Wellington

How far is too far?

I had a call yesterday from an old candidate down in Wellington. I missed it as I was out peddling my wares to a prospective new client. Before I could call him back, I received the following text from them: "Let me know if you want a topic for your…

Sean WaltersMay 30, 2025

Employment Human Resources Recruitment

High basics & high blood pressure: A curious correlation

Pay rises are great aren't they? A flasher car, a bigger house, nicer wine, hotter partner, stress, redundancy, unemployment, the inability to change jobs. They really are fantastic. And the great thing about a pay rise is that you never go backwards. Each year, and every time you move job…

Sean WaltersApril 11, 2025

Employment Human Resources Job Boards Recruitment Work

2024: A Year.

I've asked a few recruiters of late how 2024 has been for them, and comments have ranged from "worse than the GFC" to "f*ckin' sh*te mate". Thankfully, it is all but over. SEEK were kind enough to buy me a few beers and some lovely socks this week, and overall…

Sean WaltersDecember 20, 2024

Employment Human Resources Politics

180,000 reasons not to get a pay rise

Being originally from the UK, I find the MMP voting system here refreshingly "European". For those who don't know or care, the UK, being stuck in the 1930s, uses the outdated "first past the post" system. To explain briefly, the UK is divided into over 600 constituencies. Come election time,…

Sean WaltersDecember 6, 2024

Employment Politics Recruitment

More AoG Misery: “No conversion fee shall apply”

In case you didn't know already, the opportunity to make contractor margin on Government contractors in their second year of work has now been deemed practically impossible. I was actually hoping for a fun and frivolous blog this morning, however, given I've had to cover every aspect of the "All…

Sean WaltersSeptember 27, 2024

Employment Human Resources Politics Recruitment

MBIE: Procurement, with all the charm of gum disease

Birthdays are a special time. A time to reflect on progress and achievements. A time to look to the future with renewed optimism. No matter what you've gone through, a birthday marks the start of a new year. And "new year" can mean "new you". And so it is as…

Sean WaltersJuly 5, 2024

Politics Recruitment Work

Five BIG stories from the world of Recruitment

Regular readers will know that I often find myself scraping around for a blog topic on a Friday morning. Not so today. Following the blog hotline ringing off the hook this week, here's a snapshot of FIVE big things that have happened to the industry. Think of this like a…

Sean WaltersMay 31, 2024

Politics Recruitment Uncategorized

Talent International acquire People&Co – and are back in the big time

I had a real zinger of a blog mentally drafted this week, but alas, some serious recruitment news hit my feed yesterday, pushing my planned blog down the ranks. Rest assured, these more tabloid-friendly blogs don't just disappear into the ether. They sit on my desk inside a folder labelled…

Sean WaltersNovember 3, 2023

Employment Politics Recruitment

The year that never happened

Our fictionalised conversation starts in April 2023. Me: So you've briefed me. I've introduced the candidate. They've met you, the team, and completed testing. Everyone loves them, so do you want me to move to references, or do you want to offer subject to references? Client: Ah Sean. I've been…

Sean WaltersOctober 20, 2023

Politics Recruitment

The winners, and soon to be losers, of the Government gravy train

Politically, we are a divided business here at Rice HQ. We have three loony-lefties whose allegiances lie somewhere between Green/Labour/Te Pāti Māori. Someone who sits at the absolute centre of political moderation who won't tell us who they're voting for. And a David Seymour fan who has also said that…

Sean WaltersOctober 6, 2023