Stellar Recruitment Blog - Australia & New Zealand

The Importance of Fixed Term Hiring

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:12:05 GMT

The Importance of Fixed Term Hiring.

For many businesses, hiring decisions carry more weight than ever.

Businesses and teams need support, workloads are growing, and critical projects need to be carried forward. At the same time, organisations are looking for flexible ways to meet immediate resourcing needs while keeping their options open for the future.

As a result, more employers are turning to fixed term contracts as a practical and effective hiring strategy.

Rather than viewing fixed term as a short-term solution only, businesses are increasingly using it as a genuine entry point that can, where the business need changes or an ongoing role becomes available, lead to permanent employment.

According to Stellar Recruitment's Corporate & Commercial team, the trend is becoming increasingly common across office support, administration, customer service, finance, HR and professional services roles.

A More Flexible Way to Hire

Fixed term contracts gives employers a way to bring in support to meet an immediate need, whether that is project work, seasonal demand, or covering a gap, while keeping the door open to a longer-term relationship if circumstances change.

Sally Paris , Business Manager of Corporate & Commercial at Stellar Recruitment, says employers are looking for flexible ways to resource their teams without losing sight of long-term planning.

"We are seeing more clients use temporary hiring as a practical way to meet an immediate need while keeping their options open. It gives businesses flexibility in how they resource a role, and if an ongoing position becomes available, candidates who have been part of the team are often well placed for it."

For many organisations, this provides flexibility during periods of growth, transformation or increased workload, allowing them to bring in the support they need now while responding to changing business requirements.

Fixed Term Roles Are No Longer Just Short-Term Solutions

The perception of fixed term work has changed significantly over recent years.

While fixed term assignments have traditionally been viewed as a short-term stopgap, many candidates now see them as a strategic way to enter new organisations, gain exposure to different industries and access long-term career opportunities.

Sally believes the shift is benefiting both employers and job seekers. "The old perception that fixed term is simply a short-term solution is changing. Many of the professionals we place in fixed term assignments are looking for long-term opportunities, and where a genuine ongoing need emerges, they already have experience wtihin the company or organisation."

For candidates, the arrangement offers the chance to gain valuable experience and get a foot in the door with an organisation, while contributing meaningfully to a real, immediate need.

A Foot in the Door for Candidates

For job seekers, fixed term assignments can often provide access to opportunities that might not be available through a traditional permanent recruitment process.

Employers may initially require support for a genuine fixed term need before identifying an ongoing role within their business. Candidates who have been part of the team during this time are often well positioned if a permanent opportunity later emerges.

Siobhan Thorne-Allen , Client Solutions & Special Projects Manager at Stellar Recruitment, says fixed term assignments can become valuable career-building opportunities. "For candidates, a fixed term role can be one of the best ways to access organisations that may not otherwise be hiring permanently. It provides valuable exposure and experience, and often puts them in a strong position if a permanent opportunity becomes available down the track."

The approach also allows candidates to gain a genuine understanding of a business and whether a longer-term future there is the right fit for them.

Building Confidence Over Time

Fixed term assignments often create an opportunity for working relationships to develop naturally over time.

As candidates become embedded within a team, they gain a deeper understanding of the organisation's people, culture, processes and priorities. They experience firsthand how the business operates day to day, building valuable context and knowledge that can be difficult to gain through a traditional recruitment process alone.

According to Siobhan, this familiarity can shape future career opportunities in unexpected ways. "We have seen candidates start in a fixed term assignment, quickly become an integral part of the team, and then move into a permanent role when an ongoing need emerged, an opportunity they may never have come across through a traditional recruitment process."

Where a permanent opportunity does arise, it is often built on an existing foundation of shared experience, established relationships and a strong understanding of the business and its needs.

Could a Fixed Term Approach Work for Your Business?

A fixed term hiring strategy may be worth considering if:

Your business needs support to meet an immediate, genuine fixed term need, such as project work, seasonal demand or covering a gap.
Your business is experiencing temporary increased demand or workload.
Wants a practical way to meet current workload pressures while planning for what is next.

Looking for fixed term talent? Contact Stellar Recruitment's Corporate & Commercial team to discuss how a flexible hiring approach could support your business goals.

Big things are happening in Southeast Queensland construction

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:24:34 GMT

SEQ construction is building momentum. What does it mean for your career?

Across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the wider SEQ region, the pipeline is building and the next few years are going to create serious opportunity for experienced construction professionals.

The Olympics are part of it, but they’re only one piece of a much bigger picture. Housing, apartments, hotels, mixed-use developments, land development and major infrastructure are all contributing to the amount of work coming through the market.

“The opportunity for construction professionals in Southeast Queensland is significant. But it’s not just about having more roles to choose from. The projects people work on over the next few years could really shape where their careers go next.”
Monique Ehlers, Senior Recruitment Consultant - Build, Stellar Recruitment

For people in construction, this is a good time to think about where you want your career to go next.

One of the clearest pressures we’re seeing is around people who have already delivered large, complex projects.

Experienced Site Managers and Project Managers with major-project backgrounds are valuable now, and that experience will only become more important as larger projects move into delivery and contractors compete for proven people.

Good Contract Administrators are in a strong position too. Demand is there, and employers know they need to put forward a compelling opportunity to attract and retain the right people.

That conversation is also moving beyond salary.

Project completion bonuses, KPI incentives, different working arrangements, relocation support and better rosters are becoming part of how businesses compete for talent.

But this market presents a bigger opportunity than simply negotiating your next pay rise.

The projects you choose over the next few years could have a significant impact on where your career goes.

Project scale. Complexity. The team around you. The responsibility you take on. The builder’s pipeline. The experience you’ll be able to point to when the next major opportunity comes around.

These things matter.

There’s also a real opportunity for interstate construction professionals.

Builders are establishing and growing their Queensland operations, project teams are taking shape and demand for experienced people is increasing. If a move to Queensland has been on your radar, now is a good time to understand where your experience fits.

And you don’t need to wait until practical completion to start those conversations.

If your current project is moving towards the back end, start looking ahead. Understand what’s coming, who’s building it and which projects could genuinely move your career forward.

Southeast Queensland is heading into a major period of construction and development.

There will be jobs.

More importantly, there will be career-defining projects.

The opportunity is making sure you’re on the right one.

If you’re working in construction and want to know what’s happening across the SEQ market, or you’re considering making the move to Queensland, speak with our Build team.

Get in touch with our team today.

What New Zealand's Boardrooms Are Really Talking About

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 23:26:59 GMT

What New Zealand's Boardrooms Are Really Talking About.

By Siobhan Thorne-Allen , Client Solutions & Special Projects Manager, Stellar Executive Search

In September 2026, more than 500 directors and senior leaders gathered at Tākina in Wellington for the Institute of Directors ' 2026 Leadership Conference, two days dedicated to the challenges and risks shaping New Zealand boardrooms right now.

I attended on behalf of Stellar Executive Search and came away with some clear signals about where governance and leadership are heading. Here are the themes that stood out.

Uncertainty is the new normal

Change is no longer something businesses manage occasionally. It is the operating environment. One of the strongest themes running through the conference was the need to lead confidently through ongoing disruption and complexity, and to get comfortable making decisions without perfect information. Waiting for certainty is no longer a viable strategy.

AI: it is a culture shift, not just a tech project.

Unsurprisingly, AI was a major theme. But the conversation went well beyond adoption of new tools. The real challenge is building a culture of continuous adaptation as AI reshapes how organisations operate. Speakers put it bluntly: are businesses and leaders genuinely preparing their people for that change, or just installing the technology and hoping culture catches up?

Build for where you are going, not where you have been

A standout point from the board-performance discussion was about future capability. Rather than retaining skills simply because they have worked in the past, boards need to actively assess the capability an organisation will need for the future, even when that means letting go of what is comfortable and familiar.

Psychological safety is a leading indicator

Culture came through as a recurring theme, with a particularly sharp insight: low reporting of workplace issues doesn't necessarily mean there is not a problem. It can just as easily signal low trust. Leaders need to build environments where people feel genuinely safe to speak up and call things out, not just environments where nothing gets reported.

Leadership as stewardship

One of the more thought-provoking reframes of the conference was leadership as stewardship: decisions should create and preserve long-term value, not just optimise for immediate performance. The question posed to the room summed it up well: are you building a Fortune 500 company, or a 500-year company?

Five elements were identified as core to future-ready organisations: purpose, people, planning, protection and performance.

Geopolitics is now a boardroom issue

Geopolitical disruption is increasingly a direct business issue, not something happening at a distance. Leaders need to factor global instability, shifting trade patterns and uncertainty directly into business planning, it is no longer a footnote to strategy, it is strategy.

Better questions beat quick answers

A recurring theme across sessions was the value of asking better questions. Good governance and leadership is not about having all the answers, it is about getting close enough to an issue, challenging assumptions, and asking the questions that expose what you do not yet know.

It always comes back to people

Across every topic discussed: AI, growth, risk, culture, performance and transformation, the thread connecting them all was people. The right capability, leadership and culture around the table is what ultimately determines whether an organisation can navigate everything above.

Connection, from the dinner table

The conference dinner brought a different but complementary message. Broadcaster Paddy Gower spoke about the power of connection, and how authenticity builds trust and opens the door to more meaningful conversations. His challenge to the room: recognise the "gifts of connection" already around us that we too often overlook.

Day two: tuning back into the human element

Day two built on these themes with a sharp observation about relevance: as AI capability accelerates, the human element of work becomes more important, not less.

Organisations need to make sure they're still tuned into the right signals, as one speaker put it, "your TV is out of tune; the signals have moved, but you haven't moved your satellite dish."

Openness, curiosity and constructive challenge were another strong focus, with a memorable prompt for reflection: what happens in the 90 seconds after somebody disagrees can tell you a lot about your organisational culture.

Finally, on capability: look for people who have "lived your tomorrow." Capability shouldn't only reflect where an organisation is today, it should reflect where it's trying to go.

The takeaway for leaders and boards

Whether the conversation was about AI, geopolitics, governance or growth, one thread ran through all of it: capability, leadership and culture are inseparable from strategy. At Stellar Executive Search, this is exactly where we spend our time, helping organisations find and build the leadership capability they'll need for tomorrow, not just today.

Interested in discussing your organisation's leadership and capability planning? Get in touch with Siobhan Thorne-Allen , Client Solutions & Special Projects Manager, Stellar Executive Search .

Global Buyers, Local Talent, and the Race to Build Tomorrow's Workforce

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 22:47:44 GMT

Global Buyers, Local Talent, and the Race to Build Tomorrow's Workforce

Manufacturing in New Zealand holds its own, and in many cases thriving, despite a difficult trading year and ongoing global headwinds. Export-focused manufacturers have shown real resilience, and that resilience is starting to show up in the numbers.

"Kiwi manufacturers have proven time and time again that they can hold their own on the world stage," says Jason Boot , Division Manager, Warehousing, Production & Manufacturing Trades at Stellar Recruitment. "Having an innovative product is one thing, but sustainable success comes from consistently delivering quality, backing your brand, and building trust with customers. In highly competitive international markets, reliability and reputation are everything."

A Wave of International Investment

That trust is being tested and validated in a very concrete way. In the third quarter of 2025 alone, 52 manufacturing deals were announced, a 41% increase on the same period the year before, with buyers coming from France, Ireland, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, Australia and Sri Lanka. Auckland has felt this impact directly.

Boot sees it less as a threat and more as recognition of what these businesses have achieved. "When an international company is willing to invest in a New Zealand manufacturer, it's a sign they've built something valuable," he says. "These aren't businesses being picked apart. They're companies that have proven they can compete on a global scale through quality, innovation, and strong leadership. International interest is often a reflection of the reputation and capability they've worked hard to build."

The data backs that reading. Rather than the jobs and IP losses often assumed, most of these deals have maintained or grown local employment with staff being retained and even continuing to expand into new premises.

Acquisitions have also brought fresh capital, greater access to global markets, and faster innovation for the businesses involved. Not every deal lands the same way, of course. Some acquisitions have seen production shift offshore, and a clear pattern has emerged where manufacturers with a genuinely specialised, hard-to-replicate niche are far more likely to survive and grow under new ownership than those making more generic, easily relocated goods.

Growing Confidence Puts Talent Centre Stage

As confidence builds, a different pressure is emerging: finding and developing the people to sustain it. "One thing we're hearing consistently from Auckland manufacturers is that the work is there, but finding skilled people is becoming more challenging," says Boot. "Businesses are having to think beyond simply filling vacancies. The focus is shifting towards attracting the right people, developing their skills, and creating an environment where they want to stay long term. The companies investing in their workforce today will be in the strongest position for future growth."

While manufacturing growth is occurring across New Zealand, Auckland remains a critical hub for advanced manufacturing, food production, fabrication, logistics and export-focused businesses. As employers look to secure future talent, industry initiatives are beginning to gain momentum, including the Manufacturing Passport Programme, which is expanding into Auckland after successful pilots elsewhere in the country.

At a national level, government policy is moving in the same direction. Nine new industry-led subjects are being introduced for Years 12–13 as part of the new National Curriculum, designed to build clearer pathways into further study, training, apprenticeships and employment.

Two are directly relevant to the sector: Engineering Technology and Next-Gen Manufacturing, with Next-Gen Manufacturing covering advanced and high-tech manufacturing, machinery and equipment, food and beverage production, and metals, plastics and materials processing, and built in partnership with the Manufacturing & Engineering Industry Skills Board.

The timeline however is a long one. Year 12 students access the new subjects from 2029, with school-leavers entering work, training and further study from 2031, but it signals sustained commitment to the pipeline.

"There's a lot to be optimistic about for the future of manufacturing and engineering in New Zealand," says Boot. "However, businesses can't afford to sit back and wait for the next generation of talent to appear. We need to be engaging with schools, creating pathways into the industry, and giving young people exposure to the opportunities available. Manufacturing isn't just a job, it's a career with real prospects for those willing to learn and develop their skills."

Where Stellar Recruitment Fits In

For manufacturers navigating both sides of this story, attracting investment while building the workforce needed to support future growth, the challenge is clear: securing skilled talent today while developing the talent pipeline for tomorrow.

Stellar Recruitment partners with businesses across New Zealand to recruit warehouse staff, production operators, manufacturing tradespeople, supervisors, technical specialists and engineering professionals.

"The businesses that will be best positioned for growth over the next decade are the ones investing in their people today," says Boot. "Whether that's bringing in experienced talent, developing apprentices, or creating opportunities for people entering the industry, workforce planning is no longer a nice-to-have. It's a critical part of any business's long-term success."

Whether you need warehouse staff, production operators, manufacturing tradespeople or technical specialists, Jason Boot and Stellar Recruitment's Manufacturing team can help you build the talent pipeline needed to support growth.

Why Civil Contractors Are Planning Ahead for Growth

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:38:34 GMT

Why Civil Contractors Are Planning Ahead for Growth

Matt Moulds spends his days speaking with civil contractors across the Upper North Island, helping businesses secure the skilled people they need to deliver infrastructure projects. But recruitment isn't his only lens on the market.

With a background in financial advising, Matt closely follows the economic indicators influencing business confidence, investment and project activity. Combined with his day-to-day conversations across the civil sector, it gives him a unique perspective on where the market is heading.

Right now, both the data and the conversations he is having point towards cautious optimism.

Confidence is building from both sides

Recent economic indicators suggest New Zealand's economy is continuing to move in the right direction. The latest manufacturing PMI eased to 54.3 in July, down from June's exceptionally strong reading of 60.1, but remains firmly in expansion territory.

For Matt, it is a reminder that a cooling market isn't always a weakening market.

"People often focus on whether a number is up or down, but context matters," says Matt. "A reading of 54.3 still represents expansion and is above the long-term average. I’m not saying everything is suddenly booming, but there are definitely more positive signals starting to appear.

As someone who follows both financial markets and workforce trends, Matt sees confidence as one of the biggest drivers of investment and hiring activity.

"When businesses feel more certain about what the future holds, they start planning ahead. That's when projects move from discussion to delivery, and recruitment activity follows."

Global signals are also providing encouragement

Matt's optimism isn’t driven solely by local market activity. He also keeps a close eye on international economic trends and the factors influencing business confidence globally.

Recent commentary around US monetary policy, bond markets and the direction of the US dollar could create more favourable conditions for economies such as New Zealand over the next 12 to 18 months.

"I keep a close eye on what’s happening globally because those conditions eventually flow through to New Zealand,” says Matt. “If we continue to see a softer US dollar and more supportive global financial conditions, that could help take some pressure off imported inflation and give the RBNZ a bit more breathing room on rates. For businesses here, a more supportive interest rate environment can ultimately help confidence, investment and project activity."

Matt Moulds is a Recruitment Consultant in Stellar Recruitment's Civil Trades team, based in Auckland. If you're hiring for civil or infrastructure roles across the Upper North Island, or looking for your next opportunity in the sector, get in touch with Matt and the Civil Trades team.

Growing Our People at Stellar

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 05:38:01 GMT

Great teams are built when people are given the opportunity to grow.

At Stellar, developing our people and creating opportunities for them to progress within the business is an important part of how we build our teams.

Our Brisbane Trades team is a great example. Emily Shelley joined Stellar in 2023 in onboarding. Today, she’s an experienced Trades Consultant and is helping train Julia Spring, who has recently made that same move from onboarding into recruitment.

Julia joined Stellar in June 2026 as an Onboarding Coordinator and, after showing an interest in the consulting side of recruitment, has stepped into an Associate Consultant role with our Trades team.

Julia explains:

“Working in onboarding gave me a really good understanding of the candidate journey and how important the experience is from that first interaction right through to starting a role. I’d started becoming more interested in the consulting side of recruitment, so when the opportunity came up to move into the Trades team, I was really keen to give it a go.”

Gro wing our own talent

Emily and Julia’s journey shows where that opportunity can lead.

Since Emily moved from onboarding into recruitment, she has built her experience across the Trades market and developed into an experienced Consultant.

Now, she’s working alongside Georgia Mackie, Division Manager, to help train Julia.

Having Emily involved gives Julia the benefit of learning from someone who has made the same move herself, while also giving Emily the opportunity to take on more responsibility and contribute to the development of the team.

Georgia says Julia’s existing experience gives her a strong foundation to build from:

“Julia already understands our business, our candidates and how we want people to experience Stellar. You can teach the technical side of recruitment, but having that people focus and understanding why the candidate experience matters gives her a really strong starting point.”

Julia will now continue developing her skills across sourcing, screening, candidate engagement, client relationships and the commercial side of recruitment, supported by Georgia, Emily and the wider Trades team.

Creati ng careers at Stellar

Last year, 21 people were promoted across our Trans-Tasman business, and this year we’ve already celebrated 8 more internal promotions.

For us, that’s about more than the numbers. We want our people to be able to see what their career at Stellar could look like and have opportunities to learn, take on new challenges and progress when they’re ready.

Emily and Julia are at different stages of that journey. Emily started in onboarding and is now an experienced Consultant helping develop others. Julia is taking that next step now.

Congratulations to Julia on her move into Trades, and to Emily on the role she’s now playing in supporting our next generation of recruitment talent.

Interested in growing your career with Stellar? Explore current opportunities and learn more about life at Stellar.

How to Build a Personal Brand That Helps You Get Hired

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 01:11:07 GMT

How to Build a Personal Brand That Helps You Get Hired

Before you walk into an interview, speak with a recruiter, or submit an application, people may already have an impression of you. It's shaped by your track record, your online presence, and what others say about you when you're not in the room. That's your personal brand, and it matters whether you work behind a desk, on the tools, or somewhere in between.

Whether you're an engineer building technical expertise, a site supervisor developing a strong track record, or a corporate professional taking the next step in your career, getting that impression right can help you stand out in a competitive job market across Australia and New Zealand.

Personal branding doesn't look the same for everyone. For a marketing manager, it might mean a polished LinkedIn profile and a visible professional network. For a boilermaker or plant operator, it's more likely to be your safety record, your tickets and certifications, and the reputation you've built with supervisors and crews.

This guide covers both.

Why personal branding matters

At its core, personal branding comes down to reputation. The results you deliver, how you treat colleagues and clients, and how you show up, whether that's online, in the office or on site.

For many professional roles, a LinkedIn profile is one of the places an employer or recruiter may look before an interview. Recruitment consultants get to know candidates before putting their names forward. And in trades and technical industries especially, your reputation can travel quickly. A good word from a former supervisor or colleague can carry significant weight.

A strong personal brand doesn't just help with your next role. It can support long-term career growth, whether you're stepping up from operator to supervisor, moving from site-based work into management, building specialist expertise, or relocating for a new opportunity.

Georgia Mackie, Division Manager at Stellar Recruitment, sees consistency as one of the biggest factors. "Your reputation follows you into every room before you get there," she says. "The candidates who get remembered are the ones who show up the same way every time." That consistency is what builds trust with recruiters, employers and the people you work alongside.

What strong personal brands have in common

Authenticity. People can usually tell when you're being genuine versus performing for an audience.

Consistency. Your reputation should reflect how you work, whether someone encounters you online, in an interview, in the office or on site.

Expertise. Demonstrate what you know through your experience, projects, results, qualifications and the way you contribute to your industry.

Reliability. Follow through on commitments, big and small.

Communication and adaptability. These become particularly valuable when you're working across different teams, sites, stakeholders and cultures.

Technical skills, experience and tickets might get you shortlisted. How you communicate, work with others and build trust can make the difference when it comes to getting hired, recommended or promoted.

What personal branding looks like in 2026

Your digital footprint is easier to create than ever. AI tools can help you draft a LinkedIn profile, improve a CV or generate content ideas, but that makes judgement more important, not less. What you publish should still sound like you and reinforce the expertise you want to be known for.

Credibility beats polish. You don't need to present a flawless highlight reel. A useful lesson from a difficult project or an honest reflection on something you've learned can say more about you than another polished success post.

Relevance beats reach. You don't need thousands of followers to have a strong professional brand. Being known, trusted and respected by the right people in your industry is far more valuable than building a large but unfocused audience.

A step-by-step guide to building your personal brand

1. Audit where you stand

Start by searching your own name. If nothing comes up, that's not necessarily a problem. Think of it as a clean slate.

Set up or tidy your LinkedIn profile, and if you're in a trade or technical role, make sure your SEEK profile and any relevant licence or ticket details are current.

If you already have an online presence, check that it reflects where you are now. Outdated job titles, old contact details or inconsistent information should be cleaned up.

And don't stop at the screen. Are your certifications current? Have you built a strong safety record? What would a former supervisor say if someone called them about you?

In many of the industries we recruit for, those things matter just as much as anything online.

As Georgia puts it, for many candidates, "their brand is built on-site, one shift at a time". The reputation you build with supervisors, colleagues and clients is a career asset, so treat it like one.

2. Define what makes you valuable

Ask yourself, "what do you do particularly well, and what problems do you help solve?"

It doesn't need to be complicated, for example:

An engineer's edge might be translating complex technical issues into plain language for non-technical stakeholders.
A site supervisor's strength might be consistently keeping teams focused on safe, efficient project delivery.
A corporate professional might be particularly effective at turning around an underperforming team.

A useful way to think about it is:

I help [type of team or business] achieve [outcome] through [specific strength or expertise].

You don't necessarily need to publish that statement anywhere. The exercise simply helps you get clear on the value you bring.

Whatever your answer is, it should be true, specific and something you can support with real examples.

3. Create and share meaningful content

You don't need to become a regular LinkedIn poster to build a personal brand. Being visible can be as simple as contributing thoughtfully when you have something useful to say.

Depending on your field, that might mean:

Commenting thoughtfully on industry news relevant to your sector
Sharing lessons learned from a completed project
Posting updates on qualifications, courses or professional milestones
Asking useful questions or contributing to conversations in industry groups

Consistency matters more than volume. A handful of useful contributions over time can say more about you than posting constantly for the sake of being visible.

And if your work happens on site rather than online, "content" can mean something different. Speaking up at toolbox talks, mentoring junior team members, sharing knowledge with your crew, or simply building a name for being reliable all contribute to your professional reputation.

4. Network with intent

Good networking isn't about collecting as many connections as possible. It's about building genuine professional relationships before you need them.

On LinkedIn, that could mean commenting thoughtfully on someone's work, reconnecting with a former colleague or offering useful insight when you can.

Don't overlook face-to-face opportunities either. Industry nights, conferences and local events can still carry real weight, particularly in sectors such as mining, construction and agriculture, where relationships and referrals are an important part of the hiring landscape.

A good recruitment consultant can be part of your network too. One who understands your industry and takes the time to understand your goals can represent you accurately to employers, particularly in specialised or technical fields where nuance matters.

Georgia's advice is simple: "Be upfront about what you want and where you've been." The better your consultant understands your experience, strengths and ambitions, the better they can advocate for you.

5. Keep track of what's working

You don't need elaborate tools or a personal branding dashboard. A few simple habits can go a long way. Check LinkedIn's built-in analytics occasionally to see which topics or contributions resonate.

Keep a note of career milestones, positive feedback, new qualifications and conversations that have led somewhere.

Most importantly, ask people you trust how you're coming across. A mentor, former manager or recruitment consultant can often give you a clearer view of your strengths and reputation than you can get on your own.

What can get in the way

Doubting your own achievements. It can feel uncomfortable to put your work forward, especially early in your career. Focus on what you can genuinely point to, such as a project delivered, a problem solved or a new responsibility you've taken on, rather than comparing yourself with others.

Keeping the momentum up. A small, regular habit beats an occasional big push. A few minutes each week to update your profile, reconnect with someone in your network or record a recent achievement can be enough.

Taking criticism on the chin. Not all feedback is easy to hear, but how you respond to it is part of your professional reputation too. Take what's useful, learn from it and keep moving.

Your next opportunity starts before the application

Building a personal brand isn't about turning yourself into a product. It's about making it easier for the right people to understand what you're good at, what you stand for and the value you bring.

Whether your reputation is being built on LinkedIn, on site, in the boardroom or across all three, focus on the same fundamentals – do good work, make your strengths visible, build genuine relationships and be consistent.

Ready for your next move? Explore current opportunities with Stellar Recruitment, or connect with our team to talk about where your experience could take you next.

Corporate Commercial Hiring Remains Steady

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 04:47:20 GMT

Corporate & Commercial hiring holds steady as businesses back HR, admin and support functions

For corporate and commercial teams, July's SEEK NZ Employment Report points to a market that's staying selective rather than slowing down. HR & Recruitment job ads are up 12.6% year-on-year, Administration & Office Support is up 4.2%, and Government & Defence remains 6.6% higher than this time last year - a clear signal that businesses are continuing to invest in the people and systems that keep them running, even as they take a more measured approach month to month.

That measured pace shows up most clearly in Wellington, where Government & Defence, Accounting and Healthcare & Medical drove a modest 1.3% pullback in July. But with HR, admin and government roles still well up on an annual basis, this looks less like a retreat and more like businesses pacing their hiring to match a broader economic backdrop, one shaped by Statistics New Zealand's latest unemployment figure of 5.6%, which reflects a global energy shock squeezing company margins and a wider talent pool entering the market.

For accounting and banking teams, the picture is more mixed month to month, and that is exactly where a considered hiring approach pays off. Matching the right technical and cultural fit pays dividends, rather than rushing to fill a seat.

Sam Chatterley-Hodgson , Recruitment Consultant in our Auckland Corporate & Commercial team, says the shift is playing to strength for candidates who understand the value they bring. "Corporate employers up here are still building out their HR, admin and finance functions. They are also being more deliberate about who joins the team," she says. "Candidates who can speak clearly to the commercial impact of their work, not just their day-to-day tasks, are the ones standing out and moving through process fastest right now."

Fiona Sanderson , Recruitment Consultant in our Christchurch office, says the same discipline is showing up in the South Island. "Canterbury businesses have taken a steady, considered approach to hiring across corporate and commercial roles right through the year," she says. " Employers are taking the time to find the right fit for their teams, while candidates are being more selective about opportunities that align with their long-term career goals."

AI is also becoming a bigger part of the corporate conversation, with AI-related skills referenced in job ads up 94.1% year-on-year and the fastest growth coming in AI ethics and governance, a strong signal for corporate and commercial professionals that AI literacy is quickly becoming a core, not niche, part of the skill set employers are looking for.

The overall message for corporate and commercial hiring: demand is holding, businesses are investing in the right people for the long term, and there's real opportunity for candidates and employers who come to the table prepared. Get in touch with the Stellar Recruitment team to talk through what these trends mean for your corporate or commercial hiring plans.

NZ Legal Recruitment 2026: Where Lawyers Are and Who's Hardest to Hire

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 03:21:35 GMT

New Zealand Legal Recruitment 2026: Where Lawyers Are and Who's Hardest to Hire

Why the Legal Talent Market Is Getting Harder to Navigate

Post a mid-level solicitor role in a regional centre and you'll likely get a thin stack of applications, several from graduates who don't meet the brief. That's not bad luck, and it's not a poorly written ad. It's what the current shape of New Zealand's legal workforce actually looks like.

For many law firms, legal recruitment in New Zealand has become increasingly challenging. Roles that once attracted strong shortlists can now remain open for months, particularly when firms are searching for experienced solicitors, associates and senior lawyers.

To better understand why, I analysed a dataset of 5,865 private practice lawyers holding current practising certificates, alongside nearly 17,000 legal role records spanning private practice, in-house legal teams and the independent bar. The data reveals where New Zealand's legal talent is concentrated, which experience levels are in shortest supply, and where law firms are likely to face the greatest recruitment challenges through 2027.

Whether you're hiring in Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury or a regional market, understanding where legal talent sits has become a critical part of workforce planning and legal recruitment strategy . Assumptions that held true even a few years ago no longer reflect the reality of today's market.

Auckland remains the country's largest legal market by a wide margin. But size isn't the story here. Experience is.

Why Legal Recruitment Is Hardest for 4-7 PQE Lawyers

Lawyers with four to seven years' PQE make up 20.3% of New Zealand's private practice workforce, the smallest of the four experience bands nationally.

While the profession continues to grow overall, the data points to a clear shortage of lawyers at the 4-7 PQE level, making this one of the most significant legal recruitment challenges currently facing New Zealand law firms.

That gap matters because this is the group most firms actually need. Lawyers at this stage can run files without supervision, manage clients directly and carry real workload, but they still have a full career ahead of them. Every partner I talk to wants more of them. There aren't enough to go around.

I can't say definitively why the gap runs this deep. What I can say is that it lines up with what I see in the market every week. Four to seven year associates get poached constantly, and firms competing for the same narrow slice of talent end up in bidding wars that push salaries past what most budgets were built for.

