Rachel MacDonald

Recruitment certainly has its challenges and is not for everyone But the reward? ..... It’s transformative - for businesses, candidates, and careers. 🪄 Recently, I received this feedback from a HRD that was unexpected, and of course, it totally made my day and gave me a little pep in my step 😊 This is why I love what I do. Recruitment isn’t about ticking boxes or chasing quick wins, for me it’s about: ✅ Finding the right person - It’s more than matching skills on paper. I focus on aligning candidates with your culture, vision, and goals. ✅ Understanding the market - Applications might seem lower than before, but this goes beyond the surface. Did you know: 👉 Job ads in Australia remain high, yet applications per ad have fallen for the first time in two years (SEEK). 👉 49% of professionals are open to new opportunities but prefer the right role to find them (LinkedIn). This isn’t because talent isn’t out there - it’s because candidates value meaningful relationships & honesty. They’re not actively applying; they’re working, and they’re tired of receiving calls that don’t add value or from multiple recruiters trying to sell them the same role without first understanding what they are looking for. ✅ Building trust Recruitment is a long game, one built on relationships and integrity. I take time to understand my candidates’ motivations and guide my clients through the landscape - not just with data but with genuine expertise. Too often, recruitment gets a bad rap. 🚨 With 60% of Australian companies reporting dissatisfaction due to poor communication and a lack of alignment with their needs (employment hero). And let’s not forget job ads. Effective recruitment ads must balance employer branding with a compelling candidate-focused message. Many ads fail because they are overloaded with technical requirements or lack clarity about the role's purpose, deterring candidates That’s not how I work. I partner with my clients, sitting on the same side of the table, offering a consultative approach to help them navigate these challenges. And with my candidates, I provide transparency, ensuring they feel heard and supported at every step. If you’re ready for an honest, collaborative, and impactful approach to recruitment, let’s connect. Together, we can build teams that don’t just fit but thrive. ✨ Leading change for people, through people #Recruitment #Partnerships #Trust #Manufacturing #Careers

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Sorciety's latest Recruitment Insights have been released. Market trends, Salary Guide & the latest insights from the Australian Recruitment Market. Drop a 👍 👏 💜 , Comment "Yes" or send me a message and I'll send you a copy! Chris Perdikis

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Curious about how to attract and retain the Gen Z workforce? Check out our latest article, where we dive into what makes this generation tick and how you can create a workplace that appeals to their values and expectations. From embracing technology to fostering inclusivity, discover key strategies to build a dynamic and engaged team. Read more: https://ow.ly/xXkK50SUnjz #GenZWorkforce #AttractingTalent #AimBig

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Exit interviews aren't just a formality, they’re a goldmine for valuable insights. At AimBig Employment, we believe in learning from every employee’s departure. Discover how we use exit interviews to enhance our workplace and culture. Read More: https://ow.ly/W2CH50SUnjn #ExitInterviews #EmployeeFeedback #WorkplaceImprovement

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READY, SET …. RECRUIT!! So conference season in talent acquisition has come to an end for another year. Kudos to Rich Lewis-Jones of SmartRecruiters & Jo Vohland Trevor Vas of ATC - Talent Acquisition Events & Media for fantastic events in Melbourne this week & last. Both #HSAPAC2024 & #ATC2024 were, to use a Melbourne term, “grouse”. There was a treasure trove of content shared over 3 days. Topics such as #artificialintelligence, #skillsbasedhiring and talent intelligence were front & centre. As was technology, how it’s used, how it’s deployed, what’s the business case & how do we know it’s successful. So much to consider can be heading spinning & disorienting. The eternal question for #talentacquisition leaders is “With so much to consider, where do I start?” I know this is the eternal question because I heard it asked numerous times by audience members of the presenters during the two conferences. “What advice would you give in regards to getting started on (INSERT ISSURE HERE)?” Something struck me at these conferences when this question was asked. The case studies & presenters I found most impressive had variations on the same answer. That being - “JUST START!!” “GET GOING AND WORK IT OUT AS YOU GO!!” “SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BUILD THE PLANE WHILE FLYING IT!!” The ancient military strategist Sun Tzu said “Opportunities multiply as they are taken.” Confucius spoke of the longest journey starting with a single step. It’s my opinion this millenniums old wisdom has real application for TA professionals in 2024. Of course not everything can be changed without assistance, sign off or agreement from the wider business, but there are areas where incremental enhancements can be shown. Done well, these can deliver real business impact elevating the TA function’s prominence & perceived value. Opening up those larger projects that require wider business sign off on the basis of your newly displayed credibility. I thought Allen Russell’s presentation on talent intelligence was a superb example of this. I don’t see taking action as asking for forgiveness rather than permission, more it is about having the courage to see yourself as a genuine subject matter expert capable of taking your broader business on a journey of understanding. Show them what you already know - how transformative seemingly small but proactive first steps can be with regards to talent. As the great Paul Kelly warbles “From little things, big things grow.” Thank you to both sets of conference organisers for their efforts in elevating the value of our profession over the last week & a half.

