do what he could to help people find work.

Alas, Henry Robinson’s initiative was short-lived, but we can still acknowledge that he deserves the title of World’s First Recruitment Consultant.

After several years of candidates being king, we’ve noticed the pendulum start to swing the other way with the dreaded “r’ word (restructure) increasing in its frequency and the local talent market shifting to reflect these changes.

You might think that as a recruitment consultancy, we’d be rubbing our hands together with glee knowing that finding talented people to fill roles is about to get infinitely easier, but that’s not how we roll at Alexander James. No matter what the employment market looks like, we’re a search-based consultancy which means we use proactive methods to match the right person to the right role instead of sitting back and letting an advert do the work for us.

One of our clients recently restructured their team and invited some of our Consultants to meet with some of those affected to give them some advice on 'where to from here'. It was at this meeting that we were asked, “what does a recruitment consultant actually do?” so for anyone else who may be pondering that same question, here’s our answer.

Side note: before I joined the recruitment industry, I had no clue about it either!

A quick Google search tells us that a recruitment consultant helps employers find suitable staff, and match people to permanent and temporary jobs.

That’s 100% true, but at Alexander James we do a bit more than that.

For clients, we position ourselves as an extension of their internal HR team, supporting them to fill vacancies when they haven’t got the time or resources to do it themselves. We take on the tricky or hard-to-fill roles and the roles that require a bit more energy to find that needle in a haystack.

For candidates, we act as agents on their behalf. We vet the role and the client to ensure that if they do decide to make the leap, their landing is a soft and successful one. We coach and encourage people to know their worth and their value, because it doesn’t always come naturally to champion yourself.

But if you’re still a bit unsure what a recruitment consultant can do for you as a job seeker, we’ll break it down for you even more:

Why bother with a recruitment consultant?

Cut Through the Crap
Before you’ve even seen a job ad, a good recruitment consultant will have met with the client and received a thorough briefing about the role and the company its with. The time spent doing upfront research means that the first conversation between you and a recruitment consultant will cover off all the necessary basics, i.e. role requirements, expected experience level, work type, salary etc.

By having this initial “screening” conversation it means that you and the consultant are instantly on the same page and know whether or not the opportunity is one you want to investigate further.
Practice Makes Perfect
Your interview with a recruitment consultant can be great practice for the real deal interview with the client. A recruitment consultant understands how sometimes nerves can get the better of you and will try to calm and coax you into presenting your best self.

Most of the time, an interview with a recruitment consultant will be the ideal precursor to the next stage – client interviews. By establishing a good relationship with your recruitment consultant, you should receive constructive feedback which allows you to reflect and review how you present yourself and your answers.
Your Champion
If you do want to progress with the application process, the recruitment consultant will represent you and your skills to the client in a positive yet pragmatic light.

It’s in the consultant’s best interests to describe you and your skills in a way that balances hype and hyperbole. A recruitment consultant warms the client up to meeting you so all you need to do is be your wonderful self and show them why they want you to join their team.

The process needs to be transparent and fair (for both you and the client); everyone needs to be kept in-the-loop with how things are tracking and what the feedback is once they’ve met with you (or chosen not to!).
What About the Money?
If all goes according to plan, you’ll be chosen as The One and the job offer will be presented to you by the recruitment consultant. Again, a good recruitment consultant will have worked hard to ensure that the role (including salary etc) has been properly presented so there’s no surprises in this final stage.

Given that you’ve built a relationship with the recruitment consultant, you’ll hopefully feel comfortable telling them how you truly feel about the offer and the role. If you have any questions or concerns, just ask the consultant and they’ll either know the answer straight away or find out for you.

It's important for you to know that the recruitment consultant’s fee is paid by the client, not you! A fee will have been negotiated before the search had even begun so while finding and placing you is the happy ending; you need not worry about who’s paying the bill.

It's important to remember, the above points only work when the process is honest and transparent from both sides – a good relationship with your recruitment consultant needs you to be engaged and communicative throughout.