For firms, the practical effect shows up in time to fill as much as in salary. A four to seven year associate role that would once have closed inside six to eight weeks now regularly runs longer, and that's before factoring in notice periods once an offer is finally accepted. Budgeting a standard recruitment timeline against this experience band is one of the more common planning mistakes I see.

For firms waiting until a role becomes vacant before entering the market, the available talent pool is often significantly smaller than expected.

Where New Zealand Lawyers Are Located

Auckland is home to 2,675 private practice lawyers, 45.6% of the national total. This makes Auckland the most significant legal recruitment market in New Zealand by a substantial margin. Add Wellington (893 lawyers, 15.2%) and Canterbury (863 lawyers, 14.7%) and those three regions account for more than three quarters of every private practice lawyer in the country.

Outside them, talent pools shrink fast. Waikato has 352 private practice lawyers. Bay of Plenty has 275. Otago has 250. Past those, some regions are down to a handful of practitioners covering an entire practice area.

Bigger markets aren't automatically easier to recruit in, though. Auckland's workforce skews young. 43.4% of its lawyers have three years' PQE or less, and only 18.1% sit in the four to seven year bracket every firm wants. Wellington looks similar, with 43.9% junior lawyers and a public sector that regularly pulls experienced associates out of private practice and into government departments or Crown entities.

Canterbury is the exception. Its experience profile sits close to evenly spread across all four PQE bands: junior lawyers at 37.7%, mid-level at 23.5%, and lawyers with more than eight years' experience at almost 39% combined. That balance means Canterbury firms are less likely to run into an outright shortage of experienced staff. Fit tends to be the bigger issue there.

Waikato sits close to the national average across the board. Bay of Plenty skews younger, with 41.5% of its lawyers in their first three years o f practice. Otago runs the other way, with only 30.8% junior lawyers and 21.6% holding more than fifteen years' PQE, one of the more experienced regional benches in the country. The full breakdown:

Smaller Regions Run on Relationships, Not Job Boards

Some of the country's smallest legal markets have the most experienced workforces. Nelson-Tasman has the highest share of lawyers with more than 15 years' PQE, at over 30%. Hawke's Bay sits close behind.

That doesn't make recruitment easier. It often makes it harder. A region with a handful of specialists in a given practice area can be badly exposed if even one of them retires or moves on, and there's rarely a deep bench behind them. Filling that kind of role usually comes down to relationships built well before the vacancy appears, not an ad placed after the fact.

Legal Hiring Demand Is Climbing at the Same Time

Supply is only one half of the equation. Demand is moving too. SEEK's June 2026 Employment Report recorded national job advertisements up 10.7% year on year, the nineteenth consecutive month of growth. Canterbury led the regional figures, up 21.5%, ahead of Wellington's 11.1% and Auckland's more modest 5.0%.

SEEK doesn't break advertisement volumes down by sector, so I can't say precisely how much of that growth sits inside legal roles specifically. But a general labour market that's tightening on top of an already thin four to seven year PQE band doesn't make hiring any easier. It adds pressure from the other direction: more employers competing for talent at exactly the point where the supply of experienced candidates is already stretched.

Why Old Legal Recruitment Assumptions Don't Hold Anymore

A lot of recruitment decisions are still built on assumptions that were accurate two or three years ago. A role that's always been simple to fill. A region assumed to have plenty of lawyers. A salary that was competitive back when it was last reviewed.

The data tells a different story. Some regions have relatively large legal markets but very few lawyers in that four to seven year bracket. Others have small overall talent pools with an unusually experienced bench. Headcount alone doesn't explain why one recruitment campaign brings in dozens of strong candidates and another produces almost nothing.

What This Means for Law Firm Hiring Plans

The data highlights a reality many firms are already experiencing. Recruitment is becoming less predictable, particularly for roles requiring four to seven years' PQE. While overall lawyer numbers continue to grow, the supply of experienced lawyers has not kept pace with employer demand.

For law firms, this means recruitment planning often needs to start earlier than it did in previous years. Waiting until a vacancy becomes urgent can leave firms competing for the same limited pool of candidates as every other employer in the market.

The challenge extends beyond salary alone. While remuneration remains important, experienced lawyers are increasingly weighing factors such as career progression, quality of work, flexibility, mentoring and long-term development opportunities when considering a move.

The firms achieving the best hiring outcomes are typically those taking a proactive approach to workforce planning. Rather than relying solely on job advertising, they are building relationships with potential future hires, benchmarking salaries regularly and identifying succession risks before they become immediate problems.

Understanding where legal talent sits and how the market is changing allows firms to make more informed decisions about growth, retention and future recruitment needs.

Where New Zealand Lawyers Work: Private Practice, In-House Legal Roles and Partnership Trends

Location only tells part of the story. I also looked at how the wider profession is structured, across nearly 17,000 role records.

Employees, meaning lawyers who aren't partners, directors or shareholders, remain the largest group at 34.8% of all recorded roles. That covers solicitors and senior associates at every level of experience who haven't stepped into an ownership or leadership position, not just people early in their career. What's more telling is what sits right behind them.

In-house counsel now accounts for 30.2% of the profession, close to a third of every legal role in New Zealand. Banking, insurance, construction, infrastructure and the public sector have all built out larger internal legal teams over the past decade rather than sending more work out to firms. For private practice, that's real competition. Not for graduates, but for the same experienced associates firms are already struggling to hold onto.

Partnership sits at 9.0% of roles, and director positions at 10.1%, reflecting the shift toward incorporated firm structures and alternative titles alongside traditional equity partnership. Barristers make up 9.7% of the profession, many of whom built their careers in private practice first. Sole practitioners hold a smaller slice at 4.5%, worth watching as more of them approach retirement over the next decade.

Shareholder roles make up a much smaller slice again, just 0.3% of recorded positions, concentrated in firms that have moved away from traditional partnership altogether. It's a small number today, but worth watching as more boutique and specialist practices choose incorporation over the equity partnership model.

The Best Legal Candidates Are Rarely the Ones Applying

One of the more persistent realities in legal recruitment is that many of the strongest candidates aren't actively looking. As I explored in our article on the Passive Lawyer Mindset , many experienced lawyers are open to conversations but rarely apply for roles directly. They're doing well where they are, managing client relationships they've built over years, and moving through internal promotion pathways rather than checking job boards. That tendency gets stronger the more senior someone is, it's especially true at senior associate, special counsel, partner and general counsel level.

Advertising a role reaches only part of the market. Reaching the rest usually comes down to direct search and relationships built well before a vacancy opens, not a better-written ad.

What This Means for Lawyers Considering a Career Move

Most of this data speaks to employers, but the same numbers say something to candidates too. If you're a lawyer sitting in that four to seven year PQE bracket, you're in the smallest, most contested part of the New Zealand legal talent market. That gives you more leverage than most lawyers get. It doesn't mean every offer is worth taking. A higher salary attached to a role with no junior support, no clear path to more senior work, or a firm simply trying to plug a gap isn't automatically a better move than staying where you are.

Lawyers weighing up In-house roles should think through the same trade-offs from the other side. In-house work now makes up close to a third of all legal roles in New Zealand, and it offers a genuinely different working life, closer to the business, less billable pressure, but the breadth of legal work and the pace of technical development can look different too. Neither path is automatically better. What matters is whether it matches what you actually want from the next five years of your career, not just what the market happens to be paying for right now.

Lawyers interested in understanding their current market value or exploring future opportunities are always welcome to have a confidential conversation with our legal recruitment team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Legal Recruitment in New Zealand

How many practising lawyers are there in New Zealand?

As at 30 June 2026, the New Zealand Law Society recorded 18,018 practising lawyers nationally. Our analysis focuses on the 5,865 of those working as employees in private practice firms.

Why is it so hard to recruit mid-level lawyers in New Zealand?

Lawyers with four to seven years' PQE make up just 20.3% of the private practice workforce, the smallest of any experience band. Demand for this group is high because they can run files independently while still being early enough in their career to be worth investing in, and supply hasn't kept pace with that demand.

Which region has the most lawyers in New Zealand?

Auckland, with 2,675 private practice lawyers, 45.6% of the national total. Wellington and Canterbury are the next largest markets, together accounting for close to another 30%.

Are lawyers leaving private practice for In-house roles?

In-house counsel now make up 30.2% of all recorded legal roles in New Zealand, close to a third of the profession. For private practice firms, that's real ongoing competition for experienced lawyers, not just from other firms but from every organisation building internal legal capability.

Is there a shortage of lawyers in New Zealand?

Not across every experience level. However, the data points to a significant shortage of lawyers within the highly sought-after four to seven year PQE bracket. While overall lawyer numbers continue to grow, demand for experienced associates often exceeds available supply, creating recruitment challenges for law firms across New Zealand.

What PQE level is most in demand?

Lawyers with four to seven years' post-qualification experience remain among the most in-demand candidates in the legal market. They typically have enough experience to manage files and client relationships independently while still being at a stage where employers see long-term development potential.

How long does legal recruitment typically take?

Recruitment timelines vary depending on the role, location and practice area. Junior positions are often filled relatively quickly, while experienced associate, special counsel and partner-level appointments can take several months, particularly when candidate availability is limited.

Are lawyers moving from private practice into in-house roles?

Yes. In-house legal teams now account for a significant share of legal roles across New Zealand. Many lawyers are attracted by the opportunity to work more closely with the business, develop commercial expertise and reduce some of the pressures associated with traditional private practice.

Which region has the strongest legal talent pool?

Auckland remains New Zealand's largest legal market, accounting for nearly half of the country's private practice lawyers. Wellington and Canterbury are the next largest centres, while some regional markets have smaller but highly experienced legal communities.

How difficult is it to recruit lawyers in regional New Zealand?

Recruitment can be particularly challenging in regional markets because talent pools are often much smaller. A single departure can create a significant gap, especially in specialised practice areas where there may be few local replacement candidates available.

What is the biggest recruitment challenge facing New Zealand law firms?

The biggest recruitment challenge currently facing many New Zealand law firms is attracting and retaining lawyers with four to seven years' PQE. This experience band remains one of the most competitive parts of the market, with demand regularly outstripping supply.

Should law firms use a legal recruitment agency?

Many of the strongest legal candidates are not actively applying for jobs. A specialist legal recruitment agency can help law firms access passive talent, provide salary benchmarking, conduct market mapping and identify suitable candidates who may not be visible through traditional advertising channels. If that's where you're at, get in touch and we'll walk you through what your specific market looks like.

Legal Recruitment Trends for New Zealand Law Firms in 2027

None of this points to a market that gets easier for employers anytime soon.

The shortage of four to seven year associates isn't going to close quickly. This group has more career options than any other experience band: partnership tracks, In-house roles, competitor firms, a move overseas. Firms that want to keep them need to offer more than a job description. Clear progression and genuine mentoring tend to matter more than a marginally higher base salary. So does some flexibility over how and where the work gets done.

Here's the specific call I'll make, and I'm happy to be wrong about it: the pressure in 2027 lands hardest on mid-sized private practice firms outside Auckland, particularly in commercial and property, and a meaningful part of that comes down to two things I keep seeing repeat. First, offshore migration. Firms in the UK and Australia are actively targeting New Zealand associates at exactly the PQE band this data shows is already thinnest, and the exchange rate and salary gap make that an easy conversation for a candidate to have. Second, the supervision burden. Firms that over-hired at graduate level over the past few years now have too many junior lawyers stacked against too few 4-7 PQE associates to supervise them properly, and that pressure is what pushes the associates who are there to burn out or leave, which thins the band even further. It's a compounding problem, not a static shortage, and firms that keep budgeting for 2024's hiring conditions are going to feel it hardest.

Competition for these lawyers no longer sits only between firms. It sits between private practice and every organisation building internal legal capability, which by now is most of them. The firms that hold onto their people are usually the ones that can explain, specifically, why staying beats leaving. Many of these long-term shifts mirror trends discussed in our analysis of the future of legal careers in New Zealand , particularly the growth of in-house opportunities and changing career expectations.

Regional firms face a different version of the same problem. Experienced practitioners in places like Nelson-Tasman and Hawke's Bay are getting older, and succession planning needs to start well before someone hands in their notice. Waiting until a senior lawyer resigns is waiting too long.

For firms actively growing headcount, the planning principle is a simple one. Don't assume the market looks the way it did during your last hiring round. Build recruitment timelines around the reality of the four to seven year shortage, not around how long a search used to take, and start conversations with strong candidates well before a role formally opens.

None of this is really about advertising harder or casting a wider net. It's about understanding where the talent actually sits, what's pulling it in other directions, and building a legal recruitment strategy around that reality instead of around how hiring used to work.

What the Data Doesn't Show

Data can explain where talent sits and where shortages exist, but every hiring decision is ultimately local. Practice area, firm culture, leadership style and long-term growth plans all influence recruitment outcomes. Understanding how these factors interact with the wider legal market is often the difference between a straightforward hire and a prolonged vacancy.

That's why many firms combine market intelligence with direct recruitment advice when planning growth, succession or key appointments.

Looking to Recruit Lawyers in New Zealand?

Whether you're planning growth, replacing a departing lawyer or reviewing your longer-term succession plans, understanding today's legal talent market can make the difference between a straightforward hire and a prolonged vacancy.

As a specialist legal recruitment agency, Stellar Recruitment partners with law firms and in-house legal teams across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and regional New Zealand. I provide legal recruitment services , market intelligence, salary benchmarking and targeted search solutions to help employers attract and retain high-performing legal professionals.

The same market mapping and workforce analysis used in this report also underpins our recruitment assignments across private practice and in-house legal teams throughout New Zealand.

Whether you're recruiting a solicitor, associate, senior associate, special counsel, partner or general counsel, our legal recruitment team can provide tailored advice based on current market conditions.

If you're planning a hire in the next 3-12 months, reviewing salaries, managing succession planning or struggling to fill a legal role, contact Jenny Gallagher or Nelshia Seyffert to discuss your hiring plans, succession strategy or workforce needs. to discuss your hiring plans, succession strategy or workforce needs.

About the Author

This article was written by Jenny Gallagher , Team Leader, Legal Recruitment at Stellar Recruitment. Jenny partners with law firms and in-house legal teams across New Zealand, providing legal recruitment expertise, market intelligence, salary benchmarking and talent mapping insights to support hiring and workforce planning decisions.

The article was reviewed by Nelshia Seyffert , Senior Legal Recruitment Consultant at Stellar Recruitment.

For more legal recruitment market insights, salary information and hiring advice, explore our Legal Recruitment resource hub.

Lawyer numbers and profession-wide figures referenced in this piece are drawn from the New Zealand Law Society's 30 June 2026 practising certificate figures . Regional and PQE data is drawn from our own private practice market mapping.

Hiring demand figures are drawn from SEEK's June 2026 Employment Report .

Stellar Celebrates Three Wins at the 2026 RCSA Industry Awards

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 01:26:00 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Celebrates Three Wins at the 2026 RCSA Industry Awards

Stellar Recruitment celebrated a standout night at the 2026 RCSA Industry Awards, taking home three prestigious awards that recognise excellence across business performance, leadership and emerging talent.

The Recruitment, Consulting & Staffing Association (RCSA) Awards recognise outstanding contributions across the recruitment and staffing industry in Australia and New Zealand. This year, Stellar was honoured with recognition across agency, leadership and emerging talent categories.

Award Winners

Outstanding Large Agency - Stellar Recruitment NZ
Recruitment Leader of the Year - Kymberly Tupai, General Manager Northern Region
Rising Star of the Year - Paul Miller, Business Development Manager, Dunedin

These achievements reflect the dedication, expertise and values demonstrated by Stellar's people every day, while highlighting the strength of the company's culture, leadership and commitment to delivering exceptional outcomes for clients, candidates and communities.

The awards followed an already strong showing as finalists across five categories, with additional finalist recognition awarded to:

Sally Paris - Recruitment Professional of the Year
Excellence in Safety and Wellbeing Culture - led by Olivia Yardley and Mikayla J

Being recognised across both individual and organisational categories reinforces Stellar's continued focus on building high-performing teams, creating meaningful employment opportunities and supporting workforce solutions throughout New Zealand.

The Outstanding Large Agency award recognises businesses that demonstrate excellence in leadership, culture, operational performance, candidate and client outcomes, and industry contribution.

For Stellar, the recognition reflects the collective effort of teams across New Zealand who support thousands of workers and partner with businesses across the infrastructure, construction, mining, energy, manufacturing, commercial and professional services sectors.

Alongside the agency award, two Stellar team members were recognised for their individual contributions.

Kymberly Tupai was named Recruitment Leader of the Year, recognising her exceptional leadership, commitment to team development and significant contribution to business growth.

Paul Miller received the Rising Star of the Year Award, acknowledging the impact he has made early in his recruitment career through his dedication to clients, candidates and continuous professional growth.

Stellar Recruitment Managing Director New Zealand, Robbie McIlraith , said the awards reflected the strength of the people behind the business. "To be recognised as Outstanding Large Agency is an incredible honour and one that belongs to our entire team. Every day, our people work hard to support clients, candidates and communities across New Zealand, and this award reflects the passion, professionalism and care they bring to that responsibility."

"We are equally proud to see Kymberly and Paul recognised on the national stage. Their achievements are thoroughly deserved and demonstrate the quality of leadership and talent within our business. These awards are a testament to the culture we've built together and the trust our clients and candidates place in us."

For Recruitment Leader of the Year recipient Kymberly Tupai , the award was a reflection of the teams and people she works alongside every day.

"I am incredibly humbled to receive this recognition. Recruitment is ultimately about people, and I've been fortunate to work with talented colleagues, supportive leaders and outstanding clients throughout my career."

"This award reflects the collective effort of our Northern Region team and the wider Stellar business. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside people who continually challenge each other to grow, support one another and deliver great outcomes for our clients and candidates."

Rising Star of the Year, Paul Miller said the award represented an important milestone in his recruitment journey. "It is a privilege to receive this award and be recognised among so many talented professionals across the industry."

"I've been fortunate to learn from incredible mentors and teammates at Stellar who have invested in my development from day one. This recognition motivates me to continue growing, building strong relationships and delivering the best possible outcomes for the people and businesses I work with."

While the awards provide an opportunity to celebrate success, they also reinforce Stellar Recruitment's ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, industry leadership and creating meaningful outcomes for the people and organisations it serves.

Congratulations to all finalists and winners at the 2026 RCSA Industry Awards. We are proud to be part of an industry that continues to raise the bar and make a positive impact across New Zealand and Australia.

Thank you to our clients, candidates, workforce and team members who have been part of the Stellar journey. This recognition would not be possible without your ongoing support and trust.

How Executive Visibility Shapes Your Next Opportunity

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 02:38:49 GMT

How Executive Visibility Shapes Your Next Opportunity

Much of what happens in executive recruitment never becomes visible until a role is finally advertised. Long before that point, organisations are quietly working through structural reviews, succession planning, and the kind of leadership questions that don't make headlines. That's exactly why executive visibility is worth investing in throughout your career, not just when a search begins.

For senior leaders, this is genuinely good news. The conversations that shape their next opportunity are often happening well before any brief becomes public, which means there's real value in building a clear, credible presence ahead of time. Effective visibility creates clarity rather than attention. It's the discipline of making sure the substance of who you are and what you can do is already understood, so that when the right moment arrives, you're ready for it.

"The leaders who tend to come up in conversation are the ones whose story is easy to place and easy to trust," says Jordan Honess, Principal Consultant at Stellar Executive Search. "That comes from being consistent over time, not from any single moment in the spotlight."

A few things are worth keeping in mind from the outset:

A well-managed reputation opens doors to future opportunities, especially as a leader's role and scope continue to grow.
Networks and referrals shape decisions long before a role is ever advertised, so it pays to invest in them early.
Confidence in a candidate is built well ahead of any formal process, which rewards leaders who start early.
A leader who shapes their own story stays in control of how they're understood.

The hidden mechanics of executive hiring

Very little of executive hiring plays out in full public view. Decision cycles tend to be long and deliberate, and organisations are careful about when and how they signal their intentions externally, so an advertised role is really just the final, visible step of a much longer story.

Underneath that surface, leadership teams are working through a shifting set of priorities, whether that's a transformation agenda, a succession question, or simply the need to close a capability gap. Much of this plays out informally, in conversations that happen long before a search is formally commissioned or a job description is written, which is exactly why building relationships and reputation early pays off.

There's a smart way to approach this. Rather than waiting until an opportunity is visible before giving any thought to positioning, or pushing a profile so hard it feels forced, the better path is steady and consistent: keep showing up as the person you've become, not just the person you were. The more useful question isn't "how do I get noticed?" It's closer to, “does the person likely to make this decision already understand my value, well before that decision becomes public?”

As Jordan puts it, "By the time a brief is confirmed, a search partner has usually already formed a view on who belongs in that conversation. The leaders who benefit most are the ones who've taken the time to be understood well in advance, rather than trying to make their case once the role is already live."

Substance over airtime

Executive visibility is often mistaken for noise: constant commentary, a highly polished profile, or a steady stream of self-promotion designed to keep a name in circulation. None of that is what makes a leader visible in any meaningful sense. A profile that says everything at once tends to reveal very little.

What genuinely matters is whether the market understands the depth of a leader's experience, the quality of their judgement, and their relevance to what's happening right now. Done well, it helps others see the level at which someone operates, the kind of problems they're trusted to solve, and the environments in which they consistently create value.

Executive presence comes from consistency, not volume. A senior executive doesn't need a constant public presence, but they do need their story told accurately, whether that's through how colleagues describe their work, how their experience gets framed in conversation, or how their public profile reflects the value they bring at an enterprise level. Because there are fewer moments to explain these things directly, the signals that do exist carry disproportionate weight.

Keeping your story current

It's common for senior leaders to build a strong reputation, one that's well worth protecting and refreshing as their career grows.

People tend to remember the shorthand: a former title, a well-known employer, a major project, a particular sector, or one especially prominent phase of someone's career. That shorthand can help others place a leader quickly, and it's worth keeping current as a leader's contribution grows well beyond that earlier frame.

A leader might have developed far broader capability than their last title would suggest, and could well be ready to take on a CEO, board, divisional or transformation-level brief. Making sure the public narrative keeps pace with that growth is one of the simplest ways to stay front of mind for the right opportunities.

Boards, CEOs and search partners rarely rely on a CV alone when forming a judgement about someone. They draw just as heavily on networks, reputation, past exposure and the confidence of people whose opinions they trust. Keeping those signals current helps ensure a leader is considered for the full breadth of what they can now offer.

What boards are quietly weighing up

At a senior level, decision-makers are rarely just totting up a list of achievements. What they're really trying to work out is a person's judgement.

They want a sense of how someone thinks, the level of complexity they can handle, how they hold up under real pressure, and whether their past experience will translate into a different, often unfamiliar context. This matters even more given how much thought goes into senior appointments, and how much value there is in getting the right person into the right seat.

A strong executive profile should go some way to answering a few key questions, without spelling every one of them out explicitly:

What scale of problem is this person actually equipped to solve?
In what kind of organisational setting do they do their best work?
Where has their leadership created value beyond their immediate function?
What does their overall presence suggest about their judgement, maturity and adaptability?

These questions matter because senior appointments are as much about confidence as they are about raw capability. A board might already know that a candidate has the relevant experience. The harder call is whether that experience applies to the challenge ahead, and this is precisely where strong executive visibility earns its keep, by making that relevance far easier to see.

Start before you need to

There's real value in reviewing how you're positioned well before an opportunity actually surfaces.

By the time a role appears, first impressions have often already formed, and getting ahead of that is entirely within a leader's control. A search partner may have quietly reached a view. A board member may have only heard a simplified version of someone's story. A CEO might still associate a person with an earlier role. Building visibility early is simply the best way to make sure those impressions reflect who a leader is today.

The most effective visibility is usually built well ahead of when it's needed. That doesn't mean campaigning loudly for attention. It means keeping a leader's professional presence current enough that, when a conversation finally does begin, the market already has an accurate and complete picture to work from.

This matters even more for executives currently in transition, since transition tends to be read in very different ways depending on who's looking. It might reflect restructuring, a succession outcome, a deliberate choice, reinvention, or simply careful timing. A clear, well-told narrative gives the market something accurate to work with, rather than leaving it to fill in the gaps.

A few practical ways to build it

Getting this right doesn't require a big shift in how a leader operates day to day. A handful of consistent habits tend to make the biggest difference:

Keep your LinkedIn profile current. This is often the first place a board member or search partner looks. Make sure it reflects your current scope and the value you're creating now, not just the title you held three years ago.
Share your perspective, not just your CV. A short post or comment on a topic you know well says more about your judgement than a polished profile ever could. Consistency matters more than frequency here.
Stay warm with your network, not just when you need something. A regular coffee, a message of congratulations, or simply staying in touch with former colleagues and search partners keeps you front of mind for the right reasons.
Say yes to the right platforms. Speaking at an industry event, contributing to a panel, or being quoted in a piece of coverage all help the market build an accurate, current picture of what you do.
Ask a trusted search partner for a candid view. An outside perspective on how you're currently positioned can highlight blind spots you can't easily see yourself.

None of this needs to feel like a campaign. Done consistently and with a light touch, it simply keeps your story accurate and easy to find when the right conversation begins.

Tone matters here, too. A senior leader's public presence works best when it reflects the way they think, the decisions they've made, and the environments they truly understand, rather than reading like marketing copy. Done well, it builds quiet confidence rather than putting on a show.

Let's Talk About How You're Positioned

Understanding how you're perceived in the market is often the missing piece. If you'd like an outside perspective on how you're currently seen in the market, the team at Stellar Executive Search would be glad to talk it through with you, confidentially and without obligation.

Reach out to the Stellar Executive Search Team to start the conversation.

Balancing Career and Family

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:39:46 GMT

Balancing Career and Family: How Workplace Flexibility Makes a Difference

Returning to work after maternity leave is rarely simple. There's the pull between wanting to be with your children and wanting to reclaim a piece of yourself. There's the guilt, the logistics, the "will I still be good at this?" doubt that creeps in no matter how experienced you are.

At Stellar Recruitment, two mums have lived this transition recently – and they're generous enough to share what it was really like.

Recruitment Consultant, Emily Shelley, and Division Manager Georgia Mackie, sat down together to talk about coming back to work, the flexibility that made it possible, and what they wish every employer understood about supporting parents.

The Emotions That Catch You Off Guard

Before returning, both women carried the same quiet worry – could they really do both jobs, mum and professional, well?

For Emily, it was simple and raw. "Missing my children, obviously," she says. "Being worried that I wasn't going to be able to do the role of mum and do my role here – that fear of letting one side down to keep up with the other."

Georgia felt a similar pull. "It was definitely that transition back to work, and juggling priorities of work and home life," she says. "And also, the emotions of separating from my little guy – that was harder than I expected, if I'm honest. You don't really know how it's going to feel until that first morning arrives."

It's a feeling most working parents recognise instantly. But what surprised them both was what came next.

Rediscovering an Identity Beyond "Mum"

Ask any new parent what they miss most, and you'll often hear the same thing – adult conversation. A reason to think about something other than nap schedules. A sense of self that exists outside the walls of home.

"It was being able to have adult contact, take a break from being a mum, and still work on my own career," Georgia says. "It gave me a bit more of an identity being back at work. When I'm catching up with friends now, it's not just about what I've been doing with Orlando – it's actually what I've been doing in my work, and that felt really good to have again."

Emily agrees, pointing out that ambition doesn't just switch off the moment you become a parent. "You were working towards something before you became a mum," she reflects. "So, it's really hard to expect to just switch that off – and not have your own career goals, and aspirations, and dreams. Those things don't disappear just because your priorities have shifted."

As Georgia puts it, "I am a mum, but I also have my own career and goals. Both things can be true at the same time, and I don't think we talk about that enough." That duality, they agreed, is something every returning parent deserves the chance to hold onto.

Flexibility Is The Deciding Factor

When asked how important flexibility was in their decision to return, both women were emphatic – it wasn't just important, it was everything.

"Really important," says Emily. "You want to come back when it's right for you, not too early, and you want to know that you're supported – picking kids up when they're sick, or having flexible working hours, which I'm doing at the moment. It just helps with bedtime routines, especially while the kids are so young, and means I still get to see them during the day before they go feral and go to sleep. Those small windows of time make such a difference to how connected you feel to them."

For Georgia, flexibility looked different – a genuine, supported transition to part-time work. "I've come back, and I'm currently working part-time just due to our family circumstance," she explains. "For me, that's what's let me return to work at all, and I'm really grateful Stellar's been able to do that. The fact we're supported in that decision, not just tolerated but genuinely supported, is something other businesses can take as a learning – how do you bring back people who may not be able to come back full-time straightaway?"

Georgia also raised something many workplaces still get wrong – that flexibility doesn't have to fit a traditional 8-to-5 mould. "Offering that flexibility and having that trust and understanding that although parents may not look like they’re working a typical 8am to 5pm day, we are getting the job done," she says. "It may just look like a different time. It might be me doing up some work a bit later in the evening, but it will get done. It's having that trust in your employees that they want to deliver, and they're invested just as much as 8 ‘til 5. It just looks a bit different at the moment, and that's okay."

Does Motherhood Slow Down a Career? Not According to These Two

There's a persistent worry among many women that having children will stall their career. Emily and Georgia's experience tells a different story entirely.

"For me, it’s the complete opposite of that," Emily says. "I started recruitment after my first child, and I think I've learned more and progressed more in my whole life since I've had kids. I'm more motivated than ever just to do well – and be a working mum. If anything, having kids gave me a reason to want more for myself, not less."

Georgia agrees. "I've come back to the role that I was in before I went on maternity leave, and I'm more motivated than ever to keep growing my career, and be an example for my son," she says. "I'm more driven. I want him to grow up seeing that his mum works hard and loves what she does."

That last point led to one of the most compelling moments in the conversation. Georgia referenced research on the children of working mothers, explaining that "boys who are raised by a mum that works grow up to be better to work with – more collaborative with women in the workplace. And they take on more duties at home too, making it a 50/50 family environment when they're raising a family of their own." For Georgia, raising a son, that's a powerful reason to keep showing up. "It's so important to make women feel comfortable in the workplace and have a real space there – it's bigger than just my own career, it's about the example we're setting for the next generation.".

What Employers Can Actually Do

So what does meaningful support look like in practice? Emily and Georgia's advice was refreshingly concrete.

"I think just supporting your employee for them to come back when it feels right for them, not rushing them back," says Georgia. "And then definitely having flexible work arrangements – working around kids being sick, or starting earlier, finishing earlier, starting later, whatever works. Every little bit helps. Little changes like that make a huge difference, even ones that feel small from the outside."