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✅ Constant Updates: Stay informed every step of the way. I make it a priority to keep you in the loop throughout the entire process. ✅ Market Expertise: With a keen understanding of market conditions, I ensure your recruitment needs are met effectively. ✅ Candidate-Centric Approach: Your priorities and concerns matter. I take the time to understand them, ensuring a tailored recruitment experience. Ready to experience recruitment excellence? Let's connect! #Recruitment #ClientSatisfaction

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✅ Constant Updates: Stay informed every step of the way. I make it a priority to keep you in the loop throughout the entire process. ✅ Market Expertise: With a keen understanding of market conditions, I ensure your recruitment needs are met effectively. ✅ Candidate-Centric Approach: Your priorities and concerns matter. I take the time to understand them, ensuring a tailored recruitment experience. Ready to experience recruitment excellence? Let's connect! #Recruitment #ClientSatisfaction

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What a great week in Sydney it's been, highlighted by some great meetings showcasing our Performance product on Recruiter Insider. The feedback has been brilliant and as of Monday our Performance product will be Live! Every agency (No ATS integration required) can use our Performance product that includes: - 22 job types with an aligned competency framework - Set your company values for your employees to be reviewed against - 360 degree feedback where employees provide feedback (anonymously) aligned to their manager - Colleague feedback where employees can leave feedback for a colleague aligned to a Company Value - One Percenters - Each employee can set up to 3 Marginal Gains to focus on to improve continuously throughout the year - Probation Reviews aligned to Competency Framework for employees role And there is more to come! Get in touch with me to check it out.

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🔍 Navigating the New Zealand Recruitment Landscape: For Employers and Employees 🔍 Reflecting on the past three months in the New Zealand recruitment market, it's clear that we've been navigating through a period of significant change and adaptation. From shifts in candidate preferences to evolving employer needs, the landscape has been dynamic and challenging. Some of the key things we have been seeing are: 💥Challenges & Market Volatility: Businesses going through change and reductions creating a spike in candidates available so competition is fierce. Less contract roles available with businesses focusing on permanent hires 🌟 Remote Work (un)Revolution: Remote working for the most part a thing of the past with many organisations and the shift towards hybrid work models combining office and remote work is here to stay. 🎓 Skills Are Key: With an influx of candidates in the market and there is growing demand for candidates with specific but adaptable skill sets. Companies are investing in upskilling and reskilling programs for employees   💼 Candidate Experience Matters: Focus on creating positive and engaging experiences for candidates. Streamlined application processes and transparent communication is key Both the employer brand and your personal brand matter! 🚀 Moving Forward: As we move forward, it's essential for both employers and candidates to remain agile and adaptable. The recruitment landscape will continue to evolve, and those who can embrace change and innovation will thrive in this dynamic environment. With all this being said! We are seeing some positive shifts at the end of this tunnel and the team have great roles and great candidates at the moment so if you are looking to hire or in the market for a new role then get in touch with us today! Jennifer Brogan, Caitlyn Spedding, Tanique Francis, Stuart Maxwell https://lnkd.in/g4Hn_VHX

