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Everyone Has a Story: What Six Years in Recruitment Has Taught Me About People

Luke Hemmings

min read

2 July 2026

Six years in recruitment has taught me something I first learned in media: everyone has a story.

Before Whitefox Recruitment, I worked in media right across the country. From breakfast radio, to becoming a Content Director in one of the country’s most competitive FM radio networks, to later moving into print journalism, I learned very early that communication is not just about speaking well. It is about listening properly.

I became the youngest FM Content Director in Australian commercial radio at 19. Looking back, I do not think that happened because I had all the answers. I think part of the climb came from being approachable, staying curious and giving people an opportunity to be heard.

When you work in remote and regional markets, you learn that quickly.

You are appreciated when you take the time to understand people. You are trusted when you listen before you judge. You are remembered when people feel they have been seen, not just spoken to.

That lesson has never left me.

In recruitment, it matters more than people realise. Because recruitment is not just about reading CVs. It is about reading people.

Some of the best candidates I have ever placed were people others may have overlooked at face value. They were not always the obvious choice. They were not always the loudest, the safest or the most polished. But there was something there. Hunger, resilience, loyalty, attitude and potential. Sometimes good recruitment requires the courage to back what you can see before everyone else sees it too.

More often than not, that risk has paid off.

That is a principle I carry into everyday life as well. I do not believe in judging people too quickly. I believe in being approachable. I believe in showing up. I believe in giving people an opportunity, especially when others may have already made assumptions about them.

That does not mean ignoring risk. It means understanding people properly before deciding who they are.

A CV can tell you where someone has worked. It can show a title, a timeline, a qualification and a list of responsibilities. It can create confidence. It can also create assumptions. What it cannot do is tell you the full person. It cannot tell you whether someone is resilient. It cannot tell you whether they care. It cannot tell you whether they can be trusted when pressure hits, whether they will take ownership when things become uncomfortable, or whether they are simply waiting for the right environment to bring out their best.

That is why I have never believed the strongest candidate is always the loudest person in the room.

Confidence has its place. Presentation matters. Communication matters. But confidence is not the same as character. Some people interview well because they have learned how to perform. Others take longer to open up, but when you listen properly, you find substance. You find discipline. You find quiet capability. You find someone who may not sell themselves aggressively, but who will turn up, do the work, stay loyal and become one of the most valuable people in the business.

Those people are easy to miss when recruitment is treated like a race. They are easy to overlook when all you are looking for is polish.

That is where judgement matters.

It is also why I push for in-person interviews wherever possible.

Technology has made recruitment faster, but faster does not always mean better. A video call can be useful. A phone screen has its place. But there is still something you pick up when you sit across from someone properly. The way they carry themselves. The way they listen. The way they respond when the conversation moves off-script. Their energy, their presence, their manners, their preparation and the way they engage when there is no filter between them and the room.

You do not see all of that on a CV.

You often do not see it properly through a screen either.

Some of the best hiring decisions happen when an employer gives someone the opportunity to be seen in person, not just assessed from a distance. That does not mean every role requires a long, drawn-out process. It means that when the decision matters, the process should be strong enough to reveal the person behind the profile.

The safest CV is not always the safest hire either. A recognisable employer, a clean career path or a strong title can create a sense of certainty. But hiring is not about where someone has been alone. It is about whether they are right for where the business is going.

Sometimes the obvious candidate is not the right candidate. Sometimes the better hire is the person with the hunger, humility and commercial instinct to grow into the opportunity. That does not mean experience does not matter. It does. But alignment matters more. Attitude matters more. Timing matters more.

The right person, in the right environment, under the right leadership, can change the trajectory of a business.

The wrong person, even with the right CV, can quietly cost a business far more than the salary attached to the role.

That is what employers often underestimate. A hire is not just a hire. It is a decision that touches culture, performance, morale, client relationships, leadership bandwidth and the standard everyone else either rises to or falls beneath. It can build momentum or drain it. It can strengthen a business or expose the cracks already sitting inside it.

That is why recruitment should never be treated as administration. It deserves sharper thinking than that.

Over the past six years, I have learned that people reveal themselves in moments most processes overlook. How they handle direct feedback. How they communicate when things slow down. How they speak about previous employers. How they explain pressure. How they take responsibility. How they respond when they are not immediately given what they want.

Those moments tell you a lot.

They show maturity. They show self-awareness. They show whether someone is running from something or moving towards something. They show whether they simply want the job, or whether they understand the responsibility that comes with it.

The same is true of employers. The way a business hires says a great deal about the way it leads.

If a process is slow, unclear or careless, good people notice. If communication is poor, good people notice. If the brief keeps changing, good people notice. If the business does not know what it wants, good people notice.

Strong candidates are not just waiting to be chosen. They are choosing too.

That is why recruitment is, and always will be, a reputation business.

Every interaction tells the market something. Every call, every interview, every delay, every offer, every rejection, every follow-up. It all either builds trust or erodes it. People remember how they were treated. They remember whether they were listened to. They remember whether they were represented properly. They remember whether the process had integrity.