In recent times, an unprecedented number of job offers have fallen over at the final stage for various reasons and even though this can be a big disappointment for both the client and the recruitment consultant, as long you’ve been upfront about your doubts and motivations throughout the process then there should be no hard feelings. A truly reciprocal relationship can make it slightly easier for the recruitment consultant to go back to their client with your negative response and mitigate their disappointment too.

So, when done right, working with a recruitment consultant can make the job seeking process an enjoyable and encouraging one. While it’s true that we work on behalf of our clients and want to place the right person in the right role, you need to remember that we also represent you in the equation. There’s no point in us pushing you to do something that won’t work in the long run because it will damage our reputation and relationship with all involved.

If you’ve had a bad experience with a recruitment consultant, we’re sorry this happened to you. There are some cowboy’s out there, but if you are genuinely interested in figuring out what could be next for you, then all you need to do is reach out to us here and we’ll show you what great looks like.

Ngā mihi nui

Sally

Women in Tech | Breaking the Bias

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 23:28:39 GMT

Hands up who’s heard of Margaret Hamilton?

Margaret Hamilton is the woman who took mankind to the moon by writing the code that the computer systems were programmed with on the Apollo 11 spacecraft in 1969. Margaret is one of the world’s first software engineers, a term that she herself created.

For every Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, there’s likely to be a lesser known but equally impressive Margaret Hamilton and Raia Perlman or Katherine Johnson. But why is it so rare for us to know about them or their achievements? And how this is relevant to recruitment? The answer is simple, representation matters.

When contemplating jobs of the future, it’s the tech sector that trumps almost all others. The tech industry right here in Aotearoa New Zealand is a dynamic, growth industry that offers higher than average salaries, a variety of roles and career development opportunities. It’s precisely because of this growth and dynamism that the tech sector has an ongoing need for employees, yet women are in the minority, occupying only 23% of professional IT roles overall*.

Drilling down even further, less than one in 20 girls are considering a high-paid career in science, technology, engineering or maths, compared to one in five boys ^** .

Like it or not, digital, data & technology (and even STEM at large) is yet another industry where men thrive, and women are outnumbered and while we can appreciate that’s the stats aren’t great, a quick Google tells us that there are numerous local and global organisations dedicated to supporting and encouraging women studying and working in STEM so change can’t be too far away.

Our own recruitment consultants acknowledge how difficult it can be to present a shortlist to clients that include women but my fellow Consultant on the Digital, Data & Technology team, Rebecca Deutsch observes, “it’s true that women at the CTO and CIO level are few but we’re seeing more women working in Business Analyst and product-related roles which is often thought of as the more “human” side of IT. We’ve come across a handful of women working in the coding and DevOps space and we’d love to see that become the norm but that takes more education and awareness of the industry at the high school level.”

So, what can you do to help break the bias and barriers within the technology sector to speed up the change?

Four Ways to Break the Gender Bias in the Technology Sector:

Encourage and support girls and women to embrace technology (and STEM) as a “suitable” career
Nurses. Teachers. Librarians. Flight Attendants. Administrators. What do these roles have in common? They were deemed “suitable” jobs for girls and women over recent decades but now these gender biases are regularly challenged and it’s our responsibility to encourage the younger generation to dream big and challenge the status quo even further.
Showcase the range of roles that use tech and possible career pathways
Become familiar with the stories of Margaret Hamilton, Hannah Auckram, Siouxsie Wilies, and Dr. Michelle Dickinson and get comfortable telling people about their success in STEM. The more examples of women doing great things in this area makes it easier for the next generation to start thinking about what they can achieve in their lifetime.
Offer flexibility to women who want to return to work, or study
Make it as easy as possible for women who have worked in technology to come back after having kids, taking a study break, or travelling the world. Embrace the hybrid working, negotiate a job-share, or consider contractors, just do what you can to remove the barriers for skilled and experienced women to step back into their career.
Actively recruit for roles with gender and ethnic diversity in mind
As leaders in the recruitment industry, we need to start by setting overall goals for representation in your recruitment strategy, and then approach the recruitment process with inclusivity in mind. Write inclusive job descriptions, widen your search to include diverse groups and pools of talent, develop an employer brand that showcases your diversity and work to create company policies that appeal to diverse candida .

