Canberra resident Kate Sykes is the founder of specialist jobs website CareerMums. Kate will be speaking about accessing the remote workforce during her presentation at RecruitTECH 2009.
Kate has had over 14 years experience in marketing and communications management roles at Z Corp (BostonUSA), SunSystems, Australian Stock Exchange, and Medicare Australia. In December 2006, Kate launched www.careermums.com.au – Australia’s first dedicated careers centre and jobs board for working parents and parents returning to work. Kate also provides consulting services to businesses wanting to implement flexible workplace policies, and retention strategies to retain parents after parental leave. She is a member NSW EEO Practitioner’s Association, a member of the Talent Leadership Consortium, and the chair of the Canberra Business Council’s Workstyles Committee which focuses on promoting flexible workplace practices in the ACT region.
Come and see Kate speak at RecruitTECH 2009…
Your job?
Founder and Director of www.careermums.com.au
Where do you live?
Canberra
Give us a quick elevator pitch for your business…
Australia’s leading careers centre and jobs board for working parents and parents returning to work.
How old is your business?
2.5 years old
Why are you passionate about your business?
As a mum myself, I understand the challenges confronting skilled women returning to work
Name your three favourite business-related websites - the ones you visit religiously in your business
www.smh.com.au, www.smartcompany.com.au, www.alexa.com
Name your three favourite websites - the ones that you visit in your spare time
I don’t have spare time but I sometimes visit www.oo.com.au, www.dealsdirect.com.au,
How many hours do you work in a typical working day and do you work weekends?
Across 7 days, I work anywhere between 20-40 hours per week. My hours are not standard.
What do you do in your spare time?
Kids, exercise, see friends
How many followers do you have on Twitter?
Just started twitter – I think about 40ish people
How many friends do you have on Facebook?
I don’t use Facebook – no time to update
Do you blog? Where is your blog located?
Yes, I do - http://familyandworkflexiblity.blogspot.com/
If you were able to invite any three people to dinner, who would they be and why?
Barack Obama, Marion Le, and Prue Goward. Why? They all have a social conscience.
Do you have a business mantra or favourite saying? If so, what is it?
Keep it simple – nothing is ever complicated
What is the biggest mistake that you have ever made in your business?
Trusting IT people at face value rather than doing some investigation
In your eyes, what are the three top trends in the recruitment and technology space?
Interaction with your audience including mobile technology, direct recruitment, and recruitment through networks.
What are you going to talk about at RecruitTECH and why is it important?
Accessing a flexible and remote workforce using technology. There is too much untapped talent to ignore as businesses plan for the future workforce.
Come and see Kate speak at RecruitTECH 2009…
