momentum

Fractional Marketing

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 22:26:50 GMT

Fractional Marketing: What It Is and Why It Matters in Today’s Talent Market

You’ve probably heard the term “fractional work” floating around recently; particularly in the marketing and communications space. It’s fast becoming a buzzword, but what does it actually mean? And more importantly, is it just another passing trend, or something that could offer real value to your organisation?

In short, fractional work is a flexible, scalable way of engaging experienced professionals — often senior-level — on a part-time or project basis. These individuals become a part of your business for a fraction of the time and cost of a permanent hire, while still delivering the strategic impact you need.

Why Fractional Marketing?

For marketing and communications teams, the benefits of fractional work are clear:

Cost-effective expertise – Access high-level skills without the overheads of a full-time salary and benefits package.
Speed to market – Get strategic input and execution quickly, with minimal onboarding required.
Scalable support – Adjust the level of resource based on project needs, budget cycles, or internal priorities.
Fresh thinking – Bring in an external perspective that can challenge existing ways of working and help drive innovation.

According to recent studies by Demand Metric and Deloitte, companies using fractional marketing teams saw a 47% increase in lead generation while spending 52% less on their marketing budgets — clear evidence that this approach is both effective and efficient.

How Is It Different to Contracting?

While fractional roles and contracting might sound similar, there are some key distinctions:

Fractional professionals are often seen as an extension of your team. They attend meetings, influence strategy, and are invested in your outcomes. Contractors typically focus on completing a defined scope of work within a set timeframe.

Why Now?

New Zealand’s talent market is shifting. For the first time in decades, we’re heading into a period where more people will be entering the workforce than leaving it — but skill shortages, especially at the senior level, persist. Traditional hiring processes are slow and competitive, and organisations need alternative ways to access the capability they need.

Fractional work is well-suited to fill this gap, particularly in marketing and communications where agility, consistency, and strategic insight are crucial — but not always needed full-time.

Whether you’re launching a new product, navigating a rebrand, or looking to boost your internal communications strategy, engaging a fractional marketing leader could give you the momentum you need — without the long-term commitment.

It’s not just a cost-saving measure. It’s a smart way to build resilience and capability into your team when and where you need it most.

Want to learn more about how fractional support could work in your organisation? Let’s talk.

Q1 FOR 2025 - PEOPLE & CULTURE MARKET INSIGHTS

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 02:07:01 GMT

Q3 PEOPLE & CULTURE MARKET INSIGHTS

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 02:16:39 GMT

WHAT IS CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE?

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 01:13:28 GMT

What is Customer Experience

In recent years, the term "customer experience" (CX) has become a buzzword across various industries. However, I've noticed a lot of confusion and differing ideas about what CX truly entails. This misunderstanding stems from the fact that CX encompasses multiple aspects of a customer's interaction with a business, making it a complex and multifaceted concept. In this blog, we'll delve into what customer experience really means, why it's important, and how businesses can improve it.

What is Customer Experience (CX)?

At its core, customer experience refers to the overall perception a customer has of a brand or business based on their interactions throughout the customer journey. This journey includes every touchpoint a customer has with a company, from initial awareness to post-purchase support. CX is not limited to a single department or interaction; rather, it spans all aspects of a business, including customer service, marketing, product quality, and even company culture.

Why is There Confusion About CX?

The confusion surrounding CX often arises because different people and organisations emphasise different elements of the customer journey. For example:

Customer Service : Some people equate CX with customer service, focusing on the direct interactions between customers and support staff. While customer service is a vital component of CX, it's only one part of a larger picture.
User Experience (UX) : Others may confuse CX with user experience, which refers specifically to how users interact with a product or service, often in a digital context. While UX is a subset of CX, the latter includes all interactions, both online and offline.
Brand Perception : Some view CX as synonymous with brand perception and reputation. While brand image is a critical outcome of good CX, it is shaped by multiple factors, including marketing efforts and customer interactions.
Product Experience : Others focus on the experience of using a product itself, emphasizing product design and functionality. This is indeed a part of CX, but again, it doesn't encompass the entire experience.

Why is Customer Experience Important?

Customer experience plays a crucial role in business success for several reasons:

Customer Loyalty : A positive customer experience fosters loyalty and encourages repeat business. Satisfied customers are more likely to become brand advocates, recommending your products or services to others.
Competitive Advantage : In today's market, where products and services are often similar, CX can be a key differentiator. Businesses that provide exceptional experiences stand out from competitors and can capture a larger market share.
Increased Revenue : Companies that prioritize CX tend to see higher revenues. According to studies, customers are willing to pay more for a superior experience, and businesses that excel in CX often enjoy higher customer lifetime value.
Customer Feedback and Improvement : A focus on CX encourages businesses to listen to customer feedback and continuously improve their offerings. This iterative process leads to better products and services, enhancing the overall customer journey.

How to Improve Customer Experience

Improving CX requires a holistic approach that involves all aspects of a business:

Understand Your Customers : Conduct research to gain insights into your customers' needs, preferences, and pain points. Use surveys, interviews, and data analysis to build a comprehensive understanding of your audience.
Map the Customer Journey : Identify all touchpoints in the customer journey and assess how customers interact with your brand at each stage. Look for areas where the experience can be improved or streamlined.
Enhance Customer Service : Invest in training for your customer service team to ensure they can handle inquiries and complaints effectively and empathetically. Empower them to resolve issues quickly and satisfactorily.
Focus on Consistency : Ensure that your brand message and experience are consistent across all channels, from your website and social media to in-store interactions. Consistency builds trust and reinforces your brand identity.
Leverage Technology : Use technology to personalize and enhance the customer experience. Implement CRM systems to track customer interactions, use AI for personalized recommendations, and ensure your digital platforms are user-friendly.
Gather and Act on Feedback : Regularly solicit feedback from customers and use it to make informed improvements. Show customers that their opinions matter by implementing changes based on their suggestions.

Customer Experience is a complex but essential aspect of any successful business. By understanding the full scope of CX and taking steps to improve it, businesses can foster customer loyalty, differentiate themselves from competitors, and ultimately drive growth. Remember, CX is not just about individual interactions; it's about creating a seamless and positive journey that leaves a lasting impression on your customers.

UNDERSTANDING DISINFORMATION

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 03:02:31 GMT

Thank you to everyone who attended our recent event, "Understanding Disinformation." We hope you found the discussions both useful and thought-provoking. For those who couldn't make it or would like a recap, here's a summary of the key points we covered.

The Growing Problem of Disinformation

Over the past few years, we've witnessed a significant increase in the spread of disinformation. This isn't just misinformation, where people unknowingly share false information. Disinformation is shared deliberately, often with the intent to mislead, confuse, or harm. It has become a pressing issue that affects individuals and organisations alike.

Definitions: Disinformation vs. Misinformation vs. Malinformation

To better understand the challenges we face, it's essential to distinguish between these terms:

Disinformation : Intentionally false information shared to deceive.
Misinformation : False information shared without harmful intent.
Malinformation : Genuine information that is shared with the intent to deceive or manipulate, often by removing it from its original context

The Role of Technology

Technology plays a crucial role in amplifying disinformation. Social media platforms, in particular, can spread false information rapidly, reaching a wide audience in a short time. Automated accounts and bots are often used to increase the volume and reach of disinformation, creating the illusion that certain views are more widespread than they actually are.

Disinformation in New Zealand

Our event highlighted how disinformation has evolved in New Zealand, with COVID-19 acting as a catalyst for various false narratives. The Disinformation Project has been actively monitoring these developments, focusing on public posts and open-source data to understand and counteract these harmful trends.

The Impact on Organisations

Organisations are not immune to the effects of disinformation. It can lead to reputational damage, decreased trust among stakeholders, and even direct harm if disinformation targets a company's products or services. Understanding these threats is the first step in developing effective strategies to mitigate their impact.

Moving Forward

As we continue to navigate this complex landscape, it's crucial to remain vigilant and informed. By understanding the mechanics of disinformation and its potential effects, we can better protect ourselves and our communities. The importance of clarity, purpose, honesty and holding true to professional and personal values is imperative in navigating these challenges.

MARKETING TRENDS TO WATCH IN NEW ZEALAND IN 2024

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 03:59:04 GMT

As we move through 2024, the marketing landscape in New Zealand continues to evolve, shaped by technological advancements, changing consumer behaviour, and global trends. Here are the key marketing trends that have emerged and are set to make an impact in the coming months.

Personalisation at Scale

In 2024, personalised marketing has become more sophisticated, with brands leveraging advanced data analytics to deliver highly tailored experiences. Consumers now expect brands to understand their preferences and provide relevant content, offers, and recommendations. Marketers in New Zealand are increasingly using AI and machine learning to analyse customer data and create personalised marketing strategies that resonate with individual consumers.

Rise of Video Content

Video content continues to dominate the digital landscape. With platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube growing in popularity, New Zealand businesses are investing more in video marketing. Short, engaging videos are being used not only for brand awareness but also for driving conversions and engagement. Live streaming and interactive video content are also gaining traction, offering brands new ways to connect with their audience in real-time.

Emphasis on Sustainability

Sustainability has become a significant focus for consumers and businesses alike. In New Zealand, there is a growing demand for brands to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social responsibility. Marketing strategies are now incorporating sustainability messages, highlighting eco-friendly practices, sustainable products, and community involvement. Brands that can authentically communicate their sustainability efforts are likely to build stronger connections with their audience.

Influencer Marketing Evolution

Influencer marketing continues to be a powerful tool, but it’s evolving. In 2024, there’s a shift towards micro and nano-influencers who have smaller but highly engaged followings. These influencers are seen as more authentic and trustworthy, making them ideal partners for brands looking to build genuine connections. New Zealand businesses are also exploring long-term partnerships with influencers to create more consistent and integrated campaigns.

Growth of eCommerce

The eCommerce boom that accelerated during the pandemic shows no signs of slowing down. New Zealand consumers are increasingly comfortable with online shopping, and businesses are enhancing their digital storefronts to meet this demand. Omnichannel strategies, seamless mobile experiences, and innovative payment options are key areas of focus. Additionally, social commerce—buying directly through social media platforms—is gaining momentum, offering new opportunities for brands to drive sales.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Customer experience (CX) is at the forefront of marketing strategies in 2024. Brands are prioritizing CX to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. This involves optimising every touchpoint of the customer journey, from initial engagement to post-purchase support. New Zealand businesses are investing in technologies like chatbots, AI-driven customer service, and immersive experiences (AR/VR) to enhance CX and build loyalty.

Data Privacy and Security

With increasing concerns around data privacy, consumers are becoming more cautious about sharing their information. Marketers must navigate these concerns by ensuring transparency and compliance with data protection regulations. Building trust through robust data privacy practices and clear communication about how customer data is used will be crucial for maintaining customer trust and loyalty.

As 2024 progresses, marketers must stay agile and adapt to these emerging trends. By embracing personalisation, leveraging video content, prioritizing sustainability, evolving influencer marketing strategies, enhancing customer experience, and addressing data privacy concerns, brands can stay ahead of the curve and connect more effectively with their audience.

The key to success will be a balanced approach that combines innovative tactics with a deep understanding of consumer needs and preferences.

NOW WHAT?

Sun, 26 May 2024 23:47:06 GMT

Now what: Demystifying financial support during hardship

In light of recent public sector job cuts and a highly competitive labour market, many professionals are facing the prospect of prolonged unemployment for the first time.

We discussed maintaining well-being and resilience during these challenging times. Lindsay shared her first-hand experiences of navigating various support systems and provided practical life hacks to help you weather the storm.

Drawing from her journey through prolonged unemployment, Lindsay demystified accessing the available supports during financial hardship and offered invaluable insights to empower you in maintaining your well-being and resilience.

The first thing to do is apply to Work and Income – you don’t have to wait until you’ve used all of your savings or redundancy payment before you apply.

NEVER LOSE THE WONDER

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 12:43:36 GMT

I asked my three and a half-year-old daughter the other day, ‘’what do you want to be when you grow up?’’ After some thinking and with a very thoughtful look on her face she said ‘Mummy, I want to be myself when I grow up.’’ I thought, how very insightful.

We are always looking at what we want to be and what we want to become when in essence, striving to be yourself, should be something in conjunction with our life goals that we work on daily. Where did we lose this simplicity of thinking? it seems as you grow older, things become more and more complicated, and we sometimes lose sight of what matters. If we all grew up to be ourselves, how refreshing would that be?

Working in recruitment and being the age I am, I have realized that life is a journey. The number of people who actually become what they wanted to be when they grew up must surely be very low. Especially in the field of Marketing and Communications, a rapidly evolving marketplace where it is a different playing field from one year to the next.

I feel this years periods of lockdown have led us to look more inwardly than ever before. Whatever your situation may be; whether you have kids, on your own or with a partner, never have we had this chance to self-reflect and to look internally for answers.

During this time, I have realized how important it is to connect openly and honestly with people. From a work perspective, I find it hard to speak emotionally and openly as to how I feel. Perhaps this is ingrained from childhood, or something that I have learnt we should keep quiet about, something that we shouldn’t admit to, as it will show weakness. I have realized that it is all too easy to let things build up, to get frustrated, and to not have the opportunity to vent is quite dangerous.

Leaders who are truly connected to their employees are open to vulnerability, are avid, deep listeners, not just solution providers. This is important as often, we need to come to the conclusion ourselves, however, having that sounding board is immensely important. I am proud to work in a company where you can openly call or email the CEO and voice your thoughts and there is never judgement. This is something I appreciate in a leader, someone who cares about their people.

This ‘people piece’ has become even more important with the arrival of COVID19. All of a sudden employees are being trusted and relied upon to work from home. People have been forced to juggle work with family life, and in some cases have had to deal with redundancies. As a result, we are all spending time in our heads so naturally health and wellness is paramount to keeping our sanity.

During the lockdown I am hearing from candidates, more and more often, “I had a COVID moment, reflected on what I’m doing, and decided I needed to make a change.” To me, this signals that people are in some cases voluntarily walking away from their roles, with the realization that life is too short. Giving up a stable role in an incredibly unstable period shows us that it is a time for deep reflection. Is it because the world is imploding around us, or is it because at last, we all have the chance to breathe and step back from the ‘day to day’ and examine our motivations, our raison d’etre?

My realisations over this period:

children have an innate ability to give us clarity – it is important to grow and be yourself – we need to remind ourselves to never lose the wonder
Vulnerability, connecting openly and emotionally is essential for progress, even in the workplace – do not hold it in, it will make you question yourself and everything you do
The best leaders are the ones who listen to your issues, even if those issues are personal and impacting your work
If you are struggling to cope and have had enough of being stuck in your mind, talk to someone, a problem shared is a problem halved
Working from home and having limited personal contact, has allowed us to look inwardly and to discover what is important to us

This year will be a year of immense change. Here’s to a future where our new learnings and perspectives will enable us to follow our hopes and dreams.

