Recruitment Trends SME's Need to Watch in 2025

The Search for Purple Squirrels - Recruiting the Rare Talent

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 03:29:51 GMT

The search for Purple Squirrels: Recruiting the rare talent behind breakthrough science

Engender Technologies was established to address one of the dairy industry’s most persistent challenges: the ethical and economic impact of unwanted male dairy calves. Drawing on pioneering research from the University of Auckland, Engender developed a patented laser-based sperm-sorting technology that allows farmers to breed for female calves more consistently and at scale. The result is a meaningful shift for animal welfare, farm productivity, and the sustainability of one of New Zealand’s core export industries.

Building a highly specialised team

The science behind Engender brings together some of the most specialised fields in modern research: microfluidics, photonics, biology, and microfabrication. These are disciplines that traditionally sit in separate research environments, each with its own language, priorities, and problem-solving approaches.

To make Engender’s technology commercially viable, these worlds need to work as one.

This means the people behind the science are as critical as the technology itself. Engender requires individuals who are not only experts in their field, but who can collaborate across disciplines, communicate clearly, and thrive in an iterative, research-led environment. Candidates like this are exceptionally rare.

At Onside, we refer to “purple squirrels” - people with deep technical capability and the interpersonal and cultural strengths needed to contribute to a cohesive, high-performing team.

A talent partnership built from the inside

When we began working with Engender, we knew that recruiting for roles of this complexity couldn’t be done from a distance. Instead of operating as an external service, we embedded ourselves directly with the team - working onsite, in their office and lab environment. Being present meant we could see how the science progressed day to day, how the team communicated, and how knowledge moved across disciplines. It gave us a clear understanding of what technical excellence looked like and what cultural fit really meant for Engender.

As Engender COO, Simon Ashforth , shared:

“They embed themselves as part of the team. Not only do they know what the team needs, and the cultural fit that we're looking for, they actually understand some of the science as well.”

Working this closely allowed us to identify and engage candidates who could strengthen both the science and the culture - not one at the expense of the other. It also reduced friction in the hiring process and enabled faster, clearer decision-making in roles where the talent market is incredibly tight.

Simon puts it simply:

“If we didn’t have Onside working right beside us, everything would be 10, 20, 50 times harder.”

Recruiting the rare talent

Through our partnership, Engender has been able to attract physicists, optical engineers, microfluidics specialists, cell biologists, and interdisciplinary researchers who can problem-solve across boundaries. These are individuals who not only bring deep technical expertise, but who also contribute to the collaborative, research-driven culture that enables Engender’s technology to progress. For us, this is the essence of the work: pairing scientific capability with cultural alignment to build a team that can continue advancing a first-of-its-kind platform.

As Dale Clareburt, Co-Founder of Onside, explains:

“Our job isn’t just to fill roles. It’s to understand how a team works, what enables high performance, and what kind of people will help accelerate the mission. With Engender, we’ve always seen ourselves as part of the journey - not just a service provider alongside it.”

A partnership that evolves with the science

Engender continues to push the boundaries of sustainable breeding innovation, supported by a team with the shared capability, communication, and curiosity to make that progress possible. As the technology evolves, so does the shape of the team — and our role evolves alongside it.

What stays constant is the foundation: genuine breakthroughs happen when the right people are working together, with clarity, trust, and shared purpose.

Looking ahead

The work Engender is doing has global significance, and we’re proud to support that journey by helping to build and strengthen the multidisciplinary team behind it. Not by observing from the outside, but by working alongside the people making the science happen.

If you’re building something complex, ambitious, or deeply technical, and you need a talent partner who knows that progress happens when you have the right people in place, we’d love to talk .

Dale Clareburt - dale.c@onsidenz.co.nz

Empowering SMEs: Supercharge Your Business with Expert Growth & Management Strategies

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 01:43:47 GMT

Empowering SMEs: Supercharge your Business with Expert Growth & Management Strategies

At OnsideNZ, we’re passionate about supporting the growth and success of SMEs across Aotearoa. To better understand their needs, we partnered with the Auckland Business Chamber to ask business owners directly what advice and support they needed.

The insights from this survey shaped a tailored series designed specifically for SMEs, addressing the real challenges and opportunities they were facing. In response, we delivered two targeted webinars with two of New Zealand's sharpest business minds, curated to provide practical tools, relevant insights, and actionable strategies that can help businesses supercharge their growth.

In this webinar:

Dale Clareburt (OnsideNZ) and Simon Bridges (Auckland Business Chamber) were joined by Join Nicola O’Rourke (Founders Advisory) for a webinar packed with practical, actionable insights on business growth and management.

Nicola O'Rourke is a business maverick who has launched over 200 products in New Zealand and internationally and serves as an advisor and director for eight founder-led startups. In this webinar Nicola will deliver actionable insights to help you navigate challenges and unlock sustainable growth for your business.

