2016 The Big Picture: The Big Picture - Februarylaunching two exciting marketing campaigns. Over the last few months the Marketing team has been working hard to deliver campaigns that

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The Big Picture: The Big Picture - February2016

Posted by George Demetrios 07-Feb-2016

Thinking about what the world’s employment marketplacesof the future will look like is exciting stuff, as Group StrategyDirector, Simon Lusted explains.

We all know that over the next few years, we have a terrific opportunity to help people live more fulfilling and

productive working lives, and to help organisations succeed.

To turn the opportunity into reality, we are doing some very exciting things as we work on a search and

matching problem which we believe will have massive impacts across economies throughout the world.

Search technology has advanced significantly over the last few years relative to its application across

industries such as travel and online dating, however it seems clear that when it comes to jobs, we are just at

the beginning.

What’s exciting about the field of employment marketplaces is that we’re leading the charge in searchcapability. As the world’s largest, we do this through developing the most intimate understanding of candidatesand hirers via the data we have about their careers combined with their user behaviour onsite.

Almost everybody needs employment marketplaces to help them find a job. In fact, large numbers of peopleare never truly ‘out’ of the market. For example, who doesn’t want to know what else is out there or how theystack up, regardless of how happy they are in their current role? Very few people aren’t open to opportunitywhen it knocks.

But we all know finding the ‘right’ next opportunity remains hard for most people, both in terms of effortand their emotional investment. We know collectively, companies spend billions of dollars in identifying andselecting the right candidate, yet despite their efforts, they frequently get it wrong. This has huge human andfinancial costs for both candidates and organisations, making no-one happy.

So, how do we solve such a difficult matching problem? We think the answer lies in an ever deeper and more

sophisticated understanding of our hirers and candidates. Unlike other matching markets (like say cars or

houses) people are incredibly complex and ever changing in terms of their skills, capabilities and preferences.

And, hiring companies are really just made up of people with equally complex needs and cultures.

The good news is we’re increasingly seeing major shifts in our ability to collect and use data to betterunderstand our hirers and candidates. On the hirer side of the market, more and more firms are open to usingtechnology in their hiring processes, which will allow us to better understand their needs. And candidates are

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quickly coming to understand that sharing more about their situation and preferences will help them achievebetter outcomes, such as discovering what roles really exist and where, much more quickly.

Already, in Australia we’re making huge leaps forward in our ability to understand our hirers and candidates -here are just a few; • Our better understanding of the granular locations of jobs and people has really improved our search

results and our ability to recommend jobs in a candidates local area.• Our new screening tool, Role Requirements, provides hirers with questions to include in their application

process to screen out irrelevant candidates. Understanding what criteria hirers have for specific rolesbuilds our knowledge beyond the job ad and the CV in a structured way. For example, we know that 20per cent of payroll jobs require that people have skills and experience in end of month reconciliation - andwe are discovering which individual candidates actually have that skill.

• We’re leveraging the massive scale of search behaviours on our site to discover millions of hiddenrelationships - here’s just one. If you’re searching for biostatistics roles there’s a 35 per cent chance you’dalso be interested in epidemiology.

• And, of course we’ve launched Company Reviews – a great insight we’re able to draw from this is; ifyou have a job offer from Westpac and NAB, and you value benefits and perks, you might be happier atWestpac as their employees have scored them higher (but you should also check the reviews!).

There’s really so much more we can do to use this data to deliver much better outcomes to candidates andhirers, and critically, at much lower costs and effort.

Of course, when we’re talking about data we always have to be mindful of the privacy and trust of candidates.This is an area where SEEK is really well placed. We have 18 years of treating the “Candidate as King”. It's abig part of our success to date and it’s in our DNA. What it means practically is that where there is a trade-offor hard decision to make we always consider the needs of the candidate first.

At SEEK we’re in a unique position to make entire economies function more efficiently - not ‘just’ deliver betteroutcomes for candidates and hirers in the moment but actually make people better off, and happier, overthe long term. That’s a big claim, but consider this; you probably know that in Australia we’re already directlyresponsible for helping 32 per cent of all candidates find their last job. But did you know that the numbers inour international markets are equally (and often even more) impressive? For example, almost half of all peoplewho changed jobs in Malaysia said they found their role on Jobstreet. So if anyone is in a position to changethings for the better on a genuinely large scale, it’s us.

Cheers,

Simon.

