Thirty-five years in recruitment was never my plan as a young drafter, yet less than eighteen months after being employed by Bayside Drafting (now Balpara), I was seconded to the recruitment division and never looked back.
Even today, despite its now significant learning curve, many people continue to fall into recruitment as a profession, bringing their technical knowledge and skills. Robert Blanche, co-owner and Director of the Bayside Group and Acclaimed Workforce, was the person who encouraged me to ‘try’ recruitment. This year, he entrusted me and my colleague Wayne Eaton to take on General Management responsibilities so that he and business partner of 48 years, John Wilson, could semi-retire.
It's been a roller coaster of a journey, and I’ve found 2024 with its milestones and changes, to be a year of reflection.
How has the recruitment industry changed?
If I answered this question in detail, I could write a novel. In many ways, recruitment is almost unrecognisable. You can see in the photograph I don’t even have a computer sitting on my desk in the early to mid-1990s. We used paper files that took up half the office floor, a rolodex, print advertising in newspapers, the telephone and our memory to source and place engineers and technical professionals, either as a contractor or employee.
The two greatest differences today are technology and governance. While this is probably universal, it is worth pointing out that Australia’s employment legislation is arguably the most complex in the world. When taking into consideration changes and obligations relating to ER/IR, WHS and Payroll alone, it is momentous. And this is without the extensive workforce trends that have changed the way we collaborate and work. Bayside Group, as long-term members of the Recruitment & Consulting Services Associations, have played a key role in improving safety management and recruitment best practice during my time in the business.
In fact, many of these changes have made substantial differences to employees work and personal lives. Workers are now safer in the workplace, work under better conditions and many have more flexibility. Higher expectations relating to purpose, development and progression has also changed the way organisations operate. A noteworthy change specific to recruitment is the interview style – it has become more of a constructive discussion that facilitates a greater understanding of the candidate, how their skills, potential and aspirations fit with the team, organisational culture and strategic direction, creating more positive experiences and outcomes for candidates.
However, from a Bayside Group perspective, a lot of things have stayed the same. Our philosophy from my first day was to be specialists in specific disciplines and industry sectors, and to partner with organisations and candidates to help them reach their goals. That was a core part of our strategy 35 years ago and still is to this day.
Highlights, challenges and what drives me
There have been so many highlights it’s difficult to select just a few. I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to provide strategic, timely, and value-driven employment solutions across Australia and internationally. My role, which began in technical placement, evolved into customised workforce management services, incorporating workplace relations, international recruitment, and organisational alignments that drive growth and stability.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the honour of receiving recognition from our clients for key achievements. These include the Distinction Award, Best Relationship Award, and the Recognition Award for being a proactive supplier in recruitment and training services with Ford Motor Company of Australia. Milestones that reflect our commitment to excellence and long-standing partnerships. The Bayside Group team takes great pride in these accomplishments as they validate our dedication to delivering outstanding service and building strong client relationships.
One notable initiative has been our successful sponsorship of around 650 international workers through the 482 Visa Program (previously 457 visa), demonstrating our ability to leverage global talent to address local skills shortages. Through Bayside Group’s On-hire Labour Agreement, we have ensured that businesses can remain competitive and agile, even in the face of critical talent shortages.
Having spent so many years in recruitment, you recognise the cyclical nature of many of the challenges faced. I started just before the recession in the early 1990s, which possibly helped me build resilience for everything else. I’ve seen other significant downturns, most notably following the global financial crisis in 2008, candidate shortages country-wide and globally, and been impacted like many Australians from offshoring of manufacturing. For me personally, seeing the decline of automotive manufacturing in Australia was particularly difficult. And of course, the pandemic created challenges for all of us that we had never experienced before. However, these challenges also help you grow as a person and leader - they help to build empathy, understanding and creativity out of necessity.
Through all of this, I wouldn’t still be in this industry without the incredible relationships I’ve forged with clients, candidates and team members over the journey. There are so many people who have helped and supported me in my career, and it’s been amazing to be part of their careers in a small way as well.
Above all else, it is these partnerships that drive me to continue. I’m really excited about this next chapter as General Manager of Bayside Group and Acclaimed Workforce, and I’m committed to driving innovation and supporting the evolving needs of our clients and candidates.
