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Reflections on PJ’s Year – 2022

I asked the girls (Linda and Ely) to do a ‘2022 Reflections’ document, so we can each post a Blog. Rather than do an e-newsletter this Christmas/end of year, Blogs are all the rage apparently.

So, I had to do one too, and I just thought ‘gosh we work hard’. We’ve worked flat chat all of 2022 and the numbers below back that up. Sometimes we’ve loved working on jobs and being flat chat, sometimes not! That’s the reality of recruitment. It’s a rollercoaster, one day you’re on top of the world, your jobs are filled, clients are dreamy, then the next your favourite and only candidate pulls out.

Here’s some numbers for you to show how much talking, influencing and what our reach is with our networks to fill jobs. Love a good bit of data!

2022 the P.J. Recruitment and Executive Search business stats:

37, 215, 2358

37 jobs filled.

215 candidates interviewed face to face.

2358 candidate approaches and applications.

A bit like a Bingo read out isn’t it, those numbers?

We have filled 37 permanent jobs in 2022 – remember there are three of us and our jobs are retained, executive and middle management jobs. I haven’t included our contractor jobs in this bingo number line-up!

Over the past year we head hunted (tapped on the shoulder) 2358 candidates collectively, 45 people per week we tap on the shoulder. That means one hell of a network to be able to do that – consistently each week. It also means a lot of talking.

For 2022 we have interviewed face to face (Zoom or F2F in person for up to an hour and a half each time) 215 candidates.

1, 6, 69

More bingo numbers.

For every job we’ve filled in 2022, on average:

We approach and or receive applications from 69 candidates.

Six candidates are interviewed.

That’s some sifting and sorting.

Those figures increased significantly since COVID, that is we are having to approach and interview a higher volume of candidates to fill jobs compared to this time 2.5 years ago.

OVERALL 2022:

Has been wonderful, as a team we couldn’t be better connected. We know each other’s jobs, clients, potential clients, candidates – past and present. We know how we each work, how to work best and what we need to improve on to get better outcomes, for our candidates and our clients.

Highlights for 2022

Professionally

  • Building an incredibly connected team at P.J., unified by our Vision, Purpose and Values
  • Developing our ‘Towards 2025’ Strategic Plan
  • Astute growth – moving into complementary sectors
  • Diversification – recruiting in business function verticals (HR, Marketing, Finance)
  • Repeat business from amazing clients
  • Working with new clients, who were actually candidates we placed in jobs then they become clients
  • Referrals we get from aged care consultants in the business
  • Going to Hobart for a client site visit and job brief to recruit a CEO down there
  • Recruiting the CEO for Glaucoma Australia
  • Helping re-shape one of NSW and Qld’s aged care organisations executive leadership team
  • Loyalty shown to my business from many clients – we know them and they know how we work intimately
  • Our ability as a team to work cross functionally on each other’s jobs – we’re across each other’s everything which is extremely powerful in our network
  • Working in our swanky new offices in Pymble
  • The ability to work from home with Archie my dog three days a week on average
  • Returning to face-to-face meetings – interviews, client site visits, conferences, seminars, workshops
  • Knowing that my business genuinely makes a difference to elder Australians lives
  • Knowing the work we do can change people’s lives

Personally

  • With my best friend swimming the Whitsundays on a 4 night sailing trip – some days swimming twice totalling 7km – on a 100 year old tall sailing ship – the Solway Lass (see pic attached)
  • Making new friends with a group of ocean swimming lovers and maintaining regular Manly-Shelley return swims and friendships that come with that
  • Drinking champagne – just love it, think it started when I turned 50 and it’s been the year of Champagne for me, certainly the drink of choice
  • Completing a rough 2km ocean swim in November @ Umina (NOT a highlight, rather an achievement)
  • Consistently walking 20km a week with my dog Archie
  • Sustaining 6 months so far of house renovations whilst living in our house (anticipating another 4 months in 2023 before completion)
  • That people tell me often I don’t look like I’m 50
  • Having my daughter Jessica successfully finish Year 10 in one piece
  • Successfully co-organised and hosted 50+ people in our garden for our neighbourhood in Warrawee’s Christmas Party
  • Throwing three other large parties at our house (daughters’ birthdays and Halloween parties) – our house is called the ‘party house’ in our street
  • Having my daughter Ellie cruising through her first year Psych degree at Macquarie
  • Most days learning something new from either Linda or Ely, or our clients/candidates
  • Every day having a good laugh with someone
  • Ellie taking her first trip overseas as an adult with friends (not parents) – so proud it’s a Thailand Contiki tour, she will live her best life
  • About to embark on a 5-week European holiday

Most common occurrence for 2022

I’m running late for meetings (10 mins is the norm)

Linda’s been to the gym before work

Ely has done Pilates the night before work

Coffee at 10am on the dot when we’re in the office in Pymble because that’s what time the coffee roaster shop Sabonis in Pymble opens

That I’ve had too much coffee

The theme for 2022 and what’s kept us going

The common theme, given we must plough through so many people to fill any one job, is to just keep going, (I say just keep swimming), keep connecting with people, keep up a growth mindset, keep laughing, stay authentic, be vulnerable, share the good times and the bad, be honest with each other. Don’t be right all the time and explore new and alternate ways of talent acquisition and doing things.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas. By the time you read this, my family and I are enjoying a five week European holiday – visiting Switzerland, Germany, France, the UK and Italy. I won’t be thinking about numbers when I’m there, just champagne, coffee and pastries.

PJ