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​If you had told me last year that I would be switching from a career in Marketing and Communications to being a Client Manager across Technology, Transformation, & Digital, I would have thought that jump was nearly impossible for me. As a woman new to the tech scene in Wellington, I definitely had my doubts about whether I would cut it in the industry. What I found got me through was the positive reinforcement from my friends, colleagues, and family, who believed in me and my curiosity to keep learning and building up my core foundation of tech industry knowledge. Now, three months into my new role, I absolutely love it and feel like I made a great career move. Because of this, I want to encourage more women to take the leap and get involved in Technology, Transformation, & Digital opportunities in New Zealand. This blog explores the New Zealand perspective of Women in Tech.New Zealand, known for its stunning landscapes and vibrant culture, is also emerging as a dynamic hub for Technology, Transformation & Digital innovation. Among the driving forces behind this rise are some incredible women shaping the industry. Their contributions are not only transforming the tech landscape but also redefining the role of women in a field historically dominated by men. The art of empowering Women to join the technology sector can happen in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as the act of encouragement and positive reinforcement from hiring managers, colleagues, friends, and family.The Growing Presence of Women in TechIn recent years, the presence of women in New Zealand’s technology sector has grown significantly but is still hugely gender imbalanced. This shift is reflected in various initiatives to foster female participation and leadership. Organisations such as Women in Tech New Zealand and TechWomen are pivotal in creating platforms for women to connect, collaborate, and champion gender diversity within the industry.The rise of women in technology roles is evident in the increasing number of female-led startups and tech companies making waves on both local and international stages. Women like Kristy Fairbairn, co-founder of the innovative agri-tech company AgriDigital, and Melodie Bender, the CEO of Echelon, are not just participating in the tech revolution but driving it.Transforming the Industry from WithinTransformation within the technology sector extends beyond just technological advancements. It involves reshaping organisational cultures and practices to be more inclusive and supportive of women. New Zealand companies are increasingly embracing this transformation by implementing policies and practices designed to promote gender equality.For instance, many tech firms now prioritise diversity in their hiring processes, ensuring that women are equally represented in technical roles and leadership positions. Companies like Xero and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare are leading by example, not only in their commitment to diversity but also in creating environments where women can thrive. Trade Me is another big player in New Zealand that promotes and supports women in tech leadership roles with various initiatives. They recognise that only 27% of the New Zealand tech industry is made up of women, and it's apparent that more needs to be done to attract and retain female talent and see the value in investing in that.Digital Innovation and Female LeadershipDigital innovation in New Zealand is supported by visionary female leaders who are making significant impacts across various sectors. Women in executive roles are driving digital transformation strategies that are not only improving business outcomes but also enhancing user experiences.Take, for example, Sarah Putt, the Editor of TechDay, who has been influential in highlighting the successes and challenges of women in tech through her journalism. Similarly, Dr Michelle Dickinson, founder of Nanogirl Labs, is at the forefront of promoting STEM education and digital literacy among young women, ensuring that the next generation is well-prepared to enter the tech field.Challenges and OpportunitiesDespite the progress, challenges remain. Women in technology often face barriers such as gender bias, pay gaps and limited access to mentorship and career development opportunities. However, New Zealand is addressing these challenges through a variety of initiatives.Programs like Tech Futures Lab offer training and support specifically designed to help women navigate and advance in the tech industry. Events such as Women in Tech NZ’s annual conference also provide valuable networking opportunities and professional development workshops.The Future Looks BrightThe future for women in Technology, Transformation & Digital in New Zealand is promising. As more women take on leadership roles and drive innovation, they are setting new standards and creating a more inclusive and dynamic tech ecosystem. The ongoing efforts to address gender disparities and promote diversity are paving the way for a more equitable future.In conclusion, women in New Zealand are making remarkable strides in Technology, Transformation & Digital fields. Their achievements and leadership are not only contributing to the success of their organisations but also inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in technology. However, the biggest thing that needs to change in order to achieve this is our collective attitudes about women in technology. To hiring managers, you have an opportunity to honour the contribution women bring to the industry and can offer equal remuneration market rates and opportunities to all genders with no bias. This encourages women to be more fairly represented in the technology industry, which is growing faster than any other in the world. As the industry continues to evolve, the role of women will undoubtedly become even more central to its ongoing success and innovation across Technology, Transformation & Digital in New Zealand.Partner with the Premier New Zealand Recruitment AgencyReach out to our team today for support in growing your team. At Beyond Recruitment, we can help you identify and hire exceptional talent within Technology, Transformation & Digital through our comprehensive recruitment solutions. Contact us today to find out more.

