Category: Press Release

We are delighted to welcome Michael Megally as Director of IT Consulting at Ignite. Michael will lead the IT consulting arm of our Technology and Talent Solutions team, which uses cost efficient and vetted technology squads to drive technological solutions for business problems as-a-service. Michael has worked in the technology industry for over 20 years and is a highly experienced delivery and transformation executive. He has assisted a wide range of multinational enterprise organisations on their IT transformation journeys. Michael has strong capabilities in program management, IT operations, service delivery, customer onboarding, product management, negotiating complex outsourcing deals and business transformation. All of which will be essential to our technology-as-a-service offerings. Michael is also an entrepreneur who has setup and run multiple businesses. He knows how to develop companies from inception to profitability with strong governance, innovation, and digitisation principles. He is also involved in several not-for-profit organisations and is passionate about helping neurodiverse people have meaningful careers and creating opportunities for indigenous Australians in technology. Michael said “my role at Ignite is to lead the IT consulting arm of the business, powered by team Ignite to provide innovative solutions to business problems. Project by project, Ignite has curated the best talent, skills, expertise, and availability to deliver direct access to world-class vetted technology squads to deliver solutions for clients on-time and on-budget”. We are delighted to have Michael on-board who brings advanced knowledge and technology expertise that will help our Technology and Talent Solutions team thrive.

We are delighted to announce the board appointment of Cameron Judson as Independent Non-Executive Director of Ignite. Cameron is a highly respected senior executive with extensive experience in senior executive roles inside and outside of the recruitment industry. Between 2005-15, Cameron held a variety of executive roles including CEO and Managing Director at previously publicly listed recruitment agency. In addition to this, he has also held a number of senior executive roles outside of the recruitment industry within the employment services, education, community services and real estate sectors. Cameron’s commercial and recruitment expertise will be a key addition to the Ignite board. He holds an MBA, a bachelor of Arts  and is a member of the Australia Institute of Company Directors. He will greatly complement the existing leadership team at Ignite in the midst of our growth journey. Ignite Non-Executive Chairman Garry Sladden said, “Cameron is a highly respected and proven leader who brings a significant skillset to the Board and Ignite, and will no doubt add significant value to the Ignite business as it continues its progress under the leadership of Tim Moran and his executive team.” Cameron said, “Having closely watched the significant restructuring and cost reduction that has been undertaken at Ignite over recent years, I’m excited to be joining the Ignite Board at a time when the focus will now be on solid growth and the creation and implementation of strategic initiatives to position Ignite as a serious player in the Australian recruitment sector.” We are delighted to welcome Cameron to the Ignite family and are excited for what lies ahead.

Name: Judith Bailey Position: National Contracts and Compliance Manager Location: Sydney, NSW Ignite Tenure: 12.5 years Nobody personifies Ignite’s core values of connection, courage, ingenuity and understanding more than Judith Bailey. For 12+ years, she has gone over and above to support her colleagues, contractors and clients with all their problems, queries and requirements. From a part-time data entry role to a full-time National Contracts and Compliance Manager role, Jude’s Ignite journey is truly remarkable. We recently interviewed Judith to find out more about her Ignite journey. Jude, How did you get started in recruitment and why did you choose to join Ignite? My career began in the UK on a graduate scheme for an Australian computer manufacturer. I did everything from building to selling computers. This was a great experience and useful starting point into the world of IT recruitment. In 1995, I moved to Australia and joined a leading agency in the IT recruitment market. I had a variety of roles in this business including resourcing, account management, team leadership, contractor care and operations management. This gave me a strong breadth of experience. In 2009, I made the decision to join Ignite (previously Candle) in a part-time data entry role. Ignite was a major competitor of my previous business with a very strong reputation in the IT recruitment market. They held a large number of preferred services agreements with companies I’d worked with before, so I knew it would be a good fit. During my interview process, I met some fantastic people who demonstrated a strong internal culture that I wanted to be a part of. To this day, the people and culture remain one of Ignite’s key strengths. What do you love the most about your job at Ignite? I get immense