Waikato Business News March/April 2018

WAIKATO BUSINESS NEWS March/April 2018
49
Hire at speed… without the risk!
Now more than ever, working with speed
to find and recruit the right people for your
business is imperative. As the war for talent
boxes on, employers are faced with skills
shortages and stiff competition to find the
perfect fit.
New Zealand’s unemployment
rate edged
down to 4.5 percent in
the fourth quarter of 2017. It
was the fourth straight decline
and lowest jobless rate since
the last quarter of 2008. The
unemployment rate for women
sits around 5 percent, and men
sitting at 4 percent. The candidate
market has changed
considerably in the last decade
and more intensely in the last
two years.
Candidates are being
swamped with opportunity
and competing offers. The
fact is good candidates don’t
sit in the market for long.
Conversely though, we’re
faced with employers who
are, rightly so, feeling anxious
about their employment
decisions, and worrying about
the costs and impacts of a bad
hire. The dichotomy between
the two worlds – of employer
and candidate, is firmly felt by
recruitment agencies and those
who are working to bring the
two parties together!
Firstly – what do we know
about candidates in a talent
shortage? You might be interested
to learn that in a talent
shortage, candidates like to
feel extra special! All joking
aside, from the get-go
candidates are judging their
future employer on how they
communicate, the story their
website tells them, where
they are located, what future
opportunities for advancement
might be on the cards, what
the employer’s reputation is
like in the market, and overall
how they might fit into that
business. You as an employer
are being judged as much as
you judge a candidate from
an initial meeting. One of the
most common conversations
we have with candidates and
employers alike is the fit must
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
> BY SENGA ALLEN
Managing Director, Everest – All about people TM
www.everestpeople.co.nz
be right. Yes, candidates absolutely
want to click with the
values and goals of the business
and truly understand the
culture of the business. How
employers portray this information
is often one of the key
reasons why the perfect candidate
might not click with your
business.
Secondly – what can
employers do to keep up with
the candidates who are being
wooed by multiple opportunities?
My biggest piece of
advice to employers who are
keen to find new people for
their teams is to seize opportunities
quickly. You simply
cannot wait six or eight weeks
to get back to candidates, to
arrange interviews or communicate
with them. This action
straight away tells great candidates
that they are not a priority
and they will jog on. Next,
if you’re an employer looking
for talent, what does your shop
Event to celebrate women in business
A
panel of successful
Waikato businesswomen
are set to speak at an
upcoming event that aims to
inspire others through tales
of triumphs and challenges in
business.
PR company Dynamic
Media is collaborating with law
firm Tompkins Wake to bring
the very first Women of Waikato
event to the region on May 17,
at the scenic Woodlands Estate.
The all-day event aims to
help create and foster long-term
relationships between women
in business, and to celebrate
inspirational Waikato women
whose stories will act as a catalyst
to encourage and motivate
others.
“I know only too well what
it's like to spend a lot of time
working in the business as
opposed to on the business.
Throw into the mix family commitments
and well, it's easy to
feel overwhelmed by all the
demands on our time,” director
of Dynamic Media, Dani Simpson
said.
“That's why I think taking a
day out for ourselves now and
then is important. The event
is an opportunity to reflect,
regroup, to challenge your
thinking, be inspired to dream
big and grow, as well as meet
new people.”
The five speakers set to
take to the stage are Raglan
Coconut Yoghurt co-founder
Latesha Randall; rockstar plain
language writing trainer Shelly
Davies; yoga teacher, photographer
and leather creations artisan
Kay Buchanan; REALiving
coach and mentor Tracey Hancock,
and long-time comedian
Jan-Maree Franicevic whose
resilience and business brain
will wow the audience.
Dani said she looks forward
to seeing the new relationships
and collaborations that are sure
to come from this event.
Premier event sponsor
Tompkins Wake is delighted to
support this fantastic event recognising
the strength and success
of women in the Waikato.
To purchase tickets for
Women of the Waikato held on
Thursday, May 17, email candice@dynamicmedia.co.nz
or
phone 021 0867 4460. Early
bird tickets are available until
April 3. The early bird price is
$195 (incl GST). After April 3,
tickets will be $225 (incl GST).
Ticket includes entry, morning
tea, afternoon tea, lunch, tea
Dynamic Media director
Dani Simpson.
and coffee, nibble platters and
a glass of house wine at the
networking session at the end
of the day. Special pricing for
tables of 8 is also available.
window tell the marketplace
about you? If your website is
old, tired and boring – what
message does that send about
your place of work? One thing
I always ask employers is why
would I want to come and
work for you? In the old days
many businesses would have
taken the higher ground and
come from a position of power
when interviewing candidates
– these days however, its due
diligence both ways. Just as
keen as you are to find out
about your candidates, they
are also researching what it
might be like to work for you.
Lastly, a good hiring experience
(for both candidate and
employer) doesn’t have to
take months to fulfil. If there
are willing parties both sides,
then offers of employment can
be made conditional on reference
checks, tests and criminal
checks etc. Often these administration
functions appear to
slow completion of offers – it
doesn’t have to be that way if
you make an offer conditional
on these aspects being completed
to your satisfaction.
Manage your risks appropriately
but don’t dilly dally in
today’s competitive talent
pool.You might just miss out
on hooking that winning fish!
BOOK NOW
for Waikato’s newest event
for women in business
WOMEN OF WAIKATO will celebrate inspirational
Waikato women whose stories will encourage and
motivate others. Opportunities to connect with other
women in business.
Five fabulous speakers!
• Raglan Coconut Yoghurt co-founder
Latesha Randall
• Rockstar plain language writing trainer
Shelly Davies
• Long-time comedian Jan-Maree Franicevic
• REALiving coach and mentor Tracey Hancock
• Yoga teacher, photographer and leather creations
artisan Kay Buchanan
EARLY BIRD PRICING UNTIL APRIL 3
– Book your tickets before April 3 and pay $195 (incl GST).
– After April 3, tickets are $225 (incl GST).
– Early bird table of 8 is $1560. After April 3, a table of 8 is $1650.
Thursday, May 17, 2018 at
Woodlands Estate, Whitikahu
Registration from 8.15am
Seminar from 9am followed by networking
event on site from 4.30-6pm
Each ticket includes tea, coffee, orange juice, morning tea, lunch,
afternoon tea and an alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverage and
nibbles during the drinks-and-networking session at the end of the
day. Spot prizes galore!
Please note: there are no ticket sales on the day.
To pre-purchase tickets or email Candice at
Dynamic Media candice@dynamicmedia.co.nz
or phone 021 0867 4460