And yes – there was one slightly cheekier suggestion that came up more than once, a nap room. "Including the nap room that we suggested earlier," Georgia laughs. "I still think that is one thing we can improve on." Emily doesn't hesitate to back her up, adding, "A nap room. I dream of a nap room. That's what we're wanting, and it'd be constantly booked out – and honestly not just by the parents."

Advice for Parents Preparing to Return

Perhaps the most reassuring part of the conversation was the advice Emily and Georgia had for other parents about to make the same leap.

"I think that it's definitely not going to look perfect," Emily says. "It's okay if your house is messy. A big stress for me was having sick kids or having to take time off work, but that is okay. It will be okay, you will get your work done, and life goes on. That was a big thing for me to accept – it goes back to your employer having trust in you that it will get done, even when the week doesn't go to plan."

Georgia's advice centres on self-compassion. "It's definitely – be kind to yourself," she says. "You're all on a learning curve. You're learning to juggle work and also your role at home, which is a very important role in its own right. Like Emily said, it's not going to look perfect. It's going to be messy. You're going to doubt yourself some days. But at the end of the day, it's all worth it."

The Bigger Picture

What comes through clearly in Emily and Georgia's conversation isn't just their individual resilience – it's how much of a difference genuine workplace support makes. Flexibility isn't a perk here; it's the thing that made their return to work possible at all, and it's clearly paid off in loyalty, motivation, and performance.

For businesses wondering whether investing in flexible, supportive return-to-work policies is worth it, Emily and Georgia's experience offers a clear answer – when parents feel trusted and supported, they don't just come back to work – they come back more driven, more capable, and more committed than ever.

Get in touch with our team today.

Corporate & Commercial Hiring Outlook: Regional Growth Continues as Employers Focus on Quality Talent

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 23:27:07 GMT

Corporate & Commercial Hiring Outlook: Regional Growth Continues as Employers Focus on Quality Talent

New Zealand's Corporate & Commercial employment market continues to show encouraging signs of resilience, with demand strengthening across several sectors despite ongoing economic uncertainty. Recent labour market data highlights growing opportunities across accounting, administration, banking and finance, sales, marketing, customer service, and insurance, particularly in regional centres.

While some sectors experienced modest declines in job advertising, applications per role generally increased, creating a market where employers have greater access to talent but still need to move decisively to secure high-performing professionals.

Accounting remained relatively stable nationally, with job ad volumes holding steady and applications increasing by 6.2%. Banking & Finance and Sales also recorded growth in both demand and candidate activity, while Marketing & Communications job advertisements increased 5.0% year-on-year.

One of the strongest trends across the market has been the continued growth of regional New Zealand.

Canterbury recorded double-digit growth across several disciplines, including accounting (+17.1%), sales (+16.8%) and marketing (+18.8%). Otago also posted notable gains in accounting (+16.1%), administration (+15.5%), sales (+10.8%), banking & finance (+45.5%) and marketing (+31.1%).

Stacey Wing , Principal Consultant at Stellar Recruitment in Dunedin, says regional markets continue to present significant opportunities for both businesses and candidates.

"We are seeing organisations across Otago and the lower South Island investing in growth despite broader market challenges. Businesses are looking beyond simply filling vacancies and are focused on securing people who can add long-term value. The strength we're seeing across finance, administration, sales and marketing roles reflects confidence in the region and creates excellent opportunities for professionals considering their next move."

In Auckland, the picture is slightly different. Several sectors experienced softer job advertising volumes, including accounting, customer service and insurance, however applications per role increased considerably. This reflects a more competitive candidate market where employers have access to larger talent pools than they have in recent years.

Heath Brown , Division Manager - Executive Search, Corporate & Commercial Northern Region, says employers should use this opportunity strategically.

"The market has become more balanced, which is creating opportunities for businesses to access talent that may previously have been difficult to attract. While mid to senior candidate volumes have increased, the best people remain selective. Organisations that can clearly articulate their value proposition, career opportunities and workplace culture are still achieving the strongest hiring outcomes."

Across all sectors, permanent employment remains the dominant hiring model. Full-time roles account for between 65% and 94% of advertised opportunities depending on sector, highlighting employers' ongoing preference for long-term capability building.

As New Zealand moves through the second half of 2026, the Corporate & Commercial market remains active, with regional growth, improving candidate availability and continued demand for skilled professionals creating opportunities for employers and job seekers alike.

For businesses looking to attract top talent, or professionals considering their next career move, now is an ideal time to engage with the Stellar Recruitment Corporate & Commercial team who can help you understand where opportunities are emerging.

Stellar Recruitment Extends Highlanders Sponsorship into 2027

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:22:59 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Extends Highlanders Sponsorship into 2027

After two successful seasons together, Stellar Recruitment is excited to announce the extension of its Highlanders sponsorship into 2027, reinforcing our commitment to the people, businesses, and communities that make the lower South Island such a special place to live and work.

Since first becoming a sponsor for the 2025 and 2026 Super Rugby Pacific seasons, the partnership has provided an opportunity to strengthen Stellar's connection with the communities, businesses, and people that have played an important role in the company's growth, particularly throughout Otago and Southland. The Stellar logo has featured on the front of the Highlanders' playing and training shorts since the partnership commenced.

The sponsorship holds particular significance for Stellar Recruitment, whose roots are firmly connected to Dunedin. The business expanded into the region with the opening of its Dunedin office in 2024 and has continued to support major projects and employers across the lower South Island through its local team.

Both organisations share a strong focus on teamwork, resilience, excellence, and making a positive contribution to the communities they serve. "We're thrilled to be extending our partnership with the Highlanders into 2027," said Robbie McIlraith , Managing Director New Zealand, Stellar Recruitment.

"What started as a sponsorship has become a genuine partnership built on shared values and a strong connection to the southern region. As a business, we are passionate about creating opportunities, supporting communities, and backing high-performing teams. The Highlanders embody those qualities, and we're proud to continue supporting the club, its players, and its fans for another season."

The Highlanders and Stellar Recruitment have worked together over the past two seasons to promote community engagement, celebrate regional success, and strengthen connections throughout New Zealand's lower South Island. The extension ensures those initiatives can continue while further deepening the relationship between the two organisations.

"We are delighted to continue our partnership with Stellar Recruitment through the 2027 season," said Mike Kerr, Commercial Manager, Highlanders. "Stellar has been an outstanding partner, bringing energy, authenticity, and a genuine commitment to our region. Their support extends beyond the game itself and aligns strongly with our focus on community, connection, and performance. We look forward to building on the success of the partnership over the coming year."

As Stellar Recruitment continues to grow across New Zealand, the company remains committed to supporting organisations and initiatives that create positive outcomes for people and communities. Together, Stellar Recruitment and the Highlanders look forward to continuing the journey into 2027 and beyond.

The Build Market in Southeast Queensland: Why It's Heating Up and What It Takes to Find the Right People

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 06:00:29 GMT

The Build Market in Southeast Queensland: Why It's Heating Up and What It Takes to Find the Right People

The build market in Southeast Queensland has been busy for a while. But right now, it's entering a different gear and the next three to five years are shaping up to be genuinely unlike anything the market has seen before.

Builders who've never operated in Queensland are opening up here. Sydney-based companies are establishing Southeast Queensland operations. Salaries that used to track well behind Sydney are now closing the gap fast and likely to surpass them.

Here's what's driving it, what's making it hard, and how the market is adapting.

What's Fuelling the Demand

The Olympic pipeline is the obvious headline – athletes' villages, stadiums, transport links, and the supporting urban infrastructure that comes with hosting a global event. But the build boom is much broader than the Games.

The housing crisis is generating enormous demand for apartments, hotels, and mixed-use developments across the region. Mixed-use projects – developments that combine residential towers, retail, hotel, and hospitality in a single complex – are becoming the dominant format, with project values regularly hitting $1 billion or more.

Monique Ehlers, Senior Recruitment Consultant in Brisbane said, "It's extremely busy and it's only going to get busier as we ramp up to the Olympics. Builders that have never operated here before are now setting up because they can see the opportunity."

The land development sector is also under significant pressure. Fast-tracking approvals and cutting red tape can unlock land on paper, but the physical infrastructure including roads, water, and utilities must follow.

The Talent Gap at the Top End

The most acute challenge in the build market right now isn't general headcount, it's major project experience.

When we're talking about $500M+ builds, the pool of site managers and construction managers in Queensland with that scale of experience is genuinely small. Multiple tier one builders are competing for the same people simultaneously.

"The talent pool for people with large-scale major project experience in this market is genuinely thin – and the number of tier ones competing for those same people is only going to grow" Monique said.

Contract administrators are in particularly high demand, with compensation reflecting that. The gap between what strong CA candidates expect and what some clients are willing to pay is one of the most consistent friction points in the market right now.

How Companies Are Getting Creative on Offers

When base salary hits a ceiling, the market finds other ways. Project completion bonuses tied to time and budget targets are becoming more common in the build space. KPI bonuses throughout the project life cycle are being added to packages for engineers. ABN arrangements are being offered to senior hires who prefer the tax flexibility of contracting. Monday-to-Friday schedules and no Saturday site work are being used by some builders to stand out in a crowded market.

"One client bought properties and converted them into apartments to house interstate and international hires. When people were accepting offers and then couldn't find somewhere to live, they decided to solve that problem themselves" Monique explained.

That's not a perk. That's a recruitment strategy. And it's the kind of thinking that's going to define which companies can actually staff up for what's ahead.

Keeping People to the End

One of the most expensive talent problems in construction isn't losing people at the start, it's losing them in the last three to six months of a project.

"You've got a great engineer on a project. Three to six months from completion, they start looking around, not because they're unhappy, but because they don’t know what opportunities are coming up next. They find another role and they move on. And the knowledge they take with them like defect history, the handover context, the decisions that were made and why usually isn’t documented." Monique said.

The best contractors are working harder to show people the pipeline earlier and giving staff a line of sight to the next project before the current one finishes. The Southeast Queensland build market is going to be one of the most active in the country for the next five years. The companies that treat workforce planning as a strategic function are going to have a real edge.

At Stellar Recruitment, we work with builders, developers, and construction professionals navigating Southeast Queensland's biggest growth period in decades. If you're looking to build teams for what's ahead or want to talk through your talent strategy, we'd love to hear from you.

Get in touch with our team today.

Early Hiring Signals in Auckland: A Market Reset in Motion

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:16:29 GMT

Early Hiring Signals in Auckland: A Market Reset in Motion

SEEK recently brought together recruitment and HR leaders in Auckland for a market briefing led by SEEK Economist Blair Chapman, alongside Customer Success and Support Manager Miriana Hawthorne.

Among those attending was Kymberly Tupai , General Manager – Northern Region at Stellar Recruitment, who described the session as “a grounded view of a market that is not standing still, but not moving at pace either.”

A clear shift is underway in candidate behaviour. While engagement with job opportunities remains high, conversion is slower, with candidates continuing to take a more cautious and considered approach.

Often described as “job hugging,” this trend reflects a workforce that is weighing risk more carefully in a softer economic environment. “What we’re seeing is not a lack of movement, it is a change in how people move,” says Tupai. “Candidates are still active, but they’re far more deliberate. Security, timing and long-term fit are all being weighed more heavily.”

This aligns with broader labour market data showing a cooling environment, where more people are participating in the workforce while unemployment has lifted to around 5.3% nationally.

RNZ has reported highlights that this increase is being driven partly by more job seekers entering the market than jobs being created, reinforcing a more competitive and cautious landscape.

Salary remains the primary trigger for candidate movement, but expectations have evolved. Insights from the session reinforced that salary alignment alone is no longer enough. Employers must think more broadly about what they offer.

“Pay still opens the conversation,” Tupai explains. “But it doesn’t close it anymore. Candidates are looking at the full picture – flexibility, leave, progression and stability.”

This reflects wider workforce trends across New Zealand, where flexibility and work-life balance play a significant role in job satisfaction and overall wellbeing.

Flexible working arrangements are now a standard expectation for many employees, with Statistics NZ reporting that over half of our country’s workers already having access to some form of flexibility.

“Time has become one of the most valuable levers,” Tupai adds. “If organisations can’t move on salary, they need to consider how they can give people more control over their time.”

Another consistent theme is the lengthening of hiring cycles. Candidates are taking longer to secure roles, particularly at senior levels, placing pressure on employers to maintain engagement throughout increasingly extended processes.

“The longer the process, the higher the drop-off risk,” says Tupai. “Clear and swift communication is critical to securing talent.”

This shift reflects a broader rebalancing of the labour market. While signs of recovery are emerging, the pace remains gradual. In December, RNZ reported that job ad volumes began to lift after a prolonged slowdown, suggesting early recovery signals while conditions remain uneven even six months later.

AI is now firmly embedded in candidate behaviour, from applications through to interview preparation. As a result, employers are seeing more polished candidates entering processes.

However, rather than replacing human decision-making, the trend is increasing the value of it.

“AI is lifting the baseline,” Tupai says. “But that means employers need to go deeper – structured interviews, better questioning, and stronger human assessment are what will differentiate talent and deliver greater certainty in hiring outcomes.”

The takeaway is clear: while technology is shaping how candidates present themselves initially, human capability is becoming a stronger point of differentiation, not a weaker one.

At a regional level, Auckland continues to reflect the sharpest impact of recent economic conditions. Latest data shows Auckland’s unemployment rate sitting above the national average, at around 6%+, making it one of the more affected regions in the country.

“Auckland recently has been tending to feel global uncertainty first,” Tupai notes. “It is heavily weighted toward corporate and professional services, so it reacts quickly to external pressures.”

However, there are early indicators the market is beginning to stabilise. “We’re starting to see the first signs of recovery,” she says. “It is not a surge; it is a gradual lift. But those early signals are important.”

Pulling these insights together, the Auckland market is best described as resetting rather than declining.

Candidate engagement remains strong, but decision-making is slower
Salary alone is no longer enough to secure movement
Time, flexibility and stability are key differentiators
Hiring processes must be structured and communication-led
The labour market is soft but stabilising, with early recovery signals emerging

“This is a more complex hiring environment than we’ve seen in recent years,” Tupai concludes. “But it is also an opportunity. The organisations that adapt that understand what candidates value and respond with clarity – will be the ones that come out ahead.”

How to Take Ownership of Your Career Growth

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 22:50:32 GMT

How to Take Ownership of Your Career Growth

Career growth doesn't happen to you – it happens because of you.

In today's job market, where roles are evolving faster than ever, the professionals who get ahead are the ones who take an active role in their own development.

As leading recruitment professionals in Australia and New Zealand, Andy Marsland and Fiona Sanderson work closely with professionals across a range of industries and career stages. Through countless conversations with candidates navigating promotions, career changes and leadership opportunities, they've seen first-hand what separates those who proactively progress from those who remain stuck in the same place.

Whether you're early in your career or aiming for a leadership position, taking ownership of your development is one of the most valuable investments you can make.

Growth looks different for everyone

Before focusing on your next move, it's worth asking yourself a simple question, what does career growth actually mean to you?

For some, it's a promotion. For others, it's becoming a recognised expert, taking on more responsibility, gaining flexibility, or moving into a new industry altogether.

The mistake many professionals make is following someone else's definition of success instead of their own.

Andy explains that this is one of the most common themes he sees when speaking with candidates.

"One of the biggest mistakes I see is people chasing the next title without really thinking about what they want their career to look like. The professionals who progress most successfully are usually the ones who are clear on what matters to them and make decisions that align with it."

Without that clarity, it's easy to stay stuck or head in the wrong direction.

Understand where you are now

Once you've defined what growth looks like, take an honest look at your current position. Ask yourself:

What am I genuinely good at?
What skills or experiences are holding me back?
What do I want more of in my career?
Where am I capable of contributing more than I currently am?

This isn't about criticising yourself. It's about identifying the gap between where you are and where you'd like to be.

Build a plan that works

A career plan doesn't need to be complicated.

Start by focusing on direction rather than a fixed destination. Industries evolve, businesses change, and opportunities appear unexpectedly. Having a clear direction helps you keep moving even when circumstances shift.

Then focus on the next meaningful step. That might be taking ownership of a project, building a new skill, expanding your network, or having a conversation about future opportunities. Consistent progress is often more valuable than waiting for a major breakthrough.

Fiona particularly values conversations with candidates who feel they have become stagnant in their careers.

"As a recruitment consultant, I take great satisfaction in identifying transferable skills that individuals may not recognise in themselves. Many professionals believe they are defined by a single industry or job title, however this is rarely the case. A key part of the role is helping candidates reframe their experience more broadly and uncover new opportunities, ultimately turning what feels like limitation into a genuine pathway forward."

Build skills with purpose

Professional development is most effective when it's intentional. Rather than collecting qualifications for the sake of it, identify the skills that will genuinely help bridge the gap between your current role and where you want to be.

That could be technical expertise, leadership capability, commercial understanding, communication skills, or industry knowledge. The key is making sure your development supports your long-term goals.

Fiona added, "Be proactive in how you approach your development. Progress doesn’t always require changing roles. Starting relevant online study or short courses alongside your current position can demonstrate clear intent and commitment. You do not need to have completed a full qualification for it to add value, showing initiative, motivation, and a willingness to invest in your own growth is often enough for a prospective employer to recognise your potential and consider you for the next step."

Make your growth visible

Doing great work is important. Making sure the right people know about it is equally important. Many capable professionals assume their work will speak for itself, but visibility often plays a significant role in career progression.

Andy believes this is one of the biggest barriers preventing strong performers from advancing.

"A lot of high performers assume their work will speak for itself. Sometimes it does, but often the people who progress fastest are the ones who actively communicate their achievements, seek feedback, and make it clear they're ready for the next challenge."

Share your achievements, seek feedback, contribute to discussions, and keep your CV and LinkedIn profile up to date. Visibility isn't about self-promotion. It's about ensuring your contribution is recognised.

Have the conversation

One of the most common reasons careers stall is because people never communicate what they want.

Managers aren't mind readers. If you're looking for more responsibility, development opportunities, or a pathway to progression, you need to start the conversation.

Be specific. Talk about the skills you want to develop, the work you'd like to take on, and where you see your career heading. Ask what success looks like at the next level and what you'd need to demonstrate to get there.

Most importantly, follow up. Career development is rarely driven by a single conversation.

When progression feels blocked

Sometimes the opportunities you're looking for simply aren't available in your current environment. Not every organisation can offer the next step you're ready for, and not every manager has the capacity to support your development in the way you'd like.

Andy encourages professionals to think beyond traditional promotions.

"Not every career move is a promotion. Sometimes the best step forward is a move that gives you new experience, broader exposure, or a clearer pathway for future growth. Looking sideways can often help you move further ahead."

A lateral move, a new team, or a different organisation can sometimes create more long-term growth than staying where you are. If progression feels blocked, ask yourself:

Have I clearly communicated my goals?
Are the opportunities I'm seeking realistic here?
What would need to change for this to remain the right place for my career?

The answers may confirm you're in the right place, or they may point you towards a new opportunity.

Your career is your responsibility

Career growth is rarely linear. There will be periods of momentum, setbacks, and unexpected opportunities along the way.

Fiona encourages candidates to be courageous and open to opportunity.

"Say yes when those opportunities present themselves and trust your manager’s judgement if they see potential in you to step up or take on more responsibility. Often, individuals look back on their careers and can pinpoint the one person who believed in them and gave them that chance, and it is that moment that significantly shaped the direction of their career."

The professionals who continue to progress tend to stay curious, seek feedback, remain adaptable, and take ownership of their development. That's the key.

At Stellar Recruitment, we work with professionals at every stage of their career, from first roles through to leadership appointments. If you're considering your next move or would like to discuss your career options, we'd love to hear from you.

Get in touch with our team today.

Reading the Market Before the Data Catches Up

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:42:23 GMT

Reading the Market Before the Data Catches Up

In recruitment, timing is everything. While data provides clarity, the earliest signals rarely come from official releases, they emerge in conversations, hiring decisions, and the roles businesses choose to invest in first.

For Matthew Moulds , Recruitment Consultant at Stellar Recruitment, that shift is starting to emerge. “Recruitment often gives you a glimpse of where confidence is heading before the data catches up,” says Matt. “You see it in the kinds of conversations you’re having and the roles businesses are prepared to commit to.”

The observation was sparked by activity in the commercial construction space. Across Auckland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty, multiple Project Managers and Site Managers were placed in June, roles that typically signal more than just incremental hiring.

“Businesses don’t typically bring on senior delivery staff unless they’re confident projects are moving forward,” Matt explains. “PMs and Site Managers are often among the first hires when organisations move from planning into delivery.”

This aligns with broader trends emerging across New Zealand’s construction sector. Demand for white-collar roles, including project managers, engineers and planners, has accelerated in 2026, with construction job ads increasing significantly year-on-year and outpacing other industries.

At the same time, persistent skills shortages are putting pressure on delivery. Vacancy rates for key roles such as Project Managers remain high, with extended hiring timeframes impacting project timelines and costs.

Together, these factors reinforce a clear point: when organisations hire these roles, it is rarely speculative, it reflects committed work entering delivery phases.

Despite these on-the-ground signals, the broader economic picture remains mixed. New Zealand’s BNZ–BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index slipping to 49.9 in May 2026, moving just below the expansion threshold and indicating slight contraction in the manufacturing sector.

That softness reflects ongoing caution across parts of the economy. New orders and employment have remained relatively flat, and smaller businesses continue to face more challenging conditions than their larger counterparts.

“From where I sit in civil recruitment, I am definitely having more conversations about upcoming work,” says Matt. “But what’s interesting is that it’s not necessarily reflected across the broader economy yet.”

This divergence suggests that while macro indicators remain subdued, activity within infrastructure, engineering and large-scale construction is beginning to move ahead of the curve.

Part of the explanation lies in scale and visibility. Large organisations, particularly those tied to infrastructure pipelines and long-term capital investment, tend to have clearer forward pipelines and greater resilience to short-term economic fluctuations. That allows them to act earlier when confidence begins to return.

Industry insights support this. Hubexo’s New Zealand’s construction outlook for 2026 points to a gradual stabilisation in project pipelines, with developers showing increasing confidence and planning activity extending further into multi-year horizons.

There is also the backdrop of New Zealand's recently announced 30 year infrastructure pipeline. While projects will take time to flow through into construction activity, the increased visibility and certainty can influence investment, workforce planning, and hiring decisions well before the work starts on site.

At the same time, infrastructure investment across transport, water and public assets is creating sustained demand for delivery-focused roles, reinforcing the need for experienced professionals at the front end of projects.

“What we’re seeing at the moment feels like pockets of confidence,” Matt says. “It is more evident in larger organisations and in sectors tied to long-term work. The real question is what happens next.”

While early hiring activity is emerging, the broader economic environment remains uncertain, and heavily influenced by global conditions, The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s May 2026 Monetary Policy Statement highlights that inflation remains above its target range and may rise further in the near term, with the potential for future interest rate increases to bring it back under control.

At a global level, financial conditions are also tightening. A strengthening US Dollar, captured by the US Dollar Index, has historically been associated with reduced global liquidity, making borrowing more expensive and dampening investment activity

“The business cycle dominoes are still falling,” Matt explains. “There are a lot of global pressures that could either support or slow momentum from here.”

This creates a clear tension in the market.

On one hand:

Hiring activity is picking up across construction and infrastructure
Larger organisations are progressing projects into delivery
Conversations across the sector are becoming more forward-looking

On the other:

Key economic indicators remain subdued
Inflation and interest rate uncertainty persist
Smaller businesses continue to operate under tighter conditions

“We are seeing early signs of improving confidence,” says Matt. “The real question is whether that confidence spreads, or whether tighter conditions slow things down before it builds.”

For now, the answer remains uncertain. But recruitment continues to provide an early lens into what may come next. Hiring decisions, particularly at the senior delivery level, require commitment, planning and confidence. They are rarely made in isolation and often reflect a broader expectation about future workload.

“Are we seeing the early stages of a broader recovery,” Matt asks, “or just isolated pockets of strength before tighter conditions start to bite?”

It is a question many across the industry are asking. And one that, as always, recruitment may help answer first.

Growth is Returning to Hiring, but the Rules Have Changed

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 03:53:12 GMT

Growth is Returning to Hiring, but the Rules Have Changed

New Zealand’s hiring market is showing signs of steady recovery in 2026, with job ads rising 13.1% year-on-year and 0.8% month-on-month, according to the latest SEEK Employment Report.

While demand is strengthening, the talent landscape is shifting in a way that’s creating new challenges for employers.

Applications per job ad have now declined for seven consecutive months, signalling a gradual tightening in candidate availability following the high-volume activity seen in 2025.

At the same time, skill requirements are evolving rapidly. Demand for AI-related capability continues to rise, with job ads referencing AI increasing month-on-month - particularly across consulting, strategy, marketing and communications roles.

This combination of rising demand, shifting capability requirements, and a tightening talent pool is creating a more complex hiring environment, particularly across corporate and commercial functions.

Rather than a return to previous hiring patterns, 2026 is shaping up to be a market defined by precision, clarity, and informed decision-making.

So, what does this means for employers? Organisations are now operating in a hiring market where demand is recovering, but not evenly across sectors or region. Additionally, candidate availability is becoming more selective.

Sally Paris , Business Manager, Corporate & Commercial Christchurch said, “We are seeing a market that is regaining momentum, but in a much more considered way. Hiring is no longer about volume; it is about making the right decision the first time.”

The challenge for many organisations is that the market has shifted faster than internal hiring processes. Those who are clear on the capability they need, and able to move with confidence, are securing the strongest talent.

Skill requirements are also changing in real time, particularly with the influence of AI and hiring decisions carry greater long-term impact. For corporate and commercial leadership teams, success is increasingly dependent on aligning hiring strategies with where the market is heading, not where it has been.

Heath Brown , Division Manager, Corporate & Commercial Auckland said, “Candidate behaviour has changed significantly over the past 12–18 months. We are seeing more selective decision-making, with professionals placing greater emphasis on flexibility, culture, and long-term alignment.”

“At the same time, the nature of roles is evolving, particularly with AI and transformation projects influencing corporate functions. It means employers need to think differently about capability, not just experience.” Continued Heath.

Looking ahead, as the New Zealand hiring market continues its gradual recovery, the organisations that succeed will be those that take a proactive and informed approach to workforce planning, adapt to evolving capability requirements, and move decisively when the right talent becomes available.

In an increasingly competitive and fast-changing landscape, hiring is no longer just an operational activity, it is a strategic lever for growth.

Powering Resilience in New Zealand

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:15:52 GMT

Powering Resilience: New Zealand’s Energy Transition and the Infrastructure Workforce Opportunity

New Zealand’s energy system is entering a critical phase of transformation, one that will define not only how the country generates and consumes power, but how it builds, scales, and sustains the infrastructure required to support a modern, low-emissions economy.

At a recent Auckland Business Chamber address, Energy Minister Simeon Brown outlined a position that is both pragmatic and decisive: New Zealand is closer than ever to becoming a predominantly renewable electricity system, but without firm, immediate action to address system reliability, that progress risks being undermined.

The direction is clear. The execution window is narrow. And the implications for the construction and infrastructure workforce are substantial.

New Zealand has made measurable progress toward its renewable energy ambitions. By the fourth quarter of 2025, 96.4% of electricity generation came from renewable sources, marking the highest level on record. This milestone reflects a sustained acceleration in development across wind, solar, geothermal, and battery storage, with more generation capacity delivered between 2023 and 2025 than in the preceding decade.

This expansion signals more than environmental progress, it represents a structural shift in how the country’s energy system is designed. However, high renewable penetration introduces a new degree of volatility, particularly in a system still heavily reliant on hydro generation.

The inherent variability of renewable energy sources means that supply is increasingly dependent on environmental conditions. While this is manageable under normal operating scenarios, it exposes a clear vulnerability during periods of low hydro inflows, commonly referred to as “dry years.”

Dry year risk is not a theoretical concern, it is a systemic constraint with quantifiable economic impact.

During these periods, reduced hydro lake levels coincide with insufficient wind and solar output, creating a supply shortfall estimated at approximately 3 terawatt hours over a three-month winter period. Existing backup capacity, largely from coal-fired generation at Huntly, can cover roughly half of this demand, leaving a material gap in firm capacity.

The consequences of this imbalance were realised in 2024. Wholesale electricity prices surged beyond $800 per megawatt hour, contributing to an estimated $5.2 billion economic impact. These price shocks flowed directly through to industry and consumers, reducing competitiveness and placing pressure on operating margins across energy-intensive sectors.

This dynamic has been formally recognised as a market failure. The current market structure does not adequately incentivise investment in capacity that is only required intermittently, despite the critical role it plays in maintaining system stability.

Without intervention, this gap will persist, and potentially widen.

Compounding this issue is a rapid decline in New Zealand’s domestic gas reserves.

Six major gas fields, responsible for the vast majority of supply, are now in advanced stages of depletion. Most notably, the Maui gas field, historically a cornerstone of the energy system, is expected to cease production in the near future. This decline removes a key source of flexible generation that has historically been relied upon during peak demand events.

In previous dry years, gas supply could be reallocated from industrial users to electricity generation to maintain system balance. That mechanism is no longer viable at scale. At the same time, existing coal capacity is both finite and ageing, limiting its ability to fill the gap.

The result is a tightening energy landscape, where both supply-side flexibility and contingency options are diminishing simultaneously.

Against this backdrop, the Government has advanced procurement of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) import facility, designed to provide firm backup capacity during dry year events.

The facility is targeted to be operational by winter 2028, aligning with the next expected occurrence of system stress. Two providers have been shortlisted, including an option at Port Taranaki, both with proven global experience in rapid LNG deployment.

The rationale for LNG selection is grounded in four critical attributes:

Speed to market, ensuring readiness within the current risk window
Cost effectiveness, with the ability to materially reduce wholesale electricity prices
Operational flexibility, avoiding long-term asset lock-in
System-wide benefit, extending beyond electricity to support industrial gas demand

Market response to the announcement has been immediate. Forward electricity pricing for 2028–2029 has already decreased, delivering an estimated $800 million per annum benefit to the New Zealand economy.

The emerging challenge is not visibility of work, it is access to capability. Roald Badenhorst , Business Manager Civil Construction, Renewable Energy and Maintenance, highlights the significance of early positioning: “What has been outlined is a defined infrastructure pipeline with clear timeframes. Energy security is now a delivery issue, not a policy discussion.

Importantly, LNG is not positioned as a permanent fixture within the energy mix. It is explicitly framed as a transition mechanism, enabling the continued expansion of renewable generation while maintaining reliability and price stability during periods of intermittent supply.

Infrastructure alone will not resolve systemic risk. As such, regulatory reform forms a central component of the Government’s approach.

The Electricity Authority is being positioned with expanded powers to monitor and actively manage dry year risk, supported by enhanced data visibility and intervention tools.