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Tomorrow we are meeting with the Government to ask for written guidelines on how the ECEC Worker Retention Payment scheme will work for Labour Hire employees. Thank you to those from the Early Childhood and OSHC sector who have provided Randstad Education Australia the below questions that need clear answers, now the scheme is live. We will update you all after the meeting. 1) Are Labour Hire candidates included in the funding? 2) Do approved CCS providers need to pass the funding to Labour Hire employees? 3) Can a Labour Hire Agency receive the funding directly? 4) How do I claim back the increased hourly wage for Labour Hire Teachers, Educators and Cooks? 5) In what circumstances would Labour Hire Teachers and Educators not be considered eligible? 6) How do I make sure that the Labour Hire Agency passes the full amount to their staff? 7) What information should a Labour Hire Agency provide a CCS approved provider to help with calculating wages? 8) What reporting requirements should a Labour Hire business provide an approved CCS provider in order to demonstrate to the Government that they are being compliant with the Grant guidelines if they use Labour Hire employees? 9) When a CCS provider is approved for the scheme will the back date payments cover Labour Hire Teachers, Educators and Cook? 10) Does the forecasting model cover Labour Hire Teachers, Educators & Cooks? 11) Do Labour Hire Agencies need to have a work place instrument? Does a CCS provider need to include Labour hire employees in their work place instrument? 12) Are CCS approved providers expected to absorb the administrative costs caused by the Grant funding arrangement for Labour Hire employees? 13) How does Labour Hire employee usage impact the 95% sign-on threshold for IFA for the provider i.e. does it move the 95% baseline which is determined using CCS but in reality relates to the type of employment relationship? (How do we count / reconcile this between CCS and Payroll numbers?) 14) How & when would the Government “audit” funding passed through to Labour Hire? 15) If one of my permanent employees calls in sick and I need to back fill the shift with a casual labour hire educator, teacher or cook will I receive funding to pay sick leave to my own employee and also funding to pay the labour hire casual? 16) How will the funding apply where the approved CCS provider is using IFAs and the labour hire company pays to Modern Award conditions? I.e. No workplace instrument in place. 17) Where can an approved CCS provider go to view the guidelines around Labour Hire employee funding?

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📣 Halfway Through the Year – Time to Strengthen Your Team! 🌟 Summer might be slipping away (barely felt like it's arrived), but now is the perfect time to structure your team for a strong finish to 2024 and an even stronger start to 2025. If you're currently in the middle of hiring but facing some roadblocks such as: ▫ Finding the quality of direct applicants mixed? ▫ Difficulty finding candidates with the right relevant experience? ▫ Finding the hiring process to be time-consuming? ▫ Concerns about new hires being able to hit the ground running? I'm here to help. You're already busy enough dealing with your day to day job, let me give you back your time so you can focus on your core responsibilities. Let’s set some time aside this week to chat about how we can tackle these challenges together and find the perfect candidates for your team, regardless of role seniority or whether the hire is within finance or operations. 📩 Drop me an email at [email protected], and let’s set up a call to discuss your hiring needs. #Recruitment # #HiringHelp #Financerecruitment #Operationrecruitment #Harmonicfinance

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Finding recruitment challenging? It’s not just you. Jobs and Skills Australia’s latest Recruitment Insights Report shows that 62% of Australian employers recruiting for higher skilled roles had difficulty in March. Why? Despite possible expectations, the last time the number of employers reducing headcount outpaced the number growing headcount was all the way back in September 2021. See their (slightly blurry) graph below. Expect this gap to widen in 2024. Proactive Global APAC #industrialautomation and #robotics #recruitment

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This month RCSA 'Recruitment Consulting Certification' (facilitated by yours truly) kicks off on Wednesday. We have a few places left. If you're new to recruitment or want to enhance your knowledge and hone your skills contact the RCSA Australia and New Zealand to enroll. #recruitment #bestpractice