REFER A FRIEND & SUPPORT LOCAL

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 13:53:52 GMT

We’re really proud to have re-launched our Refer a Friend program in conjunction with SOS Business and their SOS Gift Cards. We’re now offering $500, $250 and $100 SOS Gift Cards* as a thank you for referring a friend, family member or ex-colleague who’s placed by us in a new role.

Whilst COVID-19 and the resulting Nationwide Lockdown certainly threw spanners in the works, some amazing things were created as well. We are happy to announce that as part of our Refer a Friend programme, we have partnered with the incredible team behind SOS Business, a not-for-profit initiative that supports local businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you successfully refer a friend to us, you can choose a voucher from their website that includes various local hospitality and services businesses across New Zealand.

Help us, and we will help local!

$500 SOS Gift Card – For a successful referral placed in a permanent role
$250 SOS Gift Card – For a successful referral placed in a contract role of more than six months
$100 SOS Gift Card – For a successful referral placed in a temporary role of more than three months.

We’re also keen to help muster up as much support as possible for SOS Business, and wanted to provide you with the same opportunity to support small local businesses to help with their recovery. So let us tell you a little bit more about SOS Business and how you might be able to help our local businesses across New Zealand.

WHAT IS SOS BUSINESS?

SOS Business is a not-for-profit initiative that provides a way for Kiwis to buy vouchers from their favourite NZ businesses to help them with the cash they need now. SOS Business also makes it easy for larger organisations to support our smaller NZ businesses to help with their recovery.

HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Join other corporates like us at Momentum who are using this opportunity to support small NZ businesses by buying SOS Gift Cards to gift to your staff or customers instead of traditional staff rewards or campaigns. Be part of NZ’s economic recovery by supporting these smaller businesses today!

HOW SOS GIFT CARDS WORK

Purchase 10 or more SOS Gift Cards
Gift to staff or customers
Recipient redeems Gift Card for a voucher at their chosen local cafe, restaurant or business at www.sosbusiness.nz
Local cafe, restaurant or business receives the value of the voucher**

GET IN TOUCH!

Talk to Kelly Banks or Janine Williams about how SOS Gift Cards could work for your organisation, so that they can help make an impact for your staff, customers and our small Kiwi Businesses who need us!

Kelly 0211 566 566 or Janine 027 478 1711

sos@sosbusiness.nz

www.sosbusiness.nz

Share with other marketers or HR Managers

If you have anyone else in your community whom you think would like to support SOS Business by purchasing SOS Gift Cards, then please share within your communities!

*Momentum Terms & Conditions apply.

**T’s &C’s apply. 5% admin fee applies.

DON’T LET PRIDE GET IN YOUR WAY

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 05:56:53 GMT

It is important to be vulnerable. In the last few years, more and more I have realised, that if you do not know something, you need to admit it. You cannot always know everything and in fact, how else will you learn?

If you are not learning something every day, even something small, then I believe you need to check yourself. Why is this? Well, are you not pushing yourself? Are you not self-aware and realising that there is so much more that you could know? Are there any more positive and negative experiences that you could be open to? Asking these questions is essential to challenging yourself and allowing you to be receptive to new opportunities and learnings.

I have worked in recruitment for eight years and daily I think, ‘how did I get into this fickle industry?’ I still feel like I am an apprentice. It is not that I don’t know anything, it is just that every day there are new challenges and new ways of coping, new personalities that you’re having to navigate around and new ways of looking at things. It is ok to feel like you are not the epitome of your field. If anything, it means that you haven’t shut yourself off from the opportunity to learn and improve. The realisation that we are all different in our own unique way – taught and learnt, makes life so special. We are all learning and transforming every day, or at least we should be.

This pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works – our generations have never had to deal with anything like this before. It’s changed our working landscape. How do we function now? What is the new normal? Who on earth can truly give advice on what will happen in the short term or what we can predict will happen in the future? To me, it is all hearsay, no one really knows. We just need to go along with the ride and adapt accordingly based on our moral compass.

What are your coping strategies? Are you doom and gloom, looking at the news and predicting Armageddon? Or is your view that things can only go up? That we can only get better, improve, learn from our mistakes. Find a better way, a new way, a squeaky-clean new start that it is not only exciting and exhilarating but also frightening. If we were not frightened, we would not be adaptable, we would not be kept on our toes, and to be honest, we would never change. We’d be stuck in the mud.

Let’s look at this as a shiny new opportunity. A way to learn, a way to find new strategies and optimism. Do not let pride get in your way, it will hold you back from transforming into what you were meant to be.

SILVER LININGS

Thu, 21 May 2020 06:06:09 GMT

Today marks the first full day that I am back in the office and without my children (they are at school and kindy), and as much as I love them, it has also been a huge sigh of relief!

Don’t get me wrong, I love my children, I have always wanted children and I am lucky to have them. I realise I am in an exceptionally fortunate position that my husband and I still have our jobs. All that being said, this lockdown with a toddler who asks over 400 questions a day (proven!), a 6 year old that I have been home schooling and a husband who is an ‘essential’ in a busy role, and my own busy role, this has been a stressful time!”* One of my children has also been awake about 6 times a night since the lock down, and this has certainly added another dimension to an already fractious situation! **

This brings me to think, there must be so many others facing stress, as well as a myriad of other more serious and potentially life changing challenges; redundancies, financial hardships, people living in solitude, relationship breakdowns, physical and mental abuse and death, and in some instances where the lives of amazing people can’t even be marked or celebrated in a fitting way. Everyone is affected by this, in their own individual ways and no one is immune to the effects.

We have survived Level 4, finished with Level 3 and now on Level 2, but the mental health impact will be immense and though I’ve found this a challenge myself, it certainly puts my situation into perspective.

How will we survive this mental challenge? What effects will this pandemic have; on our interactions, on our children’s ability to socialise, on our ability to function in the work place and in the outside world? A good time for businesses to also check themselves and see how they (also) deal with their employees mental state. At a time where everyone has been affected to some degree, it is important to realise that this could also affect people’s work. How is your company helping you?

In the scheme of things I know (or at least am hoping) that this will be for a short period. However, the impact of this pandemic will undoubtedly have a long lasting effect on a massive proportion of the world’s population. It won’t be business as usual next week or the week after or the week after that. We will need to accept a new reality and a new way of working and not only that, a new way of just being.

Silver linings that I have found to keep my mental state in check:

we are extremely fortunate to be in New Zealand – being isolated is an absolute advantage and the swift action taken has meant that the pandemic hasn’t got a strong hold here like in many other countries
family and friendship is critical to our survival – protecting our young and old, our sick and vulnerable is not only imperative, it is what feeds our soul, gives us meaning, and a sense of purpose
compassion, empathy, kindness and humility – are what makes us human and are the most important characteristics to get us through times of crises
we are adaptable and malleable – we can work from home, we can make positive changes to suit all elements of our lives, we can and need to change to move forward

Hopefully, the fighting spirit will prevail, we will overcome these times and we will be able to tell our children and grand children about the great pandemic of our time. There is light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully as a nation we can lead the way to pave a better future. Bring on the vaccine!

* I will caveat this by saying that this has undoubtedly been the longest time the four of us have spent this much time together.

**Also I’d like to say that overall this will probably be one of the most positive experiences ever for our family, I’m learning so much about my kids every day and although it is intense (and I feel like I will need a massive holiday) I genuinely love these little rat bags (and although they push me to the brink) they will always be my number one!

A NEW BEGINNING

Mon, 04 May 2020 06:22:27 GMT

Who could’ve predicted that 2020 would have taken such a turn? I am still in disbelief that this situation could even be possible. It feels like we are in a science fiction movie that we can’t escape. The whole world, as we knew it, has been completely turned on its head.

Fear and panic dominates not only the headlines but also our hearts. Our emotions are being tormented daily, the fear gripping us while we try with grit and determination to reassure ourselves that it will be OK, that we will make it through and we will survive. Psychologically it is a minefield as we plough through into the unknown. The only way is forward, there is no turning back, but it will be different. What it will be, we don’t know, but it will be different.

The economic downturn will be and is, already significant, all we can hope for is that the spread of Covid-19 is caught early enough to cushion the blow. It is unknown territory. Yes, we’ve had the 2008 Global Financial Crisis but a pandemic is completely different, its personal, it’s our health, our lives and it is affecting a major part of what makes us human -the human connection.

Almost a week into isolation has made me realise this more than ever. Suddenly we are socializing via zoom, house party, messenger. We are so unbelievably lucky to have this to fall back on, but there is nothing like being in front of someone, being next to them, talking face to face, kissing someone on the cheek, giving friends, family and work colleagues a big hug. Human contact is essential for survival, I’ve realised that we are essentially social beings and human interaction is central to that.

It feels like a real wake up call to realise that the instant gratification of buying objects in the pursuit of happiness, is no longer enough. All of the objects of desire suddenly seem superfluous and insignificant.

We have been brought down to our knees, to the absolute basics of what makes us human. Staying home, having enforced family time, partner time or solitude, cooking together, doing things more simply, and having time to reflect.

Perhaps as a society we needed this slow down to help us remember what really is important to us. Maybe we were all trying to do too much, to produce more, to grow year on year, to push push push. Always available, always ‘on’, never being able to switch off from life. Demands thrown at you, left, right and centre. Having everything at the push of a button 24/7, able to travel at will l’aissez-faire, pushing the envelope at every junction.

By enforced hibernation, we are giving our environment a well needed rest. From afar we can see factories in China being shut down, pollution has diminished significantly, there are once again fish in the canals of Venice. Closer to home, who knows what positive impacts isolation will bring.

Creativity and creative thinking, resulting from being in isolation will bring some amazing new jobs, new hobbies, new talent and will push business in a new direction. It will be interesting to see new career opportunities in the wake of this.

Looking forward, our lives are going to be different. Our freedom to move globally is going to be limited, jobs will be lost, businesses and families will be affected, there will be illness, and sadly, there will be deaths.

It is a period of reflection and re-evaluation, also of mourning and of forcing us to change, to move into a new phase, a new world, one that hopefully our ancestors would be proud of.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 06:34:21 GMT

At Momentum we wish to be part of the solution to the issues that face our Planet and Society. We have a commitment to our People, the Environment and our wider Community.

There are many issues facing both people and planet today, including climate change and intensive resource use to population growth. There are impacts on indigenous communities and social inequality. We must all do something now not by 2030 otherwise it will be too late.

Note: Save the image if you would like to see it in a higher resolution.

We believe we need to take responsibility to positively impact our world and encourage humanity stewardship. By building brand substance, we ensure that sustainability is not just a cosmetic façade but is woven into our corporate strategy and integrated throughout our business practices. We are also doing it because it makes good business sense to reduce our bills and susceptibility to increasing energy prices; resilience and adaptability are also important factors of sustainability.

In our work and throughout the business, Momentum takes a holistic approach to sustainability, actively engaging with the interrelated issues of economy, society, environment and corporate governance. It is not an endpoint to be reached but is an ongoing process of continual betterment.

OUR VISION

Our vision for the future is to be an exemplar business for good sustainable practice. Momentum will not only act in accordance with NZ Environmental legislation in the pursuit of its business goals, but will go beyond compliance to ensure that Momentum makes a positive impact to society and the environment.

We are striving towards a situation where we can honestly say that we are becoming the most sustainable we can be on all scales: individually, collectively; thinking about our communities, nationally and internationally.

DIVERSITY IS BEING ASKED TO THE DISCO & INCLUSION IS BEING ASKED TO DANCE

Fri, 23 Aug 2019 06:49:50 GMT

As workplaces are coming to terms with diversity and inclusion, I sit here thinking, about bloody time we are having this conversation! This seems so outdated, so backward that it is even a topic of discussion and yet somehow, work places are only coming to terms with the fact that multiculturalism, gender equality and the rainbow community may not just bring a broader range of ideas to work places, and give companies an edge, but also will bring in more proﬁt. Hurrah. About time that the penny has dropped!

For a multi-cultural society like New Zealand, I dread to think how long it has been the status quo that the top of the game has always been a male, pale and stale demographic, that has ruled the workplace. Even then that terminology gives me the shudders as it is basically writing off so many successful people based on their gender, ethnicity and age. The exact opposite of what we are trying to promote! Surely, we need to be better than that. Surely, we can look at the past, analyse the present and think ahead. And CHANGE. Thank goodness that change is afoot! What a time to be alive.

Certain more traditional industries seem to still be in the dark ages in some ways, but thankfully the realisation that ‘just because this is the way it has been done, doesn’t mean it is right’ philosophy is challenging the status quo.

Pigeon-hole me. I’m a white, middle class, married, mum of two kids, living in suburbia. As predictable as this sounds, I also have a career in recruitment. I truly believe that merit, skill base, willingness to learn and determination and drive is what gets people the job, and deﬁnitely ethnicity, gender, age, sexuality should not play a part in these decisions. Part of our role as Recruitment Consultants is to work without bias, look at the work place environment, to put forward the absolute best person for the role, the best person that would fit into the organisation, breaking down this bias and giving clients a mix of candidates regardless of their background.

From another perspective, there is concern that with all the focus on diversity and inclusion that employers may also try and ﬁll a quota, based on ethnicity, gender and sexuality. Shouldn’t it also be taking into consideration the ‘right person for the job’ ? Obviously there needs to be a balance here. Let’s bring people in respectfully, because they deserve to be there, not because they tick a box and fill your quota. Let’s not stereotype people. I don’t think a tick box-based solution is the answer to ensuring that there is diversity in the workplace. It is a complex issue which involves thought, attracting and promoting roles to all demographics. It also starts at the school level from the ground up, promoting equality, educating our young to know that their work options are wide and varied and that they can do anything and be anything that they want! In fact, I feel that the next generation coming through will be extremely experimental due to their multitude of options. It is going to take time for change, there is no quick solution.

I know certain companies whereby recruitment hinges on a personality test, which makes me think, isn’t that just another form of anti-diversity? Only employing the same personality type into an organisation, doesn’t that defeat the whole diversity and inclusion vibe? Are we all going to be pigeon-holed into a certain ‘type’? I also feel like these personality tests can differ entirely depending on what is happening in one’s life. Personality is not just fixed, it is situational, fluid and I don’t think it is as easy as answering a few questions. I feel that psychometric testing absolutely has a place, but should someone’s job hinge on this? I am extremely dubious.