What you’ll gain from this webinar:

Practical strategies for business growth and effective management you can apply immediately to optimise your operations and maximise resources
Advice on how to build stronger customer loyalty – it’s cheaper than acquisition
Knowing your numbers and why cash flow is key
Insights on how to export – the play to win strategy
A number of free resources including the essential 10-point business plan framework

Empowering SMEs: Boost Your Business with Expert Sales & Marketing Insights

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 21:03:54 GMT

Empowering SMEs: Boost Your Business with Expert Sales & Marketing Insights

In this webinar:

Dale Clareburt (OnsideNZ) and Simon Bridges (Auckland Business Chamber) were joined by Marisa Fong , founder of Madison Recruitment, for a webinar packed with practical strategies to elevate your sales and marketing efforts.

Marisa is a passionate advocate for unlocking business potential with practical strategies and insights. Marisa’s proven expertise will empower you to elevate your sales and marketing efforts, even in today’s challenging economic environment.

What you’ll gain from this webinar:

Actionable sales and marketing strategies you can implement immediately
Tools to maximise your resources and drive efficiency
Small, smart actions that deliver big results over time

New Paragraph

Recruiting at Scale: Insights Gleaned From Building an 80-Person Team

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 01:03:35 GMT

Recruiting at Scale:

Insights Gleaned from Building an 80-Person Team

When growth calls, it rarely whispers. For some businesses, success means adding one or two new hires. But for others, especially those entering a new market or scaling their business, the challenge is far bigger: building an entire team, across multiple levels, by deadline, which is usually at speed.

That’s exactly what Acusensus, a global technology company focused on road safety, faced when they entered the New Zealand market. They needed to recruit approximately 80 staff and get to business-as-usual without compromising on quality or culture.

At Onside, we were proud to partner with them on this journey. But the success of scaled recruitment is always about collaboration.

Why recruiting at scale is unique

Recruiting e ighty people isn’t the same as filling 80 individual roles. It’s about:

Volume: Handling hundreds of applications, interviews and checks simultaneously.
Consistency: Ensuring every hire goes through the same fair, efficient process.
Coordination: Aligning hiring managers, recruiters and candidates across tight timelines.
Culture: Making sure rapid hiring doesn’t dilute the values and behaviours that make a business strong.

The stakes are higher. Without a clear process, it’s easy to compromise on fit, overburden managers, or delay business goals.

What made the Acusensus recruitment project successful

The Acusensus project worked because both sides were all-in.

Clarity from the client : Acusensus came to us with well-defined role requirements and a clear sense of what success looked like. That meant we could hit the ground running.
Close partnership: We worked hand-in-hand with their team, adapting as needs evolved.
Onside’s experience : We coordinated our team to work across all requirements from advertising and screening, to interviews and onboarding. The process was structured but flexible, and every recruiter was hands-on to make sure no detail was missed.

The outcome ? Eighty people, hired and onboarded and ready for business as usual.

How to recruit at scale: Key lessons

While every business is different, there are some universal lessons when it comes to recruiting at scale:

Define roles upfront

Don’t start until you know exactly what you’re hiring for. Clear position descriptions and role expectations make the process faster and avoid wasted effort.

Balance speed and quality

Fast doesn’t mean careless. Put a structured process in place, from screening to onboarding, so candidates move quickly but standards remain high.

Communicate constantly

Scaling only works if hiring managers, recruiters and candidates are aligned. Clear and frequent communication prevents bottlenecks and misunderstandings.

Keep culture in focus

When hiring at scale, it’s tempting to focus only on skills. But cultural fit matters just as much, especially when building a new team from scratch.

Partner with experts

A recruitment partner brings the systems, expertise and capacity to scale with you. They free your leaders to focus on the business while making sure the hiring pipeline keeps moving.

Onside’s role in scaling recruitment

At Onside, we thrive on these challenges. Our strength is in:

All hands on deck : we can bring the whole team on board if needed
Structure and agility : we bring proven frameworks but adapt to each client.
People-first approach : even at scale, every candidate is treated as more than a number.
The Acusensus story is proof : when the right processes and partnership are in place, recruiting at scale doesn’t have to be overwhelming, it can set a business up for long-term success.

Recruiting at scale isn’t just about numbers. It’s about building teams that are ready to perform from day one. With the right clarity, collaboration and expertise, businesses can move fast without compromising on quality.

If you’re ready to scale your team, Onside has the experience, systems and people to make it happen.

Counter Offers: Navigating the Conversation

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 01:45:46 GMT

Counter Offers

Navigating the Conversation

If you’re in the process of hiring, or thinking about making a career move, you’ve probably heard the phrase counter offer. Lately, we’re seeing them pop up more often in the market. So, what’s going on? And what should you watch out for, whether you’re the one hiring or the one being hired?

Why Counter Offers Happen

When someone resigns, it can spark panic for their current employer. Replacing a skilled team member takes time, costs money and can disrupt the whole team. A counter offer, a higher salary, a new title, promises of change, are ways to convince someone to stay.