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📣 DE&I and Recruitment Success … I know this one is a little bit sensitive. Anything that mentions DE&I is scrutinised and debated today. Recently, we had the opportunity to pull together a proposal to join the newly formed recruitment Preferred Supplier List for a major FMCG company. Stage 1, completed a pre-questionnaire, and was moved through to Stage 2, submitting a detailed proposal with lots of examples of our work recruiting for major brands over many years. 😀 Straight through to the final stage number 3. Hooray I thought, particularly having only recently placed a senior marketer in said company’s brand team. Stage 3 … An hour and a quarter on my feet, presenting to 3 people from HR and Procurement. Not a marketing person in sight! I thought it went well.  😀  A lively discussion, lots of examples, plenty of smiles and nods as I talked about the strength of our network and track record of placing marketers over 20 years or so. 2 weeks later, the feedback came back … 1️⃣  Impressed by our track record of sourcing top-tier talent for major brands. 2️⃣  My responses to all the many questions asked were thorough and on point. 3️⃣  Positive about our analysis and understanding of market trends and insights. But .. Alas, a perceived lack of focus on our approach to DE&I, and the initiatives we are taking as a business to increase it, and hence, Tarsh & Partners are not to be appointed as a Tier 1 supplier. I know of course, you can’t win 🥇 everything, and I know that embracing DE&I is important. I had explained that our sourcing and selection processes were thorough, robust and non-discriminatory. But, our priority is, and always has been, to find the best, most capable, most culturally-suited to the job and business candidates, irrespective of race, gender or any other characteristic. Placing great people in great jobs is what creates long-term value, and drives growth for companies and brands. ◾ Am I right about this? ◾ Did I get the pitch wrong? ◾ What do other people think? www.tarshandpartners.co.uk Experts in marketing, brand, digital and commercial recruitment 📧 [email protected] 📞 +44 20 3897 6676 Adam Tarsh | Janine Darley | Alex Hooper

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In today’s fast-changing job market, direct sourcing gives companies in Australia and New Zealand a competitive edge. CXC’s comprehensive guide explains how leveraging your brand can attract the best talent and improve hiring efficiency. Check out the Ultimate Guide to Direct Sourcing https://lnkd.in/gPC6k896 #recruitment #businessgrowth #talentacquisition

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In the ANZ Staffing market, consolidating recruitment providers can offer several benefits to your organisation. By streamlining recruitment processes, companies can boost efficiency, reduce overall costs, enhance accountability, and improve the quality of hires. Our article below explores more on this topic 🔽🔽 #ANZStaffing #Recruitment #Efficiency #CostSavings #Programmed

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In recruitment, a lot can damage the process. Speed tops the list! ⏱️ When engaging with NEOS, one key point I stress to clients is our efficiency. We can present candidates within 1 to 48 hours, depending on the role. Once we identify a keen, interested, and excited candidate, I urge clients to schedule interviews promptly. 🚀 Delaying interviews by one to two weeks often results in candidates getting calls from other business', potentially with higher-paid roles. Act swiftly and secure the best talent before they move on! ✨ Following the interview, getting feedback to candidates whether it be successful or unsuccessful is vital! If you are to offer a candidate, give the candidate the good news quickly along with the offer letter! Saying the offer letter will be with them next week still doesn't mean you have secured the candidate! Are you struggling with your hiring process? Reach out at neos-engineering.co.uk or share your thoughts in the comments below. Jamal Kent Liam Quinn Emily Adams Josh Whittaker #Recruitment #Hiring #SpeedToHire

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I woke up to a lovely testimonial from a candidate this morning. In an industry full of ups and downs, It's comments like this that me remind why I do what I do. Honesty, Integrity, Professionalism, Efficiency, Respect - these are all things a candidate should experience when working with a recruiter. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. "I have worked with Liam twice and both times I have been successful in the role. Liam is an absolute professional, and fantastic to work with. He is empathetic, efficient and acts with high levels of integrity and honesty consistently. His detailed understanding of the role and broader organisational context helps him identify the right types of candidates and have detailed, rich conversations with them. During the recruitment process, he engages candidates with respect and keeps them updated regularly about the progress. Liam's easily the best recruitment partner out there; I wish everyone was like him." Sunil, Candidate What a pleasant way to kick off the week. It was an absolute pleasure working with you too, Sunil. #CandidateExperience #Testimonial #Review #BrightboxConsulting

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