satisfaction working with people from all walks of life on a daily basis - my colleagues, contractors and clients. My job is to provide solutions for all their problems, queries and requirements and contribute to their professional success. I love being a part of a national team underpinned by strong internal relationships and an overarching desire to collaborate and support each other. This has been achieved under the guidance of an exceptional leadership team who are supportive, encouraging and passionate about Ignite’s people and culture. Our team works hard and plays hard, and they have become like a second family to me over the years. My role at Ignite strikes a perfect balance of support and autonomy. I know my team is there when I need it, but I also know they trust me to perform at a high level. They also understand my family commitments, and allow me to balance my professional and personal life accordingly through flexible working conditions. Finally, I’m very appreciative of the opportunities that have been provided to me during my tenure. I began in a part-time data entry role after returning from maternity leave. I then moved into a contractor care role and now I have recently been promoted to National Contracts and Compliance Manager. I am so excited by this challenging opportunity. What Ignite values resonate with you and how do they guide you in your role? My key values are honesty, openness, trust, respect, teamwork, loyalty and accountability. Which has a strong overlap with Ignite’s core values of connection, understanding, ingenuity and courage. This alignment enables me to focus on my key deliverables, safe in the knowledge I’m working in a respectful environment where everyone shares similar values. These values guide and empower me to consistently deliver high customer satisfaction and excellent service delivery in my role. What is your advice for someone in a junior role looking to progress to a more senior position? I think career progression is all about attitude and willingness to learn. You need to have a good work ethic, commitment and focus on your role. In my case that was maintaining a customer focus in everything I do and working hard through the ups and downs of recruitment. You need to be able to accept constructive criticism and learn from the mistakes you’ll inevitably make. I also highly recommend finding a strong mentor and shadowing what they do, as it has greatly helped me through my career so far. Just remember that success and progression doesn’t come overnight. It took me over a decade to get where I am, but perseverance does pay off. The best advice I can offer is work hard, have fun and enjoy what you do, then the rewards will eventually come. From a compliance perspective, what are some of the key trends you are seeing in the current market? The regulatory environment across all sectors is undoubtedly tightening. As an ASX-listed business, compliance is an essential part of our business and something we put major focus on internally with our national contracts and compliance team. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly influenced the compliance landscape in recruitment. We now have policies and processes in place to validate candidates’ vaccination status for our clients that have mandated such policies. We’ve also had to develop processes for work-health safety for contractors working remotely to ensure they have had a safe and comfortable workspace. In today's recruitment world, maintaining compliance whilst simultaneously providing an outstanding customer experience is crucial to success. How do you work with your colleagues to ensure all compliance is met? We explain the rationale behind each compliance requirement and the implications of what happens when they are not adhered to. We listen to feedback from our teams and provide alternative solutions where viable to support them. The secret is being available, listening, being flexible where possible, regular communication and training. This keeps standards high and compliance at the forefront of everyone’s thinking. What advice would you give to clients and candidates from a compliance perspective to flourish in this market? Honesty and transparency is extremely important from both parties. Candidates need to be honest with recruiters about what roles they’re applying for so clients can be kept informed. Conversely, clients need to stay connected and engaged with their contractors to remain competitive in a talent-driven market. Furthermore, clients need to be agile in their end-to-end recruitment or will miss out on the best people. They also need to be on top of all compliance-related matters in an increasingly complex regulatory environment to avoid any future scrutiny. Jude’s Ignite journey is a testament to the notion that hard work pays off. She has risen the corporate ranks to now be in a national managerial role at Ignite. She is passionate about helping her colleagues, candidates and clients, making her they type of person that anyone would want to work with every day. Fortunately, you can, because we are currently looking for exceptional people like Jude to join the Ignite team. Visit our career page now and ignite your potential.