But here’s the catch: a counter offer doesn’t usually address the deeper reasons someone started looking elsewhere in the first place.

What Candidates Need to

Think About

On the surface, a counter offer can feel flattering. You’re suddenly the most valuable person in the room. But take a step back:

Why were you looking ? If it was about growth, culture, leadership, or flexibility, those issues don’t disappear with a salary bump.

Will it last ? Research shows many people who accept a counter offer are back in the job market within a year.

What do you really want ? Clarity matters. If the new role ticks the boxes you’ve been chasing, don’t let short-term flattery hold you back.

What Employers Need

to Watch For

For SMEs, counter offers can derail the hiring process right at the finish line. That’s frustrating, but it’s also reality in today’s market. The good news? There are ways to reduce the risk:

Move with pace . A slow process gives a current employer time to swoop in.

Show the bigger picture. Don’t just sell the role, sell the culture, growth opportunities, and impact.

Build trust early. Candidates stick with the employer who makes them feel valued from the first conversation.

Our Take at Onside

Counter offers will always be part of the hiring landscape. But they’re rarely the long-term solution they seem to be.

For candidates

Know what you really want, and don’t lose sight of it when the counter offer arrives.

For SMEs

Focus on creating offers that speak to more than just money, and move quickly when you’ve found the right person.

That’s how both sides make confident decisions that last.

How SMEs Can Hire Like High-Performing Companies - Without the Hassle

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:03:51 GMT

How SMEs Can Hire Like High-Performing Companies. Without the Hassle.

Hiring can feel like a never-ending game of chance.

Put up a job ad, cross your fingers, and hope the right person shows up. But high-performing companies don’t leave recruitment to luck - they follow a structured, proven process that gets results.

The good news? You don’t need a big HR department to hire well. With a few smart moves, any SME can attract, assess, and secure the best people. Here's how...

Final Thoughts: A Smarter Way to Hire

Hiring doesn’t have to be stressful. By following a simple, structured process, you can attract great people, make better hiring decisions, and build a strong, engaged team.

Get clear on the role before hiring.
Use multiple sourcing methods - not just job ads.
Shortlist quickly to avoid losing top candidates.
Run structured interviews to remove bias.
Check references and background details before offering.
Move fast on offers and onboard effectively.

If you want to make recruitment easier for your business, let’s talk. Visit www.onsidenz.co.nz or reach out to Dale Clareburt to find out how we can help.

Dale Clareburt, Director OnsideNZ

Email : Dale @ onsidenz.co.nz or Book an Appointment

Onside Featured in NZBusiness Magazine

dale.c@onsidenz.co.nz (Dale Clareburt) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 03:32:10 GMT

Onside is Featured in NZ Business Magazine

Onside is featured in the March issue of NZ Business Magazine, where we share how we’re reshaping SME recruitment with our fresh, transparent, and cost-effective approach. We explore how businesses can take control of their hiring while still accessing expert support when they need it.

Read the article in the digital edition of NZ Business Magazine here: NZBusiness March 2025 Issue – Page 30

If you prefer to read it here, we’ve included the full article below.

Recruitment Trends SMEs Need to Watch in 2025

dale.c@onsidenz.co.nz (Dale Clareburt) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 02:14:28 GMT

Recruitment Trends for SMEs

Recruitment never stands still, and as 2025 kicks off, the game is changing for SMEs in New Zealand. From the rise of flexibility to the growing focus on authenticity, staying ahead of these trends can help you attract the right people without blowing the budget.

Here’s what’s shaping the recruitment landscape this year:

Clear and Simple Job Ads are Winning

It’s official: simplicity sells. Job seekers are hunting for roles that are easy to find and understand. Overly creative job titles? They’re falling flat. This trend shows just how important it is to craft ads that focus on clear messaging and transparency. Bonus tip: including salary ranges isn’t just a nice touch—it’s fast becoming a candidate expectation.

Employer Branding is More Important Than Ever

Recruitment isn’t just about what you’re offering—it’s about who you are. With candidates prioritising values and workplace culture, the trend toward authentic employer branding is only gaining momentum. For SMEs, this means showcasing your unique vibe, whether that’s a close-knit team, meaningful work, or a genuine commitment to your people.

Flexibility Is the New Normal

Gone are the days when flexible work was a perk. Whether it’s hybrid roles, remote options, or custom hours, flexibility has become a baseline expectation. This shift isn’t just about attracting talent—it’s about future-proofing your workforce. SMEs that embrace this trend are finding themselves in a stronger position to secure the best talent.

Authenticity Builds Trust

The push for authenticity in recruitment is here to stay. Candidates are drawn to workplaces that feel real, transparent, and connected. For SMEs, this is a golden opportunity to highlight what makes you special—your local roots, open-door policies, or the sense of community your team thrives on.

Skills Over Credentials

The move toward skills-based hiring continues to gain steam. As businesses move away from rigid qualification requirements, there’s a growing trend of tapping into non-traditional talent pools. For SMEs, this means widening the net to include career switchers, self-taught pros, and others with the skills to hit the ground running.