I think we need to change our way of thinking and the language that we are using. Let’s stop talking like something is wrong with us, and that everything is right with us! Let’s stop categorising people so blatantly. Aren’t we all one people, with shared goals, shared wants and needs, and the desire to be treated fairly and equally? I worry that we could potentially be putting people into a box, giving labels to people. Let’s all be proud of our heritage, proud that we are New Zealanders, proud of who we are. Let’s be loud and proud, beating our fists against our chests as leaders of a more diverse work force.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHcnbg_JJTU

Lyrics by Logic

I don’t wanna be black, I don’t wanna be white, I just wanna be a man today
I don’t wanna be a Christian, Muslim, gay, straight, or bi, see you later, bye
Not perceived by the things I believe or the colour of my skin
Or the fact I’m attracted to her, maybe him
Or the fact I’m a single mother living all alone
Looking for a man and a home to call my own
But I already have one

BECAUSE TOGETHER WE ARE GREATER

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 06:56:36 GMT

We’ve always believed in connecting the strengths of different parties to create something bigger and more effective, so we’re doing that closer to home by combining Velocity Recruitment with its parent company, Momentum Consulting.

Both companies are leaders in their respective recruitment areas, but together we’ll offer clients and candidates much broader opportunities and connections. Our staff will remain the same, we will keep the same processes, high standards and most importantly, the high energy approach to everything we do. The key changes are that Velocity will be known as Momentum and the positions and people we recruit for, will expand.

We set up Velocity in 2008 to deliver a standout alternative in Business Support recruitment. We grew quickly and solidly thanks to clients and candidates who valued our experience, support, speed and collaborative approach – 92% of clients are repeat customers. That personal approach to business and genuine connection with the people we work with mirrors Momentum exactly.

Momentum is one of New Zealand’s most respected recruitment companies specialising in contracting and permanent positions. Like Velocity, we have offices in Auckland and Wellington with a dedicated and talented team of people who get up in the morning to help people and businesses grow.

We take a team approach to recruitment, so our clients and candidates get the power of combined experience, but each client and candidate has one point of contact to ensure we understand the real needs and work to find the best match.

With the union, all this has been magnified. It will be business as normal, but with a bigger reach and more potential for everyone, we work with.

At Momentum it’s always about the people – individual attention to make it Greater Together.

EMBRACING AUTHENTICITY

Fri, 26 Apr 2019 07:05:24 GMT

In today’s world of ‘reality’ television, Instagram, Facebook, Cat Fishing and all the other business that we as humans can’t help but subscribe to – being your true authentic self is more important than ever.

In an interview – realistically a false environment, it is hard to properly show your true self. First of all, you are more than likely nervous. And we all know how nerves can sometimes make us behave, usually far different from who we are. As a candidate we are trying to impress, to wear our best, to say what we think the interviewer wants to hear and to seem enthused about the role we’ve applied for, even if we are not 100% sold.

How with all this pressure and stress to perform, does the flicker of who you are, truly light up the room? How will you stand out and let your personality shine through?

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” These words from Dr Zeus really resonate with me.

It is simple…In order to be heard and truly listened to, you need to be you. Yes of course you need to be professional, and appropriate but authenticity is key to a successful interview. Everyone can ‘fake it till you make it’ but the problem is that interviewers can feel that something is not sitting right, that there is an unease, a malaise, an uncertainty. When you relax, and let you shine through, you will feel more confident and you will ultimately be true to yourself.

As someone that interviews candidates every day, I can tell you, it is a relief to see people be authentic. To see someone relax, open up and to say what they really want, what they are good at and where they see themselves, what their passion is and who they are is a blessing.

In the end, we are all people and everyone that I have come across just wants to be happy doing what they do. There is pressure in society to feel or try to be perfect. To try and fit in and to feel perfect in other people’s eyes.

Sometimes we forget that we are also interviewing, it takes two to tango. Both the candidate and the employer need to feel comfortable and feel there is a fit. If one does and the other does not, it’s not going to work. As a candidate, it is equally important to have questions, to be inquisitive, to find out if the environment, culture and role is fitting with your morals, inner values and raison d’etre. It’s no longer the case that the skills for the job are all that’s required and that’s that. A job is much more than just the task at hand, it’s also about the team, environment, culture, longevity and again being given the space to be you. When you spend so much time at work, it’s a lot more palatable when you’re actually enjoying it, and enjoying the people around you.

Moral of the story – Be your authentic self, comfortable in your own skin – don’t fight it or cover it up – your uniqueness is your super power.

Firstly, teaching is a slight exaggeration. I was assisting a couple of teachers and was assigned the forward roll station. Naturally, I did extensive research before helping at my daughters’ school. I’m no couch potato but I must admit it has been a few years since I last did a forward roll so of course, I watched a few YouTube videos for pointers. It was great to get out of the office and partake in something different. Teaching is leadership of youth. After the day I left wondering who learnt more? The boys and girls or me!?

It was a great reminder that firstly you need great patience and understanding to lead a large group. Everyone is different from the little girl who knew it all and didn’t need tips on how to perfect her forward roll. To the boy who would rather just charge around and be in his own creative space. To the little boy who was frozen with fear, fear of getting it wrong, fear of being worse than everyone else. To the little girl who listened to every word and did her best to replicate and then look for praise. Those little boys and girls will grow up but will still ultimately look for the same from their workplace. As we grow up we learn to adapt and grow, we learn to manage these feelings but that doesn’t mean we aren’t those little boys and girls inside, each different, each needing different interactions.

Communication is key. You need to sometimes demonstrate, you sometimes need to repeat, you always need to be clear. You can’t assume that everyone immediately will understand the directions. You can’t just explain what you need to do, you absolutely must explain WHY. It cannot be just words, it is tone and delivery too. The communication must have participation and be a two-way street. Then you need to listen, observe and respond.

If you make things fun, no matter how daunting and challenging or on the flipside repetitive and simple, your team will follow. If you are willing to do it yourself, people will follow. In 40 minutes with a group of 30 children, I learnt so much about my leadership style, the good and the bad. At times I am that little girl who knows it all, I am that little boy who wants space to be creative, I’m also that little boy who is afraid and I also am definitely at times that little girl who wants to be praised.

TOP FIVE HOLIDAY SPOTS

Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:57:34 GMT

With career becoming more and more important to individuals, we have all been worked to the bone this year. The old working hours of 9 to 5 are long gone! There is no doubt that everyone looks forward to the long-awaited Summer Holidays. A chance to unwind from work, catch up with family and friends, read those summer books instead of work papers and importantly, take some time out from work for yourself. So to celebrate the beauty that is the summer holidays, and the beauty of New Zealand, we got our team together to create our top five New Zealand holidaying spots.

Momentum are a mixed team of born and raised kiwis, travellers from England, people from South Africa, America and other countries. So it is safe to say, New Zealand has drawn us all in for different reasons, and our list is made up of some of those drawing points. Are you enjoying your work break at any of these spots? Or have we missed any of your favourite spots off this list? Let us know! We love to hear from you.

NUMBER FIVE: HOT WATER BEACH

Our Digital Creative Director, Olivia Kelsey’s Top Pick

Hot Water Beach is a must visit for those travelling around the Coromandel area of the North Island over Christmas. It’s right there in the title, Hot Water Beach is exactly that, a beautiful beach that has underground hot springs to create your own hot pools in the sand.

MUST DO – Dig yourself a spa pool when the tide is right, recommend going in the later evenings when it is less busy
MUST STAY – The Top Ten Holiday Park Camping Grounds
MUST EAT – Fish n Chips at the Top Ten Holiday Park

NUMBER FOUR: LAKE TAUPO

Our Recruitment Consultant, Jessica Smith’s Top Pick

Taupo is a great central spot for North Island travellers, and an essential spot to visit if you are headed up from the South. Taupo is known for its beautiful lake that provides a pristine, glassy surface amazing for those with water toys like a jetski or a boat. Looking for a more budget friendly Taupo experience? Grab some fish n chips and head down to the lake instead!

MUST DO – Fishing, water-skiing and ski biscuit!
MUST STAY – The Hilton
MUST EAT – Bistro Lago

NUMBER THREE: HAWKE’S BAY

Our Associate Consultant, Chelsea Scahill’s Top Pick

Great wine, great food and even better scenery, Hawke’s bay is simply stunning and a must-see spot if travelling around New Zealand. Located on the East Coast of New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay has a rich art deco culture boosting impressive architecture and in contrast, amazing scenes of untouched New Zealand as well.

MUST DO – Take an outdoor bath in the sun with a wine, exclusive to the glampsite
MUST STAY – Canopy Camping Site, Birch Hill
MUST EAT – It is very secluded, so bring your own food if staying at the glamping site. But they have an amazing grill so pack some BBQ foods!

NUMBER TWO: NAPIER

Our Recruitment Consultant, Emma Cree’s Top Pick

One of New Zealand’s most beautiful coastal cities, Napier is located in our Number Three Spot, Hawke’s Bay. After an earthquake devastated the city in 1931, Napier was rebuilt and like Hawke’s Bay, is known for it’s art deco landmarks.

MUST DO – Tour the vineyards, check out the art deco buildings and relax in one of the amazing eateries in the area
MUST STAY – If you have a car you can really stay anywhere in the Napier area! Otherwise there is some amazing accommodation along Marine Parade
MUST EAT – Mission Estate Winery, it has delicious food and wine!

NUMBER ONE: MANGAWHAI HEADS

Our Recruitment Consultant, Natasha Zyzalo’s Top Pick

Located in Northland, New Zealand, Mangawhai Heads is renowned for it’s gorgeous white sand beaches. As it is one of the lesser known spots, it makes for a great vacation spot with the family.

MUST DO – The gorgeous beach you can spend hours at; soft white sand for laying out, clear water for swimming and then running up the sand dunes to burn off some energy, and of course a holiday at Mangawhai isn’t complete without a visit to Bennetts Chocolate Factory.
MUST STAY – Pretty much anything you can book on air bnb or book a batch. It isn’t a large place so you can be pretty sure wherever you stay isn’t far from the beach.
MUST EAT – Wood St Freehouse for their amazing ribs!

We hope you all enjoyed reading about some of our top spots to spend your holiday break in New Zealand. Thank you to our amazing staff, candidates and clients that have been working extremely hard this year. You have all earned your break and we will see you in 2018! Merry Christmas from the team at Momentum.

HOLIDAY…IT WOULD BE SO NICE!

Tue, 23 Oct 2018 09:05:35 GMT

When the world is apparently more connected than ever before, I can’t help but think that we are still suffering from a major disconnect. In August I wrote a blog on how the rise of social media can make you feel inadequate. Recently, a family holiday has reinforced my previous thoughts on technology.

Suddenly with technology and our own personal devices, work and life seem to be merging closer than ever before. Whilst there are obvious major advantages with having the world at our fingertips, it seems to also come at a cost.

I’ve recently spent a week on holiday in Piha which has been wonderful, it’s given me a break from the all-encompassing world of recruitment, a break from the daily grind. It has also given me time to reset, recalibrate and spend some much needed time with my kids. It’s given me the freedom to go on a walk when I want to and to just have some time out.

Unfortunately for my husband, this happens to be his busiest work week – while he has been here at Piha in person, he hasn’t been here 100% in spirit. A big part of his world (though I’m sure he hates to admit this) between helping me with the dishes, playing with kids, putting them to bed or changing a nappy, has been focussed on work. He has literally been tied to his laptop most nights till 1 am at the least. He hasn’t had a break in a long time and now this, much needed highly anticipated, enforced kindy holiday break, has been super stressful for him, and off the back of it, for me too.

So what’s the moral of the story? When you are taking a holiday a) make sure you don’t take your laptop b) make sure you don’t take your phone c) give someone the work to do so it is not on your shoulders d) take the annual leave and enjoy it.

If you’re so indispensable that your work can’t give you a week off – there is a problem.

life is short, you are not going to get this time with your family back and if work is so important, what’s the point in even attempting to have a holiday!

TEACHING A 5-YEAR-OLD’S GYM CLASS

Mon, 15 Oct 2018 07:11:50 GMT

HELP US HELP CURE KIDS

Tue, 11 Sep 2018 09:31:49 GMT

Every year we hold a fundraiser for Cure Kids as part of their Red Nose Day appeal in September. We strongly support Cure Kids in their mission to save our kids. Our Senior Consultant, Bernadette Sharkey-Burns’s son Finn is an ambassador for Cure Kids and suffers from Type 1 Diabetes. So not only do we support Cure Kids, we are wanting to support our staff and help find a cure for Finn.

Our annual fundraiser is a highlight of the year and we are aiming to raise $1,500 this Red Nose Day. Our favourite component of the day (and Finn’s favourite) is our prize wheel where you spin for a prize. Could be a night’s accommodation and breakfast at the Grand Mercure…or a Michael Buble Christmas Album.

In the prep for the fundraiser, we have been blown away by the helpful nature and generosity of businesses around Wellington that are willing to donate prizes for our wheel. It is always interesting how companies respond to, “we are fundraising and are looking for some support, would you be willing to help or donate?” emails.

Some truly amazing messages have been coming through, from some of Wellington’s smallest family businesses to big company players offering their support. We have been incredibly grateful for the generosity of Wellington and would like to thank all sponsors. Below are the businesses that have currently donated prizes or have offered their support for our fundraiser that will be held on the 28th September.

If you would like to help, please let us know by contacting our fundraising organiser, Olivia Kelsey on oliviakelsey@momentum.co.nz. Or you can donate directly to our fundraising page to help us reach our $1,500 goal, Donate Here .

Make sure you click attend on our event page so you can receive all the alerts for the event, updates and what the prizes will be, Red Nose Day Event .

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SPONSORS:

ACCOR HOTEL GROUP – GRAND MERCURE WELLINGTON

AROBAKE

BOLTON HOTEL

THE CHOCOLATE FISH CO.

ELDERBERRY + KATE

NEW WORLD METRO RAILWAY STATION

OFF & ON

ORTEGA FISH SHACK

POPPIES MARTINBOROUGH

SIX BARREL SODA CO.

SPEIGHTS ALE HOUSE PETONE

THE BOTANIST

URBAN SANCTUARY DAY SPA

VILLAGE GROUP ACCOMMODATION

WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE

NEW ZEALAND IT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR FINALIST – SIMON FERRARI

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 09:42:31 GMT

In the third and final blog in our series on the finalists for the New Zealand IT Professional of the Year, I met with Simon Ferrari of Datacom who shared views on how to progress a successful career in IT, and much more.

How did you get into IT and what has your career path been?

I loved coding; that is what got me into IT, although I was probably a pretty average software developer. I got promoted into roles that required other skills, and that took me away from the code. Project Management was a key step in my career path, and a role I liken to leading a group of people into fog, with a promise of success out the other end. You need to influence and convince. Sometimes you won’t know how long the fog will last or exactly what it’ll look like once it clears, and it’s a real skill to encourage your team into that fog.

