Meet the Team

Published Date: 2nd October 2024​We recently caught up with Amanda King at NZ Post, who, less than two years ago, was a Senior Communications Advisor and is now an Organisational Development Lead. With Communications job opportunities significantly reduced in these challenging times, I thought you’d be interested in hearing the story of her successful career transition. With Amanda’s comms background, who better to tell the story than Amanda herself?Please give us a brief overview of your communications career and the areas of communications that you enjoy the most.I’ve worked in communications-related roles for most of my career. At school and university, I studied Arts – majoring in English and Film and Media. I’ve always loved telling stories and writing, so I was delighted to begin a career in communications. I started out in Central Government in 2008 in a graduate Communications Adviser role for 18 months, dabbling in writing, editing, planning and media monitoring and analysis. But my first role was cut short when I was made redundant along with the rest of our team as part of wider government funding cuts and a focus on reducing ‘spin doctors’ in the public service. The Wellington comms market in early 2010 was not great for a ‘new-to-role’ adviser, so I took the opportunity to travel for a few months and then move to Melbourne, where I quickly got a role at the Department of Primary Industries. This was a major career moment for me and where I figured out what I could handle in terms of the unexpected. I went straight into supporting comms for a major Biosecurity incident (locust plague anyone?) for a year, which required travelling around rural Victoria. It was a high-profile campaign, and I worked with the most amazing leaders who supported me to learn on the job. After the plague, I moved on to a variety of contract roles at the DPI, where I gained experience in media, social media, and internal communications.I then travelled again for six months and moved to London, where I worked for a large Cancer Support charity for four years – progressing from a Senior Strategic Comms Adviser to the Strategic Comms Manager, leading a team including internal comms. I’ve always had a passion for connecting and engaging with an internal audience as an advocate for the brand and reputation of a business. I left the UK for a bit more travel (there’s a theme here…) to return to New Zealand, where I took on the role of Comms Manager at a Crown entity leading a small team. In this role, I gained more experience in external comms, including media and stakeholder engagement and marketing campaign activity, as well as great exposure to how the Board operate and the wider government and political landscape.My role was disestablished while I was on parental leave, so I took the opportunity to reassess my new situation as a working parent and chose to return to a Senior Comms Adviser role. I joined NZ Post 4 days a week when my daughter was one – six weeks later, COVID hit. NZ Post, like many companies, went through major disruption. Comms needed to play a key role in connecting our people, helping them feel supported and safe and clear on what was happening, when, and why. I got exposure to many parts of the business through months of incident calls – it was a critical experience for me in terms of learning about our business and building relationships with many teams and leaders in a high-pressure environment.Looking back, those massive learning curves of new roles, new countries, and life changes exposed me to being uncomfortable. It’s helped build some resilience in myself and my approach to managing ambiguity and change, with some confidence that it will eventually be ok and that I will be able to navigate a different path. I’ve gone through two rounds of redundancy, and it’s not a nice experience – but it has made me stronger and made me clearer on what it is that I can contribute to make things happen and make a difference. I’ve learned I like big organisations, I like to work as part of a team, and I like to create and make things that help and support people to achieve more. That has translated well into my work in the People space.How did the job offer for a completely different specialisation come about?Three years (and another round of parental leave) later, our General Manager for Talent from the People team observed some work I was doing to explore how we best attract business owners to a new model we were looking to test in our delivery network. He was looking to fill a role focused on Talent Management for 12 months. He approached me to see if I’d be interested in applying for a secondment as he believed I had the right transferable skills to set me up for success in that role.What was your initial reaction to the proposed change?Initially, I wasn’t interested, and I didn’t think I had any of the right skills. I didn’t understand what talent management meant…so I started to explore the opportunity. I read. I listened to podcasts. I found companies and case studies that were doing interesting stuff in the space. I spoke with colleagues who had exposure to the field from previous workplaces and from within my company. I met with our Chief People Officer, with two other People GMs and I leaned on my networks to get an understanding of what was possible. What made you decide to make your career move?After a lot of talking and researching, I decided to get over myself and thought – ‘what’s the worst that can happen from taking on an opportunity to learn something new?’ I figured if someone was telling me they saw some potential in me to try something different and that I could do it and be supported to do it – then why not give it a go? So, I applied, interviewed and was successful in the secondment application. Nine months later, I applied for a permanent role in the People Experience team and am now an Organisational Development Lead.How have your skills in comms benefited your role in OD?There are loads of skills I’ve mastered through a career in comms that have helped me in this role.Comms has always helped me stay curious – and that helps when approaching anything new. Being able to articulate a solid vision, execute a strategy and bring people along on the journey are also key skills I’ve learned through comms.Going back to the basics of a good comms plan was a helpful starting point for working out my direction e.g. - defining the context (problem and opportunity), the organisational objectives, the key audiences, risks and issues and then following through on the delivery of a plan. Instigating new research and looking for existing evidence to help explore a problem and figure out where to go next is another great carryover from my comms days. I found my collaboration and relationship-building skills to be well-utilised in my new role. As a comms adviser, I could spot things that needed to be joined up – teams that needed to be engaged and brought in, and I made that happen. In addition to comms skills – I’ve realised that working on myself also plays a big role. So, keeping my mindset open and focused on learning and growth has helped me deal with setbacks and remain optimistic about the future. Being able to learn and apply that to new situations is a great skill to master, and change is a good opportunity to put that into practice. You need to work hard, though, to push through everything you need to learn – 18 months into this role, I look back and can’t believe what I’ve been able to do and what I’ve learned, and I’ve taken some big breaks to rest my brain so I can keep going.What do you love most about your role in OD?I feel that OD has really played to my strengths. I’m a very positive person, and I love to explore problems and design solutions that focus on helping others realise their potential. I get to support leaders in considering how they can get the best out of their teams and each other. And I get to be creative in my messaging and delivery to bring the work to life across NZ Post. So much of what I do is about story-telling and helping people understand what great looks like. What challenges did you experience with the change and how did you overcome them?I felt imposter syndrome very quickly. Would people be questioning why I’m in the role all the time? I had a very supportive leader who coached me through this transition, and I don’t think I would have had or taken the opportunity without someone observing me in action and knowing what I was capable of.Another change I’ve had to adjust to is setting the work plan and then delivering that – the role covers strategy and design as well as delivery, but I’m the subject matter expert. In comms, there’s often a team working on something that needs comms support that you can bounce off. In my role, I’m often bouncing with myself, which can be tricky and a bit lonely. I’ve started to approach people from other companies as well as my peers in the People and OD team to ensure I create a community of practice. Any advice to others who may be looking to make a change?Look at what your strengths are and become really good at making those show up in how you interact with others and the work you produce. Reflect on your own career highs and lows and think about what roles you’ve done that have made you feel great and why – and what roles made you feel like you weren’t and why. Get feedback from multiple sources about where you can improve and what they think you’d be good at to get some data points to help you navigate possible options. I’ve really enjoyed a UK-based company called Amazing If, who wrote the Squiggly Career – that book and their podcasts and materials are awesome for considering where you could go in your own career.Career change inspirationAmanda King’s journey is a powerful reminder of the value of transferable skills, resilience and embracing change. By staying curious, tapping into her communications expertise and maintaining a growth mindset, she successfully transitioned into a new field. Her story encourages professionals to reflect on their strengths, embrace opportunities for growth – and remain open to unexpected career paths. If you are currently treading a career change path or are considering your next steps, or already know what you want in your next role, get in touch with the Beyond Recruitment team today – we’d love to help you.

