Category: Uncategorized

Experts have long encouraged people to “play to their strengths.” And why wouldn’t we want to flex our strongest muscle? But based on my observations, this is easier said than done. Not because it’s hard to identify what we’re good at. But because we often undervalue what we inherently do well. Often our “superpowers” are things… Continue reading Why Talented People Don’t Use Their Strengths

Most employees look forward to the annual performance review the way they look forward to a root canal. Feelings range from anxiety and angst to annoyance and anger. Not that performance reviews are a thrill for managers, either. Typically, they involve hours of preparation, and the outcome is often an employee who is less engaged… Continue reading 5 Key Benefits of Real-Time Performance Feedback

A changing workforce has left many highly qualified professionals out of the job market. But are these candidates too qualified, or could they be the right people for the job? Hiring Managers have traditionally hesitated to employ overqualified candidates because of several presumed risks –  the assumption is that the person will be bored and… Continue reading Should You Hire An Overqualified Candidate?

When recruiting new employees into their organisations, most of our clients use our flagship product the “15FQ+”, which is a personality questionnaire designed to provide insight into how an individual may think, feel and interact in the workplace. This information is primarily used alongside other assessment methods to explore the match between the candidate and… Continue reading Ready To Up Your Hiring Game?

New Zealand business leaders have been relatively quick to recognise the benefits diversity can bring to a business.  It’s no surprise that businesses who embrace diversity have enhanced decision making, increased engagement and greater access to top talent. Unfortunately, some recruitment processes haven’t kept up the pace in embracing diversity, whilst some recruiting people struggle… Continue reading Bolster your recruitment talent pool by overcoming bias and embracing diversity

A hiring manager’s and candidate’s idea of “proficiency” in any given software system can be two very different things.  If you’re hiring for a position requiring Microsoft Office skills, then our blended Microsoft Office pre-employment skills test is exactly what you need to measure a candidate’s true depth of knowledge. The Microsoft Office skills test… Continue reading Are you 100% certain that your candidates are proficient in MS Office?

“Candidate Experience” is a hot topic in my HR network at the moment. For those of you unfamiliar with this phrase, it’s the reaction a job seeker has about an organisation’s job application process, and for me, it hits close to home. Whilst the idea of “candidate experience” isn’t necessarily new or even innovative, what… Continue reading The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of Candidate Experience

For those of you who don’t know me, I consider myself to be a Kiwi/American. I’m a citizen of both countries and have lived in each for about the same duration of time.  When I relocated back to the States a couple years ago, I began reflecting on what I had accomplished whilst living in New Zealand;… Continue reading Cultivating Grit: The Secret Ingredient of Successful People and Organisations

In June 2016, Helen Brand, the CEO of ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) launched a report from an international study which identified seven attributes essential to success for accountants and finance professionals. Since then, we have presented a guide to accountants across New Zealand on how to assess whether accounting & finance candidates are… Continue reading Hiring the Perfect Professional. What should you be looking for?