Clayton Mace

We are seeing an increasing number of offshore candidates reaching out about opportunities in Australia. Here’s what we are advising them: 🔵 Sponsorship visas remain challenging with our corporate clients. The clients we work with who are open to sponsorship typically have specific requirements: A. They have a larger strategy team and are willing to wait for visa processing before you can start. They can carry the load in the meantime and are constantly pipelining talent to backfill those who move into the business. These companies usually only make the effort to sponsor offshore talent who have a top tier consulting pedigree. B. They need candidates with deep expertise in a sector or skill that is not widely available locally. Again, this is most often top tier talent from McKinsey, Bain or BCG. 🔵 The good news. Consulting clients are coming to us thick and fast to build their teams up, mostly at the Manager levels. This is the most likely way to secure an opportunity in Australia with the offer of sponsorship at the moment. 🔵 Visa processing is improving. Times have significantly decreased with a new type of visa being introduced. Even so, employers must have a compelling reason to sponsor and wait for a candidate. 🔵 Competition is strong. The local talent market is highly competitive, with a strong pool of senior candidates actively looking. This makes it particularly difficult for Associate Partner and Partner level candidates seeking to relocate. 🔵 Junior candidates face more barriers. Many firms have policies against sponsoring candidates with less than 3 years of consulting experience. However, we are having success with more junior consultants arriving on a working holiday visa, especially if they have an MBB background. Rachel Quick is placing them into contracts so clients can “try before they buy”, and this often leads to sponsorship. 🔵 We also speak regularly with MBB candidates applying from overseas who are open to multiple locations. Our key question to them is: What are you optimising for? If the answer is compensation, Australia may not be the right fit given exchange rates, high tax and cost of living. Other markets, such as tax free or lower cost regions, often provide stronger financial incentives. If the answer is career acceleration, it is important to assess why Australia, as other countries may provide a faster trajectory. If the answer is lifestyle, then Australia can be an excellent choice. 🔵 Ultimately. Relocating here requires both strong personal motivation for Australia specifically and a compelling value proposition for employers. #strategyjobs #MBB

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Australia’s HR market remains strong, but organisations are adapting to a more cautious talent landscape. Interim and project-based HR professionals are increasingly supporting critical initiatives, while key trends are shaping the way HR adds strategic value: HR at the centre of workforce transformation From reporting to predicting: the rise of HR analytics Wellbeing and belonging as core to retention DEI evolution: from policy to accountability Explore how HR leaders can stay ahead and build sustainable, high-performing workforces.  https://lnkd.in/gMuFZ3h6

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I’m excited to be back in Melbourne on 2 October running our TA Fundamentals Training Program.   This one-day workshop is ideal for anyone in TA or HR, but especially for people who have never received any formal training or are new to recruitment or stepping into their first TA role.   We’ll cover the essentials like: ✨ EVP and Employer Branding ✨ Interviewing techniques that work ✨ Building confidence in taking a recruitment brief ✨ Inclusive hiring practices, EEO and legal compliance ✨ The impact of HR tech and AI tools on how we hire, and much more!   It’s a small group format (max 15 people), which makes it a great space for sharing experiences and building confidence in the basics. Perfect for those who are new to recruitment or stepping into a TA role for the first time.   If you know someone in your network who’s just starting out in TA, or who could benefit from grounding their practice in the essentials, I’d love for you to share this with them.   📍 Melbourne CBD | 🗓️ 2 October 2025 | 9 AM – 5 PM Book here: https://lnkd.in/gSF_3myN

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To my wonderful younger cohort of recruiters: New research from the Australian HR Institute and the Australian Human Rights Commission shows that age bias is still alive and well in the workplace. Their latest report reveals that almost one in four employers consider people in their 50s as "old"—and many are hesitant to hire them. I want to gently say this: your time will come. One day, you’ll find yourself on the other side of that age line, with a wealth of experience, perspective, and maturity that should be valued—not overlooked. So, when you're making those recruitment decisions, pause for a moment. Ask yourself how you would want to be treated in the later stages of your career. Think about how valuable “extensive experience” truly is—and how much richer our workplaces are when we embrace all generations. The only way to break the cycle is to challenge it now—so the next generation of experienced professionals (including you!) can thrive.

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Over half of Australians have been in their current role for less than five years. So what makes top talent stick around? Jenny McKie's 30-year career at Hungry Jack's is a testament to the power of internal mobility and a skills-based approach to workforce management. Discover how Jenny is challenging the traditional norms of career progression, and reimagining the future of HR at Hungry Jack's 👉 https://lnkd.in/dQV9uwqk Jenny McKie

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Hope everyone enjoyed the Hays Salary guide Launch Event at lunch time! 📊 I have put together some data for my HR connections, showing HR salaries in NSW for FY20/21 vs FY24/25 vs FY25/26 📊 This is to highlight the growth we have experienced in the 5 years since 2020, and the stagnation we have seen in the last year. Bucking the trend of staying the same from last year to this year: ➕ 4.8% YOY growth for Head of HR salaries, in organisations between 250-1000 employees ➖ 2.5% YOY decline for Head of HR salaries, in organisations under 250 employees, suggesting SMEs may be struggling more with rising costs ➕ 10% YOY growth for the salary of a HR Advisor, which may be down to increased reliance on HR Advisors for critical business functions such as ER support ➖ 11% and 10% YOY decline for TA Advisor and TA Coordinator salaries, highlighting how the job short/candidate heavy market in this space has allowed clients to lower salaries yet still attract top talent The full guide is now available to download at: https://lnkd.in/gbqEFNYZ [email protected]

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