I love technology, and I’m a computer scientist by trade. I’m detailed, but I’m also people focused, and enjoy writing blogs on culture, career development and related topics.

I’ve been at Datacom for 17 years, that’s a large part of my career so far. And although I sometime fear I’ve “drank the cool-aid”, I’ve actually worked out why. It’s about working within compatible values, and I’ve been lucky that Datacom’s values and culture are fairly well aligned to mine. I’ve also worked with and recruited many people who I respect and have become friends. So while I continue to feel that way, why change?

Why do you think you have been nominated?

I am just one of an estimated 120,000 New Zealand IT professionals and feel there are probably more deserving, but recognise that I do play a part in the wider industry and I’d like to think I add value there.

I’ve been involved in the TechHub Programme since the 2009 pilot and am a champion for that and related programmes both inside and outside work. In a company of over 2000 NZ employees, there are plenty of colleagues to coerce into these programmes, and make a real difference. To their credit, Datacom has been a strong supporter of these programmes that are designed to build the future ICT labour market.

I also sit on two Industry Advisory Boards: the Wellington ICT Graduate School and Otago University’s Information Science Department. These roles provide great opportunities to build bridges between the organisations who are fueling the future labour market and organisations who are delivering ICT with talent from the labour market.

These activities are natural areas of interest for me. I love the idea of interesting a high school student in an IT career when they have actively discounted it before hearing me speak. Last year for example, when I was on a TechHub CREST Challenge judge, my favourite quote from a year 10 female student was “I really, really love coding”. When I asked her if she’d done any before the challenge or believed she could love coding, she replied “No, never”. This is gold, and why I do this work.

If you were 18 what advice would you give yourself (i.e. is university important)?

Tertiary education is really important as it lets you mature and gives you crucial time to think about the career options you have. But you have to put the time in and be passionate about your studies – ensure you are taking subjects that allow you to naturally do this. As for courses, other than the obviously IT relevant degrees available today, I would encourage them to consider psychology and economics. It is essential to understand how humans work and what makes a business tick, as without this knowledge it’s much harder to be successful in any profession. These subjects will also provide a different perspective.

What impact do you predict technology will have on ICT careers?

There won’t be mass job losses, although the nature of our work will certainly change. We’ll remain differentiated from the virtual workforce (Bots, Virtual Assistants and Robots etc) by our EQ (Emotional Quotient) and soft skills. That is until we develop a way to fully replicate the brain! We can code empathy now, but it isn’t human yet. So, in short, the answer is that soft skills are key to a good career. We don’t need to fear being made redundant by machines and should cherish our human points of difference such as curiosity, creativity and imagination. I have written about this in LinkedIn: “ Hard Facts About Soft Skills ”.

Innovation has a key role in the future. It’s always had a key role. There is a risk Innovation becomes an overused cliché. It’s simply about identifying problems and solving them creatively. A special ‘wheel innovator’ didn’t come along and innovate a wheel. The challenge of shifting things with reduced effort existed. A bunch of people evolved ideas relating to rolling things, and the wheel was eventually conceived. Let’s identify what problems we will need to solve next and evolve some novel ways to solve them – that’s simply innovation!

I enjoy reading; business topics as well as science fiction. An old favourite is Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, who has the protagonist jacking into a virtual world called the Metaverse – not far from a virtual reality Internet. When you consider this was published in 1992, it really gets you thinking. I’d encourage that 18 year old to be a futurist and fuel their imagination by reading as much as possible!

Do you need to have a degree?

It all depends on the job and the company. Many large corporates have minimum standards as a way to filter candidates. The degree will help you grow and learn though. In my opinion, you are more mature and have more extensive skills after 3 or 4 years at University, and many people exiting secondary school need that personal development. That said, if you are mature, have the necessary support around you and a keenness to launch into a career from secondary, it may be a good option.

How do you personally balance learning and leading?

I’m notorious for divergence. Why do I need to balance these? I don’t think they’re on the same spectrum. You can lead and learn without conflict. Perhaps ‘command and control’ leaders may struggle with balancing these. I’d like to think I’m always learning. I was with a younger member of my team just today, trying to find a solution for a significant problem we had. He came up with a great idea, it wasn’t the whole solution, but it was the icing on the cake. While I was the senior in the room leading the client meeting, he aced it with his suggestion. Here I was, leading the client meeting yet learning from a direct report at the same time. I’ve been involved in graduate recruitment for a while and designing ways to identify and talent. I’m always looking for curiosity and creativity as these are the building blocks for solving clients’ issues, and often it’s the young talent that gets you thinking differently and challenging the norms – providing plenty of learning opportunities for all!

What are the challenges you see with identity and the use of personal data in government?

Data matching occurs under legislation that enables it, for good. RealMe is an interesting system that I believe was 5-10 years before its time. I know how privacy has been designed into the solution to protect users’ data, and we are safe. The original privacy design won international recognition for its world-leading approach to the treatment of user-centric privacy and metadata before metadata became a dirty word. I would like to think here in New Zealand there is no big brother risk. Privacy and security are taken really seriously.

In summary, it was a pleasure to meet Simon, who genuinely expressed that without the support of so many people he wouldn’t be nominated for such an award. He was quick to point out that he feels fortunate on many fronts and that the support of his wife, has helped him achieve what he has. He has a passion for technology but specifically technology that makes a difference to people. He used one of his favourite words – Intrinsic – and I feel this sums him up perfectly.

WINNERS – 2018 WELLINGTON GOLD AWARDS

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 09:58:32 GMT

Once again, the Wellington Gold Awards showcased the best of Wellington Businesses and was a fantastic evening. We were proud sponsors of the Team Gold Award and would like to congratulate the winner, Phil&teds. Here are all the winners from the 2018 Wellington Gold Awards:

SUPREME WINNER – Massey University College of Creative Arts

CREATIVE GOLD – Massey University College of Creative Arts

CYBER GOLD – Orbitremit

DISCOVERING GOLD – Mundesine by Ferrier Research Institute

EMERGING GOLD – PRODUCTS – Sharesies

EMERGING GOLD – SERVICES – Mevo

GLOBAL GOLD – Tekron International

SUPPORTING GOLD – Griffiths Drilling

VIBRANT GOLD – Visa Wellington On a Plate

BEST PRACTICES (WORKPLACE SAFETY AWARD) – New Zealand Racing Board

GREEN GOLD – Flight Plastics

TEAM GOLD – Phil&teds

THE DOMINION POST TRIBUTE TO A WELLINGTON ICON – Dame Luamanuvao Winnnie Laban

NEW THINKING AWARD – Silvia Zuur

NEW ZEALAND IT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR FINALIST – LUKASZ ZAWILSKI

Mon, 09 Jul 2018 09:24:49 GMT

In the second in our series on the finalists for the New Zealand IT Professional of the Year, I was grateful to Lukasz Zawilski for his time and insights into the technology, culture and team that are shaping NZQA.

Two of the three nominations for the award originate from overseas. How easy did you find moving to NZ?

I have been here since 2002, albeit via a weird path. I needed a career break and decided to take a down shift in pace for a while around 2005. The challenge for most from overseas is qualification recognition and that is still prevalent today. We are hopeful that our pilot involving micro credentials will help in recognising overseas experience.

It has been easy fitting in here as Kiwis are a great bunch of people with a can do attitude. Our IT team currently consists of 14 nationalities and we are proud to have a 38% female workforce which continues to grow. This huge mix of background and geographies helps create better products and services. We all know that the workforce is diversifying, but for us workforce diversity is a plus and really important.

What is your view on local talent available?

I think there is clearly a supply and demand issue and therefore we see some overseas interest from candidates and clients. Immigration are trying to make it easy and the Looksee program did a great job at selling Wellington on a global level. Word of mouth is certainly better than before when it comes to Wellington, but we could be growing quicker but the same can be said for everywhere.

Great news re-funding for NCEA. Are you able to talk us through the challenges that lie ahead in digitalising exams by 2020?

Our biggest challenge is change. Implementing a hardware and software program is well proven but digital delivery is a challenge in terms of readiness and adoption. One thing we must continue to focus on is that it needs to be equitable, as we don’t want those who have access to tech to be given an advantage. This is a challenge in New Zealand as there is a high variability in take up or drive for technology in schools. We must make sure everyone has the same equal opportunities.

What other challenges are NZQA facing?

In my current role I have been lucky to have talented people around me. I’ve had the bandwidth to discuss with other leaders where we should be going. You have to take time to think otherwise you get caught up in the moment and don’t think about the future. I believe in doing the basics well to start with and then I encourage the team to be out there in the organisation and to stay outward focused.

When looking abroad are there any governments that stand out in terms of design of digital services? And what is it that stands out?

If you look overseas for example Estonia has an E-citizen system where many services are now available as electronic processes. For example, you can get married electronically. We established RealMe but didn’t pull in the users as the average person doesn’t understand the benefits.

As services come on board we will find more people will adopt the technology. I don’t think it is due to privacy as currently we share more information through our countdown 1 card than we do with the Government, but it is cultural. Soon the value will outweigh the worry. If I can access 5,6,7 different services then I will sign up.

What currently excites you in terms of technologies that our Government are implementing?

If I look at what we are involved in then broadening the definition of education is really exciting. Learning happens in a wide range of places; for example the spectrum ranging from a 3-year Commerce degree to a 2-week electrical mechanic course. The challenge is to join up data across the sector to assist in painting a picture of learning. How do you reflect experience and make access to this information easier for those that need to verify it? LinkedIn have a role to play in this for sure, however, we need to create quality assured information with limited access to it or be time bound. Remember If people want to deal with us they want less friction and therefore the better we do this the more we succeed. That is why we must keep on being customer centric.

In summary Lukasz finished by giving us insights into the ways in which he and his team are trying to be effective in communicating with one another. Whether that is through podcasts or videos they are attempting to stay authentic and relevant. There seems a good level of humour and collaboration so it comes as no surprise that Lukasz has been nominated for this award. We wish him all the best on Thursday 12 ^th July.

WE ARE CLOSER AND YET FURTHER APART THAN EVER!

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 10:10:39 GMT

The Excellence in IT Awards that recognise the people making IT happen are nearly upon us. I sat down with one of the finalists for the New Zealand IT Professional of the Year Regine Deleu to talk about her experiences and journey within the technology industry. Originating from Belgium, Regine has had a nomadic career before arriving in Wellington to work for the NZ Government. Fluent in four languages, Regine talked through her experience with a smile on her face, demonstrating that her passion for technology is as strong as ever.

I see you were a Finalist for Innovation for the 2015 Women of Influence Award? Do you feel those women are starting to get better representation in IT? What more can be done to encourage / support woman in IT?

There are certainly more women in IT now than there were when I began my career. Some of the barriers are being broken down but there is always more that can be done. I was the only female on my Computer Science course at the Open University in the Netherlands. A teacher said that it wasn’t an industry for me as it was a male industry. That comment inspired me to continue and succeed. Women are still underrated in the technology world, although there are some really bright women who have the same potential as everyone else, and employers are doing their bit by creating flexibility which helps.

It is really important that we continue to highlight and build the profile of successful females in IT to encourage girls at school to follow in their footsteps. I’m lucky, I was encouraged as a young child. I didn’t like playing with dolls, I was fascinated by things that moved and made sounds. I would take them apart to see how they worked.

In regard to your Human computing project that you did looking into the Hotel industry, how would you describe the lessons learnt since your project over 15 years ago?

A lot has changed but the real change is the adoption of smart devices. The development of these devices has pushed voice and face recognition forward with identification no longer being just passwords. A great example of this is the work that IRD are doing with their voice recognition. The wider pubic may not be aware of the great work that government is doing to make interactions easier. It is so much easier to be connected with friends and family on the other side of the world. At the same time we are less connected with people around us as we immerse ourselves in our smart devices rather than meeting up locally. In Netherlands for example they have traffic lights built into the pavement for smartphone-using pedestrians.

When looking abroad are there any governments that stand out in terms of design of digital services? And what is it that stands out?

The ones that come to mind are Estonia, Canada, and the Netherlands. Canada is doing some great work in Blockchain. Estonia has done a great job in building public and private sector start up accelerator programs. None of this would be possible though without Estonia have full coverage of free internet. We have seen here with the census for example that we can’t just think about technology if it isn’t 100% available. We have to think about the people who don’t want to or can’t be online and digital.

What currently excites you in terms of technologies that our Government are implementing?

There is so much to mention but for me I am really impressed with the work NZTA do in data capture and knowing what they have and how they can use it. TEC use their data really well to follow students through employment and help them. IRD have their own life events that are well defined and have their channels connected smartly.

But of course, there is always more we can do so we are just trying to bring great minds together to share and challenge ideas. I chair the Know-MAT (Knowledge Maturity Assessment Team) group which has 30 agencies involved with senior managers and thought leaders taking part in an old school 1 ½ hour monthly meeting, sharing ideas and good practice with each other. Besides coming together we also use technology like yammer as well to communicate and collaborate.

The assumption that for example that the US is ahead is not true. The public and private sector here are doing some really cool things, collaborating on creating services that fit citizens’ their life events and life journeys.

New Zealand has hosted the 4th annual gathering of the world’s most advanced digital nations in February 2018. Digital 5 2018 brought the Digital 5 (D5) nations together to share best practices and key learnings, collaborate on common projects and help each other become even better digital governments faster and more efficiently.

Obviously, data security and integrity are challenges, but data has huge value if used smartly.

It would be good if the Governments could share information between agencies as this would make it easier to serve the citizens’ their specific needs. In many European countries they have a unique identifier for individuals that make information sharing easier. Of course, everyone should be able to opt out.

The data you share on social media like Facebook or Twitter is really scary. I did an 8-week data science course in Washington and found that if you submit yourself as a developer of certain large US organisations you get access to all the information..

What is about Wellington or NZ?

I love the openness of Kiwis. In London people don’t connect, they don’t take the time whereas here everyone is friendly and open. It is also a beautiful country which I am enjoying exploring. Technology helps me to talk to my family every day. On the other hand I like to get away from my device. I live in a boat and I often disconnect myself to get away from everything and recharge myself. I paint which helps me to be creative when it comes to solving technology challenges. It gives me inspiration and opens my mind to think differently.

In summary it was a pleasure to meet Regine and we wish her all the best for the Awards night on the 12 ^th July. The IT industry needs more creative, determined and passionate women like Regine who look to utilise technology to enhance our human interactions but don’t get lost in the digital world either.