Published Date: 30th September 2024​Given the current job market, which features a higher level of restructuring activity, maintaining good relationships is critical for the long-term success of both hiring and finding a job. Relationships, however, are being somewhat marginalised in favour of a reactive approach to hiring when hiring managers who are under pressure are tempted to rush through the recruitment process. Not only is a rushed process more likely to lead to the wrong hire, but it also makes life challenging for candidates as well. Briefing a recruiter effectively isn’t a one-off task; it’s part of an ongoing mutual exchange between hiring managers and recruiters.Understanding how collaboration with recruiters works can help hiring managers find the excellent people they want for their team and help job seekers understand where they stand in the application process. I’ll explain why trust is the critical element at the heart of it all. Transactional Recruitment is Hurting Hiring ManagersAs recruiters, our work involves much more than finding a few candidates and presenting them to hiring managers. Before that, we do the research to understand your team, your work, and your goals to help you find the right talent. This approach benefits both employers and candidates.You may be surprised at how often the partnership between the hiring manager and recruiter goes off track when the legwork and thorough screening aren't done upfront. We’re seeing a lot of transactional recruitment because organisations are rushing to fill roles, resulting in poor hires.A transactional recruitment process typically starts with a limited brief and an urgent turnaround time, which can make recruitment feel like an afterthought. There's a lack of upfront information, forcing us to guess what the hiring manager really needs, especially when they aren’t clear themselves. … and the Candidate Experience is SufferingTransactional recruitment without strong relationships often leads to a hidden issue for organisations: a poor candidate experience.Many organisations are simply failing to respond to job applications, let alone give feedback – and it leaves a really bad impression. This issue is especially relevant now, given the current job market. Hiring managers are inundated with hundreds of applications and simply don’t have the time to filter and process them. As recruiters, it’s our responsibility to uphold the reputation of our clients by ensuring a positive candidate experience. Otherwise, it becomes a reputational risk for employers – especially in smaller communities like Wellington, where word spreads quickly. We are ultimately brand ambassadors for employers.When employers bring us in from the start, hand off the recruitment process, and trust us to manage it until it’s time to make the final decision, candidates receive the high-touch communication they need.Briefing a Recruiter Requires TrustCommunication and time are key to elevating your relationship with a recruiter from transactional to consultative. For any organisation hiring senior and specialist talent, being proactive will win out over being reactive every time. In practice, that means engaging with your recruiter before an urgent hiring need arises, even with casual coffee catch-ups. These informal interactions are what give hiring managers more breathing space to determine their priorities and build a genuine relationship with their recruiter. To make it work, maintaining a single point of contact is ideal. Having a single recruiter oversee your recruitment process ensures that their accountability is clear from start to finish. You’ll get greater focus and commitment, leading to higher-quality placements.With a well-established bond, the next step is to develop a job brief that has everyone on the same page. Adding a little more detail into a brief and allowing the recruiter enough time to manage the process thoroughly (e.g., a week to advertise and a week to screen) will maximise the chances of hiring an excellent candidate.Working with a Recruiter to Find a JobFor job seekers, building a relationship with your recruiter is just as important. When you are signed up to a New Zealand recruitment specialist you can trust, you will have opportunities to discuss your professional skills and goals so we can connect you with the right position. Make the most of them! Keep in mind that we don’t just present one candidate to an employer because we think they’re a great fit. Instead, we run a full, structured process, testing competencies to ensure everyone has a fair chance to secure the role.When working with us, you’ll be given a clear timeframe of the recruitment process, and what to expect for interviews and feedback. It’s a more structured and transparent process. Final ThoughtsUltimately, trust is the critical element in successfully filling a role. Hiring managers need to trust that their recruiter not only understands the technical requirements of the role but also listens carefully to their broader business needs, even picking up on nuances that may not be explicitly stated.We understand recruiters sometimes have a reputation for being pushy, but that’s not the reality for those of us who are true consultants. When you are working with a reputable New Zealand recruitment agency, we are partnering with you – not flicking over resumes!How We Can Help To add the human touch to your search for talent or for your next role, working with a respected New Zealand recruitment agency like Beyond Recruitment will give you more than a transaction – and get you a positive result that lasts.If you need help with hiring for your team, get in touch with me or the team at Beyond Recruitment. We will work hard to build a strong relationship with you, helping you make the right hire whilst providing an excellent candidate experience.