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Putting the spotlight on SEEK profile and

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Company Reviews

The start of the year is a busy time for SEEK. Candidates are looking for new opportunitiesas they action their New Year’s resolutions, and organisations are ready to start hiring againafter the summer break. We want to ensure that through this period candidates know howSEEK can support them. We are best placed in the market to connect candidates with theright job, and to find a company that’s the perfect fit. To ensure candidates know this, we’relaunching two exciting marketing campaigns.

Over the last few months the Marketing team has been working hard to deliver campaigns that will make a

real impact to the goals of creating more SEEK Profiles, with greater depth of information, and getting people

to complete a Company Review (and read what others have to say!).

“Our products are the most powerful proof points we have to drive change in perception of our

brand, and show candidates that we deliver more than just jobs by supporting them throughout their

entire career journey. When you consider the sophistication of the search and matching technology

which we use in our products like SEEK Profile and Company Reviews, we far outweigh that of our

competition. We genuinely take the hard work out of the job search for candidates and hirers – so we

decided to shout this from the rooftops!” explains Babi Kahveci, SEEK Brand & Candidate Manager ANZ.

To ensure our message reaches our target market across Australia and New Zealand and that we engage

candidates in a meaningful way, the campaigns will initially generate awareness, and then build on that

awareness to drive adoption and usage of both SEEK

Profile and Company Reviews. TV and outdoor advertising will focus on awareness and education of theproducts, while display advertising (which is the SEEK ads you see when you browse online) and social mediawill be activated to build on this knowledge further. Our search marketing expertise will ensure that whenpeople are searching for information on SEEK Profile or Company Reviews, they are directed to the right areasof our site – ensuring we don’t miss out on any relevant traffic or onsite action like profile registrations andreading of Company Reviews.

The candidate career blog, Advice & Tips, will house content that focuses on increasing every candidate’sunderstanding of SEEK Profile and Company Reviews. The email communications we send to candidates willalso be very important. We have strong engagement from candidates through this channel so we will leverageit to demonstrate the value of having a SEEK Profile, as well as encourage candidates to constantly updateand improve the information contained in their profile.

The first campaign will focus on SEEK Profile, which will be supported by the key campaign message, “Let

opportunity come to you.” The second campaign will focus on Company Reviews, accompanied by the

message, “Find out about a company before you begin.” Across Australia and New Zealand, the SEEK Profile

campaign launched on January 25. The Company Reviews campaign will launch in Australia in March and in

New Zealand in June.

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Examples of the SEEK Profile campaign.

The first SEEKProfile TVcommercial will hitscreens in Australiaon February 1,during Australia’sGot Talent onChannel 9. In NewZealand, we havesecured screeningsduring a range ofprime time slots,also starting onFebruary 1.

The CompanyReviews componentof the campaigntakes a humorouslook at anemployee’s first dayin a new workplace.The TV commercialdemonstrateshow the firstday didn’t matchthe candidate’sexpectation, andwas significantlydifferent to whatthey were sold in theinterview.

Congratulations to the entire Marketing team for developing two outstanding campaigns. Campaigns ofthis size have many moving parts and require exceptional time management, attention to detail, creativityand stakeholder management. The team has done a fantastic job and we can’t wait to see all the differentelements come to life!

To see more on the campaign, see Advertising Campaigns

To find out more, contact Babi Kahveci, Brand &Candidate Manager ANZ

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SEEK Learning helps Australians achievework-life balance

A good work-life balance is integral to having a more fulfilling and productive career inthe longer term. Currently, over one third of Australians are looking for a better work-lifebalance and for many, education is the gateway to transitioning into a new role or career toachieve it.

Enter SEEK Learning, who recently commissioned a market research project in late 2015  – TheSEEK Learning, Defining Work-Life Balance Study. Through this study we wanted to understandwhat people really meant when they said “work-life balance” and identify which industries,roles and locations across Australia deliver the best work-life balance. SEEK Learning plays animportant role in helping Australians find their work-life balance through connecting them tocourses, which give them the qualifications and skills to assist them in transitioning into a newjob or industry that offers the balance they desire.

Taking on study can be a big commitment for many people, so it’s important they have as much information aspossible about the course and its possible career outcomes, as well as the work-life balance it can offer.

The SEEK Learning, Defining Work-Life Balance Study revealed that there is not a one-size-fits-all approach

when defining work-life balance, but four distinct interpretations of what work-life balance means;

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1. Flexibility in work hours and locationis cited by 34 per cent of people as theirview of what work-life balance is. Thisform of work-life balance is particularlyimportant for senior managementemployees and the self-employed.

