Insights.

​Last but certainly not least, we’re wrapping up our Day in the Life series with none other than our incredible Managing Director – Lisa Cooley. As an industry leader, Lisa’s contributions to the recruitment world are far-reaching, with involvement in a variety of ventures. But at the core of it all, recruitment is her true passion—she lives and breathes it every day. Here’s...

​With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry across both the UK and New Zealand, Nicola brings a wealth of knowledge and an insatiable passion for digital advancements. Here's how Nicola excels in her role. How Do You Start Your Day? Every day starts with a cup of tea (and is followed by at least another 3-5 before the day ends!). After her morning cuppa, Nicola...

​Sarah is a seasoned recruiter with over 8 years’ experience, she joined us after hitting it off with Lisa at a recruiter event and seizing the chance to work alongside her at Brightspark, starting with the team after finishing Maternity leave. Balancing motherhood and her career, Sarah continues to excel in her role. Here’s how she makes it all work. How Do You Start You...

​Josh is one of the newest members of our team, bringing with him a wealth of life experience from across the globe. Growing up in Luton, Josh always had a curiosity about living abroad. His first big move was to the US, where he explored life stateside. However, after some time, he returned to the UK, only to quickly realize that his desire for life abroad hadn’t faded. It...

Next up, Louise Hickey, another key player at BrightSpark, our Manager and Principal Consultant. Lou has a wealth of knowledge and experience which she uses to lead the team. Balancing family, work, and personal passions, here’s how she manages to excel in her role. How Do You Start Your Day?Lou kicks off her day in one of two ways. She either wakes up early for some endorph...

​At Brightspark, our success lies in our ability to harness the unique strengths of our team members and support them in shining at their fullest. Claire Lowe, our Talent Delivery Manager epitomizes this approach. She has not only grown with the company but has also played a pivotal role in its growth. Claire's role has evolved to encompass a wide range of responsibilities, ...

​In the challenging landscape of job hunting, candidates often ponder the necessity of recruitment firms. Naturally, questions arise: Do recruiters truly add value? Do they complicate the process? Will I end up with a lower salary as the employer has to pay a fee? These concerns stem from misconceptions. A (good) recruitment firm serves as an indispensable ally, working to ...

Recently there have been a number of changes to New Zealand Immigration Law and Visa requirements. Here at BrightSpark we thought we would take this opportunity to give some insight into what these changes are and what they mean, we have partnered with Woburn Immigration Advisors to share these insights.With the Immigration Green List additions coming through there is the an...

​It is common for employers to vary between offering either a KiwiSaver exclusive package or KiwiSaver inclusive package. Often creating an area of confusion in the recruitment process, the team of expert recruiters at BrightSpark are here to outline what this actually means, how to navigate multiple offers with varied exclusive or inclusive packages and give clarity around ...

​‘Talent shortage’ and ‘Tight talent market’ are just some of the terms that are common place in the current market. With the current unemployment rate sitting at 3.4%, if you are looking for a job there are opportunities out there, and if you are an experienced candidate you are likely to get counter offered. Below we explore some crucial aspects to consider from both the ...

​Like us you will have started to hear the usual Christmas murmurs that crop up around October.A semi panic starts to kick in; social commitments ramp up, work projects either get fast tracked or completely deferred and in the talent space candidates decide they don’t want to look for a new job or move into a new role before Christmas.Our advice is that this year, more than ...

​​Reference checks are often the final step in a recruitment process, and a crucial one to get right both for the candidate and employer. For a prospective employer this is an opportunity to validate their impression of a candidate and gain further insight into what it would be like to work with this person. And for the candidate it’s the final opportunity to showcase their ...

​Are you searching for a new job?Whether you’ve found yourself looking for a new role through circumstances beyond your control, or feel it’s time for a change, here’s some advice to set you up for job search success.Update your CV– Obvious right? It’s good to do this before you start your search as it will get you thinking about any particular projects or matters you’ve bee...

​When writing a CV, it’s hard to avoid clichés entirely – we all do it. But if it sounds cringe, it probably is. Recruiters get sent hundreds of CVs, so you need to stand out for the right reasons. You only have a few seconds to grab a recruiter’s attention, so it’s important to avoid filler words and fluff. The key is to show rather than tell. To improve your chances of get...

​Even though we’ve left level 4 behind and can hopefully see some light at the end of the tunnel, chances are most interviews will be conducted via video for a while yet. Perhaps now so many companies have got used to video interviewing they are likely to be more popular even once we’re all back in the office and our seemingly endless weeks of working from home are nothing b...