By laying the foundations now it means a brighter, more diverse STEM workforce and it's in everyone’s best interests to make diversity and inclusion a core value of your organisation***:

Every 1 per cent rise in gender and ethnic diversity results in sales revenue of between 3 to 9 per cent
Ethnically diverse companies are 35 per cent more likely to outperform their less diverse counterparts
Gender diverse companies are 15 per cent more likely to outperform their less diverse counterparts

Here at Alexander James, we’re looking forward to being able to present our tech space clients a longlist of candidates where women weren’t the rarity and remain committed to helping break the bias as we find the right person for the right role.

Ngā mihi nui

*Key Facts – get-informed/techwomen.nz
**2018 Census, Statistics New Zealand
*** Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity – American Sociological Review (April 2009)

Google search result: https://www.aut.ac.nz/student-life/clubs-and-activities/women-in-technologyNew Paragraph

Those Who Came Before Us

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:46:13 GMT

It's hard to believe that just over 100 years ago women didn't have the right to vote in this country*.

It’s hard to believe that just over 100 years ago ^* , women didn’t have the ability to vote in this country. I find myself wondering about what the external views of those women who took a stand and challenged the status quo may have been.

Looking back with today’s lens, we hail them as heroes showing courage and resilience for going against the grain, but what is the modern equivalent of their action in our current corporate landscape?

More importantly, how many of us would be willing to make a stand for change, when we believe something in our heart isn’t right and how we would go about taking said stand. In any scenario, there will be extremes on both ends of the spectrum, particularly if you haven’t had the opportunity to be surrounded by role models.

I’ve always looked for role models and inspiration from people who looked and sounded like me. As a white cis female, I was luckier than so many others – at least there were role models who had blazed a trail throughout history that I could turn to, but they still felt like the exception not the rule.

After many years in an industry that can, at times, be described as masculine and egocentric, I can confidently say that I haven’t always got the balance right even though female empowerment is one of my core values. Speaking up or challenging the way things have always been done can be a lonely road, particularly if your leaders are not encouraging of diversity of thought or you lack an ally around the board room table.

Rather than focusing on an archaic view of men who were the sole decision makers and are not open to a woman’s thoughts, I chose to take a different approach. I choose to channel my energy into how I can make the journey easier for those that come after me, whether it be women, new leaders, or simply helping others navigate a situation that I have experience failing or succeeding in.

On International Women’s Day, I say "thank you" to the courageous women that have come before me and can only hope that I can do the same in making the path a little easier to those that walk behind me.

Ngā mihi nui

* Women won the right to vote in New Zealand in 1893

Talent Solution #2: Contractors

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:49:52 GMT

Next up in our series of solutions to sourcing talent, we're going to talk about contractors.

Why contractors?

Because contractors are an excellent way of securing a resource when times are tough but isn’t always considered by organisations who are more focused on finding and keeping talent in-house. By opening your search to include freelancers and contractors, you may just find the recruitment process isn’t such a never-ending nightmare.

As with so many things, Covid gave almost everyone the opportunity to sit and reflect on their life up to that point and what they wanted going forward. Unsurprisingly, a whole bunch of folks decided that their job was something that needed fixing, and stat!

Just as Jessie J sang back in 2011, “ its not about the money” proved to be true in 2020/21 when so many of us determined that feeling appreciated was as important as feeling valued. It became more about being set up to achieve a true work/life balance and knowing that our mental health and wellbeing was being factored in by our employers, rather than being knowing there’d be fresh milk in the fridge and beers on a Friday afternoon.

We experienced a dramatic shift in how we were expected to work, and while for some the work from home situation proved to be more nightmare than fantasy, a whole bunch more people understood what hybrid working opened for them and their loved ones. Practically no one wanted to be tied to their desks anymore and decisions were made that allowed more personal freedom.