As part of our series on artificial intelligence in recruitment, we’re exploring the areas where AI has the potential to elevate the standards of recruitment and to undermine them. We’ve previously highlighted the bias risks that AI can create within the recruitment process, but can organisations actually use it for good? The answer might be yes – if you tread carefully and understand your requirements before diving in. We’ll highlight the areas where AI can be used to make recruiting more human and, by extension, help build more diverse and inclusive workforces. Personalised Communication with Jobseekers Arguably the best current use case for artificial intelligence in recruitment is its ability to manage communications with job applicants at scale. Many hiring managers are already struggling to respond to job applications within reasonable timeframes, especially with the number of applications per role rising significantly in recent times. In these conditions, candidate experience can take a hit, potentially damaging a company’s reputation as an employer. Software that updates candidates about the status of their job applications by email is one way to cut down all that time spent on responding to people – which can quickly get out of hand with dozens of applications coming in. Other companies have taken the idea one step further by using AI-powered chatbots on their websites to provide instant responses to jobseeker queries. Another use of AI is to send alerts to candidates in your ATS database about new job vacancies that may suit their profile. These are useful ways of engaging with jobseekers and applicants outside of business hours, especially for younger generations who prefer texting to phone calls.Interview SchedulingOrganising interviews that fit into the schedule of the hiring manager, HR and the candidate can be a time-consuming process all by itself. One of the more convenient uses of AI is to automate this process, allowing candidates to choose convenient times and reducing the back-and-forth of email exchanges.Good quality AI-powered tools can effectively manage conflicting appointments and automatically send updates about interview schedules, ensuring that your candidates are informed and well-prepared.Identifying Transferrable SkillsMost modern applicant tracking systems have resume screening features that can highlight potentially suitable applicants based on keyword analysis. Setting keyword filters that are too strict can hinder your search for good candidates. A global study by Harvard Business School found that 88% of employers said qualified, highly skilled candidates are often vetted out of the selection process because they do not match the exact criteria in the job description.However, it’s possible to buck this trend. Depending on how you set ATS filters, you could identify not just candidates who tick all the boxes with their qualifications and previous job titles but also those who have transferrable skill sets. To make this work, it’s important to put some thought into what keywords can capture transferrable skills that might not be found in a typical job description for a role. Bias ReductionWe’ve explored the bias-related risks of AI in detail in our previous blog, but it’s worth noting that AI tools can also work in reverse to reduce bias.AI tools can scan resumes and anonymise candidate information, such as names (ethnicity), gender, or date of birth, creating ‘blind’ resumes. This approach can be helpful in streamlining resume screening without introducing unconscious bias.Automating this process enables hiring managers to focus their efforts on more nuanced aspects of candidate evaluation, like cultural fit and specific skill sets. Managing the Risks of AI Recruiting Tools Use SafeguardsBefore your organisation uses artificial intelligence tools in recruiting activities that involve filtering resumes or assessing candidates in any way, it’s essential to have safeguards in place. In practice, safeguards would include explicit company policies about how AI is used in the recruitment process and monitoring the outcomes of the hiring process involving AI. As researchers have noted, ‘while the vendors of [AI] tools may conduct internal testing and auditing, the results are often not publicly available. Independent external auditing is rare’. The onus is on your organisation to ensure AI isn’t distorting the recruitment process and raising legal risks around discrimination.Be TransparentCandidates are likely to appreciate transparency about the AI tools your organisation is using to communicate with them and screen their resumes. It’s best to be upfront about this, as candidates can easily spot where AI is being used. Evaluate Why AI is NecessaryPlenty of organisations have fallen into the trap of adopting technology simply because it appears impressive – the phenomenon often referred to as "shiny object syndrome." Acquiring new tech tools won’t help you identify weaknesses in your recruitment process, which often stem from human practices. Working with human recruiters with years of experience is the most efficient way to address your unique needs.Remember the ‘Human’ in the ProcessAI can potentially liberate us from time-consuming administrative tasks and speed up hiring, which is a benefit for organisations and provides a smoother experience for candidates. However, it’s still essential to keep candidates at the centre of recruitment. Candidates ultimately prefer interacting with humans who can help them feel understood and supported through the hiring process.At Beyond Recruitment, we take pride in bringing a sensitive and nuanced touch to our services to clients and candidates. Holding fast to our diversity and inclusion principles, we take care to understand the unique needs of your business and team culture to find the best talent. Please get in touch with our New Zealand recruitment team to find people who can’t be identified by software.