Lean and Cost-Effective Recruitment

With budgets tightening across the board, the trend toward efficient recruitment is picking up speed. SMEs are discovering that smart strategies—like using referral networks, streamlining processes, and making the most of a single ad placement—can save money while still bringing in great candidates.

Employee Wellbeing is a Deal Breaker

The focus on wellbeing isn’t slowing down. From mental health support to flexible work-life balance options, candidates are looking for employers who genuinely care. This trend has shifted from a nice-to-have to a must-have, and SMEs that embrace it stand out in a competitive market.

Passive Candidates are in Play

Finding top talent often means going beyond job boards. The trend toward engaging passive candidates—those not actively searching for work—is growing. Platforms like LinkedIn and building solid professional networks are key to tapping into this hidden talent pool.

Tailored Recruitment Strategies are the Future

The one-size-fits-all approach is on the way out. SMEs are leading the way in adopting bespoke recruitment solutions that fit their unique needs. From flexible recruitment packages to subscription models, businesses are ditching cookie-cutter methods in favour of smarter, more personalised strategies.

Let’s help build a team that drives your business forward.

2025 is shaping up to be a year of exciting shifts in recruitment. By staying ahead of these trends, SMEs can position themselves as attractive employers and secure the talent they need to grow. Need a recruitment strategy that works for you? Onside Recruitment specialises in helping SMEs thrive with flexible, tailored solutions. Let’s chat about how we can support your business.

Reach out to the Onside team today —we’d love to hear from you.

How to Retain Talent in a Small Team

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 03:38:04 GMT

5 Tips to Retain Talent

In a small team, every person counts.

Retaining talent isn’t just about keeping roles filled, it’s about nurturing the relationships, culture, and growth that drive your business forward. For SMEs, team members often wear multiple hats, so creating a workplace where people want to be and stay is essential.

Here’s how to help make it happen:

Prioritise Personal Growth

SMEs may not always have big budgets, but offering learning opportunities—whether through mentorship, upskilling, or new challenges—shows employees you’re invested in their future.

Flexibility Goes a Long Way

Work-life balance matters. Offering flexible work options, whether flexible work hours or remote work, helps your team feel supported and valued.

Build Genuine Connections

Small teams thrive on relationships. Take the time to know your people, celebrate their wins and foster open communication. A connected team is a happy team.

Create a Culture of Belonging

Workplace culture isn’t just a buzzword for SMEs—it’s your superpower. Build a collaborative, inclusive environment where your team feels they truly belong.

Have a Purpose That Drives You—and Live It

People want to feel like they’re part of something meaningful. Define what your business stands for and let that purpose shine through in how you work every day. When your team can see the bigger picture and connect with your mission, they’ll feel more inspired to stay and grow with you.

Let’s help build a team that drives your business forward.

Building and retaining a great team starts with the right hires. At Onside, we’re experts in SME recruitment, helping small businesses like yours find and keep the best talent. Ready to find the perfect fit for your team? Let's chat.

Reach out to the Onside team today —we’d love to hear from you.

Why Traditional Recruitment Models Aren't Built for SMEs

dale.c@onsidenz.co.nz (Dale Clareburt) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:46:35 GMT

Hiring the right people is essential.

Hiring the right people is crucial for any business, but for SMEs, the recruitment process often feels like a poor fit. Many traditional models are designed with large-scale organisations in mind, which can make it harder for smaller businesses to get the tailored, flexible support they need.

At Onside, we understand that SMEs operate at a different pace. Your teams are tight-knit, your budgets are considered, and your priorities can shift quickly. That’s why we take a fresh approach to recruitment—one that’s built for your business.

Tailored Solutions for Unique Needs

Our solutions are transparent, adaptable, and designed to work with your unique needs. From finding talent to fit your culture to keeping timelines and costs realistic, we make sure recruitment feels simple and collaborative—just as it should .

Let’s Make Recruitment Work for You

Let’s chat about how we can make hiring work for your business. Reach out to the Onside team today —we’d love to hear from you.

Company values: What are they really and what are some good examples?

keren@kerenphillips.com (Keren Phillips) — Tue, 28 May 2024 21:47:32 GMT

Company Values: What are they really and what are some good examples ?

“The best companies take their core values to heart, challenging themselves every day to ensure they are truly living their values. Likewise, the companies that have core values, but don’t focus on them, often find themselves struggling financially and culturally."- Rob Dube, Forbes

What are values, really? You spend months defining just the right words, get them printed up on jazzy posters, or painted on the cafeteria wall, and then… what? Values should be the pillars on which you grow your culture and engage with your employees. By all means, get those decals designed up, but your values need to go way, way further. “Be bold” sounds cool and all, but what does that actually mean?This is important – according to Harvard Business review, “empty values statements create cynical and dispirited employees, alienate customers, and undermine managerial credibility”.

Not exactly inspiring stuff.

