Five Things I Say To Clients (And What I Actually Mean)
Five lines Sarah says to clients on repeat — and the compressed honesty behind each one. On candidate shortages, purple unicorns, cloning the person who left, and why everything is going to be ok.
RIP to the Trends: A Recruiter’s Obituary Column
The recruitment trends obituary page: signing bonuses, unlimited PTO, the four-day week, culture fit and the fun fast-paced job ad. Cause of death, surviving relatives, and what each one taught us.
Stuck, Not Sinking: Why NZ’s Labour Market Story Isn’t the One You’re Reading
Unemployment hit 5.6% and the headlines say freefall. The numbers say something different: a stuck market, not a sinking one, and the difference changes what hiring teams should actually do.
Would You Get Inked for an Interview?
A startup offered interviews for tattoos and seven people said yes. The ink is the least interesting part; what it says about the cost of a first conversation is the bit worth sitting with.
The Market Isn’t Bad. It’s Weird.
Not good. Not bad. Weird. Why NZ hiring in 2026 is busy in ways the headlines miss, quiet in ways the optimists gloss over, and unforgiving of employers acting like it’s 2022.
Five Myths About Recruitment Agencies (From Someone Who Works at One)
A recruiter writing about agency myths is a bit like a barista reviewing their own coffee. One of these five myths is partly true, and Sarah tells you which one.
Election Year Hiring: The Great National Wait-And-See
Every three years, New Zealand collectively decides to put its career on hold. The election isn’t freezing the market — we are. Why election year is a hiring opportunity dressed up as a risk.
A Totally Unbiased Guide To Whether You Should Go Into Recruitment
Someone asked Sarah if they should go into recruitment. Spoiler: no. On the 90% first-year exodus, what the job ad didn’t mention — and the people who hear “don’t do it” and argue back anyway.
New Zealand Is Not Australia!
Australian head offices keep running NZ hires through Australian agencies. Different employment law, different market, different networks — and a gentle reminder about the pavlova.
The Clients Worth Their Weight in Gold
Not enough people talk about finding great clients — the ones who treat recruitment as a partnership, not a transaction. A small email that carried a big signal, and what five years of trust looks like.
