Recruitment and jobs blog

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

Demand for skills in Australia’s Federal Government is soaring but supply of available talent is struggling to keep up. Departments and agencies are looking to attract and retain top talent with hard-to-find skills they desperately need. In a candidate short market, employers need to understand what talent wants the most and align their EVP accordingly. In this blog, we share 10 benefits that Federal Government talent wants the most. 1. Work-Life Balance The most popular benefit that government talent looks for is work-life balance. They want clear separation between their professional life and personal life, and seek out employers who enable them adequate time for both. This means they don't want to work late nights and through the weekend. They want to do their job and live their life away from work. Delivering and communicating this benefit in your EVP is what government talent want the most. 2. Job Security Job security refers to the long-term stability and sustainability of a particular position. Safety is a fundamental human need that secure employment satisfies because it directly determines the quality of life individuals and families are able to have. Jobs and companies that don't exude stability and security (e.g. high turnover, leadership changes, poor reputation) are unappealing to government talent seeking job security. 3. Open and Effective Management Management significantly influences the employee experience. Good managers attract top talent whereas bad managers repel them. In Government, open and effective leadership is even more crucial because teams are typically working on complex and important projects that impact many. Openness and effectiveness are two qualities that government talent look for in leader, which is why communicating these through your EVP is important in talent attraction and retention. 4. Colleagues and Culture Employees spend more time collaborating with their colleagues than with their own families, making culture and colleagues a valid component of the employee experience. Strong culture motivates and good colleagues inspire, both making work far more palatable. These features also correlate with improved mental health, physical wellbeing, productivity, engagement and performance which are highly sought after attributes that benefit all parties. 5. Flexible work arrangements Flexible work arrangements are opportunities for talent to stray away from traditional working models to accommodate their needs. Flexible hours, compressed work weeks and job sharing are notable examples. Demand for flexibility has unsurprisingly boomed in recent years with many professionals forced to work remotely during COVID-19. In response, some government agencies have already adopted more flexibility into their working models to appeal to talent. This is a key point of difference for some agencies when attracting and retaining talent who value flexibility. 6. Salary and Compensation  Salary and compensation refers to all financial benefits offered by a company. From base wage to bonuses, superannuation to commission, government talent wants to make money for the work they do. Traditionally, government agencies have struggled to match the financial compensation offered by private sector counterparts. Yet, the remuneration an agency is willing to offer remains a key part of an effective EVP in the government space. 7. Challenging and purposeful work For about a third of government talent, the challenge of government work itself and the purpose behind it is extremely important. Government agencies and employees undertake a broad range of complex and impactful work. This includes health, tax, education, defence, welfare, employment and much more. As such, some talent are highly motivated by these challenges which gives them a strong sense of purpose in the work they do. Communicating the importance and challenging nature of a particular position is a great way to persuade these people. 8. Inclusivity and diversity Many government workers value an inclusive environment that accepts people from diverse backgrounds. After all, Australia is a multinational country where the government is tasked with representing everyone within it. Communicating a clear commitment to diversity and inclusivity is an attractive benefit for talent seeking belonging and cultural representation in their public sector career. 9. Training and development Training and development refers to the ongoing learning that a company provides to upskill or reskill their employees. This could be any form of structured training, coaching or mentoring programs. Simply put, entities willing to invest in the development of their staff are perceived as far more valuable than entities that don’t. In a candidate short market, training is a useful way to build your talent when buying the right talent is more challenging. Furthermore, training also helps engage talent increasing their likelihood of joining or staying at a particular enterprise. 10. Career Progression Most employees, to varying extents, want to rise the hierarchal ranks within their respective agency or department. Promotions usually mean more money, more responsibility and more benefits which have already featured in this blog. Departments and agencies that present clear pathways to progression for all talent are more attractive to individuals that harbour high levels of professional ambition. If you want to attract and retain top government talent, understanding what these people want is crucial in building an effective EVP. We've shared 8 areas of focus that could help you reach you recruitment objectives moving forward. At Ignite, we specialise in Federal Government recruitment and can help you find top talent you need to help you thrive.