Name: Michael Higgins Position: Senior Recruitment Consultant, Specialist Recruitment, Engineering Location:  Sydney CBD office Ignite Tenure: 16.5 years Michael Higgins has been a key pillar of our NSW Specialist Recruitment business for the best part of two decades. You could not meet a more passionate, dedicated and consistently high performing company man. Michael’s journey began in engineering, after completing a structural engineering diploma at TAFE. He worked at Sydney Water for 13+ years and was exposed to a wide range of engineering disciplines and characters along the way. He then moved into hospitality, where he was fortunate enough to own some successful restaurants and bars. For over a decade, he experienced firsthand the importance of recruiting the right people into the right roles to achieve sustainable business success. After a short career break, he recalls reading the local Sutherland Shire newspaper and seeing an advert in the classified section for a “recruitment consultant”. Excited by the potential of working close to home and being rewarded with an “uncapped commission”, he successfully applied and joined the Ignite business. Sixteen years later he is still here, combining his background in engineering and hospitality to be a very successful senior engineering recruitment consultant in our NSW Specialist Recruitment team. We sat down with Michael to find out more about his Ignite journey and remarkable success so far. Why did you choose to work for Ignite? Initially, I was excited by the convenience of working close to home and being rewarded with uncapped commission. I didn’t realise how valuable the experiences I had in engineering and hospitality would ultimately be in my Ignite career. I remember my first placement, and how genuinely excited the candidate was to be offered his dream role. It was very special and still is to this day. Another reason I chose Ignite was because of the great leaders and mentors I’ve had through the journey, who taught me the art and science of recruitment. How to identify opportunities, how to talk, how to listen, how to learn from disappointments and overcome obstacles. The opportunity to learn always excited me, and it is something that Ignite continues to provide me with today, which is one of the reasons why I continue to choose Ignite. What are some key market trends shaping engineering recruitment right now? I see the same trends across all businesses in all industries. Hard work is rewarded. Passion drives success. There are good and bad days, but tomorrow is always a new one. Talent is scarce. The smart operators hire the best people. The best people want to work for employers that empower them, provide opportunity and reward results. And finally, talent wants more work life balance and flexibility than ever before. The pandemic has created so much uncertainty in the job market, yet you are having one of your best years to date in terms of performance, what do you attribute this to? I am very selective with the clients I invest my time and expertise with. You need to work with clients who treat you as an equal. They take your calls, listen to your expert opinion and treat you with respect you’ve earned over time. These are the types of relationships that endure through hard times (like a pandemic) and are the type of relationships I’ve cultivated through my career. These relationships have allowed me to flourish even in challenging periods. But the pandemic has helped me in unexpected ways. It’s highlighted the importance of being adaptable and willing to work differently. For example, transitioning to remote work was initially a major challenge for me, but with support from the Ignite leadership team and exceptional tools put in place I was able to adopt this new way of work seamlessly. During this period, our team forged stronger connections despite forced separation and had uplifts in productivity as well.  Now, remote work has become second nature to me and this willingness to adapt has helped me thrive in a period where others may have struggled. Michael, you have a strong reputation for building and maintaining long-term relationships with your clients, how have you achieved this and what are your top tips to help clients in your market? Recruitment is all about relationships. When it comes to clients, the strength of your relationships is dependent on the quality of candidates that you can deliver consistently. At the end of the day, clients want to fill roles, and source talent they can’t find on their own. So, the challenge is delivering this consistently and at a high standard even when the market is not in your favour. Achieve this, you can create a mutually beneficial bond with people that lasts for decades. So, my tips for clients are to invest time and energy into people and build a great environment for them where they want to come and work for you every day. Secondly, invest even more time identifying, attracting and rewarding people who want to join and stay on your journey. The best advice I can give is to share in your successes, learn from your failures. Support talent in both their professional and personal endeavours. Prioritise family, have fun and enjoy what you do! What are your top tips to help aspiring engineering talent? Work with an employer that genuinely cares about YOU. Someone who is willing to invest time and energy into YOUR career. Someone who takes an interest in what YOU do in and away from work. Someone who follows through with what they say. Trust your instincts. Listen to the people you trust. Learn from your mistakes. Be open to new experiences. Prioritise family. Have fun. Enjoy what you do! (sounds familiar). What are the things you love most about working at Ignite? The best thing about working at Ignite is the people I get to work alongside every day. Our colleagues, our leaders, our clients and our candidates. Ignite has provided me an environment for many years where I feel genuinely supported both professionally and personally. They care about me, my family, my development, my success and my journey. I feel incredibly fortunate to be given the opportunities, the skills, the tools and the environment to follow my dreams and be successful. Additionally, no two days are ever the same in recruitment. I am constantly learning 16 years in. Furthermore, it gives me the opportunity to play a small but critical role in helping people successfully reach their dreams, both clients and candidates, which is hard to replicate. At Ignite you can have lots of fun, enjoy the wins and share it with some great people. What sets Michael apart as an employee is his unrivalled passion for his role, for the people around him and for the broader Ignite organisation. His experience, knowledge and consistency for almost two decades has made him a true leader in our business that all staff look up to and enjoy working with. If you want the opportunity to work alongside exceptional people like Michael Higgins, visit our website career page today and join the Ignite journey.