In parallel, a new reliability obligation is being developed for major generator-retailers (gen-tailers), requiring:

Long-term contracting of firm capacity on the retail side
Short-term fuel security measures on the generation side
Compliance backed by significantly increased penalties, up to $10 million, 10% of turnover, or three times commercial gain

These measures are designed to shift risk management from a passive market outcome to an active operational responsibility, embedding resilience into the core of electricity market participation.

From a construction and infrastructure perspective, the implications are both immediate and long-term.

The transition to a resilient, renewable-backed energy system requires coordinated investment across multiple asset classes, including:

Generation infrastructure (wind, solar, geothermal)
Storage and firming solutions
Import and fuel-handling facilities
Transmission and distribution network upgrades
Industrial and supporting infrastructure

These projects are not isolated developments, they form an interconnected pipeline that will drive sustained demand across civil, structural, mechanical, and specialist construction disciplines.

Critically, timelines are accelerating. The Government has signalled a willingness to remove consenting barriers while maintaining safety and environmental standards, further compressing delivery windows.

Roald continues, “From a civil construction perspective, that translates directly into sustained demand across earthworks, utilities, and enabling infrastructure. Businesses that move early to secure talent and build depth will be in a significantly stronger position as projects move into delivery.”

The scale and integration of upcoming projects will place pressure on labour availability, particularly in regions where multiple developments converge.

Blair Stewart , Division Manager, Division Manager, Build Trades, Mechanical, Electrical, and Engineering, underscores the broader construction impact: “Energy infrastructure doesn’t operate in isolation, it drives a wider construction cycle. These projects bring with them industrial builds, commercial developments, and regional investment that extends well beyond the core asset.

The Government’s position is unambiguous: the next dry year could arrive as early as 2028. Failure to act within this window would leave the system exposed to further price shocks and supply instability.

The strategy now being implemented reflects a balance between long-term ambition and short-term necessity: accelerating renewable generation while introducing transitional measures to ensure system reliability.

For the construction and infrastructure sector, this moment represents more than policy direction, it signals the start of a multi-year delivery cycle, underpinned by energy transformation and driven by national urgency.

Blair concluded, “What we are seeing now is a level of certainty that allows both employers and candidates to commit with confidence. This isn’t a short-term spike, it is a sustained period of activity that will shape the construction landscape over the next decade.”

The opportunity is defined. The pipeline is forming. The constraint is capability.

And those positioned to respond will play a central role in building the infrastructure that underwrites New Zealand’s energy future.

What It's Really Like Starting a Career in Recruitment

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 05:14:57 GMT

From Learning Curves to Placements: What It's Really Like Starting a Career in Recruitment

Starting a career in recruitment can feel both exciting and overwhelming.

For many people entering the industry, there is often a perception that recruitment is simply matching candidates with jobs. The reality is far more dynamic. It is a fast-paced profession built on relationships, problem-solving, business development, communication, and helping people achieve important career and hiring outcomes.

Recently, Georgia Mackie, Stellar Recruitment Division Manager, sat down with Associate Recruiters Cade Winter and Ashleigh Ruddenklau to reflect on their first three months in recruitment. The conversation offered an honest look at the challenges, surprises, achievements, and rewards that come with starting out in the industry.

A Steep Learning Curve, But One Worth Taking

Like many new recruiters, both Cade and Ashleigh quickly discovered that recruitment involves much more than they initially expected.

When asked about their biggest learning curve, Ashleigh reflected on the challenge of balancing multiple priorities at once. "I think for me it's been managing such a different workload and working with clients. It's just been a big learning curve for me."

Cade highlighted the diversity of people and experiences the role has exposed him to. "Meeting a different variety of people that you wouldn't normally meet. It's been a great experience."

The early stages of recruitment often require new consultants to absorb large amounts of information, learn new systems, understand industries, and build confidence speaking with both clients and candidates. While the pace can be demanding, it also creates opportunities for rapid personal and professional growth.

The Reality of Your First Few Months

When Georgia asked the pair to describe their first three months in recruitment, both shared a similar perspective.

Ashleigh summed it up saying "I'd say it's definitely been a rollercoaster, but the good kind of rollercoaster where you're learning so much."

Cade agreed adding, "I would say ebbs and flows through all the training and everything, but I'm finally finding my feet now."

This is a common experience for new recruiters. Every day presents different challenges, conversations, and opportunities. Learning to navigate those highs and lows is part of developing confidence and resilience in the role.

What Nobody Tells You About Recruitment

One of the biggest surprises for both Associate Recruiters was discovering just how much happens behind the scenes.

When asked what no one tells you about recruitment, Ashleigh explained, "I think for me it was learning how much goes on behind the scenes and how much work everyone else does to get someone onboarded and get someone started on time."

Cade shared a similar insight. "I knew how much talking would be involved with the role, especially with candidates, but I didn't realise how closely we work with the client side of things with organisations to make sure everything runs smoothly."

While candidates often see the final outcome, successful recruitment involves extensive coordination, communication, compliance, onboarding support, and relationship management behind the scenes.

It is this attention to detail that helps create positive experiences for both employers and job seekers.

Celebrating Early Wins

Despite being only three months into their careers, both Cade and Ashleigh have already achieved significant milestones.

When Georgia asked about their proudest moments so far, Cade shared, "I think it would have to be that we're both now over 10 placements within our first three months."

For Ashleigh, success has been about growing confidence in her abilities. "I'd say for me it's just having the confidence to be able to do the role well and just be thriving as a consultant."

These achievements highlight an important aspect of recruitment. Success isn't only measured by placements. It's also measured by personal growth, confidence, resilience, and the ability to build meaningful relationships.

Advice for Anyone Starting in Recruitment

Perhaps the most valuable insights came when Georgia asked what advice they would give themselves on day one.

Ashleigh's advice was simple but powerful. "Just be kind to yourself and realise that it's just a learning process and that you'll get there in the end."

Cade's recommendation focused on organisation. "Write everything down. I know people told me that in the beginning, but I'm only realising how important that actually was."

For anyone considering a career in recruitment, these lessons are invaluable. Success doesn't happen overnight. It comes from staying curious, remaining organised, learning from every interaction, and giving yourself time to develop.

Why Recruitment Is Such a Rewarding Career

As the interview concluded, Georgia asked a final question, “Why should someone start a career in recruitment?”

The answer reflected exactly why so many people build long-term careers in the industry.

"I think for me, it's just a super rewarding career, just helping people and clients" Ashleigh said.

The variety of the role was another standout theme. "No days are the same."

Combined with a strong team culture, continuous learning, and the opportunity to make a genuine impact on people's lives and businesses, it's easy to see why recruitment continues to attract ambitious professionals.

As Cade summed up, "The culture is amazing as well."

Looking Ahead

Three months may only be the beginning of the journey, but Cade Winter and Ashleigh Ruddenklau have already demonstrated the mindset, adaptability, and commitment needed to succeed in recruitment.

Their experience is a reminder that while recruitment can be challenging, it is also incredibly rewarding. Every conversation, placement, and client partnership contributes to something bigger – helping people find opportunities and helping businesses secure the talent they need to grow.

For those considering a career in recruitment, their advice is simple, embrace the learning curve, stay organised, back yourself, and enjoy the journey.

Stellar Recruitment Named Finalist Across Five Categories at 2026 RCSA Awards NZ

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 02:44:00 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Named Finalist Across Five Categories at 2026 RCSA Awards NZ

Recognition across five categories at the 2026 RCSA Industry Awards in New Zealand highlights a standout year for Stellar Recruitment, with both individual and team achievements acknowledged. The finalist categories include:

Outstanding Large Agency

Excellence in Safety and Wellbeing Culture

Recruitment Leader - Kymberly Tupai

Recruitment Professional - Sally Paris

Rising Star - Paul Miller

Together, these acknowledgements highlight a business that continues to evolve, invest in its people, and deliver meaningful outcomes for clients, candidates, and communities across New Zealand.

Over the past year, Stellar has continued to strengthen its national footprint and service offering - expanding into new regions, investing in specialist capability, and delivering consistent results at scale.

For Managing Director Robbie McIlraith , the recognition is a reflection of the people behind those outcomes. “Being named a finalist across five categories is something we are incredibly proud of. It reflects the great effort our teams put in every day to deliver high standards, support one another, and do right by our clients and candidates. These results don’t happen by chance, they come from a genuinely committed group of people.”

Kymberly Tupai’s nomination for Recruitment Leader of the Year recognises a period of significant growth and leadership across the Northern Region. Her people-first approach, paired with disciplined execution, has delivered measurable outcomes in a challenging market and the successful launch of new specialist desks.

Kymberly also led the rollout of the Stellar Excellence Program, accelerating consultant development while maintaining high-quality service delivery nationwide.

“Leadership, to me, is about creating an environment where people can do their best work and feel supported while doing it,” says Tupai. “This recognition really belongs to the team and the way they show up - for each other, for our clients, and for the candidates we support.”

With over two decades in the industry, Sally Paris’ nomination for Recruitment Professional of the Year reflects her deep expertise, ethical approach, and commitment to raising the bar.

Since joining Stellar, Sally has scaled high-performing teams and significantly lifted capability, with her team achieving multiple individual and team milestones.

Her approach combines technical rigour with genuine care, ensuring strong outcomes without compromising candidate experience.

“Good recruitment is about trust and consistency,” Paris says. “You build that over time by doing what you say you will, being transparent, and genuinely caring about the outcome for everyone involved.”

Stellar’s recognition for Excellence in Safety and Wellbeing Culture reflects a deeply embedded, organisation-wide commitment to protecting and supporting its workforce. With ISO 45001-certified systems, thousands of site visits annually, and aftercare engagement rates consistently excelling, safety is not just a process, it is a daily practice.

Senior Health & Safety Advisor Olivia Yardley highlights the collective nature of this achievement. “This recognition belongs to everyone across the business. From consultants on the ground to our support teams, safety is something we actively live every day. It’s about creating an environment where people feel supported, informed, and genuinely looked after.”

Paul Miller’s Rising Star nomination reflects the kind of impact that extends beyond results alone. After establishing Stellar’s Dunedin presence from the ground up, Paul has delivered strong outcomes while staying deeply connected to the local community which include the Dunedin hospital. Miller said, “Being part of the Dunedin Hospital project is something I don’t take lightly. It is a place that looked after me, and now I get to help build a workforce that will support others in the future, that is a full circle moment.”

Alongside this, Stellar’s Outstanding Large Agency finalist position recognises the strength of our national model, combining local expertise with scalable infrastructure, from in-house safety and immigration to housing and aftercare support.

While the awards night on 23 July presents an exciting milestone, the recognition itself reinforces something more enduring: a business built on strong values, continuous improvement, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

As McIlraith adds, “We are proud of this recognition, but more importantly, we are proud of how we have got here. It is about building something sustainable, supporting our people, and continuing to raise the standard across the industry.”

From “They Feel Right” to “They Make Us Better”: Perspective on Culture Add

Tue, 26 May 2026 04:36:30 GMT

From “They Feel Right” to “They Make Us Better”: Perspective on Culture Add

Shifting from culture fit to culture add requires a fundamental change in how hiring decisions are approached. Culture fit has long been treated as a guiding principle, yet it is often poorly defined and highly subjective. Without clarity, it can become a proxy for comfort, familiarity, or personal preference rather than a true measure of contribution. Over time, this reliance on fit alone can limit diversity of thought, reduce decision quality, and reinforce affinity bias within teams.

Culture add reframes the conversation. Instead of asking whether someone feels right for the team, the focus moves to what is missing and how a new hire could strengthen the business. Alignment with values and purpose remains important, but the emphasis shifts to contribution rather than replication. Culture add challenges teams to consider what skills, perspectives, lived experience, or leadership behaviours are needed now and in the future, not simply what has worked before.

Recruiters play a critical role in enabling this shift. By sitting slightly outside day-to-day organisational dynamics, we bring objectivity and structure to a process that is often driven by instinct. Our value lies in helping businesses move from gut-led decisions to evidence-based outcomes, without removing instinct altogether. Instinct still has a place in hiring, but it must be tested against clear criteria rather than accepted without question.

Hattie Thomas , Senior Recruitment Consultant in Napier said, “Our role isn’t to remove instinct from hiring – it is to test it. When leaders can tie their gut feel back to evidence and capability, the decision is usually stronger and fairer and creates a longer term solution.”

Introducing capability frameworks creates a shared language and clear expectations across hiring teams. When leaders can articulate the real gap they are trying to fill, recruitment becomes more focused and effective. Structured interviews, tailored questions, and probing for observable behaviour help translate instinct into insight. Instead of relying on a feeling that someone “fits,” decisions can be tied back to specific capabilities, team needs, and future goals.

This approach is particularly important for senior and leadership roles. Hiring for culture fit at this level, without challenge, can lead to increasingly homogenous leadership teams and diminished decision quality over time. Culture add ensures that leadership evolves alongside the organisation, strengthening strategic thinking and resilience rather than narrowing it.

Brisbane-based Corporate & Commercial Manager, Georgia Mackie , said: “Culture fit helps create team alignment and contributes to an enjoyable motivating working environment. That shift is where recruiters deliver real, long-term value to a business, and it’s something I find myself discussing regularly with clients.”

Recruiters also support teams by constructively challenging affinity bias. This is not about confrontation, but curiosity. Pausing to reflect on why a response landed well, questioning what changed a gut feeling, and digging deeper into assumptions allows leaders to make fairer and more confident decisions. Simple practices, such as including a diverse level of interviewers or bringing in a more objective external perspective, can significantly improve outcomes.

Culture add also encourages organisations to think beyond the immediate vacancy. Hiring is not just about filling a role today, but about supporting the team’s roadmap over the next six to twelve months and beyond. By understanding what the organisation is offering candidates, as well as what it needs from them, recruitment becomes a shared journey built on mutual growth.

Hattie Thomas continued “When teams slow down long enough to define the gap they are actually trying to fill, they almost always move faster to the right hire. By supporting my clients to really focus on their hiring needs has significantly improved their outcomes.”

Ultimately, hiring managers balance recruitment alongside many other responsibilities. Recruiters add value by providing frameworks and processes that enable better decisions rather than slowing them down. Over time, this structure builds confidence, consistency, and stronger teams. Culture add does not remove intuition from hiring; it gives it purpose, direction, and accountability.

Market Insight: Where Growth Is Really Emerging in New Zealand

Wed, 20 May 2026 05:34:20 GMT

Market Insight: Where Growth Is Really Emerging in New Zealand

The current narrative around New Zealand’s economy is dominated by caution. Businesses are feeling pressure, households are adjusting spending and uncertainty, both globally and locally, continues to shape decision-making.

But when you step back and look at the underlying data and sector performance, a more balanced picture comes into focus.

This is not a downturn. It is a transition period, one defined more deliberate decision-making. As a result, a different type of growth emerging beneath the surface.

Confidence hasn’t disappeared, it has evolved.

There is no question that confidence has softened. Cost pressures, particularly fuel, have created a meaningful shock across the system, and the speed of change has amplified the impact. That alone is enough to shift behaviour.

But despite this, the fundamentals remain intact.

Spending, while moderated, is still stronger than it was this time last year in most areas. Supply chains are holding steady, avoiding the disruption many feared. Inflation pressures are present but not spreading as broadly or aggressively as expected.

What this tells us is simple: the economy has slowed, but it has not fallen apart.

Part of the disconnect lies in perception. When businesses are navigating constant uncertainty and rapid change, even moderate shifts can feel severe. That creates a gap between how the market feels and what the data shows.

At the same time, momentum is quietly building. Infrastructure investment is increasing, particularly in long-term assets like water and major development projects. Export performance in key sectors remains steady, and investment into innovation and early-stage ventures is improving.

This is what confidence looks like now, not aggressive, but measured as Kymberly Tupai , General Manager, Northern Region puts it, "We are still seeing activity across the market, but it is absolutely more considered. We are seeing our clients thinking longer-term and investing more deliberately, which is a strong signal that confidence is still there, it is just more considered."

The risk of waiting in an election cycle

As the election cycle approaches, there is a natural tendency for businesses to pause. Uncertainty around policy and direction often leads to a “wait and see” approach. However, the current environment challenges that thinking.

Confidence hasn’t declined as sharply as many anticipated, and projections point to gradual improvement heading into the back half of 2026 and beyond. Importantly, sentiment is likely to lift before the underlying economic fundamentals fully recover.

This creates a window of opportunity. Businesses that wait for certainty, whether from government direction or clearer market signals, risk missing that early upswing. In this cycle, hesitation doesn’t just delay growth; it can limit it.

There is also a broader shift underway in how growth is created. While policy settings matter, they are not the primary driver of business performance. Execution, adaptability, and internal capability are becoming far more important than external conditions.

The question is “What can we control now?” Organisations that continue to move, even cautiously, are better positioned than those sitting still.

Kymberly continued, "I am seeing firms make hiring decisions even in uncertain conditions because they recognise that waiting does not reduce risk, it often increases it. The focus has shifted to making smart, forward-looking moves rather than holding position."

Growth is happening.

One of the biggest misconceptions in the current market is that growth has stalled. In reality, growth is occurring across multiple sectors, it is just uneven and more targeted than in previous cycles.

Technology and digital services are expanding, alongside professional services and healthcare. Innovation-led industries, particularly those focused on intellectual property and high-value outputs, are attracting increased investment. The primary sector continues to perform, but with a shift toward premium, high-quality production over volume.

Tourism and business events are also rebounding strongly, supported by new infrastructure and renewed international demand, playing a broader role in driving productivity and connection across the economy.

At the same time, areas like AI-enabled science, biotech, and energy innovation are gaining traction, signalling a longer-term structural shift toward knowledge-based and capability-driven growth.

New Zealand doesn’t need to dominate these markets globally. It only needs to capture a small share and execute well to create meaningful economic value.

But this is where the challenge lies.

New Zealand has strong ideas, talent, and global credibility, yet often struggles with implementation at scale. Productivity remains a constraint, and underinvestment in leadership and capability is becoming more visible.

The opportunity is there. The differentiator will be execution. "Growth hasn’t disappeared. Businesses gaining traction are the ones investing in capability, leadership, and smarter ways of operating, rather than waiting for perfect conditions." Concluded Kymberly.

Across all these themes, a clear pattern emerges. We are no longer in an environment defined by external conditions alone. It’s increasingly shaped by how businesses respond to them.

There is no “normal” to return to, not pre-2019, not post-Covid, and not the recent slowdown. This is a reset.

Success in this cycle will come from stability over volatility, productivity over expansion for its own sake, and leadership over reliance on policy or perfect timing.

Businesses that build resilience into their operations, invest in their people, and use technology effectively will be better positioned to navigate ongoing disruption and capture emerging opportunities.

The Mid‑Level Bottleneck: Why 3–10 PQE Lawyers Are Breaking the New Zealand Legal Market

Thu, 14 May 2026 04:20:19 GMT

The Mid ‑ Level Bottleneck: Why 3–10 PQE Lawyers Are Breaking the New Zealand Legal Market

On paper, New Zealand has never had more lawyers. According to the Law Society , as of mid‑2025, there were more than 17,500 practising certificate holders, with the profession continuing to grow year‑on‑year.

Yet despite this headline growth, pressure within law firms tells a different story. Ask almost any managing partner, practice leader, or recruiter where constraints are most acute, and the answer is consistent: mid‑level lawyers are in critically short supply.

They sit at the operational core of law firms. They supervise juniors, run files with limited oversight, and provide the leverage that allows partners to focus on clients and business development. While overall lawyer numbers have increased, this cohort has become increasingly difficult to attract, develop, and retain.

This “missing middle” is not a temporary hiring issue. It’s a structural challenge, reshaping workloads, succession planning, and the long‑term sustainability of the profession.

A Demand Stack That Junior Hiring Cannot Fix

The strain on mid‑level lawyers has intensified alongside an improvement in market conditions. The Thomson Reuters Institute’s 2026 Report on the State of the New Zealand Legal Market shows that legal demand increased 5.6 percent year on year, with revenue and profits reaching their strongest levels since before the pandemic. Transactional work continues to account for more than half of overall demand, while counter‑cyclical areas such as dispute resolution and workplace relations have recorded significant growth.

As firms become busier, the need for experienced lawyers who can manage matters independently becomes more pronounced. Graduate intakes remain an important part of long‑term workforce planning, but they do not address short‑term capacity constraints. Juniors require supervision and time to develop, and without sufficient mid‑level lawyers to support that process, pressure shifts upward to senior lawyers and partners.

Senior Recruitment Consultant, Jenny Gallagher said, “The real constraint in today’s legal market is not graduate supply, it is the missing middle. Firms are hiring more juniors out of necessity, not strategy, but without mid‑level lawyers to bridge the gap, capacity, profitability, and retention all suffer.”

Overseas Mobility Is Eroding the Domestic Talent Pipeline

One of the most significant contributors to the mid‑level lawyer shortage is international mobility. New Zealand‑qualified lawyers are highly portable, particularly once they reach the four‑to‑eight‑year experience range.

The New Zealand Law Society’s Snapshot of the Profession 2024 shows that 1,240 New Zealand‑qualified lawyers were based overseas as of 30 June 2024, representing a 13% increase year on year. Of particular concern, the Law Society reports that since 2022 there has been a 43% increase in the number of 0–7 years post‑admission lawyers working for overseas organisations, materially eroding the domestic talent pipeline.

Crucially, those leaving are not only junior lawyers on an OE. Many are at precisely the stage when firms expect them to step into leadership, supervision, and mentoring roles, intensifying pressure on already thin mid‑level cohorts.

Business Development Manager, Bodie McNaught , who lived and worked in both London and Los Angeles and worked in legal recruitment for many years said, “In every market I have worked in, it is the four to eight year lawyers who leave first. They are confident, portable, and ambitious. Once that cohort hollows out, the whole system above and below starts to strain.”

Training Has Become the First Casualty of Pressure

Even where firms want to invest in developing talent, the economics of legal practice make it increasingly difficult. The Thomson Reuters report shows utilisation increasing across lawyer types, including equity partners, indicating that firms are stretching internal capacity rather than absorbing pressure through headcount growth.

Time spent training and mentoring is time not billed, and as workloads increase, structured development is often deprioritised. The result is a reinforcing cycle: senior lawyers are under pressure to deliver work, juniors take longer to become effective, and mid‑level lawyers carry a disproportionate supervisory burden.

Over time, this slows progression, contributes to burnout, and increases attrition in the very segment firms are most reliant on.

Billables, Incentives, and the Mentorship Gap

The traditional billable‑hour model compounds the challenge. Progression, recognition, and remuneration remain closely tied to individual billings; while mentoring and supervision sit outside formal performance metrics. In practice, this structure positions mentoring as a “nice‑to‑have” rather than a rewarded activity, despite its central role in developing juniors and sustaining future capacity.

Jenny Gallagher continued, “When mentoring is not formally recognised alongside billables, firms unintentionally discourage experienced lawyers from passing on knowledge, undermining succession and sustainability.”

Without deliberate intervention, this imbalance leaves firms increasingly reliant on lateral hiring to fill gaps that could otherwise be addressed through internal development, weakening institutional continuity and long‑term resilience .

Why This Bottleneck Is Breaking Firms

The consequences of the mid‑level shortage extend beyond recruitment timelines. Firms report:

increased burnout among senior lawyers
stalled business development as partners remain embedded in delivery
fragile succession pipelines when senior associates quietly exit
growing dependence on lateral hiring rather than internal progression

Periods of market strength tend to expose these weaknesses more quickly. When demand is high, thin middle layers limit scalability and amplify operational strain.

A Long ‑ Term Problem Requires Long ‑ Term Thinking

There is no quick fix for the mid‑level bottleneck. Salary increases alone cannot replace lost development capacity, and hiring more juniors without adequate supervision simply defers the problem.

What firms are increasingly being forced to confront is the need for deliberate talent design: realistic workloads, clear development pathways, and incentive structures that recognise contribution beyond immediate billings.

Bodie McNaught continued, “Markets always cycle, but the firms that come out strongest are the ones that protect their middle layer. If you lose that foundation, growth becomes fragile no matter how busy you are. Firms need to look at alternative solutions to adapt.”

As the New Zealand legal market continues to recover, the mid‑level shortage is no longer a background issue. It is the point at which demand, capacity, and sustainability intersect, and how firms respond will shape performance for years ahead.

A More Deliberate Role for Recruitment

While the mid‑level bottleneck is a long‑term structural challenge, it is not an insurmountable one. Firms that navigate it most effectively are those willing to be deliberate rather than reactive, thinking carefully about who they bring in, when they do it, and how new hires genuinely strengthen the layer beneath partnership.

In that context, recruitment, used well, can play a supportive role. Not as a transactional solution to short‑term gaps, but as a considered extension of a firm’s workforce planning. The value lies in market insight, discretion, and judgment, helping firms understand what is realistically achievable, and helping lawyers make moves that strengthen their careers rather than simply accelerate them.

For mid‑level lawyers themselves, careful conversations can be just as important. Many are not actively looking, but they are reassessing workload, development, and long‑term trajectory. Creating space for those conversations, without urgency or pressure, often leads to better outcomes for both sides.

The firms that emerge strongest from the current cycle are unlikely to be those that move fastest. They will be the ones that protect and rebuild their middle layer thoughtfully, recognising that sustainable growth is built on depth, not just demand.

The Jobs Driving Queensland’s Growth Ahead of 2032

Wed, 13 May 2026 03:25:34 GMT

The Jobs Driving Queensland’s Growth Ahead of 2032

Queensland is entering one of its biggest growth periods in decades.

Driven by the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, population growth, energy investment, housing demand and major infrastructure projects, businesses across the state are scaling rapidly and investing heavily in workforce capability.

Industry forecasts suggest Queensland will require around 18,200 additional construction workers each year through to 2032 to support this unprecedented pipeline of work.

For job seekers, this presents significant long-term career opportunities. For employers, it reinforces the importance of proactive workforce planning and attracting skilled talent early.

Here are some of the key job categories shaping Queensland’s future.

1. Construction Managers & Builders

Queensland’s construction pipeline is expected to exceed $77 billion by 2027, creating strong demand for:

Construction Managers
Project Managers
Site Supervisors
Builders
Forepersons

Major projects including Olympic venue developments, transport infrastructure and large-scale residential projects are driving sustained hiring activity across South East Queensland and regional markets.

Experienced construction leaders who can manage delivery, safety, timelines and workforce coordination will remain highly sought after in the years ahead.

2. Skilled Tradespeople

Electricians, plumbers, carpenters and other skilled trades continue to play a critical role in Queensland’s growth.

Demand is being driven across:

Residential construction
Commercial developments
Infrastructure projects
Energy and utilities
Maintenance and shutdown activity

Businesses are increasingly investing in long-term workforce retention, competitive packages and development opportunities to secure skilled trades talent.

For qualified tradespeople, the market continues to offer strong earning potential, career mobility and project diversity.

3. Civil Labourers & Operators

Civil labourers and plant operators remain essential to the delivery of major infrastructure and urban development projects across Queensland.

Key areas of demand include:

Road and transport upgrades
Rail infrastructure
Utilities and services
Urban development projects
Olympic-related infrastructure

As project activity increases, experienced workers who can contribute safely and reliably on-site are becoming increasingly valuable across both metro and regional markets.

4. Engineers

Engineering demand in Queensland has reached its highest level in more than a decade.

Organisations are actively seeking:

Civil Engineers
Structural Engineers
Electrical Engineers
Project Engineers
Design and Planning Specialists

Engineering expertise is critical to delivering complex infrastructure, transport, utilities and construction projects that will support Queensland’s long-term growth.

For professionals with technical capability and project experience, the market presents significant opportunities for career progression and leadership.

5. Health Care & Social Assistance Workers

Health care and social assistance continues to be one of Queensland’s largest and fastest-growing employment sectors.

Population growth and increased demand for community services are creating ongoing opportunities for:

Registered Nurses
Aged Care Workers
Disability Support Workers
Allied Health Professionals
Social Workers

The sector continues to offer stable long-term career pathways and meaningful work that directly supports Queensland communities.

Queensland’s Workforce Future Is Full of Opportunity

Queensland’s growth is creating momentum across construction, infrastructure, engineering, maintenance, health care and professional services.

For businesses, attracting the right people will remain a key priority as competition for talent increases.

For candidates, the years leading into 2032 represent a major opportunity to build long-term careers across industries helping shape the future of the state.

At Stellar Recruitment, we partner with businesses and professionals across Queensland to connect skilled people with projects and organisations driving real growth.

If you’re looking to strengthen your workforce or explore new career opportunities, contact the Stellar Recruitment team to start the conversation.

Sources: Construction Skills QLD QLD Health

Leadership for the Next Business Cycle, Not the Last One

Wed, 13 May 2026 02:50:32 GMT

Leadership for the Next Business Cycle, Not the Last One

In both New Zealand and Australia, business cycles have become more frequent, and more globally exposed. Both markets are highly sensitive to shifts in interest rates, trade policy, capital flows, and commodity pricing - forces that repeatedly reshape operating conditions for organisations across all sectors.

Yet when organisations appoint senior leaders, the instinct is often to look backwards. Executive hiring decisions frequently prioritise leaders who succeeded under previous conditions: leaders who stabilised cost bases during downturns, scaled operations in growth phases, or navigated a particular regulatory environment. While these experiences matter, the greater strategic question is whether those capabilities are matched to what lies ahead in unpredictable markets.

The Risk of Hiring for Familiar Problems

Boards and executive teams are, understandably, conservative stewards of capital. In periods of uncertainty, hiring leaders who have “seen it before” provides reassurance to investors and stakeholders alike. The risk is subtle: familiarity can become a proxy for readiness.

Economic cycles rarely repeat themselves in the same way. Inflationary environments differ from productivity-driven slowdowns; capital constraints differ from labour shortages. Institutional economic analysis across Australasia consistently highlights that successive cycles are shaped by different combinations of global and domestic pressures.

As Kymberly Tupai , General Manager NZ Northern Region, puts it, “Hiring leaders based solely on what the business has lived through before can unintentionally anchor strategy to the past. The opportunity is to appoint leaders who can navigate uncertainty, not just familiar conditions.”

Shorter Cycles Demand More Adaptive Leadership

Both New Zealand and Australia have experienced compressed economic cycles driven by monetary tightening, global volatility, and structural shifts in productivity and labour markets. Central bank commentary routinely points to a future marked by greater economic variability rather than long periods of equilibrium.

Despite this, executive appointments are still often framed around static multi‑year plans. The reality is that senior leaders are now expected to guide organisations through multiple operating environments during a single tenure. Financial acumen remains important. But adaptability, judgement under ambiguity, and the ability to recalibrate strategy quickly in a changing market have become equally critical.