EXCELLENCE IN IT AWARDS FINALISTS

Fri, 22 Jun 2018 09:49:03 GMT

The finalists for the Excellence in IT Awards are out! We will be sponsors at this years ITX Conference and are looking forward to the awards portion of the evening on Thursday the 12th July. The awards are to recognise the people that make IT happen in New Zealand, a chance to acknowledge the unsung heros within the IT industry. Congratulations to all the finalists, we are looking forward to seeing you there.

IT PROJECT EXCELLENCE AWARD

IR Service Now Sprint Team – Inland Revenue
Keven Robinson & the Health Alliance Stabilisation Programme Team
Richard Morgan – Managing Director, Cyclone Computers

EXCELLENCE IN SOFTWARE

Darren Bruning – CIO, Velogicfit
Vulcan Steel & Datacom Team – Led by James Well, CIO, Vulcan Steel & James David, Business Solutions Manager, Datacom
Kristen Burne & the NZ Police Family Harm Application Team – Kirsten is Senior Project Manager for the NZ Police ICT delivery team

EXCELLENCE IN DIGITAL HEALTH

Aliesha Staples – Managing Director, Staples VR
Kevin Ross – GM of Precision Driven Health & Director of Research, Orion Health
Rebecca George, Garth Munro, Holly Wang – Allied Health Informatics, Canterbury DHB

EXCELLENCE IN IT EDUCATION

Digital Technologies Teachers Aotearoa
Donald Joyce – Tertiary Education Consultant
Science Learning Hub

EXCELLENCE IN GOVTECH

Jeremy Hughes & the NZTA ONRC PMRT Team – Jeremy is a Director of Company-X
Mike Taitoko & the Takiwā Team – Mike is CEO & Founder of Takiwā
Education Sector Logon Upgrade Project Team – Ministry of Education

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION

Steve Moss – Director, TechWrite Services
Emma Harding – Co-founder & writing Team Manager, Streamliners
Grant Mackenzie – Senior Technical Communicator, RAMM Software Limited

YOUNG IT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Sam Jarman – Mobile Developer, BNZ
Caitlin Duncan – PhD Student, University of Canterbury
Miria Royal – Solution Consultant, Vodafone. FOunder FLINT. Chair Te Pū Whero

NEW ZEALAND IT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Lukasz Zawilki – CIO, NZ Qualifications Authority
Regine Deleu – All-of-Government Enterprise Architect at Department of Internal Affairs
Simon Ferrari – General Manager, Datacom Systems Ltd.

HOW TO MAINTAIN SUCCESS AT WORK WHILE ALSO RAISING A CHILD

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 10:31:58 GMT

BY THE MOTHERS OF OUR OFFICES

Jacinda Ardern’s baby is never going to know how much impact they have had on this day. Today, on the 21 ^st June 2018, this baby, without having been born yet, is headlines!

“Baby on Board: Jacinda Ardern in hospital to give birth” (RadioNZ)

“PM Jacinda Ardern’s baby gets the world excited” (Stuff)

“Live feed: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is in labour” (Newshub)

“How the world is reacting to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in labour” (NZHeard)

It is extraordinary. The world is certainly reacting; everyone wants to know if the baby will be a boy or a girl, what she will call them and the question that has been pestering Jacinda since her pregnancy announcement, how is she going to do it all!? While a person having a child and returning to work is nothing new, New Zealand has not had a Prime Minister, a person of such power, in this position of running a nation and raising a new-born.

In light and in support of Jacinda’s exciting new endeavor on this day, we thought we would ask our working mothers how they manage to do it all. Success at work and success in raising a child is easier said than done. You will undoubtedly have some great moments and some downright impossible give up moments. But we are so proud of our working parents that commit to finding that balance every day. Hopefully, through their thoughts, we can show other new mothers out there that it can be done!

OUR MOTHER’S TOP TIPS TO MAINTAIN WORK/LIFE SUCCESS

“To have success at work and raise your children, you need to be extra organised, plan your week ahead, have support from your partner and family and have confidence that ‘you’ve got this’!”

“It’s about the entire family unit. The partners are working parents too. Being organised as a team and sharing the load.”

“I find having an employer that supports the importance of family, values and balance are key. And then you just do it.”

“Ask for help when you need it. Say no more often. Build a support system at home. Prioritise, plan and accept the fact that things won’t always go to plan.”

“Be fully present at work and at home – feeling guilty about either is wasted energy and will just wear you down”

“In my last role, it was almost impossible for me to do both but having an employer that supports working parents is what really helps me to make it all work. I have to say that I’m a multitasker extraordinaire, people often say to me ‘I don’t know how you do it’ my response is ‘you just do!’”

“Coffee! Lots of coffee and wine…lots of wine! OK on a more serious note, it’s all about mastering the art of BALANCE in your day.”

SOME STORIES FROM OUR MUMS…

“I was at work yesterday sitting at my desk, I took my jacket off and realised I’d actually forgotten to zip up my dress ….yup life of a working mum!”

“I dropped my child off at daycare the other day and drove an hour into work before I realised I had his ‘can’t live without’ teddy bear in the car – I was actually going to courier it to him!”

IT’S ALL RELATIVE. RIGHT?

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 10:38:02 GMT

“To be relative” is defined as “to be evaluated differently depending on a person’s perspective; to be incapable of definitive or absolute evaluation. Frequently in it’s all relative.”

Recruitment is at the deep end of the pool when it comes to perspective. The candidate rightly has an opinion, the client has a mindset, and the consultant will have a leaning, and yet the process leaves many feeling disappointed.

We recently recruited a CIO role for a client and had 164 unsuccessful candidates and one successful. Many of the unsuccessful candidates believe that they should have been on the right side of the equation. This example highlights the issue with running advertisements for roles in that the expression of interest can result in many disappointed individuals. The flip side can be argued that the right person, which is more important, is found.

We have all been there. We have all received that bad news. Our advice to those who haven’t been selected would be that it is all relative. Don’t lose faith in your abilities and that with a growth mindset you can become a virtuoso of anything if you try hard enough.

Science has proved that the genes of any two randomly different humans from widely different parts of the globe are 100% structurally the same, and at least 99.5% the same in the base pairs and non-functional repeats. So, the margin between success and failure is relatively small.

The term ‘the grass is greener’ is also relative. Don’t get me wrong; we make money from people changing jobs because they perceive the ‘grass to be greener’. Many articles write about the reasons why people want to move, whether that is for more money, change of tasks, career development, training and development, culture, poor management or it is just time for a change. I urge you to do your due diligence. Use a recruiter who will give you an honest appraisal of the new opportunity. Check other sources and ask questions in your interview about the before mentioned points to make sure you are well informed before making a life-changing decision. A good friend once told me, “the grass is greener because the shit is twice as deep”.

It’s all relative!

MAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF – WORK/LIFE BALANCE

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 10:20:39 GMT

My midwife once gave me the following advice, “Make sure you have time for yourself and look after yourself”. I always wondered how this could be possible – she must be joking right? How on earth can I have time for myself, or even two minutes alone, especially with a new-born!

It dawned on me when I returned to work from maternity leave that you suddenly need to prioritise yourself. With children at day-care, juggling work with colleagues, clients and candidates and family life with husband, children, extended family and friends, that we tend to exclude ourselves in the mix of priorities. Everyone wants a piece of you! Perhaps the more you have on, the more you can fit in, but this is all at the expense of your own time.

I was looking at some very influential women in society – women on boards, women as CEO’s of companies, my boss – all with families, with responsibilities, doing an impossible amount of work. I used to dismiss this as, well they can’t have it all – children, a husband, a career. Surely, it’s not possible, somethings got to give. I wondered, how do they keep sane amongst the noise? How do they survive when it feels like it’s all going to fall apart?

I never understood when my mother said “I just want one day of peace” …sure mum, whatever. Suddenly I’ve realised that I’m in this category, I just want some peace too! As I sit here having a glass of wine at a restaurant by myself (flying solo) I have never truly realised the importance of alone time. It’s not exercise; it’s not doing anything in particular. It’s just sitting here by myself, with myself, doing nothing but realising how good alone time can be!

Despite what others may think about a mum enjoying a glass of wine on her own, it is not selfish; it’s necessary for your sanity.

To all the amazing women out there – give yourselves a break, recalibrate. Realise your successes, your amazing strength, your resilience, your ability and flexibility to adjust. Concentrate on the small wins – like what an incredible week you’ve had! Life is good! Go and pencil some alone time in the diary. Put yourself first for a change, realise it is not selfish and relax!

I am writing this as a mum of two very active kids working four days a week in Recruitment with a husband, mortgage and a hectic family/ social life. This advice is of course, for both men and women as we all need alone time! Life is busy and demanding, we all need to chill and give ourselves some attention too. Alone time is valuable, never forget that or yourself.

REFER A FRIEND WITH MOMENTUM

Wed, 21 Mar 2018 10:50:00 GMT

Do you have a friend, family member or ex-colleague looking for work?

Have you enjoyed being a candidate of ours and think someone else would too?

We would love to meet them! If they are placed by us in a new role, as a thank you for sending them our way, you can choose from one of three gifts on us.

The amount of people you recommend to us is also unlimited, so start referring so you can enjoy the rewards.

We treat our candidates as individuals. We understand that everyone is their own person and a one-size-fits-all solution for referrals may not be the best solution. So, we have been working hard over the past few months to create a Refer a Friend campaign that would cater to everyone’s different wants and needs.

As part of our Refer a Friend campaign, we are very excited to announce that we have partnered with a bright, smart and innovative Kiwi brand, NEON. NEON, powered by SKY provides New Zealander’s with an effortless way to escape into the best, latest and exciting television and movie content on a variety of devices. NEON stands against complexity and uncertainty and instead offers effortless escapism, a way for Kiwi viewers to have maximum entertainment with minimum effort. You can easily try NEON yourself with a year’s subscription on us, valued at $240, if you refer a friend and they are

successfully placed (terms & conditions found here ).

An important part of our ‘why’ is also our social responsibility. We regularly partner with charities and organisations whose values reflect our own. We decided that having the charities we support as part of our Refer a Friend Campaign, would further fuel our social responsibility and ensure we provide as much support as possible.

At this point you may be thinking, this is great, but how can I get involved? Refer a Friend with Momentum is simple:

1. Refer a friend, family member or ex-colleague you have in mind that may be a great candidate for a role we are advertising or in general. You can do this by giving us a call on 04 499 6161 (WGTN), 09 306 5500 (AKL) or by sending us an email with their details to Wellington or Auckland .

2. If your referral is successfully placed by us (minimum length of contract applies) within 3 months of Momentum receiving your referral, we will contact you to inform you that you have qualified for a Refer a Friend gift

3. Choose between either:

$200 donation to charity
$200 Prezzy Card

4. We will have your chosen reward out to you once your referral starts their job or contract.

See the full terms and conditions for our Refer a Friend campaign here .

ACT FAST! CANDIDATES DISAPPEAR

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 10:57:37 GMT

With over 50 recruitment companies in Auckland alone (and growing), you could say that the market is getting very competitive! All these businesses are fighting to find the best candidates to fill your roles. A lot of the time, they are fighting for the same candidates. Great candidates are very active on their job hunt and will usually register with 4-5 recruitment companies to ensure they keep their options open. By doing this, they have a broad view of what the Auckland market has to offer and can be considered for multiple positions at one time.

Things to keep in mind once you have met a great candidate;

BE CLEAR

From the get-go, ensure the consultancy is supplied with a clear job description and understands what is needed from the role and what qualities/attributes the ideal candidate should possess. When job briefs change deep into the recruitment process, with or without the consultancy knowing, it can become confusing for the candidate, and defer them from wanting to work for an organisation.

COMMUNICATE

Once there is a preferred candidate, it is important to communicate as quickly as possible with the consultancy to give feedback. This can be the difference between a successful hire or not, as it is only human nature to want to know how you got on. Candidates are more likely to make themselves available for a potential job offer if they are kept in the loop.

COUNTER OFFERS

They happen all the time. Candidates are sometimes not completely forth-coming with other roles they have on the go. Unfortunately, this is not something that we can control or change, but what we can do is let our clients know that the best way to prevent these is to make hiring decisions as quickly as possible. Drawn out recruitment processes are the most common way to lose a candidate to a competitor.

SALARY

These days, candidates are acutely aware of what their skills are worth in dollars. All it takes is a quick Google search, and you can have the information in front of you. They are also aware that they could potentially be earning more money at another company, regardless of how keen they are to work for your organisation. Its best to ensure when an offer is made, the salary is reflective of the skills required for the job or the preferred candidate might walk.

Due to the Auckland market becoming so competitive, we have had to steer away from traditional recruitment methods, to stay on top of the great candidates. Here at Velocity Recruitment, we have a unique team approach that sets us apart from other consultancies. Instead of one consultant, you have six working on your role. Our coverage is much greater and faster, and our communication with candidates is genuine and transparent. However, it is primarily up to our clients to miss out on their preferred candidate. Acting fast is your best bet to secure that front runner!

IS THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT JURASSIC?

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 10:41:43 GMT

Great Executive Assistants are hard to find.

Finding someone who knows what needs to be done without being asked and has the organisational prowess of Monica from Friends is, well, almost as hard as finding a dinosaur yourself. We know there was a time where they were here…but not so much anymore.

Traditionally, careers in Administration began at Reception. Receptionists bring the balance of being organised and friendly to a corporate environment in a general sense; at the most basic level, keeping stock of office supplies and ensuring visitors are greeted with a smile. Should a Receptionist realise his or her strength in being organised, one may land an opportunity as a Team Administrator, and eventually as a Personal Assistant or Executive Assistant.

So where have they gone? Team Administrators still exist, as do Receptionists. Enter: The Project Space.

What hasn’t gone anywhere is the ever-growing need for project support. The digital climate of the past 20 years has shaped the way we look at new business strategies and transformation like no other. Have a look at the IT and Business Transformation listings on your favourite job board. It is busy and needs the administrative support to help keep it going.

Candidates with backgrounds in administration are realising the true lucrative and career changing opportunities the project space can offer – working as an EA, while rewarding and fulfilling, might not be as enticing in comparison.

For example, the average Project Administrator salary can vary between $60k-$80k at an administrative level. Should you obtain the skills and experience to lend you a more technical opportunity, you can earn upwards of $80k-$120k. You could even work as a Project Manager with the right training and experience. An EA doesn’t typically have the opportunity to jump into a CEO role perhaps. Hopefully, great EAs won’t become extinct. Not in the digital age, anyway.

HOW TO SURVIVE COMING BACK FROM MATERNITY LEAVE

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 10:21:49 GMT

Coming back from maternity leave is always bittersweet. You want to look after your children in the best way possible, at the same time you want to be earning money; for your family, for your independence, for your mortgage. You want to work, for your sanity, for having an adult conversation, for the challenge and sometimes just so that you can go out and have a coffee and have a 10-minute break by yourself.