Name: Surabhi Mishra Position: Account Manager, IT & Digital, Specialist Recruitment Location: Canberra, ACT Ignite Tenure: 7+ years Surabhi has been working in recruitment for well over a decade, specialising in IT recruitment and account management with both Technology and Federal Government clients. After completing an engineering degree in Mechanical and Automation, she began her career as an IT professional working with major tech companies like Infosys and IBM for over five years. In 2008, Surabhi moved to Australia. While on the hunt for local IT roles she came across our current ACT General Manager Laila Billberg, who introduced her to the world of recruitment. Since then, she has been applying her trade as an IT Account Manager at Ignite. We recently sat down with Surabhi and asked her some questions about her Ignite journey so far and picked her brains about the local Canberra recruitment market. Why did you choose to work at Ignite? I was attracted to Ignite because of their strong reputation in the local Canberra market. They are an ASX-listed leader in specialist recruitment and have long-established relationships with a broad range of federal government clients. They also have other specialisations in Canberra including Business Corporate and Talent Solutions which all complement each other really well.  I was also impressed by the leadership team, particularly my direct manager who has been extremely supportive since the beginning. Ignite also offered me an environment where I was able to learn and grow in my role. What are some key market trends shaping IT recruitment? In Canberra, there is currently a significant shortage of technology talent. Federal Government clients want security cleared candidates with increasingly hard-to-find skillsets. This rise in demand has seen contract rates for some talent rise exponentially, which I don’t believe is sustainable long term. Fortunately we have well-established talent pools built over decades to support our clients in finding the talent they need. What tips do you have for clients in your market? In the current candidate-driven market, clients need to be agile and make offers quickly to secure the best talent. End-to-end procurement timelines needs to be faster to keep pace with talent movements. More and more candidates want flexibility in their working environment, which is something clients now must consider or risk missing out. Finally, clients need to explore more ways to relieve talent shortages in the market, for example by sponsoring more security clearances. What tips do you have for candidates in your market? Now is a great time to be a candidate, but it’s important to be organised in your job search and consider long term prospects when interacting with recruiters and employers. Candidates need to ensure they communicate well with recruiters about other interviews they have in hand so we can provide the assistance they actually need. Also, commitment is another tip that candidates should be aware of to maximise their long-term prospects. What do you love most about recruitment? I love building relationships with people, having the opportunity to coach and mentor them to optimise their career. I like to build trust with my clients so that they know I can be relied upon to find them the best possible talent. Everyday in recruitment is different which keeps things interesting and enjoyable. What do you love most about working at Ignite? Ignite has a unique culture that I love being a part of. The teams’ spirits are always high, and everyone is working towards a common goal. We celebrate people within the team and support them when they need it. I also have lots of independence to do my job without any micromanagement, and I am given the flexibility I need to accommodate my lifestyle. At Ignite, we have some amazing people who have been working with us for up to 35 years. If you would like the chance to work with someone as passionate and dedicated as Surabhi, visit our career page today and check out some of our exciting internal opportunities.

As Australia’s eastern states gradually open up from COVID-lockdowns once again, employers have the opportunity to revisit an important question. Where will our staff work from long-term? For 18 months, workers around Australia have been exposed to new ways of work reshaping their expectations and preferences of where they work from long-term. Now, in a candidate-driven jobs market, employers are faced with a key decision that could make or break their talent management strategy and underpin their employee value proposition (EVP). So, to help you out, we’ve surveyed 200 candidates to better understand their work environment preferences to help inform your long-term workforce plan moving forward. Here’s what we found. 67% want a hybrid work model According to our research, a resounding two thirds of candidates want a hybrid working model moving forward. They want the best of both worlds; the flexibility of working from home and the socialisation of working from the office. Talent in this space tend to disagree over the structure of hybridisation, but ultimately want a working week composed of flexible work policies that accommodate their respective lifestyles and individual needs. The key lesson here is that if you don’t offer this hybridised flexibility, your EVP will not appeal to the majority of talent. So, a hybrid model is something you must consider to appeal to current and future employees. 20% want to work from home exclusively Further to this, one fifth of workers are ready to abandon the office altogether and work exclusively from home long term. For 18 months, some workers have loved working from home. Why? Convenience, flexibility and work-life balance. No commutes, no dress codes and extra comfortability means 1 in 5 workers we surveyed don’t want to ever return to the office. Consequently, if you do decide to mandate an office return, be prepared for a sizeable chunk of your workers to jump ship for a company offering the flexibility they increasingly seek. 13% want to work from the office exclusively However, for some people, exposure to remote work has only reinforced their love of the traditional office environment. These individuals feel less focused and productive at home due to a higher prevalence of distractions. They find it hard to separate their professional life from their personal life within the same space. They also crave more opportunities for socialisation with their colleagues to build stronger and more effective teams. In these cases, abandoning the offices completely will likely detract these workers from staying at your company long-term as well. So, what does all this mean? Employers now need to cater to a broader range of work environment preferences than ever before. Some love the office, some love the home and others love both. The common theme across all 200 candidates is that talent values the flexibility to choose what suits them best. Therefore, employers need to find a balance between what is best for their people, but also what is the best for their business. Finding this balance will help you make a superior final decision about where your staff work from long-term, enhancing your EVP and talent management strategy.