2. Work that doesn’t disrupt home-life wascited by 27 per cent as their definition ofwork-life balance. This view of work-lifebalance is most important for womenand those working part time.

3. The ability to time-bank, otherwiseknown as accumulating over-timehours towards personal time off is thedefinition for 23 per cent of people.Time-banking is most important for menand those working full time or in mid-management.

4. No overtime was cited by 15 per centas what work-life balance meant tothem. This was most prevalent forentry-level employees.

“Combining our expert knowledge on the career pathways different qualifications offer, with a deeper

understanding of what prospective students mean when they say they’re after a career with “better

work-life balance” is valuable information. It enables us to recommend courses which offer career

options in industries which we know are aligned to the work-life balance they’re after” saidScottDoyle  – SEEK Learning Consumer Sales Manager.

Ninety-two per cent of Australians say work-life balance would have an impact on their decision to changecareers so if we can help people get the qualifications they need and inform them of what industries offerwork-life balance as they see it, we’re making a huge impact in helping Australians achieve a fulfilled workinglife.

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View the full report here: Defining Work-Life Balance Report

To find out more, contact Lauren Taylor, Brand &Content Manager, SEEK Learning

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Migration to the NAC - on the cuspof completion

One of our most crucial systems in facilitating the job advertisement process is the NewAdvertiser Centre (NAC), which enables hirers to create and post job ads on SEEK. TheNAC went live in 2012, and for the past two years a significant project has been underwayto migrate our customers to the NAC. Now migration to the NAC is nearly complete.

The NAC was developed to make it easier for hirers to manage the recruitment process – from advertisementto final offer. With around 6,000 job ads posted everyday, the NAC gives hirers the ability to create shortlists,view candidate details, add notes against candidate profiles and send emails from the NAC direct tocandidates to advise them of their application outcome.

The NAC went live in November 2012, and since this time the Customer Service team has been tasked with

the critical job of migrating 140,000 Australian and New Zealand hirer accounts. The priority was ensuring

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all account details were safely transferred and that the correct communications and support was in place to

ensure hirers were confident in using the NAC and accessing its functionalities.

The good news is that we’re almost there. We finished 2015, having migrated 95 per cent of all accounts.We now have a mere 3,000 accounts remaining, and expect to have the migration wrapped up in the next fewmonths.

Managing change is never an easy task, however we’ve received positive feedback from many hirers,Delia Francis from Robert Walters recruitment firm saying, “SEEK’s new advertiser centre saves me

so much time. I am now able to see instantly what ad spaces are available, including ad prices

and alternatives, so we can go straight back to our clients and on-sell premium ads as part of our

premium advertising package.”

The success of this project has been the result of the combined efforts from the Product and Development

teams, Customer Service and Sales. Being able to have such a positive impact on our customers by

persevering through obstacles to deliver this project is a job well done!

To find out more, contact Nicole Brolan, SeniorProduct Manager

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Supporting parents at SEEK

How will I balance being a good parent, while continuing to perform in my job? How willI successfully transition back into my role after parental leave? These are some of thecommon concerns of parents and guardians and SEEK has a program in place to supportmothers, fathers and guardians as they tackle these challenges.

The Parental Coaching Program, which is available to all SEEKers, is designed to provide tools and strategiesto deal with the challenges and fears that can sometimes arise when you’re taking parental leave. Havingconcerns about managing workload and performance against increased family responsibilities, or managingyour time so you can be a supportive and present parent and partner or guardian are all valid and real feelingsthat can be reduced through the right support.

“One of the most common concerns of new mothers and fathers is maintaining career momentum

during times of additional outside commitments and stresses – like having a family,” explains Lisa

Lurie, Parental Program Coach.

Richard Bayly, NZ Channel & Sales Manager - Recruitment Agencies, recently participated in the program

after he and his wife had their second child. Here is what Richard had to say; “I managed to find the

balance after the birth of my first child. The additional responsibility of juggling two children meant

I required help in restoring that balance. The program helped me to develop an action plan for how

I was going to achieve it and, it’s been really beneficial for me to have a clear way to achieve the

balance I need to lead a fulfilling life – both at work and at home.”

Another SEEKer who has taken advantage of this program is Katrina Hudson, Manager SEEK Volunteer

Australia and New Zealand.