The Danger of Overweighting Industry Experience

Deep industry knowledge has long been the default requirement for executive roles. However, industry structures, regulatory settings, and margin drivers evolve faster than many leadership careers and as such, hiring behaviours are adapting.

Executive search increasingly places greater weight on how leaders think rather than where they have worked. Leaders who demonstrate learning agility, commercial pattern recognition, and transferable strategic frameworks are often better equipped for future cycles than those whose experience is tightly coupled to legacy market conditions.

Jordan Honess , Principal Consultant in Brisbane, said, “Industry experience still matters, particularly in senior leadership and executive roles, but it cannot be the whole story. The strongest leaders are those who can apply sound financial and strategic judgement across changing contexts.”

Culture as a Financial Asset, Not a Constant

Culture is often discussed as a static element to “fit into.” In reality, culture is dynamic and during economic transitions, it becomes a material financial lever.

Periods of tighter capital availability demand stronger performance discipline, clearer accountability, and faster decision‑making. Hiring leaders purely for cultural continuity can inadvertently preserve behaviours optimised for different conditions. Forward‑looking leadership appointments consider whether an executive can evolve culture in line with strategic and financial realities, rather than simply maintain it.

This is especially relevant in markets like New Zealand and Australia, where long‑term productivity growth remains a key strategic objective across many public and private sectors.

The Hidden Cost of “Safe” Appointments

Conservative executive appointments often feel prudent. They reduce perceived risk and offer immediate comfort to boards. But the cost of excessive caution is rarely visible on a balance sheet.

Leaders selected primarily for risk avoidance may protect short‑term earnings while limiting strategic optionality, and growth. Over time, this quiet opportunity cost can be more damaging than the risks that organisations initially sought to avoid.

Executive search reframes leadership risk as a matter of fit for the future , not perfection in the past.

Executive Search as Strategic Foresight

At its best, executive search is not a hiring solution - it is a form of strategic foresight. By assessing leaders against multiple future scenarios rather than a single historical brief, organisations gain access to talent capable of leading through change, not just stability.

For organisations operating in the structurally cyclical environments across ANZ, the most important leadership question is not: “Who solved the last problem best?” It is, “Who has the ability to guide us through whatever comes next?”

The Reality Behind WA’s Workforce Pressure

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:07:31 GMT

The Reality Behind WA’s Workforce Pressure

Insights from Hayden Gladish, General Manager – Stellar Maintenance

Western Australia continues to attract talent at scale. On the surface, the story is familiar – strong wages, major projects, and long-term opportunity. But beneath that, there is a more complex reality shaping how maintenance teams operate, how businesses perform, and how sustainable the workforce model really is.

We sat down with Hayden Gladish, General Manager of Stellar Maintenance, to unpack what he is seeing across the market.

With over two decades in mining and maintenance, his view is clear, direct, and grounded in experience.

“The issue isn’t just shortage. It’s capability.”

Since stepping into the General Manager role over 12 months ago, Hayden has gained a broader view of the system, and his first observation cuts straight to the core.

“The biggest thing I’ve seen is the level of skill dilution across the state,” he says. “There’s a labour shortage, but more importantly, there’s a capability issue underneath it.”

That pressure is now flowing directly into business performance.

“It’s restricting organisations from growing because of the cost to do business. And that’s not just mining or maintenance, it’s across the board.”

He explains that rising labour costs are not simply a result of demand, but how that demand is playing out in the market.

“As with any resource, scarcity drives value. In this case, it’s skilled labour.”

“But what’s happening is companies are offering uplifts well above CPI, and people are moving for higher pay, not because their capability has increased.”

That movement is creating a cycle. “One company pays more, people move. The next company pays more again. But the skill set doesn’t necessarily follow.”

“You end up with people moving into roles they’re not fully equipped for, and over time that dilutes the overall capability of the workforce.”

It’s a pattern he sees as unsustainable. “It’s a continual cycle, and it’s not healthy long term, not just for the industry, but for the economy.”

“About 5% of WA’s population is in mining, around 150,000 people. Those people aren’t building houses, working in healthcare, or teaching the next generation. That has a broader impact.”

Opportunity is still there, but it rewards action

Despite the structural challenges, Hayden is clear on why people continue to move west. “Opportunity. It’s as simple as that.”

But he is equally clear that not everyone is prepared to take it.

“I get asked all the time how to get into mining. My answer is always the same, move to Kalgoorlie.”

He uses that response as a filter. “The reaction tells you everything about how serious someone is. Someone can leave Sydney on a Sunday, be in Kalgoorlie by midweek, and be earning strong money within days. They can accelerate their career quickly, but only if they’re prepared to commit.”

At the core of it is personal accountability.

“Anyone can make something of themselves if they have the right internal driver. That ‘why’ matters.”

Where maintenance teams are really feeling it

On site, the impact of these workforce dynamics shows up quickly. Hayden points to three consistent pressure points

1. Loss of mechanical fundamentals

“There’s a lack of mechanical aptitude and first-principles thinking,” he explains.

“No matter how good your maintenance plan is, no matter how advanced your CMMS is, if the person executing the task doesn’t understand what’s acceptable, that becomes your weakest link.”

“You can’t systemise your way out of poor understanding at the execution level.”

2. Accountability has shifted

Hayden is candid about the cultural shift he has seen over time. “There used to be more accountability on site. The old carton rule, mateship, people keeping each other honest.”

“You’d get pulled up if something wasn’t right, and then you’d sit down after shift and talk through what was learnt.”

“There wasn’t as much reliance on supervision because everyone was holding the line.”

That dynamic has changed. “With a more transitional workforce, people are moving more often. That reduces ownership, whether it’s quality control or following process.”

3. Training is being undervalued

“There’s a reluctance from individuals to invest in training,” he says. “But organisations also need to be clearer on where their strengths and weaknesses actually are.”

“Understand the weakness, then upskill the weakness.”

The upside is direct. “A higher-skilled workforce improves tool time efficiency, reduces cost, and ultimately means you get better outcomes with fewer people.”

The real operational impact

For Hayden, the impact of skill shortages goes well beyond hiring. “There’s still a level of immaturity in how maintenance is understood as a system.”

And it’s not just at trade level. “Skill shortages extend into leadership. The best trades don’t always make the best leaders, but that’s often how progression happens.”

That creates a gap in how maintenance is managed. “Leaders need to understand systems and end-to-end processes, not just how to diagnose a single issue.”

Measurement is another challenge. “To properly understand downtime, safety, and cost, you need a strong Time Utilisation Model (TUM).”

“That means measuring rework, poor workmanship, delays, operational damage, properly and with integrity.”

He acknowledges why that doesn’t always happen. “Those metrics expose weaknesses, and not everyone is comfortable putting that on the table.”

But for Hayden, that’s exactly the point. “If you don’t measure it, you can’t fix it. Personally, I like to see where we can improve & improve.”

Different strategies, different outcomes

Across the market, Hayden is seeing a wide range of approaches to workforce strategy, largely driven by business model, cost pressure, and project timelines.

Some organisations are taking a long-term, commercially driven view.

“Commodity-driven businesses tend to think longer term. They focus on reducing all-in sustaining cost (AISC) to stay competitive and protect shareholder value.”

That’s driving a shift towards international workforce strategies.

“There’s a strong demand for international talent because it increases tool time efficiency per hour worked. The cost savings can then be reinvested back into developing the workforce.”

Others are taking a more immediate approach.

“Some organisations are paying above market rates to drive short-term output, hoping the productivity gain offsets the cost. In some cases, that’s supported by a more transitional workforce over time, which creates a more unpredictable cost base.”

He also points to more structured, project-specific models.

“We’ve worked with clients on fixed-duration projects, for example three-year programmes, where they don’t want the risk of carrying a workforce beyond that window.”

“In those cases, we scope the workforce as a hedged cost. It removes guesswork for board approval and operates similarly to contract mining, just focused on people.”

Alongside these approaches, there is growing investment in workforce development.

“Apprenticeship pathways, upskilling programmes, and ex-ADF initiatives are all positive steps. The key is maintaining balance so you don’t dilute capability or culture.”

Across all models, one principle remains constant.

“To be successful, organisations need a collaborative approach. Your people teams need to understand attrition, production demand, and build a pipeline accordingly.”

“You should be planning at least 18 months ahead using today’s data.”

System-level performance starts earlier than you think

When asked where the biggest opportunity sits, Hayden doesn’t hesitate. “Clean up your CMMS. And use it properly.”

But for him, that’s only part of the picture. “This doesn’t start with a maintenance plan. It starts at procurement.”

“Control the source of what’s coming into the business. That allows you to lock in quality, leverage bulk buying, and remove opinion at execution level.”

From there, performance becomes data-driven. “Analyse the data for continuous improvement. And importantly, don’t just focus on what’s going wrong.”

“If certain areas aren’t causing issues, stretch them. Free up tool time and reallocate it where it adds more value.”

Real solutions require commercial discipline

Hayden is clear that many organisations are still applying short-term fixes to structural problems. “Sometimes you need to stop and sharpen the axe,” he says.

“Step back and ask, what is actually best for the business?”

That starts with fundamentals. “What is the labour budget? What is the actual labour cost? And how do you achieve that budget?”

From there, workforce strategy becomes a lever, not just a cost. “Embedding your own workforce isn’t just about limiting cash bleed. There’s unquantified upside.”

“You reduce admin across mobilisation, demobilisation, purchase orders, invoicing. All of that creates inefficiencies, and often drives skill dilution in support functions.”

It also changes behaviour on the ground. “You build a customised team with ownership and pride.”

“And in many cases, saving $100k over two years on a single labour head comes down to having the courage to challenge the status quo.”

Workforce strategy is not role filling

For Hayden, the difference between recruitment and true workforce strategy is simple. “It’s like a sports team. You need the right players in the right positions.”

“If you’re not putting the best team forward, you’re setting the team, yourself & the business up to fail.”

The approach is continuous. “Understand the weakness then plug the gap, look for the next weakness, plug the gap – keep raising the average of the skill set. “

Over time, that lifts overall capability. “If it works, you win. If it doesn’t, you still win, because you learn and improve.”

Built on experience, not theory

What differentiates Stellar Maintenance, in Hayden’s view, comes down to one thing – experience-backed judgement.

“I know what to look for because I’ve lived it.”

“I grew up watching Emu Export adverts of miners breaking a sweat in the Pilbara red dirt, stubbie shorts, four weeks on, one week off. Then over 23 years in the industry, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly, worked with great mentors, seen mine closures, and learnt a lot from people around me.”

For Hayden, that exposure shapes how he approaches the role today.

“There’s no point reinventing the wheel when you can learn from experience that’s already been earned.”

“Without giving away too many secrets, it comes down to due diligence, both in-country and internationally. It’s about doing what other people can’t be bothered doing.”

“Know what the client wants, and give them exactly that, not what you think they want.”

His track record reflects that approach.

“Over the past five years, I’ve been involved in seven international campaigns across both the northern and southern hemispheres, bringing in just over 140 trades from nine different countries. Only one hasn’t worked out in Australia. Technically, he was one of the best, but his comprehension just wasn’t where it needed to be.”

“I’ve learnt from that experience, and that’s the point. No matter what, you keep refining and improving.”

What strong partnerships actually look like

For Hayden, high-performing partnerships are straightforward in principle, but not always in practice. “Collaboration. Transparency. Trust.”

There is also a shared responsibility. “We don’t want to waste anyone’s time, and that has to go both ways.”

In a constrained labour market, alignment becomes critical. “Labour skills shortage is systemic – we need to be united to achieve the right results.”

Straight advice for the market

Hayden’s advice is simple and direct.

For candidates, “Walk the walk if you talk the talk, back it up. Don’t be entitled. Earn your stripes. Never stop learning. Become a subject matter expert. Be the “go to” person people rely on to solve problems.”

For operations leaders, “Pick up the phone. Have the conversation, even if it’s just a vent.”

He’s also realistic about the environments many leaders are operating in. “Some organisations are constrained by internal red tape. That’s where we can flex while still working within the guidelines.”

And ultimately, it comes down to influence, “Make the case compelling” he says.

Looking forward: planning is the differentiator

When it comes to future workforce demand, Hayden brings it back to fundamentals.

“Understand the life of your project. Factor in labour demand, fleet hours, attrition, and your labour factor.”

“That gives you the centreline pipeline you need to build.”

He is clear on where most businesses get it wrong. “At project start, everyone focuses on plant and process. It should be plant, process, people.”

“Where are the people coming from? And what’s the risk and opportunity on your project budget if you get that wrong?”

Because ultimately, that’s where the biggest exposure sits. “People are your most valuable resource. If you don’t plan for them properly, you’re carrying risk whether you realise it or not.”

And his advice is simple.

“Be proactive. Take the first steps.”

“Done properly, this industry creates real opportunity to inspire growth and change lives.”

If you’re reviewing your workforce strategy, planning for future demand, or feeling the impact of skill shortages on site, it’s worth having the conversation early.

Stellar Maintenance partners with businesses to deliver reliable, high-performing maintenance teams, backed by real operational insight.

Reach out to Hayden to find out how Stellar Maintenance can help your business.

Work, Lifestyle, Opportunity: Why Western Australia Is on the Rise

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:48:36 GMT

Work, Lifestyle, Opportunity: Why Western Australia Is on the Rise

Western Australia is becoming a destination of choice for skilled professionals, with growing numbers relocating for career progression, lifestyle advantages, and long-term stability.

From world-class mining operations and major infrastructure projects to a lifestyle built around space, sunshine and the outdoors, Western Australia has become one of the most compelling places to live and work.

Why Move to Western Australia in 2026?

Western Australia offers a strong combination of career opportunity and lifestyle benefits, particularly for professionals across mining, construction, engineering and maintenance.

Key reasons people are choosing to relocate include:

A lifestyle defined by open space, coastline and outdoor adventure
Strong demand across mining, resources, infrastructure and maintenance
Large-scale projects across the Pilbara, Goldfields and metro regions
Competitive salaries and strong earning potential
A mix of FIFO, DIDO and residential roles offering flexibility

With continued investment across resources and infrastructure, Western Australia remains one of Australia’s most stable and opportunity-rich employment markets.

High-Demand Jobs in Western Australia

Employers across Western Australia are actively seeking skilled professionals across a wide range of roles.

These include:

Mining engineers across open pit & underground operations
Mining & Maintenance supervisors and superintendents (S26)
Project managers and project engineers
Construction professionals and operators
Maintenance and technical specialists
HSEQ & Training support staff
MEM Fitters& Auto Electricians,
Boilermakers, FXP Fitters and FXP Electricians
Asset & Reliability Managers

Opportunities span both regional operations and Perth-based roles, offering a range of career pathways depending on your experience and preferred lifestyle.

Support with Your Move to Western Australia

Relocating for work is a big decision, but many employers across Western Australia provide support to make the transition easier.

This often includes:

Relocation assistance
Short-term accommodation
Structured onboarding into site or project environments

There is also increasing openness to interstate and international candidates, particularly for in-demand roles where experience and capability are highly valued.

Western Australia Lifestyle is More Than Just a Job

One of the biggest reasons professionals choose Western Australia is the lifestyle.

From the beaches of Perth to the rugged landscapes of the north and the vineyards of the south, Western Australia offers a level of variety that’s hard to match.

With a warm climate and long sunny days, life outside of work becomes part of the experience. Weekends can be spent at the coast, exploring national parks, travelling through regional towns or simply enjoying a slower pace.

Compared to more congested cities, Western Australia offers more space, less traffic and a lifestyle that feels more balanced.

Thinking About Moving to Western Australia?

If you’re considering a move to Western Australia for work, now is the time. Demand for skilled professionals remains strong, and employers are increasingly open to interstate and international candidates.

Explore current opportunities and relocation advice on our website.

Stellar Recruitment has been connecting people with life-changing opportunities since 2006. With deep industry networks and offices across Australia and New Zealand, we’re here to help you take the next step confidently.

NZ Civil & Construction Change Signals

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 20:29:01 GMT

New Zealand Civil & Construction: White‑Collar Demand Signals a Turning Point

After more than a year of subdued confidence, New Zealand’s construction and civil sector is beginning to show clear signs of recovery - particularly across white‑collar and professional roles.

According to SEEK’s Quarterly Employment Snapshot (March 2026), New Zealand job ads increased 12.3% year‑on‑year, marking a decisive shift from the contraction seen through much of 2024 and early 2025. Construction is leading that rebound, with demand accelerating faster than any other major sector.

General Manager Northern Region, Kymberly Tupai said, “What we’re seeing now is not just a bounce‑back, it is a recalibration of the construction and civil workforce. White‑collar demand has returned faster than candidate confidence, which puts people, culture and leadership at the centre of every hiring decision in 2026.”

Construction job ads grew 23.3% at a sector level, and 37.6% at an industry level, reflecting a resurgence not just in onsite activity but across planning, engineering, commercial and project-based functions. Engineering roles alone rose 25.2% year‑on‑year, reinforcing that this recovery is being driven by the front end of projects as much as by delivery.

White‑Collar Demand Is Outpacing Candidate Supply

While demand has surged, candidate availability has not followed at the same pace. Applications per job ad fell 5.3% year‑on‑year, continuing a decline that has been in place since August 2025. Construction recorded the steepest drop in applications per ad, down 16%, highlighting a tightening talent pool for experienced professionals.

This imbalance is especially acute in white‑collar construction and civil roles, including project managers, engineers, commercial managers, planners, estimators and design professionals, where skills shortages were never fully resolved during the downturn.

Adding to the challenge, Wellington recorded the lowest applications per ad nationally at ‑11%, underscoring regional constraints in professional talent availability despite widespread job growth.

Regional Momentum Is Broad-Based

Unlike previous cycles where growth was concentrated in one or two centres, this recovery is being felt nationwide.

All regions reported increases in job ads, with Southland (+26.2%), Otago (+21.9%), and Canterbury (+18.8%) leading the way. For civil and vertical construction employers, this points to sustained pipelines across infrastructure, regional development, and long‑term public and private investment.

Canterbury’s performance is particularly significant given its role as a major hub for engineering, commercial construction, and professional services linked to large‑scale civil programmes.

Christchurch based Principal Consultant, Andrew Knight said, “The strongest indicator for us is the growth in professional and engineering roles. Employers are clearly preparing projects long before shovels hit the ground, but the drop in applications per role tells us the same experienced people are being targeted by multiple organisations at once.”

What This Means for Employers

Despite improving headline numbers, the market remains candidate‑driven for white‑collar construction and civil professionals.

Unemployment in New Zealand now sits at 5.4%, up marginally quarter‑on‑quarter, but this rise has not translated into increased availability of experienced construction professionals. Instead, employers are facing intensifying competition for a relatively fixed pool of senior and mid‑level talent.

Jack Mullins , Recruitment Consultant in our Auckland office said, “Construction has moved back into growth, but it’s a different market now. The companies that will win are those thinking beyond short‑term hiring and investing in capability, succession and long‑term workforce strategy - particularly across civil and infrastructure programmes.”

For organisations entering delivery phases in 2026, success is increasingly tied to:

Early workforce planning aligned to project pipelines
Competitive and clearly articulated total reward packages
Strong employer branding and project storytelling
Faster decision‑making in hiring processes

The data suggests that while construction confidence has returned, talent constraints will be one of the defining commercial risks of the year ahead.

The Passive Lawyer Mindset

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:37:42 GMT

The Passive Lawyer Mindset

Why most experienced lawyers aren’t job hunting, even when they are unhappy

Most experienced New Zealand lawyers don’t think of themselves as “job seekers”.

They are busy. Their calendars are booked in six‑minute increments. Their professional reputations matter. And even when something is off, the culture, the hours, the lack of progression, they rarely respond by opening a job app and scrolling job ads.

Yet the data tells us something important: a large proportion of experienced professionals are open to change, even if they are not actively looking.

In its 2026 Job Market Insights, Trade Me Jobs found that 96% of New Zealand workers are either actively looking or open to a new role, with nearly half expecting to change jobs within the next 12 months. At the same time, almost three‑quarters of job hunters don’t believe it’s a good time to be actively searching. This tension, high openness, low confidence, defines the passive market.

What we are seeing across the legal sector is not a lack of dissatisfaction. It is a mismatch between how lawyers think about career moves and how traditional recruitment expects them to behave.

Why most experienced lawyers stay passive

Across the broader employment market, intent to move roles is rising, but activity hasn’t risen at the same pace.

SEEK’s February 2026 Employment Report shows job ads growing year‑on‑year, while applications per job ad are falling. In practical terms, employers are hiring again, but candidate behaviour is becoming more selective. That pattern mirrors what legal recruiters see every day: fewer speculative applications, more quiet consideration.

For experienced lawyers, dissatisfaction doesn’t automatically trigger a job search. Instead, it shows up as:

Quiet reflection, often over months
Waiting for “the right moment” rather than the right title
Being open to a conversation, but resistant to noise

Senior Legal Recruitment Consultant, Jenny Gallagher said, “Senior lawyers don’t job hunt in bulk. They think quietly, watch closely, and move when it feels both viable and worthwhile.”

Trade Me Jobs’ 2026 data reinforces this: dissatisfaction explains why people consider leaving a role, but it doesn’t dictate where they go. In fact, the strongest motivations in 2026 were “push factors”, dissatisfaction with culture, feeling undervalued, burnout, rather than being actively pulled by an advertised opportunity.

Why lawyers don’t “job search” like other professionals

Legal careers are different. Lawyers are trained to be cautious, selective, and evidence‑driven. Many have invested years, sometimes decades, into building firm‑specific capital, client relationships, and internal credibility. The perceived downside of a misstep is high.

“Most of the lawyers I speak to aren’t unhappy enough to leave, but they’re not fulfilled enough to ignore a good conversation.” Said Jenny Gallagher.

SEEK’s February 2026 report notes that legal job ads declined month‑on‑month, even as hiring activity picked up in many other sectors. That doesn’t mean lawyers aren’t moving, it means movement is quieter, more discreet, and less driven by public advertising.

“The data tells us people are open to moving, but lawyers still wait for the right timing. That’s why trust matters more than titles.” Said Stellar Recruitment General Manager, Kymberly Tupai.

This is why many senior lawyers don’t apply for advertised roles at all. They know:

Job ads rarely tell the full truth about culture or expectations
Progression pathways can look attractive on paper and stall in reality
Confidentiality matters, curiosity doesn’t equal commitment

Most experienced lawyers sit firmly in the “keeping an eye out” category described by Trade Me Jobs, open, but only if the opportunity respects their time, values their experience, and feels worth the disruption.

“Dissatisfaction explains why someone might leave a role. It doesn’t explain where they want to go, that requires a deeper conversation.” Continued Kymberly.

Six‑minute increments and career decisions

In law, time is literally money.

When your day is structured around billable units, job searching becomes expensive, cognitively and commercially. Trade Me Jobs’ 2026 research highlights that even highly motivated job hunters find the process time‑intensive and frustrating, with “time taken to apply” consistently ranking among the top pain points.

That’s why career decisions for lawyers aren’t made in bursts of activity, but through slow accumulation:

A restructure that didn’t land well
A senior hire that changed the tone of the team
Flexibility promised, then quietly walked back
Work that no longer feels challenging, or feels unsustainable

A move rarely starts with a title or a salary figure. It starts when the cost of staying begins to outweigh the risk of moving, and that calculation is deeply personal.

What actually makes experienced lawyers respond

Even in a cautious market, employers continue to report difficulty accessing high‑quality talent.

Trade Me Jobs’ employer insights for 2026 show that finding quality candidates remains the most common hiring challenge, despite higher candidate volumes and lower confidence. In other words, availability and accessibility are two very different things.

So, what cuts through?

For lawyers, it’s almost never a generic pitch. It is:

A credible, informed approach from someone who understands legal careers
A conversation that acknowledges uncertainty rather than overselling certainty
Clarity around flexibility, progression, and expectations, not just prestige
Respect for discretion, timing, and autonomy

These factors map directly to what employees say they value most in 2026: pay, flexibility, and career progression, areas where Trade Me Jobs consistently identifies a perception gap between employers and employees.

“In legal recruitment, fewer applications does not mean less interest. It usually means higher standards.” Said Jenny.

Why timing matters more than titles

Employers often assume that people move towards something, a bigger role, better pay, a stronger brand.

In reality, Trade Me Jobs’ 2026 data shows most workers move away from dissatisfaction first. The destination comes later. Dissatisfaction explains exit, but not direction.

This is why the most meaningful conversations with passive lawyers don’t start with “here’s a role”, but with:

“What has changed for you this year?”
“What are you no longer willing to compromise on?”
“What does sustainable success look like now, not five years ago?”

Careers are increasingly non‑linear, a point reinforced by Trade Me Jobs’ findings on mobility, industry openness, and changing expectations around progression and flexibility.

The quiet majority

Most experienced lawyers aren’t scrolling job boards. They’re heads‑down, capable, performant, and thinking.

They don’t want pressure. They don’t want noise. And they don’t want a process that treats them like a volume applicant.

They want a conversation grounded in reality, timing, and trust, one that respects how lawyers make decisions.

If this resonates, Kymberly Tupai and Jenny Gallagher are always open to a confidential, exploratory conversation. No CVs, no pressure.

From Mexico to Middle America - and Back Home to Aotearoa

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:22:20 GMT

From Mexico to Middle America - and Back Home to Aotearoa

By Kymberly Tupai.

Over recent weeks, General Manager Northern Region, Kymberly Tupai spent time travelling through Mexico and the United States, joining friends and family from across the world for a wedding that brought together people from Europe, across the Americas, and a handful of New Zealanders who had made the long journey.

What stood out was not simply the distance people had travelled to be there - it was how often New Zealand came up in conversation.

Between airport lounges, long road trips, tequila‑fuelled celebrations, and quieter conversations the morning after, a familiar theme emerged time and again: people were thinking seriously about moving to Aotearoa.

Travel has a way of reframing how home is viewed, and seeing New Zealand reflected back through the perspectives of international friends offered powerful insight.

In Mexico, the richness of culture was unmistakable - vibrant colours, music woven into everyday life, and a deep emphasis on family and community. The United States brought scale and intensity: big ambition, big opportunity, and equally big pressures. Europe offered history, sophistication, and long‑established ways of living shaped over centuries.

Yet despite the appeal of each place, conversations consistently circled back to New Zealand.

Not because it is perfect, those who live here know it comes with its own challenges, but because it offers something increasingly rare globally: balance.

These overseas conversations mirror what data continues to show at home. According to insights from MBIE and Statistics New Zealand, lifestyle remains the leading reason people choose to move to New Zealand. Around 44 percent cite the country’s relaxed pace of life, while 40 percent are drawn to the clean, green environment. Nearly 39 percent reference better opportunities and a safer future for their children.

Those themes came through repeatedly in conversations with wedding guests balancing demanding careers and young families. Many weren’t chasing “more” in the traditional sense, they were chasing better.

New Zealand’s strong performance across global measures of safety, freedom and quality of life continues to resonate internationally. Rankings such as the OECD Better Life Index and the Global Peace Index reinforce that the appeal goes well beyond scenery. At its core, it’s about trust, fairness, and a sense of community.

From a workforce perspective, demand remains strong in sectors including healthcare, construction, engineering, and IT. Green List pathways continue to play a key role in attracting skilled talent aligned with New Zealand’s longer‑term needs.

Migration, of course, is not one‑directional. New Zealand continues to experience both strong arrivals and departures, particularly with the ongoing draw of Australia’s higher wages and opportunities. Net migration peaked in late 2023 and has since moderated, a reminder that people are making thoughtful, intentional decisions about where and how they want to live.

Cost of living pressures are real and widely acknowledged. But when weighed against lifestyle, safety, space, and the ability to genuinely enjoy life outside of work, New Zealand remains an appealing trade‑off for many considering their next chapter.

Returning home after weeks abroad brought a familiar mix of jet lag and gratitude. Tired, disoriented, but deeply grounded.

Travel highlights how interconnected the world has become, but it also reinforces why New Zealand continues to be a destination of choice for so many. At Stellar Recruitment, supporting people through that decision, whether welcoming international talent, helping families settle, or connecting skilled professionals with meaningful opportunities, remains a point of pride.

For many, Aotearoa is more than a destination.

It is a reset. A long‑term decision. A place to put down roots.

And when seen through global eyes, that choice feels even more intentional.

The Corporate & Commercial Skills Shift: What New Zealand Businesses Are Hiring for in 2026

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:27:14 GMT

The Corporate & Commercial Skills Shift: What New Zealand Businesses are Hiring for in 2026

After several years of economic uncertainty, New Zealand’s job market has entered a new phase in 2026. Hiring hasn’t stopped, but it has sharpened and become more intentional. Businesses are still bringing roles to market; however, the focus has shifted away from growth and towards capability.

Across corporate and commercial teams, employers are prioritising people who can think commercially, adapt quickly, and work confidently with technology. It is no longer about building bigger teams – it is about building the right teams for the business.

The broader labour market is showing early signs of stabilisation. Job ads have levelled out, confidence is gradually returning, and people continue to move between roles - even without a full economic rebound. In practice, much of the hiring activity we are seeing in 2026 is being driven by replacement and operational need rather than expansion.

In Auckland, this more cautious approach is particularly evident across corporate and professional services environments. Sam Chatterley‑Hodgson , Recruitment Consultant in Auckland, says, “Clients aren’t putting hiring on hold, but they are definitely thinking harder about every role. There’s much more focus on whether a position genuinely adds value and how quickly someone can make an impact once they’re in.”

Rather than rushing to fill gaps, organisations are taking the time to assess what they actually need - and what success looks like in each role.

One of the strongest shifts we are seeing is in how commercial capability is defined. While demand remains steady for roles that sit close to revenue, customers, and delivery, there is far less appetite for standalone analytical or purely strategic positions.

Instead, commercial thinking is being embedded directly into core roles. As Sam explains, “There is less separation between strategy and execution now. Employers want people who can understand the numbers, weigh up priorities, and make sound decisions as part of their day‑to‑day role.”

Commercial acumen has moved from being a specialist skillset to a baseline expectation - particularly in leaner, flatter teams.

With most hiring driven by churn, businesses are paying closer attention to how people work, not just where they have worked before. Adaptability, learning mindset, and comfort with change are increasingly valued over tenure or traditional career paths.

This trend is especially evident in regional markets, where roles often evolve as businesses respond to changing conditions. Hattie Thomas , Senior Consultant based in Stellar Recruitment’s Napier office, says, “In regions like Hawke’s Bay, employers are looking for people who can adapt as the business does. Someone who’s flexible, willing to learn, and open to broader responsibility is often a better fit than someone with a very fixed skillset.”