Imagine choosing between two job offers with the same salary. What would motivate you to select one job over the other? We asked 185 candidates this very question to reveal their top motivators when choosing a new role. Their top motivators are: Work life balance (48%) Flexible working conditions (23%) Career progression opportunities (11%) Colleagues (10%) Leave entitlements (3%) Bonuses & commission structures (2%) Learning & development programs (2%) Office Perks & benefits (1%) These motivators are key to building a strong employee value proposition (EVP). In this article, we discuss how our research can help you optimise your EVP to attact the best talent in an increasingly candidate-led enviroment. Work-Life Balance Almost half (48%) of our candidates indicated that work-life balance is their top motivator when choosing a new role. This refers to an organisations ability to define clear lines between work and personal life, and allow their employees adequate time for both. Companies that demand 24-hour contact and out-of-hours work are unlikely to acquire and retain top talent seeking this balance. Flexible Work About a quarter (23%) of our candidates reported that flexibility is their top motivator when choosing a new role. Accelerated by COVID-19, flexible work has become increasingly popular amongst candidates and less uncomfortable for employers. The ability to choose your own hours, work from anywhere and compress your work week to accomodate your lifestyle are highly valued benefits sought out by many candidates. In response, many companies are embedding flexible work policies in their EVP to satisfy these demands. Career Progression 12% of our candidates reported career progression opportunities as the most likely reason they would choose a new role. These individuals are looking to climb the corporate ladder and value organisations that present clear pathways to doing so. Ambitious employees want to work for companies where there is scope to grow: a promotion, a new challenge or learning opportunity to maximise their development. Companies that don’t offer these opportunities are unlikely to attract top talent seeking these benefits. Colleagues 10% of candidates reported that their colleagues play a key factor in their decision to change roles. This is not surprising given the typical office worker will spend more time with colleagues than their own family. Strong relationships in the workplace benefit both employer and employee by boosting engagement, motivation, productivity and performance. Companies that can offer prospective talent a strong internal culture and supportive work environment are more likely to attract talent who value the people they work with. Leave Entitlements Only 3% of our candidates selected leave entitlements as their primary motivator to change roles. Perhaps this is because many leave entitlements are legally required (e.g., annual leave, maternity leave, etc.). However, some companies will go over and above what’s mandated by offering additional leave for birthdays, voluntary work and mental health to support their employees. These benefits may not be the top consideration for most candidates, but it certainly adds value to the EVP of a particular organisation. Candidates change jobs for a variety of reasons, and each will have their own motivation for doing so. Our research suggests when salaries are taken out of the equation, work-life balance, flexibility and career progression opportunities are the top reasons a candidate will choose a particular role over another. This has important ramifications for employers looking to optimise their EVP to attract and retain top talent, by ensuring they offer the perks and benefits their target candidates value the most. At Ignite, we have incorporated all of these top benefits into our employee value proposition to attract great talent to our business. In fact, we are always on the lookout for exceptional talent to join us. Check out our career page for more information about open vacancies.

Ignite is proud to announce our new partnership with Procurement Australia. From January 1st, 2021, Ignite is officially authorised to support all Procurement Australia members with their respective recruitment, training and associated services needs including: Permanent recruitment services Temporary recruitment services Contingent labour services HR consultancy services Psychometric testing & skills assessment services Unbundled recruitment services Procurement Australia is one of Australia’s leading partners of strategic sourcing and procurement solutions for its members across private and public sectors. Their extensive membership base consists of over 24,000+ entities including government authorities, not-for-profit entities and private companies across many Australian sectors. As a newly appointed supplier, Ignite is authorised to support these entities through our Specialist Recruitment and People Services divisions. This will cover contract, temporary and permanent recruitment solutions across key verticals such as IT & Digital, Business Support, Sales & Marketing and Accounting & Financial Services just to name a few. In addition, we will also provide HR consultancy services and unbundled recruitment services through our People Services division. With over 35 years’ experience working with public and private sector organisations across these areas, our comprehensive services aligns well with the professional needs required by Procurement Australia’s members. We are very excited to commence this partnership in 2021, and look forward to igniting the potential of Procurement Australia's members for many years to come.