So what are the real world initiatives you’re offering your people? What are the behaviours you expect from them that show you’re really living that value? Remember these aren’t about making everyone the same – it’s saying to your people, “Here is what we believe at our heart”.

A few examples of companies doing an awesome job of living their values

There are some pretty nifty companies out there already doing an awesome job at turning their values statements into real life, impactful policies. Here are some of our favourites.

Corporate Traveller

Corporate Traveller , are all about taking responsibility and celebrating and boy, do they live those values!

They support employees taking responsibility with a unique incentive model that gives travel managers a really tangible sense of ownership over their customers. Losing (or winning) a customer directly impacts everyone’s take home pay all the way up to the CEO. That makes the team feel more like a collection of small business owners who are empowered to make and own their decisions. In many cases, business development managers also have the chance to make that feeling real – they can buy into the business and share in an additional percentage of profit each month.That expectation of ownership is also backed by heaps of training and support, so their teams are set up to succeed. Inhouse learning and development academies and wellbeing benefits all connect into another one of their values, Care For Our People. Then staff are encouraged to reflect that care back out to the customer - with budget allocated for “watermelon moments”, the extra surprise and delight teams can deliver to customers at their discretion.Successes are also celebrated – a lot. Every month, every team has a small budget allocated to get together and recognise awesome things that have happened. Those successes level up to the office-wide awards nights, and then all the way up to national and global events for exceptional achievers. The global gathering is a huge deal – this year it was held in Berlin and last year’s keynote speaker was Bill Clinton.

Patagonia

As one of the great, truly values-led brands out there, Patagonia are passionate about outdoor activities and want their people to be as well.Their HQ is near the beach in Ventura, California, and on days when there’s an offshore blowing and the waves are beckoning, employees are encouraged to leave the office and go for a surf – or participate in any other outdoor activity. The office even supplies a stash of Patagonia-branded towels to mop up after their sessions.

This helps Patagonia stay true to their founding mission, with the added bonus of providing their people an easy way to test out the new apparel. It’s totally in keeping with their CEO, Yvon Chouinard’s socially and environmentally responsible belief that “Patagonia and its thousand employees have the means and the will to prove to the rest of the business world that doing the right thing makes for good and profitable business.”And when you’re one of the world’s most beloved outdoor and lifestyle brands, sometimes going for a surf is the best way to remind yourself just what that “right thing” should look like.

Whole Foods

Unsurprisingly, one of Whole Foods' core values is about health – they’re all about promoting team member growth and happiness.

All employees are entitled to pretty great store discounts as standard – 20% in the US. But Whole Foods goes a step further. Any employees working at least 20 hours a week get medical insurance (including vision and dental) and access to initiatives that support mental health. They also incentivise their people to stay healthy with opportunities for even bigger discounts based on hitting positive health stats. These are tracked based on blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking status and body-mass-index (BMI) screenings.Employees also have access to a website that make it easy to track their own eating habits, helping create a culture of awareness, responsibility and allowing this value to live well beyond just the financial incentive.

Etsy

According to Etsy itself, the company’s values are all about being “committed to using the power of business to create a better world through our platform, our members, our employees and the communities we serve".

Could these be woman-engineers sharing a joke with man-engineers?[/caption]How are they bringing that mission to life? Well, one impressive initiative is to increase opportunities for female STEM careers. They launched a series of grants to support their female employees to either upskill or retrain as software engineers. By choosing the best 12 from this “Hacker School”, Etsy increased the number of women in their (traditionally male-dominated) engineer pool, as well as improving their gender diversity stats across the board.The coolest part is that overall, the initiative is making Etsy a more attractive place to apply for female engineers outside of the company. The stats for women applying to roles in Etsy’s engineering department increased from 7 to 651 which is a fairly big jump, by anyone’s standards.According to Etsy CTO Kellan Elliott-McCrea, this has had the knock on effect of attracting high-quality male engineers who, critically, also share the company’s values:

“The men who come into our organization are excited about the fact that we have diversity as a goal. They are generally the people who are better at listening, they’re better at group learning, they’re better at collaboration, they’re better at communication,” she says.

Weirdly

As a values-assessment tool , our friends at Weirdly would be remiss if they weren’t living their values pretty obviously. One of their biggies is about being fans of people. Everything they build is designed to positively impact lives and build people up - that goes for their customers and candidates, as well as for their own team. One of the best ways they bring this value to life internally is with the Chuffy-bot they created for their Slack team chat. This is a simple little tool the team whipped up as a way to give each other props - making colleagues "chuffed" when their hard work is noticed and publicly celebrated. It rewards people for doing awesome work, as well as encouraging people to notice and give positive feedback on an incidental, day-to-day basis. When someone notices another team member doing something awesome, they throw a message in the Weirdly Slack team’s #chuffy channel. The Chuffy-bot adds a funny compliment and the person gets notified that someone’s stoked with their work.