Rather than waiting for a “perfect” hire, many organisations are choosing people with the potential to grow and supporting them once they are through the door.

Technology is also beginning to influence hiring decisions, albeit more quietly than expected. While many organisations are still early in their AI and automation journeys, expectations around tech confidence are rising.

Employers are not necessarily seeking specialists, but they do expect people to be comfortable using systems, data, and digital tools to work more efficiently.

From a South Island perspective, Fiona Sanderson , Recruitment Consultant in Christchurch, has observed a similar shift, “We are seeing much more emphasis on productivity. Clients want people who are confident using systems and tools to make their work easier - not just relying on extra headcount to get things done.”

In a cautious market, lifting productivity within existing teams has become just as important as adding new roles.

Despite increased candidate availability, skill shortages persist. One of the key challenges for employers is aligning what they offer with what candidates are genuinely looking for.

In 2026, employees are clear about their priorities: pay transparency, flexibility, and visible career progression. When these elements are not clear, people are far more likely to keep looking - even in a slower market.

Hattie adds, “We’re seeing candidates walk away from roles where flexibility or progression isn’t clearly defined. Even when jobs are harder to come by, people still want clarity about where a role can take them.”

Getting the balance right between attraction and retention has never been more important.

What This Means for Employers in 2026

As the market continues to adjust, the most successful organisations are consistently:

Designing roles deliberately, not by default
Separating retention conversations from recruitment strategies
Hiring for capability and potential, then investing in development
Being clear and upfront about flexibility and progression

Fiona sums it up well, “The employers who are making confident hires right now are the ones willing to invest in people, not just wait for the ideal candidate to appear.”

Across Stellar Recruitment’s eight New Zealand offices, our teams are seeing this shift play out in corporate and commercial markets nationwide. Clients are asking more thoughtful questions about structure, capability, and long‑term fit - and candidates are doing the same.

In an environment where recovery is steady but fragile, the quality of hiring decisions matters more than ever. Organisations that prioritise commercial thinking, adaptability, and practical capability will be best placed to succeed, whatever the next 12 months bring.

New Zealand Labour Market - April 2026

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:16:13 GMT

New Zealand Labour Market - April 2026

The New Zealand labour market in early 2026 shows clear signs of recovery, with job ads rising across key sectors, improving employer sentiment, and strong worker mobility. At the same time, labour shortages and skill‑specific gaps continue to challenge businesses nationwide.

For Stellar Recruitment, the Construction, Civil, Manufacturing, and Corporate & Commercial sectors all present strong hiring conditions, increasing salary pressures, and a significant opportunity to support clients as they compete for talent.

Construction remains the strongest performer nationally. SEEK reports that job ads in the sector have grown 38.9% year on year, the fastest of any industry, and the South Island is leading much of this growth, with Otago, Southland, West Coast, and Canterbury each recording more than 20% annual increases. With nearly half of New Zealand’s workforce expecting to move roles in 2026, businesses are preparing for heightened recruitment and replacement activity, particularly as burnout and dissatisfaction continue to drive turnover across the industry.

Civil infrastructure mirrors this trajectory. SEEK’s data published in March 2026 shows engineering roles, core to civil projects, up 26.3% year on year, with activity centred in Canterbury, Otago, Wellington, and Waikato. Skill shortages remain acute across engineering, project management, machine operation, surveying, and logistics support. This environment makes proactive recruitment essential, and Stellar Recruitment is well positioned to meet this demand.

As Business Development Manager Mike Newell explains, “Candidates are more open than ever to making a move. This gives us a window to place high‑calibre individuals into businesses that are ready to grow again.”

Manufacturing, Transport, and Logistics are also regaining momentum after several challenging years. Job ads have risen approximately 2.2% month on month, with annual growth sitting at around 2.7%, driven strongly by South Island hubs such as Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. Yet organisations continue to face significant skill shortages across production, warehousing, and transport roles.

Principal Consultant Katie France notes: “We’re seeing real momentum returning to manufacturing and logistics, but skill shortages haven’t eased. Our clients are relying heavily on us to ensure continuity of staffing and future‑proof their operations.” She adds, “This sector rewards speed and precision. When we understand exactly what our clients need, and what motivates our candidates, placement becomes not just possible, but predictable.”

With 89% of workers open to new opportunities, the environment is ideal for strategic headhunting, machine operators, warehouse staff, production managers, and transport operators remain consistently in demand. Success in this sector will rely on strong employer partnerships and deep candidate networks.

Across Corporate & Commercial fields, including Marketing, Finance, HR, Sales, Legal, and Professional Services, the recovery is more uneven but still rich with opportunity.

Legal roles have seen one of the fastest increases in advertised salaries at 6.7% year on year, while Marketing and Communications roles have risen 5.6%, signalling growing appetite for strategic and creative capability. Workers in these fields continue to prioritise competitive pay, flexibility, and career development. However, many employers misjudge these priorities, contributing to higher turnover driven by poor culture, feeling undervalued, or limited progression pathways.

Business Manager Sally Paris explains: “Corporate candidates are clear about what they want - growth, flexibility, and meaningful work. Companies that adapt quickly will secure the best talent.” Katie France adds from her daily conversations: “We’re hearing from candidates who aren’t necessarily running toward a job, but away from environments that no longer feel aligned. Our role is to match them with organisations that genuinely support their aspirations.”

Across all industries, mobility is at an all‑time high. Trade Me reports that 96% of employees are open to new opportunities, and nearly half anticipate changing roles this year. Despite this, job hunters remain frustrated by a lack of employer communication and limited pay transparency. Meanwhile, employers continue to face challenges sourcing high‑quality candidates across engineering, IT, trades, logistics, and care‑based sectors.

These pressures are amplified by New Zealand’s fragile economic backdrop, shaped by global instability affecting fuel prices, supply chains, and business confidence. Still, Construction, Civil, Logistics, and Healthcare are leading the country’s recovery.

Reflecting on this environment, Sally Paris notes: “The market is constantly shifting. We can’t rely on old playbooks when candidate expectations and employer constraints are changing every quarter.” Mike Newell added, “Those who invest now, both in people and process, will be ahead of their competitors when the economy fully rebounds.”

If your business is navigating growth, facing skill shortages, or looking for deeper clarity on current market conditions, the team at Stellar Recruitment is here to help. Our experienced specialists are ready to support you in finding the right people - or the right next step - with insight, care, and strong industry networks.

NZ and Canterbury Hiring & Salary Trends

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 21:19:57 GMT

NZ and Canterbury Hiring & Salary Trends

What Construction, energy & building services employers need to know in 2026.

Latest SEEK data from February 2026 shows clear signs that New Zealand’s talent market is heating up again - and for employers in construction, energy, and building services, the trends are particularly worth watching. Salary growth is accelerating, job ads remain strong in the core technical sectors and regional competition is ramping up.

If you are planning projects, scaling teams, or trying to lock in high‑calibre technical talent, here is what you need to know.

Salary growth strengthens across key technical sectors

The latest SEEK Advertised Salary Index shows:

0.8% quarterly growth - the fastest rise since mid‑2024
2.5% annual growth, the first acceleration in over a year

Canterbury continues to lead the country with 3.2% annual salary growth, fuelled by infrastructure spend, rebuild work, and energy‑system upgrades.

For employers, this signals growing candidate confidence and a gradual tightening in compensation expectations, particularly for engineering, project delivery, health & safety, and building compliance roles.

Canterbury Leads the Country

Canterbury continues to outpace all regions, recording:

1.0% quarterly salary growth
3.2% annual growth

Major infrastructure activity, rebuild projects, and energy system upgrades have made Canterbury one of the most competitive engineering and construction labour markets in the country.

Regional Labour Market Snapshot

North Island (excluding major cities) leads the growth

Taranaki: +3.0%
Manawatu: +2.1%
Gisborne: +2.1%

All three regions saw increased hiring activity in construction and infrastructure roles.

Auckland softens slightly

-1.1% monthly job ad decline
‑0.7% annual decline

This was primarily driven by weaker demand in Retail, Consumer Services, ICT, and Hospitality. Essential technical sectors remain stable.

South Island powering ahead (annually)

Tasman: +20.5%
West Coast: +18.3%
Otago: +18.2%

Canterbury also continues to climb (+15.8% y/y in job ads) on the back of strong construction and engineering requirements.

What this means for your hiring strategy in 2026

For employers across construction, energy, and building services, these market shifts provide clear signals for workforce planning.

Budget for Gradual Upward Salary Pressure:

While growth is steady rather than sharp, shortages in technical and compliance‑led roles continue to lift candidate expectations. Competitive offers will become increasingly important.

Prepare for Rising Competition in Canterbury:

With salary growth, job ad volume, and infrastructure spend all trending upward, Christchurch is becoming a hot spot for talent competition, particularly in engineering, project management and civil construction.

Candidate Confidence Is Rebounding:

Jobseekers are more open to opportunities as salary stability improves. Now is an ideal time to engage skilled professionals before demand surges later in 2026.

Technical Roles Remain Highly Resilient:

While some industries softened in December, core technical sectors (construction, engineering, trades, energy, and logistics) continue to show strong growth. The demand for hands‑on and project‑based talent is not likely to ease anytime soon.

The Bottom Line

New Zealand has entered 2026 with a labour market that is stabilising, slowly strengthening, and continuing to favour skilled technical professions.

If you are hiring in construction, engineering, energy or building services, now is the time to actively pipeline talent, move quickly on strong candidates, review salary bands and strengthen your workforce planning for upcoming projects

Stellar Recruitment continues to partner with organisations across New Zealand to secure high‑performing talent in an increasingly competitive environment. If you would like tailored insights for your region or support attracting talent for upcoming projects, get in touch with Andrew Knight today.

Move to Queensland: Why More Professionals Are Choosing QLD for Work and Lifestyle

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:50:51 GMT

Queensland continues to attract skilled professionals from across Australia and overseas, with more people choosing to move to QLD for career growth, lifestyle, and long-term opportunity.

From booming infrastructure and mining projects to an unbeatable work–life balance, Queensland has fast become one of the most desirable places to live and work.

At Stellar Recruitment , we’re supporting candidates every day who are making the move to Queensland and thriving.

Why Move to Queensland in 2026?

Queensland offers a compelling mix of career opportunity and lifestyle benefits, particularly for professionals in mining, resources, construction, engineering, and trades.

Key reasons people are choosing to relocate include:

Strong job demand across mining, civil construction, renewables, and infrastructure
Major projects across regional QLD, including the Bowen Basin, North Queensland, and South-East QLD
Lower cost of living compared to Sydney and Melbourne
Outdoor lifestyle with warm weather, beaches, and regional communities
FIFO, DIDO, and residential roles offering flexibility and choice

With continued investment across resources and infrastructure, Queensland remains one of Australia’s strongest employment markets.

High-Demand Jobs in Queensland

Queensland employers are actively seeking skilled professionals across a wide range of roles, including:

Mining engineers, supervisors, and superintendents
Diesel fitters, boilermakers, HD mechanics, and electricians
Project managers and project engineers
Civil construction professionals and operators
Technical, operational, and maintenance roles

Stellar Recruitment works closely with tier-one miners, contractors, and asset owners to connect candidates with long-term, secure opportunities across the state.

Support with Your Move to QLD

Relocating for work is a big decision. This is where Stellar Recruitment adds real value.

We support candidates with:

QLD-based job opportunities aligned to your skills and experience
Advice on FIFO vs residential roles
Relocation support and guidance for interstate and international candidates
Honest insights into projects, rosters, and lifestyle expectations
End-to-end recruitment support from interview through to mobilisation

Our consultants understand the Queensland market and work as genuine career partners, not just recruiters.

Queensland Lifestyle: More Than Just a Job

One of the biggest reasons candidates choose to move to Queensland is lifestyle.

Whether you’re relocating to Brisbane, regional hubs, or coastal communities, Queensland offers:

Shorter commute times
Access to outdoor activities year-round
Strong regional communities
Family-friendly living and schooling options

Many professionals tell us they wish they had made the move sooner.

Thinking About Moving to Queensland?

If you’re considering a move to QLD for work, now is the time. Demand for skilled professionals remains strong, and employers are increasingly open to interstate and international candidates.

Explore current opportunities and relocation advice on our site.

The Future of Legal Careers in New Zealand: Flexibility, Hybrid Work, and Technology Are Reshaping the Market

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:29:10 GMT

The Future of Legal Careers in New Zealand: Flexibility, Hybrid Work, and Technology Are Reshaping the Market

New Zealand’s legal sector is evolving rapidly, and law firms and in house legal teams are being forced to rethink how they attract, retain, and develop talent.

Hybrid work has shifted from a pandemic response to a long-term expectation across much of the workforce. Economy wide data from the 2023 Census indicates a sustained increase in remote and hybrid work compared with 2018, particularly in Auckland and Wellington. While legal services remain more office centric than many sectors, expectations around flexibility have changed permanently for lawyers at all levels.

While some public sector organisations are tightening in office requirements, flexible working arrangements remain an active point of debate across the New Zealand workforce, including professional services. For law firms, this tension is now shaping recruitment conversations, retention risk, and succession planning.

Technology adoption is the other major structural shift. New Zealand courts and professional bodies have issued early guidance on the use of generative AI, highlighting the need for accuracy, confidentiality, supervision, and appropriate disclosure. Recent cases have reinforced the risks of unchecked AI use, including fabricated citations and so-called hallucinations.

In 2025, the Government released a non-binding Public Service AI framework aligned with OECD principles, signalling a preference for enabling responsible innovation rather than prescriptive regulation. This approach is influencing expectations across both in house legal teams and private practice, particularly around governance and risk management.

Private practice is responding cautiously. While many large firms report strong workflow, overall headcount has remained relatively stable since 2023, placing pressure on leaders to drive productivity through technology and process improvement rather than expansion alone.

SEEK data shared with Stellar Recruitment shows between August and October 2025 legal job advertising up 4.9 percent nationally, with applications per role increasing by 2.3 percent. Regional growth remains uneven, with strong year on year increases in Auckland at 11.7 percent and Otago at 27.5 percent, reinforcing the importance of location specific hiring strategies.

Demand signals are also diverging by practice area. Construction law job advertisements increased by 71.4 percent, while applications per role fell by 37 percent, pointing to genuine candidate scarcity. In contrast, Environment and Planning roles declined by 70.8 percent, with applications per role increasing by 78.5 percent, highlighting pockets of oversupply. Similar pressures are emerging across corporate and commercial, property, and senior in house regulatory roles.

Broader HR benchmarks from ALPMA reinforces this picture. Average wage growth across surveyed firms sat at 2.0 percent, below the national average of 3.3 percent. While 71 percent of firms successfully recruited in the past year, 59 percent remain concerned about securing skilled staff. Women now represent a majority of salaried partner roles across surveyed firms, although equity partnership representation remains materially lower. These insights are increasingly shaping both compensation frameworks and diversity strategies.

What this means for hiring and candidate expectations:

“Candidates are now weighing three things very carefully: purposeful work, flexible structure, and modern tools,” says Jenny Gallagher, Senior Consultant Legal at Stellar Recruitment. “For private practice, this means having a transparent hybrid policy that works in practice, supported by investment in AI enabled workflows with clear ethical guardrails. In house teams continue to attract talent by combining flexibility with broader mandates across compliance, privacy, and strategy, as well as clearer pathways into leadership.”

“We are increasingly seeing experienced lawyers ask not just whether firms use AI, but how they use it,” Jenny adds. “Document review, drafting support, and knowledge search are all on the table, but lawyers want to understand the governance behind the tools. Firms that can demonstrate productivity gains without compromising ethics or confidentiality are attracting talent faster.”

Action points for law firms

Codify hybrid and flexible working arrangements to reflect market norms and reduce senior associate attrition.
Invest in AI responsibly by aligning with court guidance and public sector principles, training teams, and implementing clear review and supervision protocols.
Target sourcing efforts geographically and by practice area, particularly in Auckland and Otago, and in construction and corporate commercial roles where demand continues to outstrip supply.
Link compensation, progression, and diversity initiatives to clear and transparent career pathways, particularly for women and underrepresented groups.

Flexible working models and responsible technology adoption are no longer optional. They are baseline expectations. Law firms that operationalise both effectively, while targeting roles where demand is rising fastest, will be best positioned to secure top legal talent in New Zealand’s next phase.

Ready to strengthen your legal team? Connect with Jenny Gallagher for expert support and advice on your next hire.

The Changing Leadership Landscape

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:20:10 GMT

The Changing Leadership Landscape

Corporate leadership is undergoing a significant generational shift. Baby Boomers have largely exited senior roles, leaving Generation X firmly in control of today’s C-suite. This cohort, known for its pragmatic and independent leadership style, now dominates executive positions across New Zealand and Australia.

However, this dominance won’t last forever. Millennials, who are tech-savvy, purpose-driven, and collaborative, are poised to step into these roles within the next decade. Millennials now make up around 75% of the global workforce, and Glassdoor reports they have become the majority in managerial roles in the U.S.

The Succession Planning Imperative

Despite this looming transition, succession planning remains a critical gap for many organisations. Research shows that over half of businesses in New Zealand lack a formal succession plan, exposing them to operational and financial risks. Radio New Zealand have reported that poor planning could cost Kiwi businesses up to $3.5 trillion in wealth over the next two decades, particularly among family-owned enterprises.

Fortunately, boards and executives are increasingly recognising this risk. A recent survey found that CEO and C-suite succession planning is now among directors’ top priorities, with some businesses surpassing even AI adoption and cybersecurity concerns.

Bridging the Generational Gap

The challenge is not just replacing leaders but also preparing for a generational shift in leadership styles and expectations. Gen X leaders value efficiency and independence, while millennials prioritise flexibility, feedback, and meaningful work. Succession strategies must account for these differences to ensure smooth transitions and maintain organisational stability.

Forward-thinking organisations are already mapping future board compositions, implementing mentorship programs, and creating leadership pipelines that reflect diversity of thought and generational perspectives.

Key Takeaways for Businesses

Assess Current Leadership : Understand representation in your C-suite and senior roles.
Plan for the next Generation : Develop strategies to prepare millennials for executive positions – and generations beyond this.
Create Dynamic Succession Plans : Move beyond static models, succession planning should be proactive and continuous. Fractional working can also support this .
Embrace Diversity of Thought : Future boards will need varied perspectives to navigate complex challenges.

Generational change is here. Organisations that act now to build robust succession strategies will not only secure leadership continuity but also position themselves for long-term success.

If you would like support with succession planning for your business, get in touch with Heath Brown today.

Stellar Recruitment Takes Out the Best Large Agency Award

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 03:08:10 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Takes Out the SEEK SARA Best Large Agency NZ Award for 2025

We are honoured to announce that Stellar Recruitment has been awarded Best Large Agency, New Zealand at the SEEK SARA Awards. This achievement reflects and recognises the heart of our business: our people.

After being named a finalist alongside some of the industry’s best, securing this accolade is a proud moment for our entire team who work so hard every day to go above and beyond.

The SEEK SARA Awards celebrate excellence in recruitment across Australia and New Zealand, recognising agencies that lead with innovation, care, and impact. Judging criteria for Agency of the Year include client and candidate-centricity, innovation, growth, and industry contribution. Entrants are asked to demonstrate how they put people first, deliver creative solutions, scale sustainably, and positively influence the recruitment sector.

Our submission showcased initiatives that set Stellar apart. We highlighted our end-to-end candidate care model, which includes immigration, housing, onboarding, health and safety, and payroll support.

We shared our commitment to diversity and inclusion, from biannual Workforce Engagement Sessions to culturally tailored aftercare delivered in multiple languages.

“Winning this award is a real highlight. The team have delivered outstanding results over the last 12 months with growth across our regions, a recent acquisition and building on our culture in what’s been a flattish market. I’m very proud of how hard the team have worked together and impacted our clients and job seekers in such a positive way.” Said Robbie McIlraith, General Manager NZ.

We also demonstrated innovation in operations, including offshore support hubs, system automation, and feedback loops that allow us to scale without compromising quality.

“Winning Best Large Agency is a proud moment for Stellar. It is a testament to our team’s relentless focus on care, innovation, and impact. Our team works tirelessly to grow, innovate, and deliver for clients and candidates. To see that collective effort acknowledged on a national stage is incredibly rewarding.” Said Kymberly Jones, Northern Region Manager.

Congratulations to the entire Stellar team for making this achievement possible. Thank you to SEEK for recognising our work, and to our clients and candidates for trusting us to deliver with care and excellence.

What a night at the QLD NAWIC Awards

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:00:34 GMT

The 2025 NAWIC Queensland Awards brought together the construction industry's brightest minds and boldest leaders to honour three decades of advocacy, excellence, and empowerment.

As proud sponsors, Stellar Recruitment was thrilled to once again support this landmark event, recognising the women, allies and businesses leading change and redefining what’s possible across our sector.

“Another enjoyable NAWIC Awards night at The Star. Always a high energy room and great chance to catch up with familiar faces while celebrating the incredible women driving our industry forward. Massive congrats to all the finalists and winners, our table certainly left inspired.”– Max Duffy, Principal Recruitment Consultant – Construction & Engineering, Stellar Recruitment.

With a vibrant room full of industry leaders, trailblazers and future change makers, the awards highlighted stories of resilience, innovation and leadership across all areas of construction.

We extend our congratulations to all the finalists and winners - your dedication and vision are shaping a stronger, more inclusive future for construction in Australia.

We also acknowledge the collective effort of our fellow sponsors who made the night possible including ACCIONA, Lendlease, McConnell Dowell, McIlwain, QBCC, QUT, Symal Group, Wiley, ADCO Constructions and Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

As we continue to champion diversity and workforce growth, events like NAWIC remind us of the importance of backing those who lead with courage and purpose.

Here's to the next 30 years of progress - we’re excited to be part of the journey.

Why Fractional Work Is the Future of Talent in New Zealand and Australia

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:56:56 GMT

Fractional talent is redefining leadership, offering flexible, embedded expertise for modern businesses.

In today’s ever-changing business landscape, fractional working is emerging as a powerful solution for organisations seeking agility, expertise, and cost-efficiency. But what exactly is it?

Fractional work involves hiring experienced professionals, often senior leaders, on a part-time or project basis. Unlike traditional consulting, fractional professionals are embedded within the business, contributing both strategically and operationally over a sustained period. These team members often implement systems, train internal staff, and help recruit long-term hires, scaling back their involvement as the new employee ramps up.

From startups to established enterprises, businesses across New Zealand and Australia are embracing fractional talent to stay competitive in a challenging market.

Isn’t Fractional Working Just Consulting?

Not quite. While consultants typically advise externally on specific challenges, fractional professionals take on leadership roles, drive outcomes, and integrate deeply into the team. They might start at five days a week in the office and gradually reduce to half a day or fortnightly, depending on business needs.

Why is Fractional Working Gaining Momentum?

Remote work, portfolio careers, and shifting employee expectations have made flexible arrangements more attractive, for both employers and professionals. Fractional agreements are highly customisable, and because these professionals are part of the team, scaling their involvement up or down is often seamless.

With rising costs and cautious spending, businesses are rethinking traditional hiring models. Fractional roles offer access to top-tier talent without the overhead of permanent employment, making them a smart, strategic choice.

“We’re seeing senior professionals with incredible experience become available for fractional roles. It’s a win-win, businesses get strategic leadership, and talent gets flexibility.” Said Corporate Services Division Manager, Heath Brown.

Fractional professionals bring an agile approach. As highly skilled senior leaders, they can quickly adapt to market changes and fill leadership gaps during transitions or growth phases. This flexibility is particularly valuable in today’s unpredictable and fast-changing environment.

The current job market has also created a unique opportunity. Many exceptional candidates are open to fractional roles due to layoffs, lifestyle choices, or a desire for diverse experience.

“Fractional work is a strategic advantage that all businesses can make the most of. You can access the right expertise at the right time, without compromising on quality. This provides high value to businesses without the large overheads and long-term commitment.” Said Heath Brown.

How Stellar Recruitment Can Help

At Stellar Recruitment, we connect businesses with fractional professionals across marketing, finance, HR, operations, and more. Whether you need a part-time CFO, a strategic marketer, or an interim HR leader, we’ll help you find the right fit.

We support businesses through every stage of the fractional hiring journey. Our process begins with identifying and vetting top-tier talent, ensuring candidates align with your goals and culture. We assist with role scoping and onboarding to ensure smooth integration, and provide education around fractional structures to help you maximise value. Our ongoing support ensures the partnership continues to deliver results.

If you're looking to scale strategically, innovate faster, or navigate change, fractional work could be your answer. Let Stellar Recruitment help you find the right talent, without the full-time commitment. Get in touch with Heath Brown or Jordan Honess today.

Stellar Named as Finalist at SEEK SARAs 2025

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 21:09:10 GMT

Stellar Recruitment is named a finalist in the SEEK SARAs 2025

We are honoured to be named a finalist for Agency of the Year at the 2025 SEEK SARA Awards - a recognition that celebrates the heart of our business: our people. From growing our national footprint to elevating candidate care and driving industry innovation, this nomination reflects the collective energy, care, and ambition that define Stellar Recruitment.

Stellar Recruitment has continued to evolve with purpose and impact over the past 12 months. We have expanded our regional footprint with new offices in Napier, Wellington, and Dunedin, strengthening our connection to local communities and deepening our support for employment across New Zealand.

Internally, we have broadened our capabilities with new service lines, including Stellar Immigration Services and Executive Search, while growing our team and enhancing operational support. Our full-service candidate experience model now includes in-house specialists across immigration, housing, onboarding, and payroll, ensuring every candidate feels supported from start to finish.

“This nomination reflects the values we live every day - care, integrity, and excellence. Stellar is a business that puts people first, and I am proud of the way our team continues to innovate, grow, and lead with purpose.” Said Kymberly Jones, Northern Region Manager, NZ.

“Agency of the Year is about more than performance – it is about impact. Stellar’s growth, our commitment to candidate and client care, and our team’s contribution to the industry show what is possible when you lead with heart and strategy. I could not be prouder of the Stellar team.” Said Robbie McIlraith, General Manager.

Congratulations to the entire Stellar team. The whole team's dedication, innovation, and care continue to set a benchmark for excellence - and we are proud to see it recognised at the 2025 SARAs.

Five Reasons Why Using a Recruiter Is More Cost-Effective for Your Business

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 20:48:59 GMT

5 Reasons Why Using a Recruiter is More Cost Effective for your Business

Thinking about hiring? Before you get buried in resumes, interviews, and job ads, consider this: partnering with Stellar Recruitment can actually save your business money - and help you secure the right talent faster.

Here is how:

Save your team precious time
Reduce the risk of costly bad hires
Access hidden talent pools you wouldn’t find otherwise
Lower overall recruitment costs than DIY hiring
Benefit from ongoing support, market insights, and guidance

Let’s break it down:

1. Time is Money. Agencies Can Save Both

Recruitment takes time, often more than you realise. Writing job ads, screening CVs, scheduling interviews, following up… the hours add up fast.

Stellar Recruitment handles all of this for you. We source candidates, screen resumes, conduct preliminary interviews, and deliver a shortlist of top talent. Faster hires mean less downtime and more productivity - saving both time and money.

2. Reduce Risk of Costly Bad Hires

Hiring the wrong person is expensive. According to several websites in Australia and New Zealand, a bad hire can cost up to 30% of their annual salary, encompassing recruitment, training, and lost productivity.

A professional recruiter at Stellar Recruitment mitigates this risk. We vet candidates thoroughly, checking skills, experience, references and cultural fit. The result? A higher likelihood of hiring someone who sticks, reducing turnover costs and saving your business from unnecessary headaches.

3. Access Hidden Talent Pools

Some of the best candidates are not even actively looking, they are already employed and excelling in their roles. These “passive candidates” can be difficult to reach, but they often represent the top-tier talent your business needs.

Stellar Recruitment specialises in connecting with these candidates. Through our extensive networks, industry contacts, and targeted outreach, we bring you exceptional talent that would not apply to a standard job ad. Accessing this hidden pool means better hires without wasting endless hours searching.

4. Lower Overall Recruitment Costs

Hiring internally may seem free, but hidden costs mount quickly:

Advertising expenses: job boards, social media posts, and recruitment platforms
Internal resources: staff time spent recruiting is time away from core business tasks
Turnover costs: replacing a bad hire is expensive
Vacancy impact: lost productivity and stalled projects

Stellar Recruitment streamlines the process, fills positions faster, and reduces the risk of mis-hires - making the investment more cost-effective than trying to do it all yourself.

5. Ongoing Support and Market Insights

Stellar does more than just fill vacancies. We provide market intelligence, salary benchmarks, and insights into candidate expectations.

This helps your business stay competitive. For example, in industries with talent shortages, Stellar can guide you on salaries, benefits, and retention strategies. We also provide feedback from candidates, helping you improve your hiring process and strengthen your employer brand.

Bonus: Less Stress, More Confidence

Hiring can be stressful, especially when the stakes are high. Stellar Recruitment brings expertise and guidance, giving you confidence throughout the process. Less stress means your team can focus on growing the business, knowing recruitment is in capable hands.

The Takeaway

Hiring the right people is one of the most important investments your business can make. Partnering with Stellar saves time, reduces risk, opens doors to top talent, and provides ongoing market insights.

Next time you’re looking to hire, think beyond the fee. Consider the long-term savings, better-quality hires, and peace of mind Stellar Recruitment can bring – it might just be one of the smartest business decisions your company makes this year.

For further advice on how we can help you reduce costs and improve efficiency, speak with our team .

On the Ground in Central Queensland: Mining Sector Update

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 02:02:17 GMT

Insights from recent site visits across Central Queensland reveal shifting labour demands, evolving contractor models, and the growing importance of trusted workforce partnerships in today’s mining landscape.

As part of our ongoing commitment to staying connected with the industry, Stellar consultants recently spent time on-site across several key mining operations in Central Queensland. These visits provide more than just visibility; they deliver critical insight into the real-time challenges, workforce trends and operational shifts shaping the sector.

Market Conditions Remain Tight

Coal prices remain under pressure, and the effects are being felt. We’re seeing a clear pullback in site activity, particularly across maintenance operations. Equipment is being parked up, workforces are being scaled back, and cost efficiency is front of mind for many employers.

This has translated to a reduction in labour requirements in the short term, especially in areas like heavy equipment maintenance. There is also a noticeable trend toward using smaller contractor groups who can be mobilised quickly and easily stood down if needed. Agility is a clear advantage in the current climate.

“The mining sector is navigating a period of recalibration. While short-term labour demand is softening, the long-term fundamentals remain strong. Our focus is on helping clients build resilient workforce strategies that balance agility with depth because in mining, preparedness is just as critical as performance,” said Michael Cooke, Senior Recruitment Consultant.