The work you know you can do, you’re motivated, capable, practical and have nailed time management through the process of raising children. You know you will be better at your job than you ever were before because you have developed (by looking after your children) the ability to:

Be calm (when all you want to do is scream)

Plan ahead (continually thinking about the next thing: what’s next, have we got all the ingredients for dinner, have you packed the kindy bag and made lunch, have you got snacks and a bottle)

Time manage (when is nap time, feeding time, bath time, bottle time, play time, story time etc.)

Problem solve and find solutions quickly (whether it be a distraction, finding a place to change a nappy (there never seems to be somewhere practical when you need it)

Be resourceful (you’ve managed a whole year on one salary)

Multi-task (when you have two children you need to nail this quickly to get through the day)

and survive on little to no sleep.

All these transferable skills enable the working parent to be more efficient, capable, stop fluffing about and get the job done. We also know we must be out at a particular time for pick up or up early for drop off, so juggling a million things and condensing them into a shorter day.

Honestly, I feel like companies would benefit by having more flexibility in the workplace, allowing parents to be able to juggle family life and work. This helps not only the company but families too. Companies and employees could be so much more efficient by having working mothers/parents on their staff.

I am fortunate to have a place of work that enables flexibility, understands the needs of children and flexibility for parents, but also trusts that the work will be done and done to a high standard. That being in half an hour later in the morning will not change the workflow or the amount of work done, that the pressure and will to do well is on the person already without having to feel under pressure of being in the office at 8:30am.

Velocity amazingly didn’t just welcome me back with a “hi, here’s your desk!” they overwhelmed me with flowers, a bottle of wine and some of the nicest stationery a girl could want. This immediately made me comfortable and made me think, “wow, this is where I want to be”. The kindness, empathy and soft skills are not something that can be taught; it’s part of what makes a company great. Not just the gifts, but the thought behind it, the personal side, remembering that we are not just on this earth to work – that people need to feel looked after and treated well. Not only this, the welcome emails that flooded in from both Auckland and Wellington and the CEO made me realise just how lucky I am to work with such a great team. A team that genuinely embraces individuals.

So I leave you with this:

Would more companies benefit from having working parents? Yes! Would more parents like to be in part-time employment? Absolutely! So why is it so hard for working parents, and in particular working mums, to get back into employment? Why are there not more workplaces that have flexibility? Why am I continually speaking with women that are extremely intelligent, have had tremendous careers thus far and then have children and cannot seem to get a job?

There needs to be change. New mums and dads need to and want to work, the current way that society is set up for working parents is not good enough. Hopefully, with Jacinda Adern in power, these issues will be addressed, particularly those in relation to women. Although, she may also be setting unrealistic expectations on women heading back into the workforce after only six weeks! We will see if that will stick after she has had her first baby! Nonetheless, more power to her as she will be an icon for working parents across New Zealand, and as the way the international media has truly taken her character by storm, she will be an inspiration for working parents across the world.

Postface: I also wrote this piece as a mum of two kids, a boy and a girl aged one and four and by no means am I excluding or ignoring the fact that there are fathers out there that also struggle with returning to the workforce. I am sure you too, understand the challenge of returning to work and hopefully took something away from the blog as well.

STRIKING UP A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CONSULTANT

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 10:16:54 GMT

To strike up a long-term relationship with candidates, first, they need to know that we are here as recruitment consultants to help them. It is that simple. To candidates, it may seem like we are over-the-top and inquisitive. However, the reason for the number of seemingly nosy questions in the interview process is because the more honest candidates are with us, the more we can help. We are working for the candidate, not against them.

People are complex; life is not straightforward, and there are a lot of grey areas. Our job as the recruitment consultant is to distinguish what makes a candidate tick, what will make them happy going forward, what have they learnt from the past that will help them in the future. Yes, finding a job is about what skills the candidates have, but there is a lot more to it than that. Some of the questions that potentially put candidates off could be:

WHAT OTHER ROLES HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR?

This is not so that we can contact those companies or in any way interfere with current opportunities. The reason is so that we can find out how active you are in the job market. We need to find out where your cv has been presented so that we don’t also present you. We also want to find out what roles you like the look of, as we might have something that could match.

HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO OTHER RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCIES?

Again, not to be nosy! But rather to see how active you are. Who have you got working on your behalf, are there any other companies that may also be helping you? If you are signed up to multiple recruitment companies, it also gives us a competitive edge to help you; we want to be the ones to secure you that dream job.

WHY WERE YOU IN YOUR LAST ROLE FOR A SHORT TIME?

This is to find out what you don’t like, why you did not enjoy that role and what life circumstances happened that may have made you decide to move.

Of course, there are a lot more questions that we ask. It may seem like a lot of information to take, I know, I have been there before and felt slightly overwhelmed. At Velocity, we do make it as painless as possible, as friendly and as professional as we can. A candidate is not just a number to us.

We want to strike up a long-term relationship with our candidates. When we successfully place candidates in a new role, we genuinely want them to enjoy it so that they will continue to work with us for years to come! Not only are we happy for the candidate when we secure them with that exciting new role, but we are also proud. Proud to call them a candidate for Velocity Recruitment. Our candidates are our flagbearers, our representatives and in years to come can be candidates again or go full circle and become a future client of ours. Word of mouth marketing is crucial to the world of recruitment, and we want to ensure we can also make the candidate proud. To help our candidates be the best they can.

MANAGEMENT, HIRE SOMEONE BETTER THAN YOU

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 10:13:01 GMT

Recently, I was lucky enough to be a part of the Momentum team that sponsored Webstock for 2018. An amalgamation of technology, innovation, and minds that came together over a two-day period to talk about the dynamic and ever-present world of technology. A wide range of speakers attended from all over the world, but one who stood out for me was Andy Budd (British Author and CEO of Clearleft ). He spoke enthusiastically about, “The Accidental Leader” and specifically referred to, designers who have a seat at the table, being unhappy and stressed, have new problems to deal with and have fallen for the “trap of leadership.” In fact, they needed to develop a new set of skills!

This talk was highly relevant and applicable to any leader within an organisation. For Andy, he found five key concerns that tend to repeat themselves and shared some valuable insights on each of them:

1. FIND GREAT PEOPLE

Build a team people want to be a part of. Money is just table stakes; people want growth. Signal that your company invest in people.

A common assumption of business is that employees do not necessarily care about or understand their employees. However, another speaker from Webstock, Claire Lew crushed this myth with her talk on how the grass isn’t always greener. She poignantly pointed out that in fact, it is people and culture that commonly keep Managers up at night. Companies do want to invest in people, and people want growth in their career.

2. RETAIN GREAT PEOPLE

Make sure you follow through with your interview promises. Clear values and missions keep people focused. Foster a collaborative culture they won’t want to leave. Give the team space, or they will burn out; schedule time to experiment and innovate, create the best environment to do great work.

3. EXECUTE WITH PACE

Remove organisational barriers. Pick up the trash, so your team don’t have to, and break down the silos.

Life is challenging as it is, we spend a lot of our time at work. Most employees like to be empowered to deliver, but a reality is that they must deal with a certain level of frustration, ambiguity, and red tape. It is refreshing to see that increasingly we are moving to a culture that empowers leadership and coaching to enable delivery.

4. MANAGE UP

Your job is to promote the value; you need to speak the language of business; create partnerships, not battle lines. My favourite line from Andy’s talk to reflect this was, “Be a sh#t umbrella – not a sh#t funnel”!

5. MANAGE DOWN

Don’t spend all your time managing up; look after your team. Make sure you have one-on-ones; connect and walk the floor. Provide actionable feedback; praise publicly and critique privately; support your team’s individual growth. Provide autonomy with accountability.

In my experience, having interviewed thousands of candidates over the years, most employees don’t leave jobs, they leave managers. Employees want to feel valued, they want to be heard and they want to be recognised for their efforts.

Take a moment and ask yourself, are you doing the small things right? Do you understand your employees’ motivations, aspirations, and challenges? How do you support them?

Perhaps management isn’t for everyone, and you’ll find yourself in the trough of disillusionment. It’s important to understand ones’ strengths and weaknesses, but also areas for development. You don’t have to have the title of leader or manager to be able to lead or manage. Find a happy medium, find the space where you feel comfortable. We are fortunate to have a colourful workforce with many opportunities to wear different hats – embrace it. You might be a contractor rescuing a project, you might be a manager leading a team of five direct reports, you might take a lead on a new initiative within your team.

Whether you are aspiring to be a leader or currently in a management role, it’s important to reflect on the points raised, not only today, but every day. Engage a Leadership Coach to help you. Although you might argue you are a natural born leader, the workforce and the world around you is changing, styles and ways to deliver are changing and a bit of investment in your own professional development will go a long way.

To finish off my thoughts on Webstock, and the talk that resonated with me by Andy Budd, I’m leaving you with the following ideas of wisdom shared by Andy, “hire someone better than you and give them space to excel”.

Good leaders try and make themselves redundant. Bad leaders dictate, good leaders delegate. The process doesn’t make great products, people do. Hire people with a calling, not a great looking resume. Hire slow and avoid brilliant arseholes – it’s better to have a hole than an arsehole.

TURNING A NEGATIVE INTO A POSITIVE PICTURE

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 10:04:09 GMT

The 2018 Webstock was rumoured to potentially be the last, which is a crying shame. Firstly, it was the first I’ve attended, and secondly because I would like to see some of the speakers proven wrong.

Perhaps proven wrong isn’t the quite the right phrase. Really, I’m just hoping the decidedly grim picture painted of the current (and future) digital landscape was at least slightly exaggerated.

The event was a seamless, resounding success. Logistically flawless, a broad international audience, titans of a digital era presenting fascinating subject matter, and well supported by Wellington institutions Garage Project and Mojo; with Momentum as a key sponsor we could not have asked for more.

There was however an unmistakably cynical undertone running through almost the entirety of the programme. Even Janet Hughes’ Digital Government: Reasons to be Cheerfulpiece was akin to being chipper that you wouldn’t need to heat your house as it’s engulfed by flames. The less said about Zeynep Tufekci’s frankly terrifying foray into AI and privacy the better. Both speakers are experts in their field, told it like it is, and alarmingly are both absolutely right.

Thankfully, I did see a glimmer of hope for us. By us I am referring to New Zealanders, and to be more specific, Wellingtonians. Hayley Van Dyck, the co-founder of the United States Digital Service, a “start-up” inside the White House, had some fascinating experiences and insights in the US Digital Service:

1. Hayley faced a genuine moral dilemma as to whether or not to continue her work under Donald Trump (who can blame her) but agreed to stay the course for the benefit of the American people.

2. Don’t quote me exactly on this, but I recall a figure an annual budget of USD$94 billion spent on digital projects in the US government, 90% of which do not deliver. Hayley’s team have gone a long way to correcting these statistics.

3. They absorbed the entirety of the project risk in the early stages. They would offer their service to Government departments and said ‘if it succeeds you can take the credit. If it fails, you can blame us’.

4. They attracted the top tech talent in the USA to work for a Government department.

I’m getting to the hope part.

Why could New Zealand not attempt something similar? We already have a Digital Government Partnership that oversees activity at a governance level; extending this to include a practical delivery arm materially aligned to a strategic direction would seem a logical next step.

Our chances of success would be greater for obvious reasons, notwithstanding Aotearoa having the population of Louisiana with no Federal/State Government distinctions:

If National returned to power at a future election, some employees may well feel aggrieved, but would not lose too much sleep mulling over the decision to continue.
The scope of deliverables would be significantly smaller as would the associated financial commitment.
See above, exponentially reduced risk.
Hmmm.

Which leaves us at the only real sticking point.

As someone intimately involved in Government recruitment processes, can I see a version of New Zealand where a Government entity is given carte blanche authority to engage and hire whoever they like, whenever they like, without the burden of formal banding structures, rigid internal HR and procurement processes?

Not right now. That being said, Donald Trump is the most powerful person on the planet, and if he can see the value in a empowering a leader for digital transformation within Government it’s hardly inconceivable that our leaders could too.

SEE YOU AT WEBSTOCK

Mon, 29 Jan 2018 07:34:14 GMT

Momentum is really proud and excited to be sponsoring Webstock alongside BNZ, Xero, TradeMe, Automattic & Springloader where we can learn and see first-hand the new wave of thinking not just in New Zealand but across the Globe. If you haven’t got your ticket, head to the Webstock site to register now or send your CV to the team at Momentum if you are an IT professional in NZ and be in the draw to win a ticket (more details below).

Webstock has been running since 2006 and again can boast a great line up of speakers including Andy Budd a renowned UX designer and CEO of Clearleft, Nathan Curtis author of modular web design and Kate Crawford a leading researcher and academic in machine learning to name just a few. With a 1,000 people set to attend again, St James Theatre will be packed with some of the leading minds in NZ in technology.

Computing and the Internet didn’t come from a single mind but were instead a result of many collaborations and inspirations. There was Ada Lovelace’s further work on Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine and the birth of programming or the work of the Bell Labs trio of Bardeen, Brattain & Shockley in developing the transistor through to Robert Cailliau helping Tim Berners-Lee with the World Wide Web.

History continues to show that innovation is, in fact, the child of collaboration between creative minds. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak attended Homebrew Computer Club and got the first glimpse of the Altair 8800, Paul Allen & Bill Gates read magazines featuring the first computers and embarked on a coding frenzy. The common theme that they were encouraged and nurtured by a circle of friends and where able to attend events and groups that were able to take their learnings to a new level. We at Momentum genuinely believe that we are ‘GREATER TOGETHER’ . After a 2 year break we are excited to be back supporting IT recruitment and promise to bring a high level of knowledge and commitment to the sector.

THE BEST IN YOU

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 07:26:35 GMT

In 1887, yes one hundred and thirty years ago Lord Acton famously wrote,

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

So, are his thoughts still true today? It is difficult to disagree with the first part of the statement, when on every website, social media channel and television station there are stories of men in power abusing their position. The list of media executives, Hollywood icons, politicians and corporate moguls is so extensive I hear myself internally singing with Bonnie Tyler, where have all the good men gone?

Why do so many turn to the dark side when faced with opportunity?

“If once you start down the dark path, forever will It dominate your destiny, consume you it will.”

There are so many books, websites and blogs on leadership traits with integrity and humility listing top of the list. The really good news is Zig Ziglar said, “that anyone can develop both.” Isn’t it about time that we all collectively make sure that those in power do?

Are all great men destined to always be bad? I believe not. There are many great men who may or may not be at the top of the corporate ladder or in the public eye but nonetheless they put others first. I have been lucky enough to have worked for and been brought up by such men.