Published Date: 22nd August 2024 ​If you had told me last year that I would be switching from a career in Marketing and Communications to being a Client Manager across Technology, Transformation, & Digital, I would have thought that jump was nearly impossible for me. As a woman new to the tech scene in Wellington, I definitely had my doubts about whether I would cut it in the industry. What I found got me through was the positive reinforcement from my friends, colleagues, and family, who believed in me and my curiosity to keep learning and building up my core foundation of tech industry knowledge. Now, three months into my new role, I absolutely love it and feel like I made a great career move. Because of this, I want to encourage more women to take the leap and get involved in Technology, Transformation, & Digital opportunities in New Zealand. This blog explores the New Zealand perspective of Women in Tech.New Zealand, known for its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, is also emerging as a dynamic hub for Technology, Transformation & Digital innovation. Among the driving forces behind this rise are some incredible women shaping the industry. Their contributions are not only transforming the tech landscape but also redefining the role of women in a field historically dominated by men. The art of empowering Women to join the technology sector can happen in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as the act of encouragement and positive reinforcement from hiring managers, colleagues, friends, and family.The Growing Presence of Women in TechIn recent years, the presence of women in New Zealand’s technology sector has grown significantly but is still hugely gender imbalanced. This shift is reflected in various initiatives to foster female participation and leadership. Organisations such as Women in Tech New Zealand and TechWomen are pivotal in creating platforms for women to connect, collaborate, and champion gender diversity within the industry.The rise of women in technology roles is evident in the increasing number of female-led startups and tech companies making waves on both local and international stages. Women like Kristy Fairbairn, co-founder of the innovative agri-tech company AgriDigital, and Melodie Bender, the CEO of Echelon, are not just participating in the tech revolution but driving it.Transforming the Industry from WithinTransformation within the technology sector extends beyond just technological advancements. It involves reshaping organisational cultures and practices to be more inclusive and supportive of women. New Zealand companies are increasingly embracing this transformation by implementing policies and practices designed to promote gender equality.For instance, many tech firms now prioritise diversity in their hiring processes, ensuring that women are equally represented in technical roles and leadership positions. Companies like Xero and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare are leading by example, not only in their commitment to diversity but also in creating environments where women can thrive. Trade Me is another big player in New Zealand that promotes and supports women in tech leadership roles with various initiatives. They recognise that only 27% of the New Zealand tech industry is made up of women, and it's apparent that more needs to be done to attract and retain female talent and see the value in investing in that.Digital Innovation and Female LeadershipDigital innovation in New Zealand is supported by visionary female leaders who are making significant impacts across various sectors. Women in executive roles are driving digital transformation strategies that are not only improving business outcomes but also enhancing user experiences.Take, for example, Sarah Putt, the Editor of TechDay, who has been influential in highlighting the successes and challenges of women in tech through her journalism. Similarly, Dr Michelle Dickinson, founder of Nanogirl Labs, is at the forefront of promoting STEM education and digital literacy among young women, ensuring that the next generation is well-prepared to enter the tech field.Challenges and OpportunitiesDespite the progress, challenges remain. Women in technology often face barriers such as gender bias, pay gaps and limited access to mentorship and career development opportunities. However, New Zealand is addressing these challenges through a variety of initiatives.Programs like Tech Futures Lab offer training and support specifically designed to help women navigate and advance in the tech industry. Events such as Women in Tech NZ’s annual conference also provide valuable networking opportunities and professional development workshops.The Future Looks BrightThe future for women in Technology, Transformation & Digital in New Zealand is promising. As more women take on leadership roles and drive innovation, they are setting new standards and creating a more inclusive and dynamic tech ecosystem. The ongoing efforts to address gender disparities and promote diversity are paving the way for a more equitable future.In conclusion, women in New Zealand are making remarkable strides in Technology, Transformation & Digital fields. Their achievements and leadership are not only contributing to the success of their organisations but also inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in technology. However, the biggest thing that needs to change in order to achieve this is our collective attitudes about women in technology. To hiring managers, you have an opportunity to honour the contribution women bring to the industry and can offer equal remuneration market rates and opportunities to all genders with no bias. This encourages women to be more fairly represented in the technology industry, which is growing faster than any other in the world. As the industry continues to evolve, the role of women will undoubtedly become even more central to its ongoing success and innovation across Technology, Transformation & Digital in New Zealand.Partner with the Premier New Zealand Recruitment AgencyReach out to our team today for support in growing your team. At Beyond Recruitment, we can help you identify and hire exceptional talent within Technology, Transformation & Digital through our comprehensive recruitment solutions. Contact us today to find out more.

