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: 12th July 2024​Let’s face it, the market is tough out there right now. But there is still work to be done. Whether it’s getting through to year-end, budgeting for next year, implementing a restructure, or carrying out a new system implementation, there is always a need for skilled and experienced people. While full-time employees remain essential, when uncertainty enters the economic outlook, there is typically a trend towards engaging contractors for the flexibility and agility contractors can provide. In the Accounting and Finance space here at Beyond Recruitment, we are seeing more organisations look for ways to access talent while they carefully manage their resources. The benefits of hiring contractors are tangible and measurable – so we’ll explain in detail the difference they can make to your business. Ultimate FlexibilityOne of the most effective and simple ways to handle fluctuations in your workload is to hire temp staff. There will be times when your organisation needs to quickly build a team to meet demand during peak periods, audits, or new projects – or perhaps after a few resignations. Another underrated aspect of engaging contractors is that you can address issues arising from excess overtime. When your team is short-staffed, you run the risk of decreasing morale and productivity, as well as mental health and wellbeing issues. Adding a contractor to your team could significantly alleviate the workload and aid with the long-term retention of permanent employees.Reduce a Range of Business CostsStaffing expenses like holiday pay, sick leave and parental leave can add up fast – and put a damper on momentum during a critical growth (or survival) phase for your business. Paying temporary workers only for the hours they worked is a sensible way to keep costs under control, more so during periods of uncertainty. If you’re engaging a New Zealand agency to hire temp staff, costs like payroll tax, workcover insurance and administrative expenses will already be covered. Salaries aren’t the only area you can shave expenses from – there are other additional overheads associated with permanent employees in the form of office space, rent and utilities. With a flexible headcount, you can make easier decisions about office leases, equipment and other operational expenses.Access Vetted and Specialised SkillsGaining access to specialist skill sets is among the major benefits of hiring contractors in every industry. Virtually every organisation we encounter has skills gaps, which are often persistent and difficult to hire permanent employees for. Using contractors will bring well-developed skills to your teams and projects that may not be available within the company's full-time workforce.By hiring temp staff, you can bring in people who can work with minimal supervision. For example, a tech company developing a new software product might need a senior cybersecurity expert on board. The Contractor Hiring Process is FasterInstead of undergoing a lengthy hiring process and managing salary negotiations with an agency, you can quickly onboard a contractor at an hourly or day rate. The contractor hiring process has a much shorter lead time and is less likely to involve notice periods. As we carefully screen every contractor, you won’t need to spend time on background checks, such as criminal history, reference checks and work rights vetting.Risk MitigationContractors can help you reduce the risks associated with hiring full-time employees during leaner times when restructuring might be on the horizon. If your business experiences a downturn and redundancies become necessary, downsizing a temporary workforce will result in fewer financial obligations and the potential for legal claims. Additionally, temporary hires allow you to avoid the risks associated with a mistake hire. Hiring an unsuitable employee for a perm role can get quite expensive and time-consuming to rectify – not to mention the paying out of their leave entitlements. Innovation and Fresh PerspectivesContractors can bring fresh perspectives and ideas, having typically worked with multiple companies across different industries. With a fresh pair of eyes, they can identify areas for improvement, enhance process efficiency, and introduce new concepts that can drive innovation and growth. We’ve seen contractors act as catalysts for improved productivity in organisations. Their presence can encourage existing teams to engage in creative problem-solving. By sharing their experiences and knowledge, contractors can help build a more innovative and collaborative company culture.Find Contractors Now with a Premier New Zealand Recruitment AgencyHiring skilled temporary or contract professionals enables you to maintain a high-quality workforce and adapt swiftly to changing business needs, ensuring that you always have the right skills and talent on hand.I regularly work with exceptional contractors, and I'd love to discuss how they could benefit your organisation. Please feel free to reach out to me directly at 021 469 750 or contact the Beyond Recruitment team today.