To tie it in to the rest of our Weirdly values, each chuffy gets tagged with a custom emojis highlighting one of the company values. That way everyone in the team can see which value that person has been caught living up to. On a more general level, the Weirdly team can also see which values they're living most strongly as a team, and which ones are not being demonstrated or recognised quite as often. It’s an awesome policy that helps evolve the Weirdly crew's famous obsession with celebration and confetti cannons, into a more remote-friendly approach.

Time to climb down from out of the decals, guys.

So, where are your values? Sitting up on the wall in your boardroom for people to ignore? Or are have you turned them to living, breathing actions that fuel the very core of your company? We know, really truly, that values-driven companies are successful ones - customers love you, your team love you, and you’ll find it easier to make decisions about the future of your organisation. Those are some sweet wins all around. So, now’s the time. Take a lead from these awesome values-led companies, get your values down off the wall and into technicolour.

Your candidates are customers too. Their experience really matters!

keren@kerenphillips.com (Keren Phillips) — Tue, 28 May 2024 01:38:24 GMT

Your candidates are customers too. Their experience really matters.

Think for a moment, about the mountains of investment your pour into polishing customer experiences every year. Making sure your clients or customers feel loved, respected, can find what they need in the easiest way possible. Agonising over service level agreements and comms and client management - all with the goal of keeping them happy so they come back time and time again to buy your wares.

The idea is that if everyone you touch leaves with a positive feeling about your brand, that positive feeling will result in more money spent at the checkout counter. It’s not only logical, it’s been proven to work. A recent McKinsey study claims in a typical retail experience, a 10% improvement in customer experience results in a 10% increase in revenue. And it's not that different in the service industry.

And here’s the clincher: a vast majority of your recruitment candidates are likely to ALSO be customers. Just think about that for a second. That means every interaction you’re having with your candidate pool, are also interactions with your customer base. This all boils down to one indisputable fact for recruiters and recruitment marketers:

A great customer experience starts with a great candidate experience. Or put in a more sobering frame, a poor candidate experience is a poor customer experience.

We've all heard about the famous Virgin Media calculation: From 123,000 rejected candidates each year, 6% were cancelling their monthly Virgin Media subscription. That equates to about 7,500 cancellations - about £4.4 million per year. By reframing candidate experience as an opportunity for customer retention (and as it turns out, acquisition), Virgin actually turned those losses into a £9.7Million sales improvement.I mean, that's a good day at the office, right?

We spend a lot of time talking about efficiency in business – breaking down silos, improving cross-department collaboration, making sure all parts of the business are working together to create consistently great offerings, beautiful customer experiences and happy shareholders. This shared outcome – candidate/customer experience – is a great example of that efficiency in action. Recruitment and talent managers are in an awesomely privileged (and powerful) position in this equation. The people you’re talking to every day – whether it’s through job ads and social media posts or screening activities and interviews – are not just the ones who will design and deliver all the parts of your company’s services, they’re also the ones who buy those same products and services. Finding little ways to make engagement with these people smoother and more enjoyable can actually enhance your recruiting process while also making sure the impact you’re having on them as customers is a positive one.

Three ways to polish your candidate/customer crossover

Here are a few practical start points to consider:

Do your top-of-funnel touchpoints complement the in-store experience?

If you had to boil down the feeling customers get when they walk into your stores to one or two key messages, what would they be? For example, at Bunnings, it might be “People go out of their way to be helpful here”. Now think about where candidates have their first interaction with you – your careers site, your social presences or maybe your job ads and initial application form. Are these touch points reinforcing that same message? Bunnings does this really nicely on their career site by including a very clear, step-by-step breakdown of the application process (as well as a super-friendly and simple pre-application quiz).

Do you actually know, for sure, what candidates think of your CX?

Data is fun. But let’s face it, putting numbers around candidate experience can be pretty tricky. In order to justify spending on your CX, you really have to find a way to measure it. You can look into adding an existing marketing-style NPS solution to your process (talk to us about this if it sounds interesting!).

How do you say no?

48% of candidates list “waiting to hear back from a potential employer” as their number one pain point. If you’re fielding large volumes of applicants, that’s a helluva lot of people associating anxious or nervous feelings with your brand. We all know rejection can be hard, but uncertainty is much worse. Ultimately, think about how you’d like to be treated as a start point. Don’t leave applications hanging – no ghosting! Be clear, be prompt, be honest and tactful. And don’t forget the top of the funnel – high volumes mean personalised messages might not be possible, but this is where you can take advantage of automation if your ATS or candidate management system allows it.

Of course, there’s another bonus to looking at your candidates this way. It means you’ve got ammo for the next budget conversation you have with your CFO. How much resource is marketing allocated for brand sentiment work? What about your customer service department? There's a huge opportunity here for resource sharing, cross-department collaboration, budget re-allocation. However you look at it, the days of recruitment experiences playing second-fiddle to every other touch-point are over. Because really, ultimately, building a beautiful candidate experience is all about your customers.