Published Date: 21st August 2024As part of our series on artificial intelligence in recruitment, we’re exploring the areas where AI has the potential to elevate the standards of recruitment and to undermine them. We’ve previously highlighted the bias risks that AI can create within the recruitment process, but can organisations actually use it for good? The answer might be yes – if you tread carefully and understand your requirements before diving in. We’ll highlight the areas where AI can be used to make recruiting more human and, by extension, help build more diverse and inclusive workforces. Personalised Communication with Jobseekers Arguably the best current use case for artificial intelligence in recruitment is its ability to manage communications with job applicants at scale. Many hiring managers are already struggling to respond to job applications within reasonable timeframes, especially with the number of applications per role rising significantly in recent times. In these conditions, candidate experience can take a hit, potentially damaging a company’s reputation as an employer. Software that updates candidates about the status of their job applications by email is one way to cut down all that time spent on responding to people – which can quickly get out of hand with dozens of applications coming in. Other companies have taken the idea one step further by using AI-powered chatbots on their websites to provide instant responses to jobseeker queries. Another use of AI is to send alerts to candidates in your ATS database about new job vacancies that may suit their profile. These are useful ways of engaging with jobseekers and applicants outside of business hours, especially for younger generations who prefer texting to phone calls.Interview SchedulingOrganising interviews that fit into the schedule of the hiring manager, HR and the candidate can be a time-consuming process all by itself. One of the more convenient uses of AI is to automate this process, allowing candidates to choose convenient times and reducing the back-and-forth of email exchanges.Good quality AI-powered tools can effectively manage conflicting appointments and automatically send updates about interview schedules, ensuring that your candidates are informed and well-prepared.Identifying Transferrable SkillsMost modern applicant tracking systems have resume screening features that can highlight potentially suitable applicants based on keyword analysis. Setting keyword filters that are too strict can hinder your search for good candidates. A global study by Harvard Business School found that 88% of employers said qualified, highly skilled candidates are often vetted out of the selection process because they do not match the exact criteria in the job description.However, it’s possible to buck this trend. Depending on how you set ATS filters, you could identify not just candidates who tick all the boxes with their qualifications and previous job titles but also those who have transferrable skill sets. To make this work, it’s important to put some thought into what keywords can capture transferrable skills that might not be found in a typical job description for a role. Bias ReductionWe’ve explored the bias-related risks of AI in detail in our previous blog, but it’s worth noting that AI tools can also work in reverse to reduce bias.AI tools can scan resumes and anonymise candidate information, such as names (ethnicity), gender, or date of birth, creating ‘blind’ resumes. This approach can be helpful in streamlining resume screening without introducing unconscious bias.Automating this process enables hiring managers to focus their efforts on more nuanced aspects of candidate evaluation, like cultural fit and specific skill sets. Managing the Risks of AI Recruiting Tools Use SafeguardsBefore your organisation uses artificial intelligence tools in recruiting activities that involve filtering resumes or assessing candidates in any way, it’s essential to have safeguards in place. In practice, safeguards would include explicit company policies about how AI is used in the recruitment process and monitoring the outcomes of the hiring process involving AI. As researchers have noted, ‘while the vendors of [AI] tools may conduct internal testing and auditing, the results are often not publicly available. Independent external auditing is rare’. The onus is on your organisation to ensure AI isn’t distorting the recruitment process and raising legal risks around discrimination.Be TransparentCandidates are likely to appreciate transparency about the AI tools your organisation is using to communicate with them and screen their resumes. It’s best to be upfront about this, as candidates can easily spot where AI is being used. Evaluate Why AI is NecessaryPlenty of organisations have fallen into the trap of adopting technology simply because it appears impressive – the phenomenon often referred to as "shiny object syndrome." Acquiring new tech tools won’t help you identify weaknesses in your recruitment process, which often stem from human practices. Working with human recruiters with years of experience is the most efficient way to address your unique needs.Remember the ‘Human’ in the ProcessAI can potentially liberate us from time-consuming administrative tasks and speed up hiring, which is a benefit for organisations and provides a smoother experience for candidates. However, it’s still essential to keep candidates at the centre of recruitment. Candidates ultimately prefer interacting with humans who can help them feel understood and supported through the hiring process.At Beyond Recruitment, we take pride in bringing a sensitive and nuanced touch to our services to clients and candidates. Holding fast to our diversity and inclusion principles, we take care to understand the unique needs of your business and team culture to find the best talent. Please get in touch with our New Zealand recruitment team to find people who can’t be identified by software.