For some, these personal freedoms included the decision to become a freelancer/contractor and in the year to March 2021, over 355,000 New Zealand men and women ^* were working on that basis.

Given that nearly 14% of women and 3.5% of men had made the decision to move into the self-employed/contracting space that March 2021 year, it’s entirely possible that the person you’re looking for to join your crew wants to do so but on a temporary basis.

You may be asking yourself why on earth someone would choose to walk a path of uncertainty, but it’s a win/win for you and them when you really think about it:

3 Reasons Why Contractors Are Worth Considering:

Forget Perfection
Knowing that the candidate is going to be with you on a temporary basis gives a certain amount of freedom that seeking a permanent fix doesn’t allow but doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality of skill.

Contractors or freelancers are often experts in their field which means that they can truly hit the ground running without any expectation of training or upskilling.
Flexibility for the Win
By hiring someone for a particular project, job function or timeline, there’s a flexibility there that you can’t achieve when hiring permanent staff.

By establishing and maintaining an open dialogue between yourself and the contractor, your bases are covered without much fuss because the resource is there for as long as you need them to be there.
Fixed Price
Onboarding and retaining staff requires long-term commitment while outsourcing to consultants can come with a hefty price. If you look at employing your own resource for a finite period, it’s easy to factor them into your financial forecasts.

It may be helpful to also note that the HR red tape is reduced significantly as a contractor is set up to manage their own holiday pay, KiwiSaver etc.

At Alexander James, we pride ourselves on our top shelf contractors and freelancers who have made the choice to work purely on a contract basis. We’re confident our candidates are as good as they claim to be so there’s no sacrificing quality when securing temporary talent. The only difficulty is that the contracting world is fast-paced, and the saying “if you snooze, you lose” applies.

If you’re willing to shift your mindset to accommodate this type of worker, the only question left to ponder is what took you so long.

Nga mihi nui

*143,500 women and 211,600 men working as self-employed, sole traders, independent contractors, freelancers etc. according to the Household Labour Force Survey – Stats NZ

We're All In This Together

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 08:21:48 GMT

The challenges you face by deciding to go into business are numerous and never-ending, at least that’s been our experience since our establishment over a decade ago. We’ve weathered all storms by staying true to our values and stripping back the decision-making process to these three key values:

Do the Right Thing
Treat all people with respect and compassion by doing what’s right; even when it’s not easy.

Better Together
Our unity gives us strength to succeed together

Deliver With Passion
Our customers deserve our best efforts

When bringing new people into the organisation, we recruit with these values in mind and do all that we can to ensure that our team embody these values in the workplace and beyond. Recruitment is a notoriously competitive environment and even though our Consultants and Candidate Managers strive to deliver results for our clients and candidates, they’re supportive of each other in a way that is a rarity in our industry.

Founding Directors Stuart Maxwell and Tim Slyfield were confident that the team they’d been building and developing since 2011 were solid and unified but this belief was put to the ultimate test in 2020.

When the country was put into its first Level 4 lockdown on 25 March 2020 the uncertainty and concern was felt across all industries and at all levels. Search assignments were pulled by nervous clients and our once busy desks were grinding to a halt; short-term decisions needed to be made to ensure long-term survival.

Tim and Stu knew that transparency and communication was vital so everyone within AJ was always invited to participate in discussions and decisions that affected them. It was made clear that everyone needed to be on board with any proposed plans, or there would be no implementation of any of them – that’s a big ask of 22 individuals at various ages and stages of life, but it was the only way that felt right.

The plan involved a company-wide reduction in salary and a temporary hold on any commissions, with the promise that as soon as things improved these measures would be gradually reduced until it was back to business as usual.

The decision was unanimous and instantaneous; the Alexander James and AJ Construct teams were prepared to do what was being asked of them to survive this pandemic for however long it took to see it through.

Thankfully, New Zealand is a resilient nation and the sectors we recruit for slowly but surely found their way back to being fully functional as quickly as they could. Our Consultants and Associate Consultants rose to the challenge of working from home and continued to deliver for clients, candidates and each other.