Recruitment Marketing for HR Folks with no time

keren@kerenphillips.com (Keren Phillips) — Tue, 28 May 2024 01:21:32 GMT

Recruiting Marketing for HR Folks with no Time

Whether you’re creating assets in canva, or writing articles or web copy it can be hard to know where to start. Here are some new (and old) tips I’ve developed over 15 years of marketing experience that’ll help get the creative ball rolling.

‍

Use smart-dumb tools (like Chat GPT) to generate a rough draft

‍

Ever heard the saying It’s easier to mow a lawn, then grow a lawn? Most of us find it much easier to spot what’s wrong with a bit of writing than to get that first few sentences down on paper to begin with.

I’ve been using Chat GPT to get me to “ugly draft” stage, at which point I can edit, add, tweak – sometimes completely re-write to my heart’s content. I even did it with the intro to this blog!

‍

‍

A word of warning on these tools though. They’re best used as a start point. They can trick you into producing stuff that feels great at first glance, but ultimately it’s just regurgitating the mainstream. If you lean on it too heavily, simply copy-pasting into your social presences and hitting publish, you’re joining a race to the middle - adding nothing new and before you know it, losing your audience’s attention.

And good content is all about stealing attention.

‍

Start with the calendar, not with the content

‍

It may sound counter-intuitive, and marketing purists will be cursing me out right now, but hear me out. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the job of building a successful social presence, sometimes it can be easier to start with the when, not the what.

You can use a fancy tool like Buffer for this, or keep it super simple with a spreadsheet template like this one . Personally, I actually prefer the spreadsheet version when I’m in planning mode. It means I can see everything at once, and if I start by populating the tab with public holidays, relevant celebration or memorial days, school holidays and key events in our business year, you’ll find you’re off the starting blocks before you’ve had to do any real creative brainstorming.

Part of populating these calendars is choosing where you want to engage - articles on a partner tool like MyMahi or ExploreCareers? Video resources in your Weirdly talent community? Social platforms? Content on your career site?

‍

Here’s an easy prioritisation formula to follow for making this call:
‍

1️⃣ First, platforms you're already paying for:
Got resources or community nurture as part of your Weirdly contract? Paying for a featured article in an Explore Careers newsletter once a month? Create a line for each of these things and colour in a square each month to show when these will happen. You can always adjust the timing - just pick any date if you’re not sure right now.

‍

2️⃣ Second, social platforms:
The temptation is to try do more than you can manage here. I have two golden rules:
✨ Go where your candidates are
✨ Prioritise platforms you also use personally
Look for the intersection - it’s better to be really strong on one social platform than spread yourself thin on two or three. Block out two or three posts per week, depending on the platform (this is why it's best to focus on platforms you're personally familar with - you'll have a better instinct for posting style/frequency/behaviour it'll make your content more naturally engaging).

‍

3️⃣ Third, instore (if you're a business with customer-facing locations):
Schedule a couple of refreshes for in-store QR-code posters to keep quick-apply top of mind for walk-ins, then drop in any known dates for drop-in recruitment events your locations may be planning.

‍

4️⃣ Fourth, careers site:
This is your most valuable brochure for candidates researching - both pre-apply and pre-interview. Schedule a quick content review at least every 6months - you may only spend an hour reading over the site, or you may want to update videos or copy. How deep you go is up to you, but having a date blocked out in your calendar for this will make sure it doesn't get forgotten.

‍

Come up with three content streams

‍

This one is for those of you who find yourselves getting stuck for content ideas. Marketers like using party metaphors for different aspects of their job, and recruitment marketing is no different.

If you’re trying to make friends and influence people at a party, you’d never dream of walking up to a stranger, demanding their attention and launching straight into long stories about yourself. And yet, that’s a pretty common approach when you look at how most recruitment teams are communicating with their talent communities.

Instead, take a moment to flesh out three topic streams:

‍

Stuff about you (eg. Cool stuff about your org, employee benefits, diversity and inclusion info)
Jobs and Opportunities (Think about how you’ll share these - direct links to an application?)
Something that intersects what your org is good at and what your ideal candidates are worried or care about (eg. Maybe your org is heavy into environmental stuff? climate change info and initiatives your employees champion outside of the office might be an interesting territory)

‍

The key is, two of those streams are an opportunity to talk about your org and your jobs, and one should be about long-term connection. Then, when you’re plotting out your content for the quarter on that calender we mentioned above, make sure you’ve got a fairly event split between these three streams.

Don’t lose sight of the fact people are connecting with you because they’re interested in a job. It’s ok to sometimes tie that third stream back to your culture or your employees. The important thing is you’re constantly sense-checking by asking:

‍

"Would I stop scrolling to read this if I didn’t work here?"

‍

When in doubt, dumb it down

‍

Write like you talk, explain it to me like I’m 12, cut out the jargon. However you say it, the message is the same.

Usually you’re hearing this stuff in the context of making your writing easier to read and connect with. But what’s often missed is it also makes your recruitment marketing activity much, much easier to write.