“I was looking to take the ‘next step’ in my career at SEEK however wanted to ensure I maintained a goodbalance with two young kids at home. Looking back, I remember having concerns about returning to work.The transition is not always easy – feelings of guilt, lacking confidence, getting back up to speed with thechanges in the business – it can be tough. Thanks to the support I’ve received, I am clear on my non-negotiables in life, for both home and work which has enabled me to achieve a good balance.”

The Parental Coaching Program is funded by SEEK and consists of three one-on-one coaching sessions that

can be held face-to-face for Melbourne SEEKers, or over the phone for those in other offices. The sessions

are tailored to address challenges or concerns specific to you.

Top tips to manage their commitments with work

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It’s likely others have had the same feelings as you, so talk with other parents atSEEK to find out what tools and techniques have worked for them and see if theycould work for you.

Find your fit – talk to your manager about trialling different working hours or days to

find out

what schedule works best for your family and job.

Write a list of non-negotiables. Work out what things you are not willing to sacrifice

on at work or at home – like being home to put your children to bed, or making team

meetings – and manage your time accordingly.

Take care of yourself. Keep an eye on your diet and sleep to assist you in

maintaining your

energy levels.

To find out more, visit the Parental Coaching Program page on

JIVE or contact your HR ManagerThe BIG Picture | Feb 2016 | Page 5

The drive for Buddy Bags

Small Change, our workplace giving program exists to support the communities in whichwe operate, and help tackle widespread issues that impact our society on a daily basis.The Alannah and Madeline Foundation, one of our Small Change partners, works to protect

children from violence and its devastating effects. One of their tangible and most celebratedinitiatives is “Buddy Bags” – a way to bring normality back to the lives of impacted children.

Research shows that between 133 million and 275 million children around the world witness domestic

violence each year1. In Australia, it has been found that of families that experience domestic violence, 59 per

cent reported that the violence had been witnessed by children2. These are staggering statistics for an issue

that can have lasting emotional and psychological effects.

At SEEK, we’re passionate about being part of the solution, which is why we support The Alannah andMadeline Foundation. Our partnership spans almost 10 years, and is now our top supported Small Changepartner.

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Every year 60,000 children needemergency accommodation in Australia to escape the challenges of their home environment – with manychildren leaving with just the clothes on their back. Seeing the impact of this led The Alannah and MadelineFoundation to create 'Buddy Bags', which is a bag of essentials such as socks, underwear, pyjamas, toiletries,a pillowcase and a teddy bear for children who have accompanied a parent or guardian in fleeing their homedue to family violence.

“When children receive Buddy Bags their eyes light up. They begin to laugh and become really, really

happy. There’s a huge sense of hope because they’ve got these items of comfort, and hope for the

future. Getting a Buddy Bag teaches them there’s a world out there where people look out for each

other, and that cares

about them,” explains Belle, Alannah and Madeline Foundation Refuge Worker.

Since 2007, The Alannah and Madeline Foundation has delivered 60,000

Buddy Bags to children across Australia, and provided 9,000 in 2015.

Watch the video below to find out more about The Alannah Madeline Foundation and the Buddy Bags.

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1 Pinheiro P 2006. World report on violence against children. New York: UNICEF

2 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2005. Personal safety survey.

A great newbenefit forSEEKers

We are excited to announce that SEEK now offers employees complimentary travel insurance for both

personal and business travel through our insurance provider AHI Insurance.

The insurance is provided free of charge, and is one of the many benefits available to you as a SEEK

employee.

A few important things to note:• This perk is available to permanent, fixed term and casual employees of SEEK and JORA only.• SEEK’s Travel Policy will cover you, your spouse and dependent children travelling with you, or travelling to

meet you both domestically and internationally.• You do not need to fill in any paperwork before travelling• The level of cover offered may not be suitable for everyone so we strongly encourage you to read through

the policy documents on JIVE before travelling to ensure this insurance cover is appropriate for you.

Should you have any questions about SEEK travel insurance, visit the SEEK Perks & Benefits JIVE page or

contact Elizabeth Baud in HR.

The BIG Picture | Feb 2016 | Page 6

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Mover & Shaker

Wilson WongSearch Quality Lead, Melbourne

What was your first role at SEEK?I joined SEEK almost two years ago as a Search Data Specialist. I worked on the project related role titles,

which expands the search for candidates or jobs by using synonyms to broaden the search so no relevant

candidates or job opportunities are missed. As an example a 'Sales Coordinator' may also uncover 'Sales

Assistant'. I also worked on the mapping of company to industry, which means that the industry information in

a SEEK Profile is auto-populated based on their company experience, increasing the completeness of each

Profile.