At Ignite, supporting our candidates by optimising their experience is one of our key priorities. Not only do we connect talent with fantastic employers and job opportunities, we also ensure they are equipped with the skills, knowledge and tools to thrive in their respective careers. One way we do this is through Ignite's candidate meetups. These sessions, led by our consultants, are designed to improve the overall capability and employability of our candidates as they navigate the increasingly complex and competitive jobs market. One such consultant at Ignite who has pioneered these sessions is our VIC-based senior IT recruiter Harry Wade, who recently hosted his 13th candidate meetup. Harry’s sessions are geared towards candidates within the IT and technology space, and have become must-attend events for relevant talent. According to Harry, “the meetups are a great opportunity for us to engage with jobseekers and support them in their careers. We discuss key trends in the employment market and prepare them for all aspects of the recruitment and hiring process”. On average, about 30 candidates attend Harry’s sessions, hungry for insights and tips that can set them apart in the eyes of employers. Harry says, “many candidates are facing similar obstacles and simply looking for confidence and reassurance that they’re doing the right things when looking for work.” We identify where they can improve and then equip them with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in their respective careers”. Like in all things, Information is power when it comes to job search. Our candidate sessions provide candidates with the latest and most relevant information to help them understand hiring processes and secure employment. According to Harry, content in his meetups vary but they typically include the following staples to support IT talent: Market insights and key employment trends Recruitment process tips including interviewing and assessments Personal branding tips including LinkedIn profile building, CV/Resume tips Available job opportunities       One of the most common pain points for candidates is the lack of feedback and support they receive through the recruitment process, particularly following unsuccessful applications. Ignite’s candidate meetups address these issues by ensuring all candidates are given the guidance they need to build their capabilities and ultimately become successful ones. Harry says, “in my experience, success or failure in recruitment can often come down to very minor adjustments, from body position in an interview to adjusting the formatting of a CV. We know how hiring managers think and operate, and share this knowledge to show candidates how they can achieve better outcomes”. Thirteen sessions in and candidate feedback has been extremely positive about Harry's meetups so far, with attendance gradually growing each time. One candidate left a Google review saying, “the meetup was very interesting and helped be build and update my CV to be job ready”. Another candidate said, “the session was very informative with a great overview of the jobs market and trends relating to IT”. Harry's response to this feedback is “I enjoy offering advice and am passionate about helping my candidates find employment. I hope everyone that attends my sessions can take at least one pearl of wisdom to help them in their career journey”. Ignite’s candidate meetups are extremely valuable because they help build relationships between our consultants and our candidates, driving engagement and trust. By investing in talent through these sessions, we're able to build the employability of candidates and generate stronger talent pools to present to employers including our clients. According to Harry, "contributing to the development of a candidate to help them be successful is why I became a recruiter". As the market becomes increasingly flooded with candidates looking for work, this development can be critical to securing employment. Ignite’s candidate meetups are held regularly throughout the calendar year, designed with insightful material relevant for all. Like Harry, all our consultants are passionate about supporting their candidates. So, If you’re interested in attending future sessions, keep an eye out in 2021 on our social media and website for future instalments. Harry and the broader Ignite team can’t wait to meet you!