Balancing Speed with Stability

While smaller contractor groups offer speed, they can’t always offer the consistency or preparedness that comes with a strategic workforce partner. Our team understands that in fluctuating markets, clients need both options and Stellar is focused on being ready to support when longer-term stability is required, particularly across production and warehouse operations as we approach 2026.

“Being on site in Central Queensland reinforces what we already know - relationships drive results. In a tightening market, agility matters, but so does trust. Our role is to stay close to the ground, listen deeply, and be ready to support when stability is needed,” said Recruitment Consultant, Amy Henry.

The Power of Relationships

One consistent takeaway from these visits was the importance of relationships. Having face-to-face conversations with supervisors and maintenance leaders gives us clarity on not just current needs, but where opportunities may emerge in the near future.

At Stellar, we know trust is built over time. Being on site, listening, and showing up matters, and we are committed to staying close to the people and the pulse of the Central Queensland mining sector.

Migration, Growth, and the Road to Brisbane 2032

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 01:44:43 GMT

Queensland is experiencing one of the most significant waves of growth in its history.

While lifestyle factors such as climate, liveability, and community draw many interstate and international migrants to the Sunshine State, it is the scale of opportunity that is cementing Queensland as a destination of choice.

Across construction and engineering, the state is benefiting from an unprecedented pipeline of investment. This momentum is particularly evident in Brisbane, where demand for high-calibre talent in vertical build and complex project delivery continues to rise.

Why Queensland is Attracting Talent

Migration to Queensland is driven by more than lifestyle appeal. Professionals and their families are drawn to:

Economic Opportunity: Large-scale projects creating sustainable employment pathways.
Housing and Urban Development: S trong demand for residential and commercial projects in growth corridors.
Community and Connectivity: A supportive relocation environment, particularly for skilled migrants and interstate talent seeking long-term security.

This combination of factors is creating a dynamic and competitive labour market where attracting and retaining talent is critical.

Brisbane 2032: A Defining Catalyst

The Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the largest infrastructure investment in Queensland’s history, with more than $7.1 billion committed to projects that will leave a lasting legacy for the state.

Key developments include:

The new Brisbane Stadium at Victoria Park with 63,000 seats.
The Athletes’ Village, designed for post-Games conversion into long-term housing and urban renewal.
Regional facilities are extending growth across the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Logan, and Cairns.
An estimated 30,000–40,000 additional workers are required each year until 2032 to deliver projects successfully.

These projects are not only about preparing for the Games but also about tackling Brisbane’s housing challenges, strengthening community infrastructure, and positioning Queensland as a global leader in sustainable urban development.

If you would like to get in touch with our team to help build Queensland, contact team lead Max Duffy , Principal Consultant - Construction & Engineering, today.

Sources: GICCA , Seek Employment Report , Infrastructure Australia , Australian Bureau of Statistics

Stellar Recruitment Expands its Workforce Capability Following Strategic Acquisition

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 21:49:47 GMT

Stellar Recruitment is pleased to announce a strategic expansion of its workforce capability.

Stellar Recruitment is pleased to announce a strategic expansion of its workforce capability, following an agreement to acquire the workforce division of Lynx Recruitment. This move reinforces Stellar’s commitment to delivering exceptional recruitment solutions across New Zealand and responding to growing industry demand.

As part of this growth, Stellar welcomes a group of experienced consultants into its team including Jason Boot, Mark Hoare, Janaye Watts, and Jack Mullins. Their expertise and industry knowledge will further strengthen Stellar’s ability to support clients with high-quality, tailored recruitment and workforce solutions.

This acquisition sees 120 skilled field staff join Stellar’s team, significantly enhancing our on-the-ground capability. The industries supported through this expansion build on Stellar’s existing strengths and include warehousing, manufacturing, production and construction sector job categories. By deepening our footprint in these sectors, Stellar is better positioned to meet the evolving needs of clients and deliver workforce solutions that are both scalable and specialised.

“This expansion is about capability, not just capacity,” says Robbie McIlraith, General Manager of Stellar Recruitment New Zealand. “We are investing in people who bring deep expertise and strong sector relationships, which allows us to better serve our clients and support the industries that drive progress and innovation across the country.”

The integration of these consultants reflects Stellar’s ongoing commitment to building a resilient, future-focused workforce. With a proven track record across multiple sectors, the new team members bring valuable insight and energy to Stellar’s professional services offering.

Kymberly Jones, Northern Manager NZ, adds: “We are excited to welcome these talented consultants and field staff to the Stellar team. Their experience and alignment with our values will help us continue to deliver outstanding service and build long-term partnerships with our clients.”

This expansion is a proactive step in Stellar’s broader strategy to support industry growth and respond to evolving workforce needs.

Stellar Recruitment looks forward to supporting clients with this enhanced capability and welcomes conversations about how we can help meet evolving workforce needs.

Looking Beyond the Resume Gap

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 20:36:00 GMT

Why Hiring Unemployed Talent Is a Smart Move for NZ Employers

New Zealand’s labour market is evolving. With unemployment rising to 5.2% in June 2025 and over 158,000 Kiwis actively seeking work, employers and recruiters alike are rethinking what talent looks like, and where it comes from.

At Stellar, we are seeing a shift. While many candidates are available and eager to contribute, a common hiring trend leans toward those already employed. This isn’t about fault, it is about habit. In a fast-paced market, it is natural to rely on familiar benchmarks. But together, we have an opportunity to expand the lens and unlock untapped potential.

Here is the truth: unemployed does not mean unemployable. In fact, many job seekers are highly skilled, deeply motivated, and ready to fill workforce gaps immediately. They bring fresh perspectives, resilience, and a hunger to contribute, qualities that are often undervalued in traditional recruitment filters.

A 2016 study from the University of Canterbury found that while short-term unemployed candidates were slightly preferred over long-term unemployed ones, employed candidates were not significantly more favoured overall. This suggests that the bias may be more perception than reality. And in today’s tight labour market, such perceptions are costly.

Part of the hiring challenge stems from a growing reluctance among employed professionals to leave their current roles. Economic uncertainty, rising living costs, and a cautious business climate have made job security more valuable than ever. Many workers are choosing stability over opportunity, even if they are not fully satisfied in their current roles.

Additionally, the emotional and logistical toll of changing jobs can be significant. People are weighing the risks of moving against the benefits of staying, and in many cases, the status quo wins. This hesitancy creates a bottleneck in the talent pipeline, making it harder for employers to attract passive candidates.

This makes the case for hiring unemployed talent even stronger. These candidates are not only available but actively seeking change. They are ready to engage, contribute, and grow, often with fewer barriers to entry and faster onboarding timelines.

The pursuit of the “right fit” can unintentionally narrow the talent pool, favouring conformity over innovation. By embracing “cultural add” instead, employers open the door to fresh perspectives, diverse experiences, and greater adaptability which in turn enriches the workplace culture rather than simply replicating it.

The economic landscape reinforces this urgency. Skills shortages persist in healthcare, construction, and renewable energy. Yet, hiring remains cautious, with many businesses absorbing roles rather than creating new ones. This is a missed opportunity.

So, what can we do about it? We must look beyond employment status and focus on potential, values, and readiness. Challenge internal biases. Reassess hiring criteria. Consider how someone’s motivation to work, coupled with their availability and skills, could be the solution to your workforce challenges.

Let’s shift the conversation. From “Why aren’t they working?” to “How can we help them work with us?” Because in an environment where people want to work, and jobs need filling, the smartest move is to unlock the talent that is already knocking.

If you are ready to unlock potential and hire beyond the norm, contact Heath Brown today.

Navigating the Talent Crunch

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:15:20 GMT

Strategic Workforce Solutions for New Zealand’s Maintenance Sector

New Zealand’s maintenance industry is facing a pivotal moment. From Heavy Diesel Mechanics to Workshop Managers, Auto Electricians to Service Advisors, the demand for skilled tradespeople continues to outpace supply.

At Stellar Recruitment, our Maintenance team, Katelinn Archer , Sally Paris , Roald Badenhorst , and Pierre Smit , are at the coalface of this challenge, helping businesses across the country secure the talent they need to keep operations running smoothly.

The State of Play: Demand Surging, Talent Shifting

Recent SEEK data (August 2025) shows over 180 active Heavy Diesel Mechanic roles across New Zealand, with hourly rates ranging from $35 to $50 depending on experience and location.

Roles in Christchurch, Auckland, Tauranga, and Wellington are particularly competitive, with employers offering relocation support, health insurance, and flexible rosters to attract talent.

But it is not just mechanics. Workshop Managers, Auto Electricians, Panel Beaters, and Service Managers are also in high demand. The challenge? Many skilled workers are leaving urban centres like Auckland for more affordable regions, while younger generations are increasingly heading offshore.

Changing Candidate Behaviour: Quality Over Quantity

We are seeing a shift in how candidates engage with the job market. More are seeking exclusive representation, indicating a desire for tailored career moves and higher-calibre placements. This trend aligns with broader market insights showing that 66% of employers plan to hire in 2025, yet 42% of professionals are considering relocation to Australia.

Migration & Mobility: A Double-Edged Sword

Migration continues to reshape the trades workforce. In 2023, New Zealand saw a record net migration gain of 157,300, but also a loss of 27,000 Kiwis, mostly aged 20–39. This talent drain is pushing employers to look offshore, not just as a stopgap, but as a long-term strategy.

The Filipino Advantage: A Proven Model for NZ Trades

To meet demand, Stellar offers a unique Filipino recruitment model. With candidates already at visa approval or processing stages, employers can choose between permanent hires or our on-hire model, ideal for non-accredited businesses.

Why the Philippines? Filipino workers are known for their technical skill, reliability, and adaptability. Many speak fluent English and have international experience, making them quick to integrate into Kiwi teams. With the recent addition of 10 trades roles to New Zealand’s Green List Work to Residence pathway, including Panel Beaters and Vehicle Painters, hiring from the Philippines is now more viable than ever.

What’s Next for Employers?

To stay ahead, businesses must:

Act early: Secure talent before competition intensifies.
Think strategically: Consider exclusive candidate representation and offshore pipelines.
Stay compliant: Ensure ethical recruitment practices, especially when hiring internationally.

At Stellar, we are not just filling roles, we are building workforce resilience. Whether you need a Workshop Foreman in Gisborne or a Diesel Technician in Christchurch, our team is ready to help.

Shaping Queensland’s Global Future - 2032 and Beyond

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 03:22:41 GMT

Shaping Queensland’s Global Future - 2032 and Beyond

As a Specialist Consultant in Vertical Build, Monique is dedicated to sourcing high-calibre talent for complex construction projects right across Queensland.

Since 2022, she’s recruited across technical industries, developing a service-driven approach that goes beyond filling roles; it’s about building trusted partnerships that help clients achieve long-term growth.

Working alongside industry leader Max Duffy and team member Robert Gantly, Monique is here to support organisations delivering the projects that will define our state’s future.

Her work is all about delivering real outcomes for clients by:
✅ Identifying and securing top construction talent
✅ Supporting project delivery from groundbreaking to completion
✅ Aligning recruitment strategies with long-term business objectives

If you’re planning your next project or exploring career opportunities in construction, Monique is ready to connect.

�� Monique.e@stellarrecruitment.com.au

Building Queensland’s Future: Insights from the GIICA Industry Briefing

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 01:55:23 GMT

Max Duffy, Principal Consultant, and Rob Gantly, Consultant, part of Stellar's Construction & Engineering team, attended the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority (GIICA) Industry Briefing in Brisbane.

The session offered a comprehensive look at the upcoming infrastructure pipeline supporting the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the long-term legacy these developments will leave across Queensland.

With over $7 billion allocated to Olympics-related infrastructure, this represents one of the most significant infrastructure investment programs in the state’s history. GIICA’s delivery roadmap includes 17 new or upgraded venues across Queensland, all planned with a focus on accessibility, sustainability and inclusive design. The commitment is not just to deliver the Games but to enhance Queensland’s infrastructure for future generations.

Key takeaways from the briefing include:

Multiple procurement streams opening in the second half of 2025 including principal design and architectural tenders for Brisbane Stadium, the National Aquatic Centre and regional sports facilities
Expressions of Interest now open for delivery partners providing technical, contract and program management services
Early contractor involvement and key design packages kicking off from September

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the construction and engineering sector. The complexity, volume and geographic spread of these projects demand highly skilled teams, collaborative delivery models and strategic workforce planning.

Labour market indicators are already showing signs of movement. SEEK’s January data recorded a 6.6 percent rise in job ad volumes in Queensland with strong demand across engineering, construction and logistics. Nationally, job ads in engineering rose 16 percent month on month while demand for trades and services also lifted significantly. These trends suggest a renewed confidence in infrastructure-led hiring and a strong appetite from jobseekers to explore opportunities in Queensland.

For businesses looking to participate in this growth, now is the time to plan. Competition for top-tier project talent is already intensifying. Employers need to be proactive, offering long-term career pathways, relocation support and engaging workplace cultures that align with the legacy and purpose of the 2032 Games.

At Stellar, we are actively partnering with clients across the civil and infrastructure sectors to help secure the specialist talent required to deliver major public projects. Our work spans engineering design, cost estimation, and project delivery across consultancies, contractors, and asset owners. With a strong presence in civil and building construction and a deep understanding of the demands tied to government-led infrastructure initiatives, we're well positioned to support our clients through what is set to be an exceptionally busy lead-up to 2032.

We’re proud to support organisations shaping Brisbane, Queensland – helping our city grow into a true world city as we head towards the 2032 Olympics and beyond.

Shaping Queensland’s Global Future 2032 and Beyond.

Would you like to speak to our Construction & Engineering team?

Contact Max Duffy, Principal Consultant, M: 0411 733 426 E: max.d@stellarrecruitment.com.au

Building Bridges for a Stronger Workforce: Insights from the Beehive

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:39 GMT

Robbie McIlraith, General Manager, Stellar Recruitment NZ provides insights on a recent staffing summit at the Beehive in Wellington.

Recently I had the privilege of attending the RCSA & Trade Me Jobs Industry and Staffing Summit at the Beehive in Wellington. It was a rare opportunity to engage directly with government ministers, policy leaders, and fellow industry executives on the future of recruitment and workforce development in New Zealand.

The Beehive summit was a timely reminder that recruitment is not just about filling roles, it is about shaping the future of work. Governance, policy, and technology are converging faster than ever, and our ability to anticipate trends and adapt to change is what defines our value to employers and job seekers. At Stellar, we are focused on building resilient workforce strategies that align with government, employer and workforce objectives, and trends.

Key Themes Shaping the Future of Work:

The summit tackled some of the most pressing challenges facing the economic and business environment in NZ, including:

Immigration Policy Reform: With a forecasted shortfall of 180,000 workers in the construction industry over the coming years, and only 6% of school leavers entering apprenticeships, the urgency for streamlined pathways to residency was clear. MBIE outlined the changes to the  Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), including more streamlined processing, minimising wait times, and widening the settings for residency.

Use of Technology and AI: Trade Me Jobs highlighted the speed and influence AI is having within our business environment and the importance of having an effective AI Strategy. AI is already transforming recruitment globally from business development to marketing automation highlighting the importance of embracing this within New Zealand businesses to ensure we evolve at the fast pace we are seeing with development of AI.

Workplace Relations & Safety: Business NZ and Minister Brooke van Velden discussed upcoming legislative changes across industrial relations settings, H&S and the Holiday’s Act, which will all improve business confidence through removing red tape and uncertainty which will ultimately improve productivity across the NZ economy.

Productivity: NZ is 30% below the average of OECD countries when it comes to productivity; a measure of GDT per hours worked. It’s refreshing to see government focusing on ways to improve our competitiveness on the global stage through improving our time worked v’s income generated as a nation.

Infrastructure Investment: Opportunities Ahead

Budget 2025 has earmarked  $6.8 billion in capital expenditure , including:

$1B for hospital upgrades
$712M for school property
$464M for rail maintenance
$219M for road recovery

These investments will drive demand across skilled trades, logistics, and project management, areas where Stellar continues to deliver top-tier talent. We are excited for the future of NZ’s economic turnaround and the opportunities that come for kiwi’s to return home after significant “brain drain” over recent years.

Looking Forward

As we navigate policy shifts, technological disruption, and economic recovery, Stellar remains committed to building bridges between talent and business growth opportunities. We are proud to be part of the conversation shaping the future of work in New Zealand.

Let’s Shape the Future Together

If you're a business looking to strengthen your workforce strategy or a job seeker ready to take the next step in your career, reach out to one of the team at Stellar Recruitment today. Let’s work together to build a future that’s shaping NZ’s economy today and into the future.

The Rise of Solar in New Zealand

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 03:08:24 GMT

Powering Aotearoa: The Solar Workforce Behind New Zealand’s Renewable Future

Solar energy is emerging as a key contributor to New Zealand’s renewable future. While hydro, geothermal and wind still lead the charge, falling technology costs and increasing environmental awareness are supercharging solar’s growth. With the government aiming for 95% renewable electricity by 2035, the role of solar is set for exponential growth – if we can clear a few roadblocks along the way.

Overcoming Growing Pains:

Recent projects like Lodestone’s Kaitaia and Edgecumbe solar farms, along with Genesis’ planned developments in Canterbury, are already demonstrating the viability and scale of solar in Aotearoa. But the path to widespread adoption still involves overcoming grid bottlenecks and regional infrastructure gaps. New Zealand’s electricity grid was designed for centralised hydro and geothermal not for distributed, large scale solar. Without significant upgrades to transmission and distribution networks, solar deployment will hit a ceiling.

Encouragingly, change is underway. Transpower is investing $393 million through its Net Zero Grid Pathways programme, and developers are increasingly working hand in hand with councils, iwi, and communities to align projects with local values and gain fast-track approvals.

Solar development in New Zealand isn’t plug and play. From flood-prone farmland to unpredictable weather, each site brings unique challenges - but also opportunities. Developers are now integrating agrivoltaics, native planting, and circular design to enhance both environmental outcomes and social license.

Environmental & Community Concerns:

While solar produces clean energy for decades, the full lifecycle impact, including land use, panel manufacturing emissions, and end-of-life disposal, still needs attention.

Recycling solutions for panels and batteries are still maturing in New Zealand. As installations scale up, so must our ability to manage their long term environmental footprint. Balancing progress with sustainability will define the next chapter of solar growth.

Workforce for a Bright Future:

One of the most pressing challenges facing solar in New Zealand isn’t technical, it’s talent. As solar takes off, developers face a growing shortage of skilled professionals. Competing with offshore markets and other energy sectors, New Zealand must work harder to retain and attract solar talent.

It’s not just about salaries. Career pathways, structured training, and flexible working conditions all play a role in winning talent - and keeping them.

A hybrid workforce model is emerging; experienced hires bring infrastructure know-how, while new entrants help future proof the industry. For example, Project Managers don’t necessarily need deep technical knowledge - they need leadership and coordination skills, while engineers handle the technical detail.

From rooftop installers to utility scale specialists, here are the roles we’re seeing increasing demand for:

Project Managers & Site Engineers
Commissioning & Quality Assurance Managers
Grid Connection & Battery Integration Specialists
Environmental Planners & Consenting Experts

With most solar farms being remote and short-term in nature, staffing these projects is a logistical challenge. Flexibility, speed-to-site, and reliability are key, and that is where having the right recruitment partner matters.

The Role of Stellar Recruitment:

At Stellar Recruitment, we’ve supported the growth of solar in Aotearoa from the ground up. We know the sector, the challenges, and the people who make it happen.

Whether you're a local developer scaling up, or an overseas company entering the New Zealand market, we can help you build site ready teams, fast. We provide:

End to end workforce solutions
Access to qualified local and international talent
Payroll, immigration, H&S, and accommodation support

We have helped staff large scale solar farms in remote areas, navigating everything from FIFO logistics to weather delays and shifting project timelines.

While international candidates often arrive with higher salary expectations, we have found that New Zealand’s lifestyle, safety culture, and work conditions offer a compelling draw. And we work closely with employers to strike the right balance of local and offshore hires.

The Path Forward:

The momentum is real. With the right policy, infrastructure, and people, solar energy will become a cornerstone of New Zealand’s clean energy future. From rooftop panels to utility scale farms, every project strengthens our grid and supports our climate goals.

If you’re planning your next solar project – whether you need technical specialists, project managers, or boots on the ground – let’s talk. Andrew Knight and Stellar Recruitment are ready to help you build the workforce that will power a brighter Aotearoa.

Lucas Eyers announced as a finalist in the 2025 Recruiter Insider Awards

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 22:17:22 GMT

Lucas Eyers named finalist in 2 of the 2025 Recruiter Insider Awards

Stellar Recruitment is proud to announce that Lucas Eyers has been named a finalist in the 2025 Recruiter Insider Awards for Client Experience Excellence and Overall Service Excellence - a testament to his exceptional impact on clients and candidates across the mining recruitment sector.

Shaun McCambridge , Managing Director & Co-Founder, shared, “Lucas’s commitment to delivering quality, consistency, and genuine care is widely recognised by those he partners with. It’s no surprise that feedback from clients and candidates has placed him in the top tier of our industry. We are incredibly proud of him.”

Lucas’s recruitment career spans over 15 years across Australia and the United Kingdom , beginning in 2006. Returning to Australia in 2011, he found his calling in mining recruitment - a sector where he has since built deep expertise and a trusted reputation. Over the past 12 years, Lucas has recruited across a wide range of mining-related disciplines, supporting both technical and executive appointments. His expansive network includes professionals with operational, commercial, and leadership capabilities across Australia and internationally.

What sets Lucas apart is his ability to blend technical industry knowledge with a people-first approach - something that is consistently reflected in client testimonials:

"Lucas has always delivered quality candidates for roles he’s assisted me with. I highly recommend him."
"At all times he displayed enthusiasm, commitment and a high understanding of the market that he operates in."
"Lucas is a well-seasoned professional who understands and is passionate about mining...he was able to provide some broad options to which we were pleased to consider and find our best fit."

Lucas's ability to provide exceptional service and deliver outstanding results has earned him genuine respect and appreciation across the mining industry. His nominations come directly from client and candidate feedback - making this recognition even more meaningful.

Lucas’s story is one of consistency, credibility, and care - all hallmarks of what excellence looks like in recruitment.

The 2025 Recruiter Insider Awards event will take place on 30 July , where winners across Australia and New Zealand will be announced.

We’re all cheering you on, Lucas - and proud to have you representing Stellar on this stage.

From Vet Nurse to Office Pro

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 00:16:23 GMT

Courtney’s Career Pivot Reflects a Growing Trend in New Zealand

Courtney Spencer’s career journey is a testament to the courage it takes to change direction, and the rewards that can follow.

After completing a Bachelor of Applied Animal Science, Courtney began her professional life in pet retail before transitioning into veterinary nursing. “I knew I wanted to work with animals, but I wasn’t sure exactly how,” she recalls. Her passion led her to a diploma in veterinary nursing, and eventually to a senior nurse role at a growing clinic in Glen Innes.

But after five years, and the emotional toll of working through the COVID-19 pandemic, Courtney felt burnt out. “It is one of those jobs where you work really hard, but you don’t always get a lot of reward out of it,” she says. “It was emotionally and physically draining.”

That is when she made her first big pivot, into dental assisting. “Different species, same principles,” she laughs. The skills transferred surprisingly well, and she found joy in learning new techniques and working with a supportive team. But after moving house, she saw an opportunity for a fresh start and took a leap into something completely new at Stellar Recruitment: an office-based role with site visits, people interaction, and a whole new learning curve.

Courtney’s story is far from unique. According to Stats NZ, the labour market is increasingly dynamic, with people moving between industries and roles more frequently. In fact, a recent Linked Employer-Employee Data (LEED) shows that job mobility in New Zealand has been steadily increasing, with over 600,000 job changes recorded in the year ending March 2025.

This reflects a growing openness to career shifts, especially among younger workers and women. Courtney continued, “Women often won’t apply for a job unless they meet all the criteria, whereas men are more likely to go for it even if they don’t tick every box.”

Her advice? “Don’t limit yourself. The worst that can happen is it doesn’t work out, and then you try something else.”

Now over a year into her role at Stellar, Courtney feels she made the right choice. “It was a massive learning curve, and I have grown so much. The team is amazing, and I feel really supported.”

Despite leaving the veterinary world, animals are still a big part of her life. She and her partner adopted two rescue cats, siblings Shumai who is fully blind and Miso who has one eye, who now rule their home. “They’re the perfect cats,” she beams. “It feels like everything’s come full circle.”

Courtney’s journey is a reminder that career change isn’t failure, it is growth. And in a labour market that’s more flexible than ever, it’s a path more Kiwis are embracing every day.

Stellar Recruitment: Empowering Healthcare Through People

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 22:44:58 GMT

At Stellar Recruitment, we understand that in healthcare, time is everything, and the right people make all the difference.

Our dedicated healthcare recruitment team is built to respond quickly and effectively to workforce gaps across New Zealand, ensuring that medical practices, hospitals, and clinics can stay focused on what truly matters: patient care.

Whether you are seeking GPs, registered nurses, practice managers, health administrators, or allied health professionals, our consultants bring deep industry knowledge and a personal approach to every placement. We don’t just fill roles, we build resilient, high-performing teams.

"Every placement we make is more than just filling a role, it is about enabling healthcare teams to focus on delivering exceptional care," says Joanne Gill, Senior Consultant for Healthcare & Medical. "By connecting practices with the right professionals, we help reduce burnout and improve patient outcomes."

Our recruitment process is agile, thorough, and tailored to each client’s needs. We work closely with healthcare providers to understand their culture, challenges, and goals, then deliver talent that fits seamlessly.

"We understand the urgency and complexity of medical recruitment," Joanne adds. "Our goal is to mobilise quickly, listen deeply, and deliver talent that fits not just the role, but the culture and values of each healthcare provider."

According to Statistics New Zealand, the health care and social assistance sector experienced a 1.7% increase in filled jobs in the year to March 2025, adding approximately 4,800 roles.

This sustained demand places pressure on providers to maintain staffing levels, especially in rural and high-need areas.

Leading our Northern Region operations is Kymberly (Kym) Jones, an award-winning recruitment leader known for her strategic insight and commitment to community impact.

"Recruitment in healthcare isn’t just about filling vacancies, it’s about restoring capacity to care right across New Zealand," says Kym. "When we place the right people, we give time back to clinicians and administrators to focus on what matters most: their patients."

With a strong network across New Zealand and a team of experienced consultants, Stellar Recruitment is ready to respond to healthcare staffing needs with speed and precision.

"Our team is experienced, and deeply connected across New Zealand," Kym adds. "We are proud to be part of the solution, whether it’s a rural clinic, a large general practice or allied health clinic or network, we bring the same level of commitment and care to every recruitment assignment."

How Kymberly Jones Balances Parenthood and Leadership in Recruitment

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 21:57:15 GMT

Kymberly (Kym) Jones, Northern Region Manager at Stellar Recruitment NZ, is redefining what it means to be a working mum in New Zealand’s fast paced recruitment industry. With a leadership style grounded in authenticity and purpose, Kym is proof that you don’t have to choose between being a great parent and a successful professional.

“I don’t necessarily believe in work-life balance,” Kym says. “To me, everything is all one thing. I do what it takes when it needs to be done.”

As a mother to 2 year old daughter Ruby, Kym’s approach to parenting and leadership is both practical and empowering. She’s not chasing perfection, she is focused on impact. “You can never give 100% to everything at once,” she explains. “Something always has to give a little, and that’s okay!”

Kym’s journey into leadership wasn’t linear. “I failed high school. I didn’t have university entrance,” she shares. “But I went on to get a degree in two and a half years while working full-time.” Growing up in South Auckland, she defied the odds to rise through the ranks in a competitive industry.

Now, she is focused on legacy, both at home and in her career. “Professionally, I want to leave the recruitment industry better than I found it. And personally, I want Ruby to be set up in a much better way than I was.”

Kym returned to work just 10 weeks after giving birth, not out of pressure, but because she knew what she needed to thrive. “I have always known I am not someone who could stay at home with a newborn for an extended period,” she says. With the support of her partner and a flexible work structure, she created a routine that works: early starts and finishing by 3:30pm to spend afternoons with Ruby.

Her story highlights the importance of supportive workplaces and intentional planning. “I made sure I was in the right role, with the right leadership, before starting a family,” she says. “That made all the difference for me.”

In an industry known for its intensity, Kym’s leadership is a breath of fresh air. She’s not just managing a team, she is modelling what is possible for other women in recruitment and beyond.

“I have chosen to be a mother. I have chosen to do what I do. And I see my career as something that helps me achieve the life I want for my family.”

Stellar X 2025: A Celebration of Purpose, Resilience, and Community Impact

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 00:29:54 GMT

Stellar X 2025: A Celebration of Purpose, Resilience, and Community Impact

On Friday 13 June, the Brisbane Powerhouse was buzzing with energy, inspiration, and a shared sense of purpose as Stellar Recruitment hosted its flagship event, Stellar X. Designed to inspire growth and change lives, Stellar X brought together a diverse community of professionals, thought leaders, and changemakers for a day that was nothing short of extraordinary.

From the outset, the event promised something different, and it delivered. With a format inspired by TEDx but tailored for deeper engagement, each of the four keynote speakers took the stage for 40-minute sessions followed by interactive Q&As. The result was a powerful blend of storytelling, insight, and connection.

Among the standout moments were the deeply personal and transformative talks from our speakers. Dr Alia Bojilova opened hearts and minds with her session on resilience, “Thrive: Your ABCD of Resilience”, offering practical tools for navigating life’s challenges. Dave Donaghy, CEO of the Brisbane Broncos, shared his journey through the world of elite sport and leadership. Sandy Murdoch inspired with his message on building a life of purpose, while Zion Armstrong captivated the audience with his remarkable story of redemption and success - from troubled beginnings to leading Adidas North America.

But Stellar X wasn’t just about inspiration, it was about impact. Thanks to the generosity of our attendees and partners, we raised an incredible $16,000 for charity, reinforcing our belief that when people come together with intention, real change happens.

The spirit of giving didn’t end there. Attendees were encouraged to pay it forward by sharing their experiences online using the hashtag #stellarx. This not only extended the reach of the event’s powerful messages but also entered participants into a draw to win a $500 Flight Centre voucher.

We’re also incredibly grateful to our event sponsor, BDO in Australia, and our event partners, Old Mac, Be There Group, Traction, Watkins Steel, and The Podcast Boss, whose support helped bring Stellar X to life. A special thanks goes to Dave Donaghy for his generous giveaway of double pass tickets to the Broncos vs Sharks game for all attendees, adding an extra layer of excitement to the day.