Is this exclusive to men? Sadly, not enough women are in the position of power to test Lord Acton’s theory. Last year females represented less than 20% of all Directors of NZX listed businesses. As a leader, it is my responsibility to encourage and support my female staff to aim high. As a recruitment agency for us to stand up for equality. And lastly as a husband, it is my solemn promise to help raise our family so that my wife can climb higher.

As a leader, we are privileged to oversee the careers and futures of others. We are there to be a mentor and guide, to encourage and inspire.

No one should be sexually harassed. No one should be discriminated on grounds of race, sexuality, gender or age. No woman should be underpaid. I ask ever other leader,

“To bring out the best in others and in return they will bring out the best in you.”

SOCIAL MEDIA & THE RISE OF INADEQUACY

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 09:53:27 GMT

As I walk down the road to the bus, I meet a lady walking a dog. She stops and says “I love your jacket!” And so we talk for the whole ten minutes as I walk to the bus stop. Wow, I think, so many mutual connections and a great lady to boot – what a fabulous chance encounter.

As I hop on the bus, all I can hear is silence. Every single person is on their phone, not one person looks up as I walk through to bus to find a seat. I can’t help but think, “how did social media and the rise of technology cause us to become so anti-social?” The only word I hear after the whole twenty-minute bus ride is a mumbled “thank you” to the bus driver as we all hop off the bus, ready to start the day. Yes, I know this is probably common in all public transport scenarios the world over, but I can’t help thinking how this tends to spill over into our daily lives. At cafes, restaurants, bars, couples out for dinner, concerts (to get the best video or pic) rather than just enjoying the show. The constant need to feel and look busy, to capture a moment.

Social media, it seems, is not all it is cracked up to be. In fact, it seems to be the complete opposite, the most anti-social platform created under the guise of social interaction!

Yes, I am equally guilty, trying to do work, then scrolling aimlessly through Facebook, reading the news, checking LinkedIn and then Instagram and Snapchat to see what everyone has been doing on the weekend. Constantly flip-flopping from one thing to the next, without so much as a pause in between.

I start thinking, why is this attachment to my phone so addictive? Why can’t I give myself five minutes of peace to stop the non-stop stimulus and chatter in my brain?

Without my phone, I feel almost sick, Uncomfortable and nervous. What if someone’s trying to contact me? What if something’s gone wrong? What am I missing out on?

Is it just me or does it seem that we are in a constant state of either:

a) feeling like we are not doing enough – continually organising / responding to / or getting things done, just because we can

b) in fear of missing out on what is going on or constantly having to capture what is going on in our current situation

c) mindlessly occupying our brains with entirely utterly useless information and wasting away hours, sometimes while also watching tv and not concentrating on either.

Or all of the above!

To me, this all ends up making me feel inadequate – like I’m never doing enough, there is always more to be done, and that somehow every other person is in Bali, Thailand or Fiji having a fantastic holiday and I’m stuck in my cold house with my broken heat pump!

Like I’ve somehow missed out on my reason for being, what pleases me and keeps me excited about life.

The only remedy I can think of for this is to try and be more present in the moment, ignore our phones, put them out of reach and socially interact with people rather than having our phones stuck to us. Stop trying to take a photo or a video and enjoy the moment. Become more emotionally available to those around us, and experience what is happening at that very moment.

Make ourselves open to conversation, to the possibility of actual human interaction, and fulfilment. After all, that is what my entire industry is based around, human interaction and making those connections. It would be a sad day if recruitment were to turn into complete digital communication, only video interviewing and instead of being greeted by a receptionist, you are greeted by an Ipad.

Yes, technology will always be there, but maybe we need to be aware of how it is making us feel, and perhaps be stricter on ourselves, and get a life outside of our virtual reality.

RECRUITERS = PROFESSIONAL STALKERS

Fri, 24 Nov 2017 09:45:22 GMT

Next time you share photos of yourself online, stop and think about how it could impact your next career move. When I was flat hunting, a prospective landlord told me that he was going to check my Facebook profile. I was taken aback! Isn’t that a bit odd and intrusive!? However, he has every right to if I am going to live in his house as it is a flip-book of the activities I get up to.

Same applies when you are looking for a new job. In recruitment, a variety of methods are used to check the honesty and character of our candidates, and yes stalking your social media accounts is one of them. Here’s why, we are in the recruitment business for two reasons: one, to find the perfect employee for our clients, and two, to find the perfect role, company and fit for you, our candidates. The thing is, we’re not fortune tellers. When we meet you for the first time, you’re a blank slate. We don’t know who you are, what you’re like or how you would click with our clients. In reality, a portion of recruitment is professional stalking and detective work! It’s our job to unearth as much information about you as possible before we put you forward for a role that works with your unique skill set and is suitable for both you and our client, and researching you on social media is part of the background check process.

In a simple nutshell, our background checks involve the following:

Criminal Checks through the Ministry of Justice – This is a crucial step to check on any potential aliases that might be listed to your name and prior criminal convictions
Qualification Checks – We verify any education or qualifications that you state you have on your CV, so don’t lie if you didn’t really complete that Bachelor of Arts!
Credit Check – Again checking things like aliases and any fraudulent activity
Social Media Checks – A quick Google of your name, coupled with a look at your Facebook and LinkedIn profiles to see if there is anything concerning that might jump out!

If you think the last step in our process is intrusive to your private and social life, legally in New Zealand you can indeed be dismissed due to your activity online. Remember the 2016 Air New Zealand scandal where several staff were under investigation based on what they posted online? – Read Article Here

Recruiters are also not the only people who might Facebook-stalk you. As mentioned earlier, when landlords and property managers hunt for a tenant, social media-based research is up there with background checks. They need reassurance that the people who are going to live in their property will not trash it. If your social media profiles give them the impression that you might just do that, they will move onto the next candidate – it’s as simple as that.

In no way are we saying that your social media profiles have to read like an online CV. Life is meant to be lived, cat videos and all! Just be aware that whatever you post could come into account when looking for a new job. Our advice, do a quick character check on yourself. What are the first things that pop up on your account? Anything potentially detrimental to your professional portfolio, remove, or lock it down and make your social media existence private.

A GIRL CALLED HOPE

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 09:35:30 GMT

Hope for a future.

Those were the words Executive Director, Kerry Petrie used to describe A Girl Called Hope . After spending some time chatting to Kerry, the future and quite appropriately, HOPE is at the centre of the organisation.

Now in their tenth year of providing support, care and life skills to young New Zealand women, the charity has seen many of these women flourish and go on to lead inspiring lives. While there is a team of 18 staff who dedicate their time to working with a range of issues including abuse, self-harm, eating disorders and unplanned pregnancies, Kerry recognises that it is the young women themselves who do the hard work, “they are the ones that apply the tools to bring change”.

As a non-profit organisation, fundraising is an inevitable task for the team to ensure they can continue to remain active in the community. For this years’ annual fundraiser, A Girl Called Hope are holding an Auction Dinner held at the Hilton Hotel in Auckland and as Kerry aptly puts it, “it is coming up real soon!”. The evening promises to be fun and interactive with some impressive items up for auction including a day on a luxury catamaran yacht, a degustation dinner in your own home and accommodation at the Hilton Hotel. The generosity of those involved with the event never ceases to amaze Kerry,

“people have been incredibly generous and helpful towards the cause. It blows you away that people who have never met the young women we work with, have such hope for them. There are plenty of people out there who’ve put their hands up to help, it’s incredible and very humbling.”

The journey to a brighter a future is not an easy path, the first step for these women is to want to make a change. The realisation that change is necessary is a courageous step and one Kerry admires, “it takes a lot of courage to come to us. It is so encouraging to hear back from the women many years later and listen to what they are doing now. We had a graduate of the programme contact us recently whose life was so different, she is now a youth worker, married and has started her own family, and that is not an isolated case.” The auction dinner is an opportunity to showcase these stories of success, a way to connect with A Girl Called Hope supporters and to introduce what they do, to people that don’t know a lot about them.

In the start-up years back in 2007, Kerry mentioned that a lot of their time was spent on learning and establishing systems and strategies as a non-profit organisation. Now, ten years’ later, A Girl Called Hope is a fully established charity where the foundations have been laid. The focus remains on the residential programme while also looking at being more involved in the community, “to do some life and personal development courses with youth groups, schools and other community groups”.

The Auction Dinner is a chance to play your part in A Girl Called Hope’s mission and Velocity Recruitment is looking forward to attending on the 22nd of September, where we’ll be able to learn more in helping them reach their community driven goals and extend gratitude towards the work that they do. As Kerry explains this night is about, “connecting with people, sharing our vision and inspiring others.” After getting to know Kerry and the team at A Girl Called Hope , Velocity can see the big changes they are making, but also the extent to which the organisation wants to push forward and continue to see hope for women in the future. As Kerry concludes, “there is no point in having a great charity if there is no change happening”.

HOW TO GET THAT WORK LIFE BALANCE

Wed, 19 Jul 2017 08:01:55 GMT

What is that, you think to yourself as you stare at a foreign object that can only be a piece of a little person’s breakfast that has somehow made its way onto your perfectly coordinated suit. Too late to do anything about it now as you are already loading little bodies and bags into the car trying to get out the door, man is that the time already?! Why does he hate you so…the clock that is.

Rushing into day-care, maybe today will be the day that there will be no delays, no extra forms you need to fill out, no crying, no temper tantrums, no toilet accidents…no…such luck. Man is that the time already, seriously!?

The above is not a unique experience by any means. It is an all too familiar scenario for some – “The working parent”. In fact, over our two offices 40% are working parents with children under the age of 10. Do these super parents still exist? Is anyone out there truly able to be a successful working parent? Chasing the golden gloriousness of the oh so coveted “work/life balance”. Surely there is an easier way.

Well, there is. And despite the opinions that generously fly around your head daily whether you would like them to or not the only person that can answer that is you. Throwing myself back into the work place after having two little boys I quickly discovered that nobody had an answer to my question: HOW am I supposed to make this work?

The answer turned out to be a lot simpler than I expected: You have to love what you do.

Bear with me as I am sure you have heard that before, it is not a new or enlightened piece of advice. Really, it is one of the most common and thrown around phrases related to career decisions. However, in terms of being a working parent, it is crucial to ‘making it work’. If you aren’t loving what you do, if you aren’t getting up every day and heading to work knowing that you are doing something that you enjoy, something that brings out the best in you, that enables you to feel like a success than you are going to feel incredibly drained. Every little problem or hiccup that occurs during your day is going to feel a lot bigger.

They say do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life…I have never believed that more than I do right now! Find what you enjoy, what you love to do and throw yourself into it and as soon as you realise that you are excited to get up and face each day, it changes your entire outlook and all of a sudden that little person is seeing a parent that is positive, happy and loving life. Ideally, that would also rub off on them and maybe eliminate a tantrum or too.

It’s not that simple you say…well no, sometimes it isn’t. But for me, throwing myself into a job I really love certainly helped changed my situation. That, and always, always, ALWAYS…carrying emergency wet wipes.

WHY YOUR INTERVIEW OUTFIT MATTERS

Sat, 20 May 2017 07:51:19 GMT

You’ve all heard that age-old saying that ‘first impressions count’. It might sound cliché, but it really is true – particularly when it comes to interviews. Why? Well, put simply: we don’t know you from a bar of soap. It’s up to you to win us over, and your first impression is your appearance.

When we talk about appearance, we don’t mean beauty. We’re talking about professionalism, about wearing attire that is appropriate for the occasion. And when it comes to interviews, it’s important to up the ante on your wardrobe.

If you don’t know where to start, look at what other people wear to work. Next time you’re on the bus or walking through the centre of town, have a sneaky gaze at what business people are wearing, and aim to copy them in your next interview. Suit pants or a skirt, blazer, shirt or blouse, and smart shoes (don’t forget to polish them first) are a good place to start. Monochrome colours like black, white, navy and grey are great too. Be careful about low-cut tops or skirts that are too short when you sit down.

Your interview outfit extends to your overall appearance too. Make sure your hair is tidy, your nails trimmed (it’s also a good idea to remove any chipped nail polish beforehand), and teeth brushed. Don’t forget personal hygiene; have a shower that morning and don’t forget deodorant!

Of course your outfit can vary depending on the type of job you are going for. If you know they’re a young and hip kind of business, you might get away with being a little more casual with your attire. If you’re going for a management position, think about going the whole hog and donning your tie too. Don’t go to the gym directly before your interview then turn up in your sweaty activewear (clean activewear isn’t appropriate either – unless, perhaps, you’re interviewing as a personal trainer!). Remember, paying attention to your outfit and overall appearance will show your prospective employer that you’re serious about the role you’re going for.

This doesn’t mean you have to buy a whole new outfit just for an interview though. If your wardrobe is looking a little empty, ask around and borrow something from your friends, or repurpose your wedding suit. Mall stores like Hallensteins and Glassons have a great range of basic office wear; you’ll even find affordable pieces in stores like Kmart and The Warehouse. Don’t be afraid to browse your local op shops either; pairing a $7 pair of dress pants with a shirt you’ve bought brand new is a great way to go.

One more thing. If you are trying to find a job through a recruitment agency, before you’re put forward for an interview with an employer, you’ll sit down for a chat with a recruitment consultant. While this is part of the pre-interview process, you should treat this meeting like a real interview. After all, we’ve never met you before and the purpose of this meeting is to find out more about you, plus this is a great opportunity to practice for the real thing. Don’t be afraid to ask us for advice about your ‘first impression’ either.

WELCOME TO 2017, THE YEAR OF THE PROCUREMENT CONTRACTOR

Tue, 28 Mar 2017 07:14:06 GMT

Welcome to 2017, the year of the procurement contractor. It seems that both private and public sector organisations across Wellington have had a collective lightbulb moment and are seeing the bottom line value of procurement professionals. Frankly, it’s about time. In the last few weeks, I have fielded numerous enquiries from both contractors and clients regarding the current market rate.

Historically, contracting rates have been steadily increasing year on year. 2017 has seen a stabilisation of rates and a sigh of relief from some hiring managers. Three market forces are driving the stabilisation. They are in no particular order:

• Election year – Rightly or wrongly, the possibility of a change of government creates uncertainty. Contractors rather than FTE positions give employers a degree of flexibility. Consequently, this has become a preference, and the increased number of contract roles available has helped steady contract rates.

• Restructures – Nothing new here. There seems to be a somewhat constant state of restructuring throughout many government organisations, and procurement appears to be one of the first cabs of the rank. This has pushed some candidates to consider contracting, when typically their preference would have been a permanent role.

• Financial year end – Budget restraints. What’s left in the tank?

So what is driving this stabilisation? In short, there has been a significant increase in the size of the contracting talent pool, but there are other factors at play.