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

Published Date: 29th May 2024​Having just joined Beyond Recruitment in the Technology, Transformation, & Digital team, I was interested in gaining a broader understanding of Wellington's current tech market and what the future looks like. This blog will delve into Wellington's current market challenges and what this means for our tech industry professionals. I’ll be looking at some key players and innovative startups that are thriving in Wellington and what the future may hold for growth opportunities across tech here in the capital.Current Market Challenges & Opportunities in Wellington:Wellington’s economic hub is going through a lot of changes at the moment. With the new change of government in place, we are noticing significant variations in the private and public sectors, particularly across government organisations. Businesses are downsizing significantly and implementing hiring freezes. From a recruitment perspective, we are noticing a general influx in the candidate market across both permanent and contract roles, affecting most industries, including Technology, Transformation, & Digital. Navigating this difficult space that affects so many of us requires our professional network to be kind to each other and support those greatly affected by this sudden turbulent market.In Wellington's tech sector, talent competition and limited funding pose challenges alongside the country's small market size and geographic isolation. However, the city's collaborative ecosystem and high quality of life attract global talent, while remote work trends offer opportunities for international expansion. Government initiatives and Wellington's focus on sustainability and creativity further reinforce its potential as a tech hub, promising continued growth and innovation in the industry.Government Support and Initiatives:While our government is trying to save on costs at this time, Wellington's tech industry strongly benefits from robust government support and initiatives aimed at fostering innovation and growth. Through programs such as MBIE’s (Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment) Innovation Policy and the Digital Technologies Industry Transformation Plan, the government provides funding, resources, and strategic guidance to support research, development, and collaboration within the sector. This support extends to startups and established companies alike, offering financial incentives, regulatory frameworks, and access to networks that facilitate innovation and expansion. Government backing plays a vital role in positioning Wellington as a competitive player in the global tech landscape, driving investment, talent attraction, and industry advancement. As a result, the city's tech ecosystem is set up to thrive, creating opportunities for economic growth and driving positive impact both locally and beyond.Key Players:While many businesses in Wellington have gone quiet for the time being, we still have some key influential tech companies driving innovation locally and globally. For example, Xero, renowned for its cloud-based accounting software, made the 2024 Edition - Top 15 Accounting Software Report, which compares the leading accounting software vendors on Business-Software. Then there is the famous Weta Digital, a pioneering visual effects studio behind iconic films listed by NZIER (New Zealand Institute of Economic Research) as one of New Zealand’s best-known post-production firms that continues to win international work, reflected in their revenue growth rates. Trade Me is another key player, recognised as one of the country's largest online marketplaces, connecting millions of users. Additionally, AoFrio, listed on the NZX (New Zealand Stock Exchange), develops sustainable solutions for global retailers. These companies, based in Wellington, are reshaping industries and fostering entrepreneurship in the city's diverse tech ecosystem.Wellington’s Start-up Culture:Wellington's start-up culture also thrives on innovation and collaboration, providing a rich landscape for entrepreneurs to turn bold ideas into reality. Among these notable startups are Sharesies, LanzaTech, Mobi2Go & Ethique. These startups epitomise Wellington's ethos of creativity and problem-solving while driving positive change both locally and globally. For example, MoneyHub shared this year that Sharesies is an innovative business that has brought investing into the hands of hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders. They are also revolutionising investment accessibility with their user-friendly platform. As reported on RNZ in an article called ‘Carbon Recycling Company