Are you looking for an innovative, flexible and cost-effective approach to your talent management strategy? In this current period of uncertainty, our People Services division is the perfect solution to help you deliver efficiency, quality and cost savings for all your people-related challenges. Recruitment and HR outsourcing is a $14.1 billion dollar rapidly growing industry in Australia. Companies are increasingly looking for external support to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of their HR and recruitment initiatives. By outsourcing these core business functions, companies can access greater candidate diversity, improve their time-to-hire, generate cost savings and experience greater talent outcomes. Consequently, to deliver these benefits, and address these current and growing needs for flexibility and agility, Ignite delivers a unique range of talent solutions to clients through our People Services division.   What is People Services? Ignite’s People Services division specialises in the design, implementation, support and delivery of tailored human capital solutions. These include end-to-end management of recruitment and HR processes and programs, candidate management, candidate assessment and analysis, workforce planning, performance management, talent pipelining and so much more. With over a decade of experience operating across Australia, our People Service team has the capabilities and resources you need to support and drive all your talent management strategies. What do People Services do? People Services complements our core specialist recruitment division, by providing clients with a full suite of HR and recruitment solutions across all areas of the employment life-cycle. From design and management of graduate and bulk recruitment programs, to the outsourcing of HR processes and initiatives, our People Services team will ensure your business can access, acquire and retain exceptional talent to help your business thrive. People Services provides companies with more comprehensive and flexible support across their HR and recruitment functions. This ensures they have the processes and resources in place to deliver optimised recruitment and HR initiatives to drive their people strategies as and when needed without the embedded associated costs. Our team provides services across all stages of the typical recruitment process: Project management – planning, assessment design, methodology, outcome, review Candidate management – shortlisting applications, referee checks, interviews, feedback Online testing – psychometric testing, cognitive testing, behavioural profiling, skills testing Video interviewing – panel interviews, question design, assessment, selection report Online assessment centre facilitation – design, management and review Administration support Scribing services In addition to this, our People Services team also provides unbundled recruitment services, charging businesses only for the services they actually need without any superfluous cost burden. Whether it be shortlisting, referee checks, interviews, online testing or scribing, our team can deliver your bulk requirements to ensure your recruitment programs run smoothly. These services and solutions, in addition to our specialist recruitment division, truly sets Ignite apart in the recruitment and HR space. Who do People Services work with? People Services has been a trusted provider of talent services in both the public and private sector for well over a decade. With a growing national footprint, our team is heavily involved with multiple Federal Government agencies and private sector clients, and has been a key contributor to their recruitment and HR initiatives for many years. We have designed and implemented tailored recruitment methodologies for each of them, and played a key role in the successful employment of thousands of candidates nationally across Australia's corporate landscape. Over the years, our delivery includes, but is not limited to: Managed over 1,500 recruitment processes Shortlisted over 40,000 candidate applications Managed over 60 assessment centres Managed over 30 graduate recruitment rounds Our ability to understand the needs of our clients, and deliver consistent high-level performance that exceeds all expectations, results in strong long-term relationships. Our breadth and depth of services are unparalleled in the marketplace, providing us with unique expertise and experience to support organisations nationally of any size within any sector in all their talent management needs. How do I get in touch with People Services? As we enter a new financial year, there has never been more uncertainty relating to the HR and recruitment needs of organisations. Consequently, If you need support or guidance navigating this uncertainty and embedding flexibility in your talent strategies, our People Services team are ready to assist you with the perfect solution to ensure you emerge from this COVID-19 period in a stronger position than ever. For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch: Email: [email protected] Phone: (02) 6113 7500   Author: Mark Southwood Executive Business Analyst

Ignite has been featured by CIO Advisor APAC Magazine as one of the top staffing and recruitment service providers in the Asia-Pacific region. We understand the success of an organisation is very much built on its most valuable asset – people. That’s why, for over three and a half decades, we have been committed to providing our clients, candidates, contractors with expert guidance and talent management services across the Asia-Pacific region. Our highly experienced recruitment consultants leverage an extensive candidate database to access the highest quality talent for our clients across a number of key industries, including IT and digital roles. With understanding of both the human and digital side of talent management, we provide clients with a complete solution to cater to all their talent needs. For more information, click here to read CIO's full article.  