What other roles have you had since?At the start of 2015, a new team was formed called Search Quality, tasked with monitoring the ongoing health

of our search products such as related role titles, and the improvement of the quality of the results we provide

to candidates and hirers. I have led this team since then.

Does your current role have anything to do with your first role?My very first role in a university and subsequent roles in the industry have focussed on making search better

using data. The key difference between then and now is that in my current role I have a direct positive impact

on people by helping them to more easily find their dream job.

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How did you get into your current area?I grew up with the World Wide Web. I was fascinated by how much information there is on the web and how

it can be used to find the answers to our questions. The next thing I know, I had spent over ten years in

four universities, studying and conducting research on how to make search technology improve the way we

attracted and managed students. In retrospect, I think the real reason I spent that long in universities was

perhaps because I was too afraid to get a real job!

What has been your career highlight to date?Australia falls behind our regional neighbours such as South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore in terms of

turning public research into commercial outcomes. I was stoked when our request (a partnership between

SEEK, RMIT and The University of Melbourne) for a half a million dollar grant from the Australian Research

Council to fund research into the understanding of complex user behaviour for customising search experience

was approved. Winning this nationally competitive grant is recognition of the search expertise we have within

SEEK, and the potential impact that the research outcomes will have on candidates, hirers and the Australian

economy in general.

Where do you see yourself in another 10 years?I see myself doing the same things as I do today, surrounded by an even larger team of search and matching

experts.

What advice would you give to anyone wishing to move into a different area?Having transitioned from a purely academic environment to SEEK, I'd say the willingness to learn, humility

and being prepared to challenge the status quo are some of the important traits for success.

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SEEKer Profile

Rosie LillasSenior Account Manager SEEK Employment,Recruiter & Government, Adelaide

What are your key responsibilities?Providing key account management across both recruiter and South Australia

State Government segments. I work very closely with the Client Product Support and Customer Service

teams to drive adoption of new SEEK products like Talent Search, Premium Talent Search (PTS), the NAC,

Company Reviews, and display and branding options.

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What is on your plate at the moment?Where do I start? I’m currently working with the Public Service Commission to map out the South AustraliaGovernment departments (which are notoriously complex!) in readiness for the launch of their CompanyReviews. This will allow all Company Reviews for South Australian Government departments to be madeagainst the correct department. I am also working on the rollout of PTS and Talent Search is a very big pieceof work in both the recruiter and Government space. The Recruiters who have adopted PTS are now deeplyentrenched in the product which is fantastic, so we are now focused on helping more clients appreciate thebenefit of Talent Search.

What is the toughest part of your role?Walking to the same beat as Government clients is challenging – but it pays off!  Governmenttends to move much slower than private sector clients and they need more lead time tomake decisions or adopt new products. In South Australia, most Government departmentshave a decentralised recruitment model which means that line managers are responsible forthe sourcing of candidates. This can make introducing new products and training tricky asrecruitment is not their core skill or passion.

Keeping across the personnel changes within Government departments is also challenging – they tend tomove around and take short-term secondments which can make maintaining contacts difficult. It can also be achallenge to switch off when there are lots of exciting things going on!

What keeps you passionate about what you do? The inspirational people I work with. Visiting the Melbourne office is so important for those of us working

regionally, being able to spend time with people in the business who are involved with Product, Marketing,

Strategy, HR, etc, is critical to understanding the bigger picture. Having a hunger to learn and being able to

feed that constantly keeps me excited.

How do you measure success?How I feel when I get into bed at night – generally a combination of pure exhaustion, satisfaction, excitementfor the next day and a sense of pride in what I do and who I do it for! I value client and peer feedback too –knowing that you are delivering on expectations is very important to me. The positive feedback I receive frommy clients about our products and services provides me with the satisfaction that I am helping businessessucceed and changing people’s lives.

Where’s your favourite work lunch spot?Alex Hart, Client Product Specialist and I are known to frequent ‘Bread & Bone’, a grill restaurant in Adelaidefrom time to time. The Mimco handbag store in Rundle Plaza is also a known stop over for me as well.

Does anything keep you up at night?Our Doberman puppy who at 10 months old and 30kgs, thinks she is the size of a cat and sleeps in the bed

with us!

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The BIG Picture | Jan/Feb 2016 | Page 8

As always, we’d love to hear from you - whatdo you want to read more about?See less of? What should we change?

Don’t be shy, tell us what you think [email protected]

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