Published Date: 13th March 2024​Welcome to the world of performance reporting, talented teams of Planning and Reporting Advisors, Performance Analysts, Corporate or Organisational Strategic Planners play pivotal public sector roles.In a time when transparency and trust in government are a growing challenge, public sector accountability reporting plays a crucial part in upholding the principles of good governance in New Zealand.Let’s delve into this category of public sector jobs, its importance, challenges, and the career opportunities it presents for those ready to make a meaningful impact.What Do Performance Reporting Roles Involve?Performance reporting positions often contain ‘performance and planning’ in their job title. Performance and planning advisors are tasked with analysing the inner workings and performance of public service functions and creating reports based on their findings. They are responsible for identifying how an organisation is meeting its objectives, what services are being delivered and how, and the outcomes of public service activities. Unlike the finance department, performance reporting is responsible for evaluating the entire performance of a government organisation, not just the balance sheet. It is a performance and planning advisor’s job to inform department leaders where things are going well and what isn’t going well, and make recommendations accordingly. The work is cyclical, with quarterly milestones in place to produce major annual reports.As performance reporting is mandatory for most organisations within the public service, OP&P jobs are typically in the domain of a Planning and Performance team within a government department. The Auditor-General (OAG), Audit New Zealand and the Treasury are examples of departments that provide guidance and manage performance reporting for a range of government entities, although most organisations have an internal performance reporting function as well. Critical Skills for Performance Reporting JobsA performance and planning advisor’s job description might sound somewhat mild on paper, but it is in fact a role that requires the highest level of communication and soft skills – relationship building, diplomacy, tact, discretion, and ultimately, the power of persuasion. As a performance reporting professional, you are both an analyst and someone who has the mana to positively influence leaders. You're extracting information out of organisational departments, and then weaving it all together to tell the story of the organisation’s performance.It’s a role for critical thinkers who can build trust and credibility in their relationships throughout an organisation. Your ability to look at the micro and macro is essential for identifying trends, challenges and opportunities. OP&P differs from the traditional career pathway you might expect for other public sector jobs. With a strong emphasis on soft skills, we find professionals who excel in these positions come from a variety of backgrounds. ​The Opportunities and Benefits of a Performance Reporting Career In a time when concerns are growing about job security, performance and planning jobs make for a stable and fulfilling career within New Zealand’s public sector. These positions, which are mostly offered on a permanent basis, provide unique opportunities for individuals with the right skill set to make a meaningful impact. They are critical government jobs for upholding transparency, integrity, and ethical standards within the public service. ​By ensuring accurate and timely reporting on organisations’ activities and performance, these public sector jobs are vital for maintaining public trust and confidence in government institutions. As a performance and planning advisor, you’re a source of reliable data and insights to government officials and stakeholders. Additionally, you get to work on a diverse range of projects and engage with leaders and stakeholders across the organisation. Your role typically involves various tasks related to improving organisational effectiveness, efficiency, and strategic decision-making.A role that promotes good governance and accountability can provide you with a strong sense of purpose and fulfilment in your work. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact on society, knowing that your efforts contribute to upholding democratic principles, fostering transparency, and ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly can be deeply rewarding.Recruitment Challenges in the Public SectorDespite performance reporting being a key public sector job, government departments do struggle to hire talent for these roles. Perhaps the opportunity presented by these jobs is underappreciated. Another challenge is retaining staff long-term and growing them through roles of different levels on this career path. As performance reporting follows a strict cyclical timeline, professionals in these positions cite that repetition as a reason they become disengaged after a while, leading to retention issues for some departments. Talk to New Zealand Recruitment Experts in Planning and PerformancePerformance reporting expertise is a hot commodity for New Zealand government jobs right now. For those with the right skill set and a desire to make a difference, these roles can be immensely rewarding and fulfilling career paths. We expect demand for these professionals to remain robust in the coming years. If you’re searching for a government career path that aligns with your values, uses your communication skills effectively, and contributes to the greater good for Aotearoa’s citizens, look no further. Contact us today for more information on how we can connect you with performance reporting jobs or help build your planning and performance team.