Sign me up
For Ryan + Alexander recruitment consultants, compassion and connection are among the keys to attracting the ultimate talent.
words Nicky Adams
photos Jahl Marshall
Just as making a career move can be life-changing, finding the right person to fit the culture of your company requires careful consideration.
A successful outcome is incredibly rewarding for both candidate and client, but also for the recruitment agencies and consultants who’ve worked away behind the scenes.
Bumping into each other with their young children at Tauranga’s Memorial Park proved serendipitous for Bernadette Ryan-Hopkins and Kiri Burney. Each has an international background in recruitment, and they’d previously worked together in Auckland before returning with their families to their roots in the regions – Bernadette is from Rotorua and Kiri is from Te Kauwhata. The pair were at pivotal points in their lives. After reconnecting, it wasn’t a huge leap to come up with the idea of starting their own recruitment agency in the Bay of Plenty. In April 2016, that's just what they did, opening the doors to Ryan + Alexander.
Identifying what they could bring to the table as consultants with a wealth of experience was part of the excitement of the set-up. Having made Tauranga home, they had a true understanding of what was needed for the kind of operation they wanted to run. Deciding whether to specialise was a topic of much discussion. “I was keen to have the temp side but also for Bern to do more executive [recruitment],” says Kiri. “I guess what’s quite unique about us is that we’re full service – temp right through to executive.” Building their identity around the concept of placing the perfect receptionist as easily as the ideal CEO was to become part of their point of difference.
Around this time, Bernadette suffered a huge personal setback when she unexpectedly lost her mum, then, only a month after Ryan + Alexander’s opening, tragedy struck again when her brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The pair believe if they can get through a year like that, they can do anything. Says Bernadette: “Every other challenge we’ve had since pales in comparison. We’re desperately passionate about our business, but a big part of our how and why for employees and clients is understanding that life happens. We have a deeper appreciation for people that has flowed through into everything we do over the past eight years.”
With a combination of personalities that bring the analytical, dynamic and empathetic to the table, Bernadette and Kiri’s shared vision and ultra-flexible approach has attracted a team of which they’re incredibly proud. “We operate on a high-trust model – recruitment is the type of business in which results speak for themselves,” says Bernadette.
They recognise how fortunate they’ve been with regards to Tauranga being a community that’s committed to supporting local businesses. “The relationships we build are so important to our professional model, partnering with businesses so that we’re an extension of their operation,” says Kiri.
In Tauranga, people are expected to have broad experience and under-stand the importance of community connections. Identifying local nuances has been crucial and both women consider confidentiality to be hugely important. Added value is also a vital part of Ryan + Alexander’s ethos. As locals, Bernadette and Kiri are able to speak with genuine authenticity and knowledge about the area.
When talk turns to whether artificial intelligence will impact their industry, Bernadette points out that “one of our biggest value adds is that when you interview a person, you understand them and can describe them – and AI is never going to be able to do that”.
The belief in the importance of family and connection continues to exert its influence in the success the agency is enjoying while establishing itself and thriving in the Bay. Not just the foundation of Ryan + Alexander, this ethos is also the bricks with which it’s continuing to build.