Since then, we’ve survived several lockdowns, including one that lasted 107 days, and our team is not only stronger than ever but we’re bigger than ever too!

In 2021 we welcomed nine faces into our midst, with several of them experiencing a digital on-boarding and even this didn’t negatively affect our strong team culture; in an employee engagement survey undertaken in March 2022, we scored an eNPS of +72 (employee Net Promoter Score) .

We also conducted our first ever Client Feedback Survey* in March 2022 in which we scored a Customer NPS of +80 . We used the survey as an opportunity to get a better understanding of “where to from here” so we can achieve success together, and we’re in the process of implementing some initiatives in answer to those constructive comments.

We acknowledge and appreciate that not all businesses have been as fortunate as us and they faced decisions that we’re grateful weren’t ones that we had to make, however if you’re interested in our advice on how you and your organisation can withstand a near disaster, read on.

Top 3 Tips for Withstanding the Worst:

Act Fast but With Caution
The feeling of impending doom can ignite your flight or fight instinct and while we encourage you to make decisions and take action sooner rather than later, it’s imperative that you do your research, discuss things with key stakeholders, and make your move accordingly.

It’s easier to take a more conservative approach initially and then relax those measures as things change than it is to expect your team and/or customers to absorb ongoing changes because your first initiatives weren’t enough to see you through.
Consistency and Transparency is Key
Uncomfortable it may be but being honest and showing true vulnerability to your team can help them support any tough decisions you have to make.

By delivering your message through clear communication throughout means nothing is lost in translation and everyone is on the same page at the same time. It’s okay if you need to update your message to reflect an everchanging situation but do so consistently and confidently every time.
Follow Things Through
Taking tip #2 even further, it’s disappointing when someone doesn’t say what they mean, and mean what they say and every time there’s no follow through, people are less inclined to support you going forward.

While we hope there’s not another Covid-19 situation on the horizon, we know that by continuing to do the right thing our team will be better off working together as we deliver with passion.

Ngā mihi nui

The AJ Origins Story...

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 08:21:48 GMT

The recruitment industry in Aotearoa, New Zealand is a small one. So small in fact that in the 2018 Census, only 4,500 people classified themselves as “recruitment consultants” ^* which makes our numbers three times less than the real estate industry ^** .

It makes sense that our Founding Directors Tim Slyfield and Stuart Maxwell have known each other a long time having worked in the industry for over 30 years collectively, so while it might not be uncommon for recruiters to know each other it is rare for them to be united by such a clear vision of how they want the future of recruitment to look and feel for those experiencing it.

Cast your mind back to 2010; Prince William came for a visit and opened the new Supreme Court building in Wellington, the first of the devastating Canterbury earthquakes hit in September, GST is raised to 15%, and the Pike River Mine tragedy occurs in October.

It was also the year that Tim and Stuart start floating the idea of establishing a search-based recruitment consultancy committed to partnering with clients to build long-standing, organisational-wide relationships so a more in-depth understanding of culture and employee value proposition is achieved.

Several months and conversations later, Alexander James was launched in January 2011.

Over the course of the next decade, Alexander James quietly and deliberately made their reputation for delivering outstanding recruitment solutions within the accounting & finance and technology sectors, while staying true to their vision of treating those who work with us as though they matter, because they do.

As the consultancy grew, it became part of our ethos to employ people who embodied our values and then “grow our own” so we’re walking the talk at all levels.

Side note: “grow our own” means investing in training and developing people from Associate Consultants through to Consultants, to Senior Consultants and ultimately Team Leads. For a number of years, we’d typically only hire to replace someone who had been promoted internally but as we continue to grow, our needs have changed therefore so too has our hiring requirements.

So, what are these values that we hold so dear?

Our Core Values | Nga Uara

Do The Right Thing

Treat all people with respect and compassion by doing what's right, even when it's not easy

Better Together

Our unity gives us the strength to succeed together

Deliver with Passion

Our customers deserve our best efforts

By putting the best interests of our clients, candidates and staff at the forefront of the decision-making process, it goes a long way to ensuring a clear and distinct difference between us and other recruitment consultancies. It was never the goal to be the biggest consultancy around or a consultancy with cut-throat tendencies, instead Alexander James wanted to be known for punching above our weight and delivering successful recruitment solutions by finding the right person for the right role, every time.