THE FIRST FACTOR IS THE ALLURE OF THE HOURLY RATE AND THE FLEXIBILITY THAT COMES WITH CONTRACTING.

This year has seen a significant rise in permanent staff making the leap into the contracting market, as more contract roles have become available.

The second factor that’s contributing to the increased size of the talent pool is immigration. Seasoned procurement specialists are relocating back to New Zealand or emigrating from the UK and Australia for lifestyle reasons. These candidates are skilled procurement professionals and are eager to get their foot in the door of the Wellington market, many of whom are flexible around rate to get that prized first gig.

Below is a benchmark guide for common roles within Procurement. Areas that include rates are a guide only and are based on a three-month contract within government:

PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR:

There are a limited number of these professionals and positions available in the Wellington market. $1200 per day is typically required to gain interest from the right candidate.

PROCUREMENT MANAGER – STAFF MANAGEMENT:

Again, there has not been a huge demand for these positions in Q3 this year, but a spike in the new government financial year would not be surprising. The added responsibility of staff management and probity responsibilities justifies an increase in hourly rate.

SENIOR PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST:

This is the category most affected by the factors discussed above. Demand has increased significantly for candidates at this level, but as has the supply of suitable talent. Current rates are firm on $100 – $110 per hour.

PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST:

Historically this has always been a small talent pool, typically because candidates have been in permanent positions with 4-6 years’ experience under their belts. There has been a slight rise in the number of candidates who are open to contracting at present. Again, the allure of the hourly rate contract and the prospect of organisational restructures causing uncertainty in positions at this level.

PROCUREMENT COORDINATOR:

To attract a coordinator with some exposure to generalist procurement functions, $30 – $35 an hour is a standard rate. Employees can try to pay less, but they will unlikely live up to expectations.

So what will Q4 bring? The only major external factor I see influencing hourly rates (potentially causing an increase) is the recent legislative change to withholding tax requirements for contractors. That aside, demand for hourly rate contractors should be steady for contractors until June.

HOW TO LAND A JOB WHEN LANDING IN NEW ZEALAND

Fri, 03 Mar 2017 07:45:42 GMT

Thousands of migrants choose to make New Zealand their home every year. But regardless of the reasons they emigrated to New Zealand in the first place, one thing remains common throughout: finding a job.

Many migrants are fortunate to have already landed a job in New Zealand before they arrive. In fact, that’s why many people decide to move overseas in the first place. However, it’s also common for immigrants to arrive in New Zealand with no job to go to, and there aren’t many things more daunting than trying to find a job in a foreign country.

Fortunately, there is help. Firstly, do your research. Find out what the major industries and sectors are in New Zealand, and which ones need skilled people. Then, find out about professions, job titles, salary expectations, job opportunities, and entry and qualification requirements to find a job in New Zealand – the Careers New Zealand Jobs Database is a great place to start.

It’s important to note that jobs and titles in your home country might be different to what they are called here. While you might not find a role that has the same job title as your previous one, you will be able to find other or similar roles that could be suitable based on your experience, skills and qualifications. Make sure you do your homework around salary expectations too, including currency exchange, cost of living and industry differences between countries. Secondly, unless you have New Zealand citizenship, you will need a visa to legally work in New Zealand.

Most migrants need a job offer to get a work visa, however if you qualify for permanent residence, a working holiday visa or a partner visa it is possible to get a visa before you find a job. While it’s common and acceptable for migrants to look for jobs before they have a visa, you won’t be able to start working – and most importantly, earning – until your visa has been approved. While some employers may help you with your visa application, it is important to note that most recruitment agencies will not, including Velocity.

Thirdly, update your CV for the New Zealand employment market. Your CV should be 2-3 pages long and only include your key employment, skills and qualifications highlights.

It is not normal practice to include a photo of yourself in a CV, so take that out. Make sure that your job titles and descriptions are relevant for the New Zealand market. Not all job titles are created equal, so find out what your previous job title is equivalent to in New Zealand. Remember: your CV not only needs to look impressive, it also needs to look relevant to the New Zealand market.

Fourthly, start looking for jobs. Recruitment agencies are a great place to start because they help you find suitable work based on your specific skillset, plus many jobs that are on offer through a recruitment agency aren’t advertised anywhere else. Seek and Trademe are popular local job websites, and New Zealand Immigration has a lot of useful tools around finding work too, including links to employment websites for specific skilled industries.

Finally, when you’re called up for an interview, carry out as much research as you can about your prospective employer and the role you’re going for. In some cities and countries around the world it’s possible to find work within an hour! That is not normally the case in New Zealand. The employment market here is very competitive, so it’s important that you make a great first impression!

WHAT A YEAR

Sat, 28 Jan 2017 07:00:08 GMT

2016 was always going to be a big year for the Momentum team. It was my first full year as CEO and I had lots of plans coming into 2016. A refresh of our brand, a change of office for our Auckland team, new hires to on-board, and a new website to deliver to name just a few. Little did I know that world events would unfold as they have.

January started with the sad news of David Bowie and Alan Rickman’s death, both 69 and taken by cancer. CS Lewis once wrote that the sadness now is because of the happiness then. Alan Rickman’s performance as Hans Gruber in Die Hard is one of my standout cinematic performances of an evil villain. Bowie’s Heroes was voted at number 46 by Rolling Stone and it’s hard to disagree. Heroes is about two doomed lovers who are seeking a moment of redemption; it could easily have been a recruitment anthem.

I, I will be King
And you, you will be Queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be heroes just for one day
We can be us just for one day

DAVID BOWIE

There was also the outbreak of the Zika virus. The World Health Organisation initially feared that the virus would spread throughout the Americas by the end of the year. Thankfully this didn’t eventuate.

Further deaths of Prince and Muhammed Ali added to the loss of icons from the last decade. I’m sure I won’t be the only once singing Purple Rain over the festive period with a beer in my hand.

In June, the United Kingdom held a referendum on its status within the European Union. 30 million votes later and the country had spoken and decided to leave. I immediately feared the worst in terms of global economies however, as of today, the markets have recovered and only the British pound is at a 30-year low. The sentiment behind the exit was driven by a fear of further influxes of immigrants and a loss of further legislative control to Brussels. David Cameron bet his reputation and opinion against the masses – and lost. What’s to come is Article 50 and the potential unwinding of 43 years of treaties and the negotiation of new trade agreements. Opinions are endless yet surely if a country like New Zealand with 4.7 million people cannot just survive but prosper and negotiate its own agreements, then surely the UK can as well?

NASA’s space probe Juno finally reached Jupiter after a 2.8-billion-kilometre trip. It will now orbit Jupiter 37 times over the next 20 months. For those who know their Roman mythology, Juno was the wife of Jupiter.

Rio de Janeiro hosted the Summer Olympics despite the Zika virus concerns. Usain Bolt won the 100-metre sprint with the luxury of a smile before he crossed the line. For me, though, the standout moment was surely New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin and American Abbey D’Agosti who together showed what it takes to be a true sportswoman. Winning doesn’t have to come at all costs. Compassion and goodwill do win the day!

The biggest event of the year was still to occur. In early November, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton concluded their multibillion campaigns to be the next president of the United States of America. It was a shock to most that Trump won.

The sociology of America, the divide in wealth, and American culture was bound to result in a split. The challenge for Trump now is that he lost the popular vote. Will he be a good leader? Leadership comes in many different forms. Hard decisions are often not popular. I just hope he doesn’t think that, like billion-dollar corporates, America can be declared bankrupt and start again.

A few weeks later New Zealand was rocked by a massive 7.8 earthquake in Kaikoura. It was frightening, but the disruption we have faced in Wellington is nothing compared with those trapped in Kaikoura. But while the shakes continue, the spirit hasn’t been broken. The largest of the aftershocks was on December 5th when Prime Minister John Key said he had nothing left in the tank and that it was good to leave on top. I can’t imagine the pressure and commitment it must take to lead a country. Leadership isn’t a 9-5 gig. It overtakes your life and thoughts. You never really shut off, and even when you do for a brief moment something happens and you’re back in the seat. The conspiracy theories are endless yet Mr Key has always been very open, and I for one don’t doubt his motives.

NOT SO MUCH GLASSDOOR AS GLASSHOUSE

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 06:25:49 GMT

At a recent meeting, a client asked whether we were on Glassdoor . My honest answer was that I didn’t know. I hadn’t looked at Glassdoor since emigrating from the UK six years ago. I was suddenly apprehensive about what I might find. Over the last five years with Momentum in CFO and more recently CEO capacity, I had witnessed an industry that has a mixed reputation. What had clients, candidates and ex-employees said? What was our reputation in the market? So naturally I went straight back to the office and researched. What I found wasn’t surprising. Momentum and Velocity were nowhere to be found and I had to scroll through 27 pages before coming across a recruitment services business, a global player nonetheless which has been in existence since 1946.

An offsite with our senior leadership team from Momentum and Velocity identified a desire to be more transparent and honest. As an industry, it is one of biggest gripes and challenges. Every placement involves an increasing number of people ranging from hiring managers, HR business partners, talent acquisition partners, recruitment consultants, sourcing specialists and of course the candidate. When you consider the number of candidates not successful, the list is very long. It made me think. We are more akin to a glasshouse than a Glassdoor.

I immediately wondered what would happen if 2.3 million people applied for a job with us. It isn’t the how that matters though; it’s the WHY.

WHY DO OUR CLIENTS USE A RECRUITMENT PROVIDER?

WHY DO CANDIDATES COME TO A RECRUITMENT COMPANY?

Both parties have an expectation. They expect us to offer more than just a simple Boolean search or job board posting. They expect more than a coordination service of organising interviews and paperwork. They expect us to add value through impartial feedback and seamless communication. They expect us to market both parties. Our industry is blighted by comments and feedback. It’s something that we must wear. The upside is hopefully that the anger of rejection, lack of clarity and communication is laid at our doorstep, not the clients’. If you haven’t already, perhaps you should visit Glassdoor and find out what has been said about your organisation or the organisation you’re considering joining.

I read on another blog that the word ‘transparent’ was one of the most hated words associated with recruitment firms. We are perceived as living in the proverbial glasshouse and throwing stones.

So where to from here? We must stop using words like ‘transparency’ and ‘honesty’ and that we are different – and first be authentic. Raise the curtains, turn on the lights and let the outside look into your glasshouse. Open the door and listen. Be you. Be true.

SUCCESS = FAILURE3

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 06:13:21 GMT

If, like me, you are one of those people who just can’t stand losing, you have to be careful not to let your ego or competitiveness make others feel sensitive. Grace in defeat or success is a given, right?

Society through social media has certainly added a brighter intense spotlight. After Valerie Adams lost at the Olympics, I was appalled to read people criticising her for complacency. You can’t win them all. Or can you?

It is said that failure is necessary to truly succeed. As with change, failure is just a fact of life.

There are those that take rejections, obstacles and frustrations in their stride. They manage to find an inner patience to calm their anxiety, then they decide to sidestep and convert the next opportunity. But how? Luck? Confidence? Desire?

The margin between success and failure can be so small. Take Mahe Drysdale’s Olympic gold in the Men’s Sculls, which was only won by 5,000th of a second. But what if you were in Damir Martin’s shoes? Get back on the horse (or in his case, the boat)? Try, try and try again.

Well, when the timing is right. Let the pain heal and put your failure into perspective. I realised a long time ago that there can only be one winner. The field is often large and sometimes to be in the game is a success in itself.

RECRUITMENT IS A POND OF SUCCESS AND AN OCEAN OF FAILURE.

“If only I …”

“I’m over qualified, yes, but I want this …”

Or that stomach-churning moment when you feel like you could have done better, and just want another go to make a first impression.

If like Walt Disney you are fired at 22 for not being creative, then pivot, adapt and evolve. Don’t become dominated by FEAR. Refocus and leave nothing on the field. I honestly believe that if you give 100% that is a success. BELIEVE! In the words of Michael Jordan, “Make it happen!”

How have you learnt to handle failure or rejection? What keeps you going? Who inspires you to succeed?

CURRENT MARKET TRENDS IN BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION

Sun, 28 Aug 2016 06:09:00 GMT

The Wellington winter chill has been a stark contrast to what has been a particularly hot start to the 2016/2017 financial year in project delivery at Momentum. There is a vibrancy and confidence in the market.

The capital’s economy is alive and kicking. At the Wellington Gold Awards in June 2016, one rather senior public official made light of his poor choice of words when lamenting the city’s health a few years ago. The opening of high end Australian retailer David Jones and rumours of Top Shop and Zara scouting for suitable locations in Wellington points to strong retail trends. Weta Workshop continues to be a world beater on the international film-making stage, house prices are increasing, and craft beer geniuses Panhead, Garage Project and ParrotDog go from strength to strength.

The strength of the broader local economy is reflected in the demand for professional services right across the city. With two of the largest government transformation programmes in history concurrently underway, demand for both seasoned project managers and business analysts has been stretched. This supply gap has been intensified by the July release of capital spend, ongoing digital transformation and legislative commitments in the financial sector.

Both our private and public sector clients have repeatedly echoed one key theme causing issues throughout the recruitment process: The importance of soft skills.

Technical ability and a polished resume count for nothing if prospective employers are not confident in a candidate’s ability to communicate, collaborate and be flexible. Unfortunately for the typically time-poor hiring manager, these traits are often difficult to assess in an initial meeting over a flat white, and virtually impossible to assess by reading a CV. Recently, Momentum hosted Colin Ellis, author of The Conscious Project Manager, to discuss exactly what separates a good project manager from a great one. Ultimately, it boils down to the hardest soft skill of all: Leadership.

The 2016 government financial year has seen a strong demand for business-focussed project and programme professionals. These candidates can build and deliver concise business cases, demonstrate a strong stakeholder management style, and establish vibrant project teams.

Employers across the private and public sectors are attempting to build project management practices with an increasing reliance on permanent resource. With candidate pools stretched and most salary bands not being adjusted, the market is struggling to meet the maturity level required for prospective permanent staff. In attempting to attract suitable permanent talent, prospective employers should build career development plans, adjust salary bands and highlight additional benefits where possible.

Project and programme co-ordinators with strong scheduling and planning capability are also in demand, as clients expect more lifecycle knowledge and understanding of both agile and waterfall methodologies.

The demand for quality business analysts has remained strong and steady, primarily thanks to the major transformation and change programmes in the market, with skillsets loosely segmented into three main categories: Traditional requirements-gathering BAs; business casing BAs; and business process mapping BAs. The BA community is now intrinsically connected to the project lifecycle as the link between delivery with the over-arching organisations objectives. Contract rates for senior BAs have increased by $5-$10 per hour.

As spring approaches, Momentum hopes to see more of you at our next Insights session in conjunction with Colin Ellis.