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

To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. To the engineer employer, the glass is hard-to-find. Australia’s engineering sector is in the midst of a critical talent shortage. Demand far outstrips supply rendering the search for relevant talent far more challenging for employers. In this blog, we share some top tips to help companies attract and retain top engineering talent. 1.Meaningful Projects Engineers are responsible for the development of products and services across all industries. From mechanical to civil, aerospace to chemical, data to systems, most engineers share the following value. They want to work on meaningful projects that challenge, stimulate and make a difference in the community. Australia has a huge pipeline of engineering-related projects in technology, government, engineering, construction, transport, energy, mining and the list goes on. But what makes a project meaningful is one that solves a key problem affecting the community, and one that helps advance the career of any engineer who happens to work on it. For example, projects facilitating the transition to renewable energy, development of innovative technology in healthcare or transport infrastructure that connects regions across impassable terrain. Meaningful projects drive engineers and give them purpose. So, when advertising your engineering roles, highlight your most meaningful projects to top engineering talent that’ll attract them to your business. 2.Reputation Reputation is the beacon that brings top engineers and top companies together. So much of Australia’s engineering sector relies on word-of-mouth and referrals, boosted by the state of your reputation. Highly reputable companies tend to work on the best projects and have the best people making them far more attractive to talent. So, how do you build a strong reputation? Reputation is built by public perception of all your front-facing activities. Your delivery track record, your people, your service deliver, your customer care, your impact on the community, etc. All these elements to varying degrees are crucial to your reputation in the jobs market. It takes years to build and seconds to break. However, if you can combine your strong reputation with compelling marketing, your ability to attract and retain top engineering talent in your business will be enhanced. 3.Perks & Benefits Perks and benefits are the icing on the cake when it comes to the employee value proposition. These are the additional perks, financial or non-financial, that add superior perceived value for talent when contemplating joining or staying with a company. In a candidate driven market, you need to recognise what benefits are core, what are expected and what will give you a competitive edge over your rivals from a talent perspective. According to LinkedIn Talent Insights, the top benefits that engineers are looking for is additional compensation, good work-life balance, job security, flexible work arrangements, training and career progressions. If you’re able to cater to these needs via the right combination of perks and benefits, top talent will place greater consideration on your business when making a career change. So, consider what top engineers are looking for, and try to differentiate yourself from competitors in the combination of perks and benefits you offer. These additions to your EVP could be what attracts top talent into your business versus your competitors. 4. Learning All engineering disciplines are very technical, where required skillsets are always rapidly advancing. As such, top engineers need (and want) to continuously upskill, and they expect their employers to contribute to this need by giving them access to high quality training and development. This might consist of on-the-job training, online courses, outsourced training providers or something more creative. According to LinkedIn, the fastest growing skills for engineers are Analytical skills, coding languages, mechanics, project management, lab skills and quality control. Training in these areas might be great additions to your learning programs. Remember, top talent only stays that way via continuous upskilling. So, by making learning & development a key component of your EVP, you will go a long way in attracting top talent to your business. If talent sees a company willing to invest in their future, they are far more likely to join or stay with that business. Top engineers in this market are very hard to find, but it’s not impossible. Like all workers, there are ways to attract and retain their critical skills into to your business. Give them purpose and sell them your most meaningful projects. Focus on your market reputation to organically attract top talent. Offer them suitable benefits that outshine your rivals and provide them with access to learning and career progression. These actions in tandem will make your business far more attractive to top engineering talent, enabling you to thrive through a period of rising talent shortages. At Ignite, we specialise in engineering recruitment. We have large talent pools of top engineering talent open to new and exciting career opportunities. We provide Engineering recruitment services across: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Perth, and Melbourne.

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

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