Finding the right person for the job can be a challenging process.
But with these tips from Qantas Business Rewards member MAYDAY Recruitment, you can be sure you’re asking the right questions when hiring.
“When we began MAYDAY three years ago, we had no idea we’d have a staff of 20 today,” says Katrina Docherty, one of three co-founders behind the fast-growing Sydney-based recruitment company."
“We saw a huge gap in the market: other agencies simply didn’t have the ‘care factor’ we offer. To us, it’s not just about money – it’s about making sure a candidate or a client is looked after from the moment they engage with us.”
Specialising in office-based recruitment, from EAs to CEOs, MAYDAY has been widely recognised for the service it provides clients: in 2018 the business collected the “Start-Up Superstar” award at the NSW Business Chamber Awards and this year it took home two gongs at the Recruitment International Awards for Best Company for Client Service and Best Company for Candidate Experience.
When it comes to finding new employees, Docherty says it’s important to be prepared.
“You need to know and fully understand what you want from an employee and have a full job description prepared before you start looking. Know what your non-negotiables are, be thorough with the job interview process and do your due diligence. Also, keep candidates in the loop – if you interview them, have the courtesy to tell them how their application is going.”
“There are so many mistakes that businesses make: rushing in, not being systematic, interviewing too quickly, not understanding objectives before the interview process, not testing on practical skills, not trusting instincts."
“Also, it’s incredible how many people don’t look at employment history – check LinkedIn for job titles, call referees, make sure you understand why people have left jobs."
“It’s so important to invest in good recruitment – people don’t fully understand the cost of having the wrong person in their business.”
Finding the right candidates for clients also comes down to the experience and dedication of the MAYDAY team.
“We invest in our employees and as a result they want to do a great job and want to find the right candidates for our clients. We stand out because we provide reliably excellent service,” says Docherty.
And job seekers looking for temp roles are well looked after. “Temping can be lonely work,” says Docherty. “We make sure every candidate that we place in a role feels special. We visit them regularly and get updates over pizza sessions…. We go above and beyond.”
Going further with Qantas Business Rewards
MAYDAY is growing fast, but as a new business, every dollar still counts.
“We’re always looking for ways to make smarter financial decisions,” says Docherty. “As a Qantas Business Rewards member, we found we could earn points on everyday business expenses. We have an American Express points-earning credit card, which means we earn for every dollar we spend. The Card also means that we earn additional points when we use it to pay for flights, whenever I or any of my staff travel for work.”
MAYDAY uses points accumulated in its Qantas Business Rewards account in a variety of ways. “We sometimes use the points to purchase domestic flights to visit interstate clients and for upgrades on international flights. When we hit the ground, points are great for booking Qantas Hotels – there are thousands to choose from around the world."
“One of the great things about Qantas Business Rewards is that you can transfer points to any Frequent Flyer you like and we have done just this – gifting points to employees to put towards hotels or flights to reward them for their efforts.”
The top questions to ask yourself before you start recruiting
- Do you have the authority to recruit? You’d be surprised by how many people don’t but they think they do.
- Are you looking for temporary or permanent staff?
- Do you have a detailed job description?
- Do you have a list of all the questions you want to ask?
- Are you skilled to interview candidates?
- Do you offer work flexibility? This can open you up to a lot more candidates.
- Do you have an adequate system in place for your new employee, when it comes to training, business practices and the like?
Important information
A business must be a Qantas Business Rewards Member to earn Qantas Points. A one-off joining fee of $89.50 usually applies, however this will be waived for any business that has an existing American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card. Membership and the earning of Qantas Points as a business are subject to the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions. Points are earned in accordance with and subject to the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card Points Terms and Conditions.
6. A business must be a Qantas Business Rewards Member to earn Qantas Points for business. Membership and the earning of Qantas Points as a business are subject to the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions. Points are earned in accordance with and subject to the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card Points Terms and Conditions. Your business will earn 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 of everyday spend, which does not include annual fees, late payment fee, fees and charges for travellers cheques and foreign currencies. Your business will earn 0.5 Qantas Points per $1 spent at participating merchants classified as "utilities" including gas, water and electricity providers; "government" including the Australian Taxation Office, the Australian Postal Corporation, federal/state and local government bodies; and "insurance" excluding insurances offered by American Express. Your business will earn 2 Qantas Points per $1 spent on the following Qantas Products and Services purchased on the Qantas merchant account (i.e. directly from Qantas): Qantas passenger flights (with a QF flight number), Qantas Holidays, Qantas Branded non-airfare products, and Qantas Frequent Flyer and Qantas Club membership joining and annual fees. Excludes Jetstar. For the full list of exclusions, please refer to the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card Points Terms and Conditions.
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