We’re proud of how much repeat business we continue to generate, and we love it when a client or candidate is referred to us by someone who enjoyed working with us.

There’s also something to be said for being able to retain staff for as long as we do; our longest serving member has been with us almost since Day 1, and several others will celebrate their seven years this year (2022).

We know you’ve got a number of consultancies to choose from to represent you, but we invite you to experience the AJ Way and how we’re a bit different from the rest.

Ngā mihi nui

*2018 New Zealand Census – Stats NZ

**According to the Real Estate Authority, 15,237 real estate professionals worked in New Zealand in 2020 – careers.govt.nz

Talent Solution #1: Interns

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 07:21:48 GMT

We did a quick Google Image search for “interns” and one of the top results was displaying a definition of ‘modern day slavery’.

If that’s how you view interns and internships, you’re doing it wrong.

In case you missed it, we’ve been in the middle of a talent shortage crisis but we’ve decided that instead of adding to the pile of woe we’re going to try and figure out solutions to the problem, and the first on this list is… interns!!

A much better definition of an internship is “a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student’s field of study or career interest. An internship gives the student the opportunity for career exploration and development, and to learn new skills ^* .”

This aligns with how we view internships, and even though the search results may be facetious in tone we wanted to go loud about all the reasons that internships could be embraced as a talent shortage solution.

Over the last year, we’ve taken on two interns and been stoked with how the process turned out. Both interns were in their final year of a Bachelor of Business majoring in Human Resources and were actively looking for an internship in a related field as a requirement for their course.

Part of our values is that we believe in growing our own; most of our management team and Consultants started out as Candidate Managers and gained a strong grasp on why we use a search-based methodology as well as a full understanding of the AJ Way. Our growth has always been organic in so far that when a Candidate Manager progresses up to Consultant, we fill that gap, and the cycle continues.

It was our hope that the internships would eventuate into them joining the team as a full-time Candidate Manager and really hit the ground running from Day One of their “employment”. This is exactly what happened with our first intern and our second go round is progressing in a similar fashion.

3 Reasons Why Internships Worked for Us

Pay Them
Given the level of output we were expecting and the fact that they were essentially going to be working more than full-time hours (balancing our workload as well as their Uni assignments), it would have been virtually impossible for them to maintain a part-time job for money too.

We believe in doing the right thing and we knew it would be important to invest more than just time and training so offered a fair wage that showed that we cared about their wellbeing. The smile on their face when they realised money wasn’t going to be yet another thing they had to worry about made this decision 100% worth it.
Mentor Them
We see little point in bringing someone on board only to leave them to their own devices and perform at a fraction of their capability.

Our team remembers what it’s like to be just starting out which made them more open to answering questions, explaining processes and encouraging initiative. We genuinely wanted our interns to not only succeed but see themselves staying in the recruitment industry long-term (ideally with us!!). And by delivering with passion, everyone can succeed.
Embrace Them
It would be easy to treat an intern as a temporary resource and not as a member of the team, but that’s just not how we roll.

At Alexander James we believe that we’re better together and this includes anyone who makes the choice to join our whanau. We pride ourselves on our relaxed yet enthusiastic culture, made up by people who want to be here – we absolutely want an intern to know this includes them!

Offering an internship may not work for everyone, however we recommend considering this as a way of sustaining the growth of your team and wider industry. Investing time, money and resources into the next generation of workers makes sense on so many levels, the real question is why wouldn’t you?!

Ngā mihi nui

*Career Centre, UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore City)

Going Loud | Alexander James Blog

How to: Prepare for a job interview

Landing a job interview is just the first step—preparation is key to making a lasting impression. Follow these expert tips to get ready and boost your chances of success.