If creating your posts or emails or articles feels hard and like it takes ages, read what you’ve written so far out loud to yourself:

‍

Does this email sound weirdly formal?
Does this article use words that feel normal for a recruiter but are different to the terms a candidate would use?
Does this job ad describe things in a vague or unnecessarily complicated way (a classic “business-speak” move!)
Does this social post sound very social?

‍

Every time I find writing hard, it’s because I’m tying myself in knots trying to make things sound proper or smart or official or I’m obsessing over credibility.

‍

If you’re getting stuck starting, try the old “say it straight, then say it great” approach. Take a deep breath and ask yourself, what am I trying to say here? Then write down literally whatever is in your head. Slang words, contractions, weird half-sentences and all.

Then before you start editing, first challenge yourself:

If that’s instinctively how you said it in your own mind, could that also be the simplest way for your candidate to get the message too?

There are situations where more formal language is safer - unsuitable and unsuccessful comms need the protection of more passive voice and formal phrasing.

But for the most part, we’re just people, telling other people about a job, or a culture or a process they need to follow. In those situations, the simplest, conversational language is almost always the easiest – for the writer and the reader!

‍

tldr version? If you’re stuck starting on recruitment marketing activity, try:

‍

Using ChatGPT-type tools to get you a lawn to mow. Don’t rely too heavily on these or you’ll bore your audience, but they’re great for getting you off the starting blocks.
Using a calendar like this to plan the where and when of your activity, before you have to do the creative “what should we do or say?” stuff.
Come up with three content “streams” then stick to them. Creativity is easier with clear parameters!
Write like you talk. That’ll let the ideas flow more freely and you can always go back and edit later.

Recruitment Trends SME's Need to Watch in 2025

The Search for Purple Squirrels - Recruiting the Rare Talent

The search for Purple Squirrels: Recruiting the rare talent behind breakthrough science

Building a highly specialised team

A talent partnership built from the inside

Recruiting the rare talent

A partnership that evolves with the science

Looking ahead

Empowering SMEs: Supercharge Your Business with Expert Growth & Management Strategies

Empowering SMEs: Supercharge your Business with Expert Growth & Management Strategies

In this webinar:

Empowering SMEs: Boost Your Business with Expert Sales & Marketing Insights

Empowering SMEs: Boost Your Business with Expert Sales & Marketing Insights

In this webinar:

Recruiting at Scale: Insights Gleaned From Building an 80-Person Team

Recruiting at Scale:

Insights Gleaned from Building an 80-Person Team

Why recruiting at scale is unique

What made the Acusensus recruitment project successful

How to recruit at scale: Key lessons

Define roles upfront

Balance speed and quality

Communicate constantly

Keep culture in focus

Partner with experts

Onside’s role in scaling recruitment

Counter Offers: Navigating the Conversation

Counter Offers

Navigating the Conversation

Why Counter Offers Happen

What Candidates Need to

﻿ Think About

What Employers Need

﻿ to Watch For

Our Take at Onside

How SMEs Can Hire Like High-Performing Companies - Without the Hassle

How SMEs Can Hire Like High-Performing Companies. Without the Hassle.

Hiring can feel like a never-ending game of chance.

Final Thoughts: A Smarter Way to Hire

Onside Featured in NZBusiness Magazine

Onside is Featured in NZ Business Magazine

Recruitment Trends SMEs Need to Watch in 2025

Recruitment Trends for SMEs

Here’s what’s shaping the recruitment landscape this year:

Clear and Simple Job Ads are Winning

Employer Branding is More Important Than Ever

Flexibility Is the New Normal

Authenticity Builds Trust

Skills Over Credentials

Lean and Cost-Effective Recruitment

Employee Wellbeing is a Deal Breaker

Passive Candidates are in Play

Tailored Recruitment Strategies are the Future

Let’s help build a team that drives your business forward.

How to Retain Talent in a Small Team

5 Tips to Retain Talent

Here’s how to help make it happen:

Prioritise Personal Growth

Flexibility Goes a Long Way

Build Genuine Connections

Create a Culture of Belonging

Have a Purpose That Drives You—and Live It

Let’s help build a team that drives your business forward.

Why Traditional Recruitment Models Aren't Built for SMEs

Hiring the right people is essential.

Tailored Solutions for Unique Needs

Let’s Make Recruitment Work for You

Company values: What are they really and what are some good examples?

Company Values: What are they really and what are some good examples ?

A few examples of companies doing an awesome job of living their values

Corporate Traveller

Patagonia

Whole Foods

Etsy

Weirdly

Time to climb down from out of the decals, guys.

Your candidates are customers too. Their experience really matters!

Your candidates are customers too. Their experience really matters.

Three ways to polish your candidate/customer crossover

Do your top-of-funnel touchpoints complement the in-store experience?

Think About

to Watch For

Here’s an easy prioritisation formula to follow for making this call:
‍

‍

Come up with three content streams