Giving back to an industry that has given us so much.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a hot topic these days and the efforts made, whether small or large, say a lot about your organisation. But with companies trying so hard to demonstrate positive CSR, are we really making the corporate world any better?
At Intro we believe our efforts help showcase our commitment being a responsive and responsible modern business that actively gives back to the wider industries in which we operate – namely construction and infrastructure – as well as the wider recruitment and consulting industry.
But with companies in the recruitment industry spending so much time trying to look the part, most have forgotten how important it is to dedicate time to helping each other.
The team at Intro truly loves recruitment and this passion is inherent in what we do. While we are involved in everything… (quite literally, there isn’t an event, award, sponsorship, challenge or charity opportunity we don’t jump at the chance to support), we are also highly committed at enhancing and improving the standards of recruitment in Queensland.
With all our extracurricular involvements, Intro has always aimed to ensure we are also contributing towards improving the shape of our industry as well. We have made an effort to participate in programs that are guided to help shape the recruitment industry, people and community. It’s not just a PR tool, it’s a real commitment to changing the game.
Recently Intro’s general manager Michael has been involved in some really great mentoring activities, particularly for QUT, where he is a graduate and proud alumnus.
Earlier this month Michael, led a panel of industry experts to help provide career advice and real-world wisdom to QUT students both new and old. The panel was a part of a webinar series where the panel discussed and offered practical advice and tips on how to move forward with their careers and help graduates transition to the real world.
Looking back on his time at QUT and having some fond memories being escorted out of the Grinspoon concert at the uni bar, Michael is a big believer in university studies furthering a candidate’s career.
“I never went to a fancy private school and had no industry contacts, hence the reason I hang my hat on my time at university as the gateway to my self-made success as a recruitment professional”, Michael said.
The webinar series was streamed live to hundreds of alumni including current students, recent graduates and alumni professionals.
Also, in September, Michael was nominated to become a member representative for the Recruitment, Consulting and Staffing Association of Australia and New Zealand (RCSA) Queensland Regional Council. The RCSA is the peak body for the recruitment and staffing industry and has an important advisory role in setting benchmarks and standards across Australasia.
Intro is proud to play a part in helping develop the industry and enhance future careers. Our involvement with QUT and RCSA is just a small example where investing time into programs directed towards the recruitment community can play a bigger role in benefiting yourself and others. While these examples of CSR aren’t necessarily the solution to the industries problems, it does start to move the needle forward in fixing them.
Michael is always identifying opportunities and ways to enhance the recruitment industry.
Tired of the same story of big fees and buck passing from the big players in recruitment, through Intro, Michael, Brendan and Lyndon offer a unique and authentic approach to providing high quality personnel.
One of the most important ways he has done this is by working with his co-directors to change the way recruiting is done – by launching Intro Recruitment Solutions.
Recruitment sadly comes with some unethical practices and unprofessionalism. It appears to be part of the culture growing in the industry. Too many recruiters are trying to earn a buck and there are little training processes in place with much less instruction of professional standards and ethics reinforce by managers. Agencies without the appropriate accreditations to provide staff (such as QBCC and labour hire licenses), slashing rates, putting forward candidates without their knowledge and lack of feedback for candidates are just a few examples we’ve come across in the past week… Unfortunately, this behaviour from recruiters is too frequent and are giving the rest of us a bad name.
The recruiter can’t take all the blame either, with candidates beginning to fall into some bad habits. COVID-19 has made the job hunt difficult and even more competitive for some. We’ve seen it all… from lying on resumes to using fake references, it’s all becoming more common in today’s market.
This is why the work Intro is doing and investing in is so important. We are committed to improve the standards of recruitment in Queensland and will continue to contribute towards improving the shape of our industry.