When he’s not being paid to travel and surf new waves on Pink Foamy, his aptly named surfboard, or dedicating his time to his foundation whose goal is to motivate Indigenous youths and eradicate youth suicide and incarceration, Matt is making a difference through his work at Ignite. Matt is one of Ignite’s specialist Indigenous consultants who oversee recruitment and mentoring programs to connect members of the Indigenous community with public and private organisations. The team builds strong relationships in communities where they promote inclusion for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. So far the impressive Indigenous team recruited through Ignite have been engaged by such brands as Google, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank and the NRL. To read some moving accounts of what Matt does on a day-to-day basis, to hear more about Ignite’s Indigenous recruitment and mentoring opportunities, or to hear what Tupac and Elon Musk have in common, read Matt’s Q&A below: Can you tell us some types of roles you’ve filled? I placed and assisted four senior Indigenous men that had just come out of prison onto a worksite. I would pick them up at 6:30am in my pyjamas and drop them at work for the day before heading into the office at 8:30am. Can you tell us about some of your biggest wins at work? One of my biggest wins at work so far was landing Google as a client. To support them in their journey to employing more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people! What’s your absolute favourite part of your job? Meeting with passionate and inspirational people in other companies who are on a journey to help support Indigenous communities and people with employment opportunities and pathways that can change lives. Name one thing that made you smile at work this week? A very productive meeting with a new major client that we will now be supporting in their journey to employ Indigenous graduates. What’s one of your proudest moments at work? Recently I placed a senior Aboriginal lady into her dream job at NSW Government Family and Community Services. The day I called her to inform her of the great news, she was working at a topless bar. Her Job Active provider was making her do it. She broke down crying with happiness in the toilet of the topless bar. Now we are mentoring her to continue her amazing progression! Can you tell me a low point you’ve experienced at work? I live by the saying: “I never lose, I either win or I learn.” In saying that, any low point I have experienced has been a great learning curve not only for myself but Ignite as a whole. We have such passionate and amazing people working at this organisation, the most difficult thing to see is them being disheartened. How long have you had your foundation? I started The Bright Youth Foundation in 2012 officially, but I’d spent a year or two working behind the scenes before we officially launched. Can you share some major achievements of your foundation? I established the foundation with the aim of being able to empower and inspire the Indigenous youth in our communities to create a brighter future. We would provide what they needed to achieve that. Personally, I was nominated to be a candidate for Young Australian of The Year because of the work I had done with the foundation. The highlights, though, are definitely getting calls from parents who tell me how inspired and driven their children are after we have worked with them. And seeing them go on to full time employment and achieving their goals. There is nothing more rewarding than that! Your number one life achievement so far? Definitely founding The Bright Youth Foundation and being able to bring multiple opportunities and provide a vision and motivation for the Aboriginal youth of my home community. What did you want to be when you were little? I grew up surfing with my dad so I always wanted to be a professional surfer. I semi achieved that! If you could have one superpower? The ability to transform people’s lives You could have dinner with three celebrities, dead or alive, who are they? Tupac, Martin Luther King Jnr and Elon Musk. What’s your favourite thing about working for ignite? The coffee machine. *laughs. The flexibility and support. I get to be creative with my work. I’ve been here nearly two years and have already made so many good memories. The get togethers are always fun! You’ve officially just met Matt. He is an inspiration and everyone at Ignite is incredibly proud to have him on our team. Not only has Matt managed to realise his childhood aspirations and achieve his superpower, he can confidently say he’s making the world a better place on a daily basis. It looks as though we do have superheroes walking among us after all. If you’d like to know more about Ignite Indigenous recruitment, whether you’re looking to employ, be employed or be a consultant like Matt, don’t hesitate to contact Matt on the details below. He also just happens to be a very friendly guy! Matthew McArthur t. 03 8319 7850 | m. 0427 602 499 [email protected]

Visit Ignite at Booth #11, Melbourne Convention Centre, 13 - 15 February 2018 Not yet registered for VALA2018? If you’re an information management professional in the GLAM sector (galleries, libraries, archives or museums), this 3-day convention offering the industry’s most tech-relevant info and valuable networking opportunities is a must. 1,000+ participants will attend numerous presentations and roundtables featuring world-renown library tech experts and will have the chance to access greater than a dozen electronic presentations that can be viewed at the VALA conference or online. Catherine Hill is a business leader with Australia’s leading information management recruitment firm, Ignite, formerly known as The One Umbrella. She recommends the conference to all Australian IM professionals. “I’ve been in IM recruitment for 32 years and the evolution of the profession in the last several years has been beyond exciting. Artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of things – among other progressions – are creating amazing possibilities in this field,” says Hill. “Libraries and other organisations are looking for candidates who understand emerging trends and how they may be applied to enhance value to the communities they serve. VALA2018 is a great way to learn, meet valuable contacts and energise your passion for your work.” The conference will explore trends and offer practical application with sessions on: Virtual reality: Learn the differences among augmented, hybrid and virtual reality, why they should matter to you and how to create virtual reality content. Internet of Things: Discover how you can use the Internet of Things in your community programs and data collection. Digital preservation: Find out what you need to know about how digital preservation is evolving. APIs: Learn how to benefit from APIs in collection development. Open Source: Understand what “open source” means and why you should be considering it as an option to save time, resources and budget. Dynamic roundtable discussions will focus on how to use technology to build community, how to make data more connective and strategies for remaining relevant in the changing environment that includes Amazon. Electronic presentations will be available on topics such as measuring user-engagement, digital collaboration and creating electronic content. Register or learn more about VALA2018. Be sure to visit Ignite at booth #11 to learn about exciting information management roles available throughout Australia. Not able to attend the conference or visit the Ignite booth? Submit your resume on the Ignite web site and we’ll reach out with relevant opportunities.