1. Research the Company

2. Know the Role

3. Practice Common Interview Questions

4. Prepare Questions to ask the interviewer

5. Plan Your Outfit and Materials

6. Practice, Practice, Practice

7. Sleep Well and Arrive in Plenty of time

How To: Write A CV

Your CV needs to be an honest and authentic assessment of your work history; avoid embellishing or exaggerating your skills and experience level as these can be exposed as untruths and will undermine your genuine star power.

Top Tips for Writing a Great CV

What is Search-Based Recruitment?

We choose to use a search-based approach when recruiting candidates for roles because it reaches talent that would otherwise be missed by using reactive recruitment methods.

5 Ways Search-Based Recruitment Drives Success

Sector Spotlight | Cybersecurity

Danger, Will Robinson

The Silver Lining

Official Response

How To: Handle Rejection

If you’ve never been on the end of a “thanks but no thanks” conversation, we need to pick your brain on how to achieve unicorn status because you’re a rarity.

Feedback is a Gift

Resilience is a Virtue

Networking and Support

Adapt and Evolve

Embrace a Growth Mindset

Sector Spotlight | STEM

As someone who has been around longer than Google, it’s safe to say that we’re living in an era known for its technological advancements and rapid scientific progress. Things are faster and more convenient than ever before which I’m grateful for.

How to Protect the Future of STEM

Industry Insights: Women in Construction

Aotearoa New Zealand is a magical place. If you travel an hour in any direction, you’ll find either an ancient forest, a rugged coastline (or picturesque beach), or a damn good barista-made coffee.

Progress Makes Perfect

Breaking Biases

Trailblazing Initiatives

The Perks of Being a Ground Breaker

We might be small, but we're mighty.

Three Ways We Challenged the Status Quo

Walking the Talk: Hiring Rangatahi

Case Study | The Tauriko Story

A state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in the beautiful Bay of Plenty needed a whole new workforce ready to service it when it was time to go.

How To: Negotiate a Job Offer

Have you ever heard the saying, "if you don't ask, the answer is always no"?

Tips & Tricks for Negotiating a Job Offer

How To: Interview

Use every interview as an opportunity to shine, showcase your skills, and stand out for all the right reasons – and remember, that practice makes perfect.

The Dos:

The Don'ts

How To: Raise Profile

These days a headhunting scenario isn’t all that rare, but what can you do to raise your profile in a way that increases your chances of making that happen? We’ve broken it down into some easy steps using LinkedIn that can increase your chances of success (whatever that looks like for you).

Top Tips for Raising Your Profile on LinkedIn

Open Minded Recruitment

Safety First

The recruitment industry has been targeted as easy pickings for scammers because hopeful people can make easy targets. There's even a disclaimer on SEEK job ads advising not to give over your bank account details as part of a job application.

Fake Job Ads

How To: Build a Career CFO Edition

As recruiters, we know that your career path can be as individual as your fingerprint, but we also know that if a C-suite role is your ultimate goal, there are some strategic steps you can take that will help you get you there.

Six Steps Towards the CFO Role

Talent Solution #3: Parents Returning to Work

Did you know that according to the 2018 Census * , there are more mums in paid employment than ever before?

Three Ways to Support Parents Back Into Work:

What Is Recruitment?

At a meeting with a potential job seeker, the question was posed... "what does a recruitment consultant actually do?"

Why bother with a recruitment consultant?

Women in Tech | Breaking the Bias

Hands up who’s heard of Margaret Hamilton?

Four Ways to Break the Gender Bias in the Technology Sector:

Those Who Came Before Us

It's hard to believe that just over 100 years ago women didn't have the right to vote in this country*.

Talent Solution #2: Contractors

Next up in our series of solutions to sourcing talent, we're going to talk about contractors.

3 Reasons Why Contractors Are Worth Considering:

We're All In This Together

Top 3 Tips for Withstanding the Worst:

The AJ Origins Story...

Our Core Values | Nga Uara

Talent Solution #1: Interns

3 Reasons Why Internships Worked for Us

Did you know that according to the 2018 Census ^* , there are more mums in paid employment than ever before?