LanzaTech Captures Interest,’ we read about how a NZ company is recycling pollution into products like biofuel and packaging, capturing the attention of several retail giants. According to TheOrderGuys.com, Mobi2Go is streamlining restaurant operations through digital ordering solutions, and listed under Kiwi Bank's thriving businesses on their website is Ethique, which leads the charge in sustainable beauty, offering plastic-free alternatives to traditional products.Having friends with various start-up businesses in Wellington, I understand the key to their success has been ensuring that their product or service has a need or want in the Wellington market, so doing the research piece is critical. Most importantly, ensuring their digital footprint for their new business is promoted through the right channels to the right audience. Wellington definitely has a strong heartbeat for its people, supporting smaller businesses and embracing new, boutique, sustainable, and trendy brands. Public celebrations, such as our Newtown Festival earlier this year, showcased some wonderful New Zealand-owned pop-up shops and start-up businesses, which had a massive turnout. The vibe is that the people of Wellington generally want to support smaller, locally-owned businesses.Digital Transformation in Wellington:In Wellington, businesses across sectors are swiftly embracing digital transformation to meet evolving consumer needs. From banking to healthcare and education, digital technologies are reshaping traditional practices. Banking institutions are adopting online platforms, retailers are embracing e-commerce, and healthcare providers are implementing telemedicine solutions. These changes highlight Wellington's commitment to innovation and adaptation in a digital-driven world.Talent and Education:Wellington also benefits from a robust pool of tech talent attracted by its innovative ecosystem and quality of life. Leading educational institutions offer programs in computer science and digital media, while initiatives like the Wellington ICT Graduate School provide practical training, ensuring a steady supply of skilled professionals to drive innovation and growth in the city's tech sector.Collaboration and Networking:Wellington's tech community thrives on collaboration, fostering a culture of knowledge-sharing and partnership. Through events like TechWeek and organisations like Startup Weekend Wellington, professionals come together to exchange ideas and create connections. Coworking spaces like BizDojo and CreativeHQ serve as hubs for collaboration, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the city's vibrant tech ecosystem.Future Outlook:Despite things feeling like they are on hold right now, with the majority of businesses waiting anxiously for their new budgets for the financial year, Wellington still has many positive attributes contributing to its success, collaboration, and innovation across the Technology, Transformation, & Digital market. Our tech industry is poised for continued growth and innovation, driven by key trends. Emphasis on sustainability will fuel innovation in green technology, while the remote work revolution that COVID-19 birthed will reshape how companies operate, already propelling us eight years ahead in the digital age compared to where we were before the pandemic. Investments in talent development will ensure a skilled workforce, while global connectivity will open up new market opportunities. Key players like Xero and Weta Digital, alongside innovative startups like Sharesies and LanzaTech, drive forward groundbreaking ideas and are reshaping industries both locally and globally. Government initiatives are also strengthening this ecosystem, fostering growth and innovation while addressing challenges.Wellington's commitment to digital transformation, coupled with its robust talent pool and collaborative community, positions it as a beacon of tech excellence relative to our economic and political position. Looking ahead, the city's potential for future growth is undeniable. With an informed community, we will be able to best support each other through these hard times while also embracing opportunities in sustainability, global connectivity, and continued innovation, moving us towards even greater heights in the tech world here in Wellington.If you're interested in exploring opportunities in Wellington's dynamic tech scene, we'd love to hear from you. Whether you're a tech professional seeking new challenges or a company looking for top talent, our team at Beyond Recruitment is here to assist. Contact us to discuss how we can help you navigate the Technology, Transformation, & Digital landscape in Wellington.