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​It’s been a busy first few months of 2022, with plenty of roles available across a range of different specialisms. As one of New Zealand’s leading recruitment agencies. we have noticed a few themes so far this year when it comes to candidate job searching and offers. Here’s our take on the top hiring trends for candidates in 2022: 1. Securing Top Candidates Quickly Employers who make decisions quickly after conducting interviews are more likely to secure their preferred candidate. Generally, candidates will be participating in several hiring processes at once so the more feedback you can give or the faster you can make a hiring decision, the better the outcome. To avoid missing out on your ideal candidate, be open and honest with them from the start. If you need them to meet with another team member or manager, let them know quickly. And don’t be shy in communicating that you’re interested in hiring them. 2. Counter Offers We are seeing great candidates register with us and start the recruitment process. Initially, that’s interviewing with our team of recruiters to discuss their wants and needs for their next role. The next stage is interviewing with a Hiring Manager at the company we have presented them to – once, twice or even three times. If they’re a quality candidate they can expect an offer, but we’re finding many of them receiving a counter offer from their existing employer at the eleventh hour. This is nothing new and happened pre-COVID, but it does highlight that candidates absolutely will look to the entire package being offered when making their final decision. That means businesses need to focus on not only creating attractive salary packages for prospective hires but also ensuring current staff have regular salary reviews and are offered more in terms of flexibility so they’re not tempted to look elsewhere. 3. Flexibility/Hybrid Arrangements Flexible working conditions are now an expectation for employees. Any organisation not offering flexibility or hybrid options is going to miss out on some quality candidates. Hybrid working is here to stay now, so employers need to adapt to the needs of the employee. 4. Work From Anywhere! Some candidates are now so happy in their flexible working arrangements that they are looking exclusively for hybrid roles that allow them to work remotely part of the time and the rest in the office.In addition, there may be staff wanting to take that much-awaited overseas trip to see family after a long period of time. That has led to some candidates asking whether they can work whilst on their extended trip. 5. Additional Perks on Offer What else can employers offer besides monetary rewards such as salary and bonuses? More and more employees are looking for things that will help them balance their work and lives, such as: Flexi-time hours More annual leave Mental health / personal leave days Birthday day off Team events An inclusive and diverse culture Regular performance reviews It’s now up to employers to take a look at their benefits packages and design a range of perks that appeal to top talent. So What’s Next? It’s no exaggeration that the lead up to 2022 has been challenging and we’ve seen plenty of candidates stick with their current employer because it’s ‘easy’ or ‘guaranteed’. However there are job seekers who are always willing to move for the right role. Regardless of whether they’re actively looking or ripe for head hunting, it’s important that employers are prepared to attract and retain the best talent available. If you’d like to talk to a trusted recruiter about your hiring needs, contact one of our friendly team at Beyond Recruitment today. ​

​It’s certainly an exciting time to be working in the Technology, Transformation & Digital recruitment space. While the industry itself is ever-evolving, we’re also witnessing a momentous shift in the way people work.Gone are those full-facing office roles, replaced by hybrid working, which allows for a mix of in-office, remote and working from home in various combinations, depending on the role and organisation. In fact, hybrid working has normalised to a point where candidates now expect this to be a part of any role they consider. In this article, I share why I believe hybrid is the ‘new era of working’, including reasons why candidate priorities and preferences have shifted so dramatically post-pandemic. I’ll also offer some advice for those looking for hybrid technology jobs.Why Hybrid Working is the New StandardYou could say the tech industry is the pioneer of hybrid working, with many within it recognising its merits and embracing it well before the pandemic hit. COVID-19 simply forced almost all other industries to do the same. From what I’ve seen, hybrid arrangements are now not only an accepted form of working, but an expected one. New Zealand employers looking for top tech talent are fast understanding their roles must incorporate some form of flexible working, otherwise, they just won’t be considered. Having spoken to countless candidates looking for new technology jobs, one thing is clear – work/life balance tops their priority list, even over money. And this invariably comes in the form of a hybrid working model, whether it is working at home two or three days each week, or a fortnightly rotation of a week at home and a week at the office. The Right Industry at the Right TimeIf working from home for is your top priority, then the Technology, Transformation & Digital industry is an ideal place to be. While there’s a bursting pipeline of technology jobs (from internal IT team support roles all the way through to business transformation and Change Managers), most New Zealand companies now recognise the need to provide work flexibility to secure top talent. For instance, we have North Island clients in both the public and private sector open to taking candidates who live in the South Island, especially if they’re willing to fly in once a month or so.It doesn’t seem like hybrid working affects pay packets either. Whether you’re an IT professional working from home or in the office, our clients are still willing to pay what you’re worth, valuing expertise over location. My Advice for Securing the Hybrid Role You CovetFrom my bird’s eye view of this rapidly evolving new era of work, as well as conversations with clients and candidates, my most important tip to secure a new technology job with the flexibility you need is: don’t go it alone. Working with a specialist recruiter places you in a much better position to find that right hybrid fit, no matter how that looks for you. As an example, I’ve recently seen many in the tech industry leaving their jobs due to mental health concerns. The pandemic exposed some raw realities for these tech professionals, driving home how hard they were working and how it was adversely impacting their work/life balance. It’s a pretty tricky topic to explore with a potential new employer, especially when you’re job hunting solo. But by having that initial honest and confidential discussion with us, we can then translate your requirements in a professional way to our clients, without it impacting your chances of success.Another bonus of working with a recruiter is our access to inside knowledge. In considering a new role, it’s important to understand all facets including duties, working conditions, culture, management and so on, particularly as these can greatly impact your everyday work experience and happiness in the job. We can give you unparalleled insight into the role and the workplace so you can make the most well-informed decision possible. As we work on both the client and candidate end, we take the time to get to know both your needs and the ins and outs of the organisation – such as what the direct manager’s work style is like or their openness to different types of flexibility – so you can determine if you’ll align well. How to Get the Most Out of Your Recruiter RelationshipFinding the right hybrid role comes down to understanding. The more we know about you, the easier it is for us to locate that ideal position.In our discussions, we want you to be totally honest about what you do and don’t want when it comes to hybrid working. I also advise my candidates to think back to when they first thought about looking for a new role. What was the impetus? This informs the rest of our discussion, helping me see the big picture.Many candidates also have a misconception that recruitment agencies treat them as commodities, placing them and quickly moving on. While I’m sure there are plenty of sharks out there willing to put you in any job to gain their commission, we don’t see the value in working that way. After all, it’s not in our best interest to burn a candidate connection – it’s very likely that today’s candidate is tomorrow’s client!Here at Beyond Recruitment, we actively work to develop a trusting and long-term relationship with our candidates and clients, taking the time to understand the entirety of your needs, and seeking out opportunities that will meet them as closely as possible. If you’re looking for a new hybrid role in the tech sector, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me – I’d love to help you along the journey to landing your dream role!

