• Starting a new job in a new industry gave me a sense of excitement, uncertainty and eagerness to learn. Coming into the role as a recruitment consultant at Optimum Consulting, my basic understanding of recruitment was “finding people a job”, and whilst that may be a very vague part of the job, I’ve quickly understood that there is much more to it.   […]

  • Eight weeks ago, I started a new career in recruitment after 11 years as a legal assistant. What led me here was not a sudden epiphany. It was a nearly 12-month-long job search that allowed me to experience firsthand what candidates say is broken about the process. As a candidate, I felt invisible more times […]

  • I’ve always loved this time of year in Asia. There’s an energy that’s hard to describe unless you’ve experienced it firsthand – the build-up of anticipation, the spring cleaning and new sheets, the red and gold, the ang bao and the yusheng. I’ve been fortunate to experience Lunar New Year in Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi […]

  • For a long time, qualifications were the shorthand for capability. Degrees and certifications dominated job ads and hiring decisions. Today, I have found this appears to be changing. Many of my friends are now graduating from their degrees, and asking themselves what to do next? Do they continue to gain qualifications and continue studying? Do […]

  • Well, I am sure you are all glued to the TV watching the Australian Tennis Open or if you are one of the lucky ones and living in Melbourne, or have tickets you may have been to a game or two over the last couple of weeks. At first glance, recruitment might look more like […]

  • Hiring the right people is one of the most important capabilities a company needs to develop.  But is there a secret to getting it right more often than not? One of the most common reasons placements struggle is not a lack of skill, experience, or even cultural fit. More often, it comes down to expectations […]

  • There are plenty of articles written about Gen Z, but very few written by us. As an 18-year-old working in recruitment, I get to see first-hand how early-career talent approaches work, what motivates us, and what makes us excited or disengaged. Here’s what I’ve noticed. Clarity and transparency are non-negotiable Gen Z grew up hearing […]

  • Starting a new role is always a bit like stepping onto a construction site without the plans, and my first weeks in recruitment were exactly that. Coming from an engineering background, I’m used to defined problems, clear data, and predictable outcomes. Recruitment, on the other hand, lives in the grey; variables multiply, timelines shift, and […]

  • As we come to the end of another year, it’s a natural time for reflection. For many people, this period between Christmas and the New Year becomes a pause point — a moment to look back on what the year has delivered and to think ahead about what the next one might hold. After 25 […]

  • It’s that time of the year again where many of us are looking forward to a relaxing break over Christmas. Having time away from work gives me so much clarity with what I want to achieve for the year ahead after having a few weeks off. 2026 is going to be a big year, both […]