For those who couldn’t attend or want to relive the magic, we’ll be releasing podcast episodes featuring our speakers in the coming weeks. These will be shared across our LinkedIn and digital platforms, so stay tuned.

As we reflect on the success of Stellar X 2025, we’re filled with gratitude, for the stories shared, the connections made, and the impact created. This event was more than just a gathering; it was a movement. And we can’t wait to see where it leads next.

Katie France Wins Recruitment Professional of the Year at 2025 RCSA Awards; Stellar Recruitment Celebrated for Safety and Wellbeing Excellence

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 21:00:19 GMT

Katie France Wins Recruitment Professional of the Year at 2025 RCSA Awards; Stellar Recruitment Celebrated for Safety and Wellbeing Excellence

Stellar Recruitment is proud to announce that Katie France has been named Recruitment Professional of the Year at the prestigious 2025 RCSA Industry Awards in New Zealand. This recognition celebrates Katie’s exceptional customer service, mentorship of others and unwavering commitment to excellence in her profession.

Held at The Hilton in Auckland, the RCSA Awards are a hallmark of distinction in the recruitment and staffing industry, honouring individuals and organisations that exemplify innovation, integrity, and impact. Katie’s win is a testament to her dedication to building meaningful relationships and delivering outstanding results for clients and candidates alike.

Robbie McIlraith, General Manager of Stellar Recruitment, shared his thoughts on the recognition: “Katie’s win is a proud moment for all of us at Stellar. Her passion and professionalism stand out, and she always goes above and beyond for everyone she works with.”

Katie France said, “It is always humbling to be recognised by peers and I am absolutely thrilled to have won against some tough competition. Congratulations to all of the finalists and a huge thank you to all of my colleagues at Stellar Recruitment for their support.”

In addition to Katie’s individual achievement, Stellar Recruitment was also honoured as a finalist in the Excellence in Safety and Wellbeing Culture category. This recognition reflects the company’s deep-rooted commitment to creating safe, healthy, and supportive workplaces.

Led by Health, Safety and Wellness Advisor Olivia Yardley, Stellar’s ISO 45001-accredited Safety Management System and proactive wellbeing initiatives have set a benchmark in the industry 

Robbie McIlraith, said, “Being recognised for our safety and wellbeing culture is incredibly important for us at Stellar as it reflects the heart of who we are as a business. We are committed to not only placing people in roles but ensuring they thrive in them and we are proud to be a finalist this year.”

As Stellar Recruitment continues to champion excellence across all facets of its work, these accolades reinforce Stellar’s position as a leader in both talent and care.

Katie France: Recruitment Professional of the Year Finalist

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 22:54:57 GMT

Katie France is a finalist in the RSCA NZ 2025 awards in the category of Recruitment Professional of the year.

Stellar Recruitment is excited to announce that Katie France is a finalist in the RCSA NZ 2025 awards for Recruitment Professional of the Year.

Robbie McIlraith, General Manager, NZ said, “I am very happy for Katie France and not surprised she is a finalist in the RCSA NZ Awards 2025. Katie embodies the qualities of an outstanding recruitment professional. Her dedication to her industry, clients, and candidates, along with her unwavering support for her team has been very impressive."

Katie's journey in recruitment began in the competitive UK market, where she worked closely with manufacturing companies in Manchester. It was here that she discovered her passion for the industry, a passion that has driven her career ever since.

Her experience spans both large global corporates and small local companies, allow her to bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role in New Zealand and her dedication to maintaining high professional standards and delivering outstanding customer service has earned her the trust and respect of her clients and candidates.

In her own words, Katie expressed her gratitude for her nomination: “I am incredibly grateful to my colleagues and to the wider Stellar team for nominating me for the RCSA Recruitment Professional of the Year Award 2025. To be put forward by Stellar is an honour in itself, but to become a finalist is a great step in my career and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”

Katie's achievements at Stellar Recruitment are impressive. She was promoted to Senior Consultant within 12 months of starting and became Principal Consultant 16 months later. She enjoys being part of candidates’ journeys and the impact on their career decisions is significant, from Machine Operators progressing to Supervisors to placing Senior Managers.

Katie's story is one of passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Her commitment to the recruitment industry and her clients' success makes her a deserving finalist for the RCSA NZ 2025 awards .

The awards night will be held in June 2025 in Auckland.

Championing Health, Safety, and Wellbeing

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 22:18:17 GMT

Stellar Recruitment are Finalists for the Health, Safety, & Wellbeing Culture Award at RCSAs NZ 2025

Stellar Recruitment is proud to announce that we are finalists in the upcoming RCSA NZ Awards for Excellence in Safety & Wellbeing Culture. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to health, safety, and wellbeing, led by our exceptional Health, Safety and Wellness Advisor, Olivia Yardley .

Kymberly Jones, Northern Regional Manager, said, “Olivia Yardley is a shining example of leadership in the safety space here in New Zealand through her collaborative approach to safety with our clients, candidates, and internal stakeholders, sets a high standard for everyone at Stellar.”

At Stellar, safety is our top priority. We have an ISO 45001 accredited Safety Management System, showcasing our commitment to the highest standards of occupational health and safety. We continuously enhance our safety culture by fostering innovation, engaging employees, and adopting best practices to ensure a safe, healthy workplace.

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Advisor Olivia Yardley said, “My priority is for all workers to be able to come home from work both healthy and safe. It is exciting to be a finalist for Excellence in Heath, Safety and Wellness for the RSCA 2025 awards. The entire team at Stellar works incredibly hard to not only meet but exceed standards and for that we are proud.”

Our goals include workers' wellbeing, improving job security perceptions, fostering community for migrant workers, and highlighting the meaning of work. These objectives, shared at our end-of-year conference, ensure all staff are committed to safety and positively impact the candidate experience.

For Stellar, our dedicated internal team are crucial in supporting worker health, safety, and wellbeing with recruitment coordinators providing direct support to workers, offering a reliable point of contact for any issues that may arise.

Effective communication is central to Stellar’s safety culture, and we are committed to recognising individuals who create safer work environments which is celebrated by presenting the worker with a voucher, a certificate, and publicly celebrating them through our social media channels.

Stellar Recruitment is proud to be a finalist in the RCSA’s NZ 2025 and looks forward to the awards night in June.

Excited to introduce Hayden Gladish as our Stellar Maintenance General Manager.

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 04:59:18 GMT

As General Manager of Stellar Maintenance, Hayden is all about real solutions, not band-aid fixes.

With 22+ years in the mining industry, Hayden Gladish , we are excited to officially introduce him as the Stellar Maintenance General Manager. He is no stranger to the challenges of keeping operations running at peak performance. From OEM and product support to maintenance planning and leadership, he’s been at the forefront of optimising underground and surface mining operations worldwide.

Factory-trained in Mining Automation in Finland, Hayden has collaborated with owner-operators and Tier 1 contract miners, specialising in cost-reduction strategies and international recruitment to build high-performance teams.

As General Manager of Stellar Maintenance, Hayden is all about real solutions, not band-aid fixes. He works closely with clients to:

✅ Tackle skill shortages
✅ Reduce contractor reliance
✅ Boost operational efficiency

Whether it’s fleet specialisation, global recruitment, or aligning the right people with the right roles, Hayden’s hands-on approach delivers results, and we can’t wait to see the impact that he will have.

Reach out to Hayden to find out how Stellar Maintenance can help your business rapidly reduce contractor percentage in the market by resetting the average hourly maintenance cost.

A Strong Team, A Smooth Transition: Georgia Steps Away (for Now) & Denise’s Welcome Back

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 02:04:45 GMT

A Strong Team, A Smooth Transition: Georgia Steps Away (for now) & Denise’s Welcome Back

At Stellar Recruitment, we are committed to fostering a supportive and dynamic workplace that values both career growth and work-life balance. With that in mind, we are thrilled to share some important updates within our Corporate Services and Trades division.

Georgia Mackie Embarks on Maternity Leave

We extend our warmest congratulations to Georgia Mackie, our Division Manager – Corporate Services & Trades, and Partner, as she prepares for an exciting new chapter - welcoming her baby! Georgia has been an integral part of the Stellar Recruitment team, demonstrating exceptional leadership and dedication in driving success within our Corporate Services and Trades sector.

"As I prepare for maternity leave, I’m excited to introduce Denise Kaitu, who will be stepping into my role. With nine years at Stellar and fresh from her own maternity leave, Denise brings incredible experience and insight. You’ll be in great hands with her and the team, who will continue providing the same high level of support and service. I have full confidence everything will be well taken care of, and I look forward to reconnecting when I return." said Georgia.

Georgia has always led from the front, expertly managing and building her team while simultaneously building her HR management talent pool and client network. Her ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on recruitment has been instrumental in ensuring our clients receive top-tier talent solutions. While she will be greatly missed during her maternity leave, the strong foundation she has built will continue to guide the team forward. Her commitment to fostering relationships and delivering outstanding service has set a high standard, ensuring that her transition is as seamless as possible.

Denise Kaitu Returns as Manager, Trades, Labour & Corporate Services

As we celebrate Georgia’s next chapter, we are equally thrilled to welcome back Denise Kaitu, who is returning as Manager – Trades, Labour & Corporate Services after her maternity leave. Denise has a strong background in trades recruitment and is highly process-driven, ensuring that every aspect of our recruitment operation runs efficiently and effectively.

Denise’s expertise in understanding our resources and her exceptional ability to train and mentor recruitment consultants make her an invaluable asset to our team. Her return reinforces the continuity of leadership within the division. As a proven leader, she is well-positioned to build upon the momentum created by Georgia and continue driving success. She brings with her fresh perspectives, a wealth of experience, and a passion for delivering exceptional recruitment outcomes.

A Testament to Our Team’s Strength

The strength of Stellar Recruitment lies in its people, and our team has continued to deliver outstanding results. With recruiter interviews receiving an impressive 93.18 score and candidate interviews reaching an outstanding 99.33 , our commitment to excellence is evident in the numbers.

Beyond the metrics, our clients and candidates consistently recognise the value we bring. One hiring manager shared, "The team understood our business, market, and culture, making the recruitment process seamless." Similarly, a candidate expressed appreciation for the process, stating, "I had the pleasure of working with the team at Stellar, and they made the entire process smooth and easy."

Placements have also been a standout area of success, achieving a 95.71 score. This reflects our ability to align top talent with the right opportunities while maintaining transparency and strong communication throughout the process.

Looking Ahead with Confidence

As Georgia steps into this exciting new chapter of her life, we know her leadership has left a lasting impact, and we eagerly anticipate her return. In the meantime, with Denise at the helm, the team is in excellent hands, ensuring continuity, stability, and ongoing success.

At Stellar Recruitment, we take great pride in the strength of our leadership and the resilience of our team. This transition is a celebration of the incredible talent within our organisation, and we look forward to continuing to deliver the highest level of service to our clients and candidates alike.

Welcome back, Denise, and best wishes to Georgia on this incredible journey ahead!

If you would like to contact Denise Kaitu, please email her at denise.k@stellarrecruitment.com.au or call (07) 3009 9600.

Wellington's Old Boys University Sponsorship

Sun, 06 Apr 2025 20:34:55 GMT

Stellar Recruitment supports Wellington's OBU Rugby Club for 2025

Stellar Recruitment is proud to continue supporting grassroots sport by sponsoring Wellington's Old Boys University (OBU) Rugby Club for the 2025 season.

Wellington Business Development Manager, Mike Newell, played for OBU "back in the day," as did Auckland-based build and construction Division Manager, Blair Stewart.

"Stellar Recruitment is honoured to sponsor the Old Boys University Rugby Club for the 2025 season. As a former OBU player, it's a full circle moment for me to support the club that played such a big part of my life Wellington and continues to do so with the friendships I have formed." said Mike.

With the opening of Stellar Recruitment's Wellington office in May 2024, the team are eager to deepen our ties with the local community. "We are more committed than ever to supporting the local community and fostering talent," Mike added. "I am excited to watch the boys this season and see their hard work and dedication pay off on the field."

OBU has a rich history, dating back over 125 years to 1897, with over 300 registered players and strong relationships with other Wellington rugby clubs.

Stellar Recruitment opened its Wellington office in May 2024, headed by Mike Newell. He was joined by Recruitment Coordinator, Gregor Tait, in July 2024, and a further coordinator is due to start with the team in February 2025.

For more information about OBU and its storied history, please visit www.oburugby.com

If you would like to contact Mike Newell at Stellar Recruitment, you can email him at mike.n@stellarrecruitment.co.nz or call 021 077 4186.

Matt Vaughan Joins Stellar Recruitment

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 20:48:42 GMT

Matt Vaughan Joins Stellar Recruitment

Stellar Recruitment is proud to announce the appointment of Matt Vaughan as the Key Account and Business Development Manager at our Christchurch office. Originally from Christchurch, Matt brings a wealth of business experience from his work in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Matt's journey began with his athletic prowess in rugby and cricket during his formative years, earning him a sports scholarship to St Andrew’s College. At 20, he moved to the UK to play rugby professionally and took on a corporate sales role.

His passion for sharing his expertise led him to establish several rugby academies, training and mentoring future rugby stars.

This, combined with his sales experience, inspired Matt to create a personal and corporate training business, MV Corporate Health and Heal Me Well. Here, he and his team revolutionised health and wellbeing programmes, working with high-profile Australian clients such as Lendlease, NAB, Medibank, and Bendigo Bank.

Recognised as a leading fitness expert, Matt was also appointed as a brand ambassador for Adidas.

Robbie McIlraith, General Manager of Stellar Recruitment New Zealand, commented on the newly created role and Matt's appointment, "The natural progression for Stellar Recruitment was to have a dedicated role managing larger accounts on a national basis. Matt's extensive experience and connections make him the perfect fit for this role. We are excited to see the positive impact he will have on our team and clients."

Matt is excited to leverage his skills in account management and business development to drive success for Stellar Recruitment and its clients.

He said, "I am thrilled to join Stellar Recruitment as the Key Account and Business Development Manager. This role presents an exciting opportunity to leverage my experience and connections to drive success for our clients on a national level. I look forward to working with the talented team at Stellar Recruitment."

Matt’s innovative mindset and extensive experience will undoubtedly contribute to the progress and growth of Stellar Recruitment.

Welcome aboard, Matt! We look forward to the exciting journey ahead.

Contact Matt Vaughan here

NZ Engineering Sector Update

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:52:43 GMT

NZ Engineering Sector Update

The engineering sector in New Zealand is currently undergoing a range of dynamic changes across its various subsectors, driven by advancements in technology, a strong focus on sustainable practices, and significant contributions to global engineering trends.

From innovative infrastructure projects and cutting-edge automation in manufacturing to the development of eco-friendly solutions and the integration of digital technologies, each subsector is evolving uniquely to meet the demands of the future.

SUBSECTOR UPDATES

Structural Steel and Construction

The structural steel industry is navigating a complex landscape. Like many industries, companies are contending with tight margins and competitive bidding wars, often accepting projects at reduced profits to keep their workforce busy.

At the same time, government initiatives, such as the NZD$22 billion construction sector transformation plan 2022-25 investment, are accelerating projects and imposing stricter completion timelines, ensuring a steady flow of work for contractors.

Additionally, we are seeing many fabrication companies diversifying into seismic strengthening projects to retain staff thus positioning themselves for future large-scale developments.

The Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016 mandates that buildings must meet at least 34% of the new building standard (NBS) to be considered safe.

Export Market

Our clients oriented towards exports have witnessed a surge in orders. This uptick is attributed to intensified sales efforts and favourable exchange rates, enhancing the competitiveness of New Zealand's engineering products on the global stage.

Agriculture Sector

The agricultural sector, particularly dairy and grain, is currently thriving. At Stellar, we’re seeing clients within these industries report increased demand, leading to a boost in engineering services related to agricultural infrastructure. Factors like favourable milk prices are leading farmers to feel confident to invest in upgrades and new equipment or infrastructure to drive their businesses forward.

Energy and Resources

The energy sector is undergoing rapid expansion, especially in renewables. Since November 2024, there has been a notable increase in demand within the hydro and solar energy segments. This growth aligns with New Zealand's commitment to achieving 100% renewable electricity by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, prompting significant investments in sustainable energy projects and projects finally breaking ground.

WIDER MARKET TRENDS AND TRAINING

Employment Trends

The job market reflects the sector's dynamic nature. Recent SEEK, Trade Me and LinkedIn data indicates a 20% increase in engineering-related job listings (since Aug 2024), suggesting optimism and a growing demand for engineering tradesmen.

Apprenticeships and Training

Apprenticeship programs are facing retention challenges. For instance, in Canterbury, Ara Institute commenced 2024 with 20 candidates in their engineering pre-trade program, but only 8 completed it, with similar trends reported nationwide.

Additionally, I requested data from NZQA on engineering apprenticeship statistics, which show a 16.7% decline in graduates between 2021 and 2023. They anticipate a further decline in 2024; however, numbers are not yet available. This reduction raises concerns about the future supply of skilled tradespeople in the engineering sector.

Emigration Trends

Conversations with potential candidates, corroborate the noticeable trend of engineering individuals emigrating for better remuneration packages. Countries like Australia remain attractive destinations due to their competitive salaries with Statistics NZ reporting a net migration loss of 27,000 people to Australia in 2023.

This migration underscores the need for New Zealand employers to reassess compensation structures and career development opportunities to retain skilled engineers.

Conclusion

The engineering sector in New Zealand is at a pivotal juncture, with certain subsectors experiencing growth driven by government investments and renewable energy projects, while others face challenges related to economic conditions and workforce retention.

If you need information more specific to your engineering subsector, please contact Andy Stead .

Maximise Your Chances of Success by using a Licensed Immigration Adviser

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 02:42:39 GMT

Why use a licensed Immigration Advisor

When applying for New Zealand visas, using a Licensed Immigration Adviser (LIA) is a smart choice.

Everyone’s circumstances are different – you may be offshore preparing for the ‘big move’, you might already be in New Zealand with a new job offer or a change of circumstances, or perhaps you are thinking of renewing visas for yourself or your dependent family members. You might even be thinking ahead and wondering whether you are eligible for to get a Resident Visa to make New Zealand your permanent home.

Whatever your situation, a LIA has the extensive knowledge of Immigration New Zealand's policies needed to assess your eligibility and ensure that your application is in line with the latest instructions.

Using a professional to assess your eligibility and lodge your application will minimise the risk of costly errors or omissions that could lead to delays or declines.

It is important to have a clear overview of your immigration goals and options from start to finish. Immigration processes can be complex and involve multiple steps, including understanding visa-specific requirements, gathering documentation, and managing timeframes.

A LIA provides guidance every step of the way and ensures the visa application you submit is complete, decision-ready and includes all the necessary supporting documentation - all presented professionally to INZ on your behalf.

LIAs are regulated by an industry body - the Immigration Advisers Authority. They are required to adhere to a strict Professional Code of Conduct and maintain ongoing professional development. This accountability ensures that you receive honest, reliable advice.

In contrast, misunderstanding the rules or requirements when lodging your own application can lead to delays, missed opportunities and financial losses.

A key advantage of using a LIA is that they can represent you in communications with Immigration New Zealand, offering professional support when challenges arise. Their knowledge and experience can forewarn you of risks and challenges you may not be aware of.

It can also potentially expedite the process given that applications will be complete and meet INZ requirements.

Ultimately, utilising the services of a Licensed Immigration Adviser offers peace of mind, and sets you and your dependent family members on the path to immigration success!

www.stellarimmigrationservices.co.nz

Article by Lucille Hatley (LIA #201600451) and Diana Taylor (LIA #201800330).

Stellar Recruitment Announces Sponsorship with Highlanders

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 20:34:15 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Announces Sponsorship of the Highlanders

Stellar Recruitment is proud to announce that it will be partnering with the Highlanders for the 2025 and 2026 Super Rugby Pacific seasons. The Stellar logo will appear on the front of the playing and training shorts.

As a supporter of community sport, Stellar sees this partnership as a natural extension of its ongoing commitment to helping strengthen the local community and create real connections across both the sporting and professional worlds.

A Deep Local Connection

“The roots of Stellar Recruitment are firmly planted in Dunedin, where co-founder Shaun McCambridge and I first met as classmates at Kings High School in the 1990s. Our journey together has come full circle with the opening of our Dunedin branch in 2024, and partnering with the Highlanders is an exciting opportunity to give back to the community that has supported us from the start. This sponsorship feels like a true homecoming for us," said Robbie McIlraith, co-founder of Stellar Recruitment.

The Dunedin Team Behind the Success

Our local Dunedin branch, led by former All Black and Highlander Paul Miller, Dunedin local Stacey Wing, and Operations Coordinator Desiree Miller, continues to do exceptional work supporting businesses throughout Otago and Southland. The team has been instrumental in key projects, including the Dunedin Hospital redevelopment, which represents a career highlight for all involved.

"We are incredibly proud of our Dunedin team and the important work they’re doing for businesses and projects in the region. Our involvement in the Dunedin Hospital project has been a standout achievement, and we're excited to see our local team grow alongside our partnership with the Highlanders," added McIlraith.

A Partnership Built on Shared Values

“Our partnership with Stellar is a natural alignment of our core values: a dedication to excellence, a commitment to teamwork, and a shared passion for community engagement. Through our partnership we will support Stellar Recruitment in connecting with the wider community, inspiring the next generation, and contributing to playing an important role in our region's sporting success” said Highlanders Commercial Manager Mike Kerr.

https://thehighlanders.co.nz/

Celebrating 18 Years of Stellar: Inspiring Growth, Changing Lives.

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:10:48 GMT

Celebrating 18 Years of Stellar: Inspiring Growth, Changing Lives.

Eighteen years ago, Robbie McIlraith and Shaun McCambridge founded Stellar Recruitment with a simple but powerful “Why” – Inspiring Growth. Changing Lives.

As we look back on nearly two decades of hard work, passion, and purpose, it is clear that this vision has been realised in ways beyond what anyone could have imagined.

But this journey has not been walked alone. Stellar's success reflects the collective effort of so many. To our clients who entrusted us with their people needs and the candidates who trusted us to connect them with their dream roles – thank you for choosing us.

Together, we have achieved incredible milestones that make us proud every day:

16,926 clients served – helping organizations thrive by connecting them with exceptional talent.
31,413 candidates placed – empowering individuals to achieve their career aspirations.
9+ industries served – delivering tailored recruitment solutions across a diverse range of sectors.
$500,000+ raised for charities and community initiatives – supporting causes close to our hearts and giving back to the communities that support us.
New services introduced – from Executive Search to Maintenance Services and Immigration Services, we have continued to innovate to meet the evolving needs of our clients and candidates.

These achievements are more than numbers; they represent lives changed, careers built, and communities strengthened.

Here’s to the journey so far, and here’s to continuing to inspire growth and change lives for many years to come.

About Stellar Recruitment:

Founded in 2006, Stellar is a leading recruitment, labour hire and migrant workforce solutions agency. With offices across NZ and Australia, Stellar are experts in a range of key market sectors across heavy industry, construction, engineering, renewables, manufacturing and corporate. Our team has over 60 consultants and 50 support staff and is closely aligned with a range of SME’s to large global businesses.

Stellar Recruitment Opens a New Office in the Hawke’s Bay

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:10:46 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Opens a New Office in the Hawke’s Bay

Stellar Recruitment, has proudly opened its fifth office in New Zealand, located in the Hawke's Bay Region. This new office marks a significant milestone in Stellar Recruitment's mission to provide tailored workforce solutions across the country.

The decision to expand into Hawke's Bay was driven by the region's growing demand for skilled professionals in various industries, including construction, engineering, and manufacturing. With its vibrant economy and stunning landscapes, Hawke's Bay offers a unique blend of professional opportunities and lifestyle benefits, making it an ideal location for Stellar Recruitment's newest office.

At the helm of this exciting expansion is Bodie McNaught, the Business Development Manager for Hawke's Bay. Originally from the region, Bodie brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the local market. His journey to this role is as inspiring as it is diverse.

Bodie began his career in Hawke's Bay, where he played for the premier rugby team and became a regional representative. His passion for community development led him to actively participate in youth and female rugby programs. Bodie then pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Business Studies and a Diploma in Teaching from Massey University.

His career took an international turn when he moved to London, where he held leadership roles at an inner-city high school. Bodie's dedication to student growth and development resulted in his year group achieving the highest results the school had ever seen. Later, he relocated to California, where he began his recruiting career with TEKsystems and eventually became a partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa.

After two decades abroad, Bodie returned to New Zealand, eager to contribute to his home region. As the Business Development Manager for Hawke's Bay, Bodie is committed to meeting the needs of local businesses by sourcing the right talent for major projects and short-term assignments. His professional dedication and personal connection to the area make him the perfect fit for this role.

The new office in Hawke's Bay is set to become a hub for connecting job seekers with life-changing career opportunities and helping businesses thrive with the right talent. With Bodie McNaught leading the charge, Stellar Recruitment is poised to make a significant impact in the region, fostering growth and development for years to come.

Stellar Recruitment announces new service offering – Executive Search

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:10:44 GMT

Stellar Recruitment Launches Executive Search Service in New Zealand Following Australian Success

Stellar Recruitment New Zealand is thrilled to announce the launch of its new Executive Search service, following a highly successful trial run in Australia. This strategic expansion underscores Stellar Recruitment's commitment to providing top-tier recruitment solutions across both countries.

“This new division is a strategic approach for us and reflects the development of our team and brand in the executive space. Our business in NZ has matured to the point of us taking a dedicated focus like our Australian team has,” said Robbie McIlraith, Stellar Recruitment Co-Founder and General Manager, New Zealand.

“With signs pointing to an economic recovery, Stellar is closely aligning with our key clients to ensure they are at the forefront of this growth. Now is the time to be securing strong senior leadership to steer this next wave of opportunity,” McIlraith added.

About Stellar Executive Search:

Stellar Executive Search specializes in identifying and placing top-tier executive talent in leadership roles across various industries. With a proven track record in Australia, the service is now set to make a significant impact in New Zealand. The division focuses on sourcing candidates for C-suite positions, senior management roles, and other critical leadership positions that drive organizational success.

Why Choose Stellar Executive Search?

Expertise: Stellar's team of experienced consultants brings deep industry knowledge and a vast network of contacts, ensuring they can identify and attract the best talent.
Tailored Solutions: Each search is customized to meet the specific needs of the client, ensuring a perfect fit for both the candidate and the organization.
Proven Success: Stellar's successful placements and high client satisfaction rates speak to their ability to deliver results.

With the launch of Stellar Executive Search in New Zealand, Stellar Recruitment continues to solidify its position as a leader in the recruitment industry, dedicated to connecting exceptional talent with outstanding opportunities.

For more information about Stellar Executive Search and to explore current opportunities, visit Stellar Recruitment's website .

Stellar Recruitment announces new service offering – Stellar Immigration Services

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:10:43 GMT

Stellar Recruitment announces new service offering –

Stellar Immigration Services

With Stellar Recruitment New Zealand recent growth, we are proud to announce the launch of our newest service offering, Stellar Immigration Services.

“Creating the Stellar Immigration Services is a natural progression for Stellar Recruitment. Stellar began providing immigration support in 2016 and we soon saw the need to have our own dedicated team to support visa lodgments.” Said Robbie McIlraith, Stellar Recruitment Co-Founder and General Manager, New Zealand.

The intricate immigration process coupled with the emotions tied up with migration can be challenging. Our licensed team of four have an unparalleled track record and reputation of achievement and performance.

The team will support every aspect of the process, from inception to completion and are licensed and connected within the immigration industry and ensure their knowledge is up to date with current immigration rules.

Over the years, the Stellar Immigration Services team have worked with numerous clients, meticulously overseeing every aspect of the process from inception to completion, consistently achieving high levels of client satisfaction by delivering personalised solutions tailored to individual needs.

“Our team work closely with our clients and each other as we prepare and lodge visas and with over 1000 visas successfully lodged; we have the necessary experience to support visa applications.” Said Jacinta Greig, Stellar Immigration Services Team Leader.

Stellar Immigration Services ensures strict adherence to Immigration New Zealand (INZ) regulations and policies at every stage, and are committed to providing a cost effective and timely end-to-end service.

Our immigration services encompass a wide range of solutions, including but not limited to:

Preparation and lodgement of Accreditation and Job Check applications for employers

Foreign work visa eligibility assessments and visa applications for workers

Eligibility assessments and visa applications for partners and dependent children

Stellar Immigration Services data:

Stellar Recruitment first began providing immigration support in 2016

So far, Stellar Immigration Services has lodged 1000+ visas

Stellar Immigration Services team has a combine 18 years of immigration experience

About Stellar Recruitment:

Kymberly Jones is Voted on to RCSA New Zealand Council

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:10:41 GMT

Kymberly Jones is Voted on to RCSA New Zealand Council

Kymberly Jones is Voted on to RCSA New Zealand Council

Stellar Recruitment thrilled to announce that NZ Northern Region Manager, Kymberly Jones, has been voted onto the RCSA New Zealand Council. We are incredibly proud of Kymberly and her dedication to our profession and industry body.

The RCSA Council plays a crucial role in representing members’ interests within their geographical regions. They are responsible for understanding members’ needs, identifying opportunities to enhance RCSA’s services and products, and liaising with the RCSA Head Office to ensure these needs are met.

The key responsibilities of the Council includes:

Advising the Board on issues affecting the development of the profession and members within their region.
Fostering the development of recruitment, staffing, and workforce solutions, enhancing professional knowledge and skills.
Promoting the objectives of RCSA as outlined in the Constitution.
Undertaking activities in line with the RCSA Strategic Plan.
Upholding and enforcing the Constitution’s rules, regulations, and by-laws.
Advising the RCSA Head Office about local education opportunities.
Providing market knowledge to build Association relationships and identify potential products and key experts for education, seminars, or other events.
Representing members, providing feedback, and advocating on their behalf.

Kymberly’s election to the Council is a testament to her hard work and commitment. We are confident that she will make significant contributions to the Council and help advance our profession and industry!

The Recruitment, Consulting and Staffing Association Australia & New Zealand (RCSA) serves as the leading authority for the recruitment and staffing industry in both countries. With a mission to lead in the world of work, RCSA is dedicated to empowering its members to enhance lives, communities, and the economy. The association promotes professional practice, safeguards the industry, supports better business operations for its members, and offers opportunities for networking and celebrating achievements.

RCSA sets high standards for professionalism through its comprehensive approach, which includes setting benchmarks, providing education, conducting research, and offering business advisory support. Members and accredited professionals adhere to the RCSA Code for Professional Conduct, which is supported by a robust disciplinary and dispute resolution process. Additionally, RCSA is affiliated with the World Employment Confederation, the Australian Chamber, and BusinessNZ, connecting it to a vast network of industry leaders globally.