​Here at Beyond Recruitment, we know that contracting can be highly rewarding, offering plenty of flexibility and providing exciting opportunities to experience a range of projects and teams.In this series of interviews, we dig a bit deeper into this way of working by talking to some of our top contractors to find out what life is like for them in 2022. Today we talk to a Senior System Administrator who has been contracting for more than 10 years.Tell us why you choose to contract? There’s not just one thing – it makes me happy. It’s a combination of lifestyle, balance, flexibility, challenges and there’s never a dull moment. The money just tops it all off.What do see as the advantages of contracting? You can learn a diverse set of skills a lot quicker by doing contracting work than you would from one role in one company. As a contractor, you have a lot more ability to walk in and offer a solution and that can be quite empowering whereas for permanent employees you can be quite restricted to their role. As a contractor, your job is to find ways to add value and you aren’t limited to one role, function or even one part of the business.What changes have you seen in contracting over the last 18 months? Due to COVID-19, yes I’ve seen dramatic changes such as the shortfall of qualified candidates in the marketplace and lack of access to highly-skilled candidates. It gives me an edge in the market and allows me to showcase my skills better and makes me feel more valuable. It’s nice to feel so appreciated. How important is your relationship/partnership with your recruiter? I think the Beyond Recruitment relationship is quite critical. You give people a good opportunity and representation to the client. You do a really good job of that.What would you say to anyone thinking about contracting? Do it would be my first instinct, but contracting doesn’t fit everyone. You need certain skills like being flexible, being a self-starter, taking initiative and adapting quickly. You need to be okay going out of your comfort zone, working through ambiguity, having open communication and working transparently. It has to suit your financial situation too. It’s not something everyone can mentally cope with.Can you tell us why you decided to move from a permanent role to a contract?I felt indifferent in a permanent role. Every day I would wake up and go to a job and then leave at the end of the day. I felt not fully rewarded or appreciated. When I decided to step outside my comfort zone, I got to take on new challenges, new clients and I found it more rewarding personally and financially.What did you like about your onboarding process with Beyond Recruitment?Previously, I found dealing with recruiters painful. I did not feel that they had my best interests at heart. I felt like I was always chasing them and all the effort was one-sided. This time around with Beyond Recruitment, it was a much better experience. You guys sold me into a great opportunity and it’s been amazing. I think you nailed that whole onboarding experience and I really appreciate the regular follow-ups. I feel like you genuinely care. SummaryIf you’d like to learn more about opportunities for contractors in Transformation, Technology and Digital, get in touch with the Beyond Recruitment team today. Our specialist team of contractor recruiters can talk you through the roles currently available and help you plan out your next move.

Here at Beyond Recruitment, we know that contracting can be highly rewarding, offering plenty of flexibility and providing exciting opportunities to experience a range of projects and teams. In this series of interviews, we dig a bit deeper into this way of working by talking to some of our top contractors to find out what life is like for them in 2022. Today we talk to a Senior Project Manager who has been contracting for 22 years. Tell us why you choose to contract? Initially it was for the money; I went overseas and got paid a lot for contracting. New Zealand’s contract market is a lot smaller by comparison, but there’s still plenty of opportunities if you have the right skill sets. What do see as the advantages of contracting? There are pros and cons like with anything. The higher income is a strong advantage. You have more selection on what you do. You can take a longer-term project or a variety of shorter-term contracts. What changes have you seen in contracting over the last 18 months? Where I’m working, all contractors now work from home if there’s any COVID-19 in the community. This has allowed me to set up quite a nice home office environment that I wouldn’t have been able to afford as a permanent employee but I’m able to claim it all on my business. How important is your relationship/partnership with your recruiter? Extremely important. Finally, I found someone extremely positive and useful who actually reads my CV! What would you say to anyone thinking about contracting? Be very careful. Contractors are treated differently here than overseas. Quite often it’s very transactional. If there is a clash or adverse situation, contractors are the first to be let go. In England, contractors are recognised for delivering the most work and are kept on. Can you tell us why you decided to move from a permanent role to a contract? It was the right opportunity at the right time. What did you like about your onboarding process with Beyond Recruitment? My recruiter contacted me quickly. We had a very long talk – a very genuine talk. They did exactly what they said they would do, and immediately started building trust. Summary If you’d like to learn more about opportunities for contractors in Transformation, Technology and Digital, get in touch with the Beyond Recruitment team today. Our specialist team of contractor recruiters can talk you through the roles currently available and help you plan out your next move. ​