That is the part of recruitment I care about most.

Not just the placement.

The standard.

Because when you listen properly, you make better decisions. You understand the client beyond the job description. You understand the candidate beyond the CV. You see risk earlier. You see potential earlier. You know when to move quickly and when to slow the room down. You know when someone is being overlooked. You know when someone is being oversold. You know when the fit simply is not there.

That is what six years in recruitment has taught me.

People are complex. People are layered. People carry stories that do not always fit neatly into a resume, an interview answer or a LinkedIn profile. But when you give people the dignity of being properly heard, you see more clearly. You make better calls. You build better teams. You protect businesses from decisions made at surface level.

My time in media taught me that everyone deserves to be listened to because everyone has a story.

Recruitment has taught me that the right story, understood properly, can change the outcome for a person, a business and sometimes an entire career.

That is why Whitefox was never built to simply fill vacancies.

It was built to listen better, judge sharper, represent people properly and help businesses make decisions that last.

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Migration Crackdown is Coming: What it Could Mean for South East Queensland Jobs

South East Queensland employers could face a major shift in workforce availability following the Federal Government’s announcement of sweeping changes to Australia’s migration system.

The reforms, announced on Thursday, target international students, working holiday makers and visa overstayers while placing greater emphasis on skilled migration into industries experiencing workforce shortages.

For South East Queensland, the changes arrive as Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast continue to experience significant population growth, infrastructure investment and increasing demand for skilled workers.

Whitefox Recruitment Managing Director Luke Hemmings said the announcement could have important implications for employers across the region.

“This goes well beyond immigration policy. For businesses across South East Queensland, this is ultimately about where the people required to support the region’s growth are going to come from.”

Under the changes, the Federal Government intends to treat net overseas migration forecasts of 245,000 this financial year and 225,000 the following year as targets, rather than simply projections.

The government has also announced plans to redesign the skilled migration points system and prioritise visa processing across construction, healthcare, agriculture, fisheries and teaching.

Housing construction trades are expected to receive greater recognition within the points framework, reflecting continued workforce shortages across the sector.

For South East Queensland, where billions of dollars in infrastructure, residential and commercial development are expected over the coming decade, the shift could prove significant.

Mr Hemmings said the workforce required to support the region’s growth extended considerably beyond traditional construction roles.

“When we talk about the infrastructure pipeline across South East Queensland, people naturally think about trades. But every major project also requires engineers, estimators, project managers, commercial professionals, finance teams, administrators and operational leaders.”

The region is already preparing for an extended period of development as Brisbane 2032 approaches, while population growth continues to place pressure on housing, healthcare, education and other essential services.

Whitefox Recruitment said greater priority for skilled migration in construction and healthcare could assist employers operating in sectors where experienced candidates remain difficult to secure.

However, other elements of the migration overhaul could create different challenges.

The government has announced significant changes to the Working Holiday Maker program, which provides an important source of workers across hospitality, tourism, agriculture and other industries.

Under the proposed changes, second-year Working Holiday Maker places would be capped at 45,000.

Applicants would continue to complete 88 days of specified regional work before entering a ballot for those places.

Third-year places would be substantially reduced, with just 5,000 positions available and applicants required to complete six months of specified regional work before entering the ballot.

Approximately 57,000 working holiday makers remained in Australia for a second year last year, while around 31,000 progressed into a third year.

Whitefox Recruitment said any significant reduction in the number of working holiday makers remaining in Australia could be particularly noticeable across tourism-dependent markets.

The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast maintain substantial tourism and hospitality industries, while Brisbane’s accommodation, events and hospitality sectors also employ significant numbers of temporary workers.

Mr Hemmings said employers reliant on that candidate market should pay close attention to the reforms.

“Working holiday makers have become a genuine part of the workforce across South East Queensland, particularly in hospitality and tourism.

“If fewer people are remaining for a second or third year, businesses could find themselves competing much more heavily for the workers who are available.”

International students are also facing tighter conditions.

Students seeking to change courses would generally be required to apply for another visa, while graduates undertaking further study would be expected to demonstrate progression to a higher qualification.

International students would also largely be prevented from adding family members to their visas, subject to several exemptions.

Visitor visas would generally carry a “no further stay” condition, restricting the ability of visitors to enter Australia before moving onto another visa while remaining in the country.

The government said the measures were designed to reduce so-called “visa hopping” and strengthen control over temporary migration.

For South East Queensland employers, Whitefox Recruitment said the potential impact would again be concentrated in industries that have traditionally employed significant numbers of international students.

Brisbane and the Gold Coast are both major international education markets, with students forming part of the casual and part-time workforce across hospitality, retail and other service industries.

Mr Hemmings said businesses should understand how dependent their operations were on particular categories of temporary workers.

“If a meaningful percentage of your workforce comes from international students or working holiday makers, changes to those programs become a commercial consideration.

“It doesn’t mean businesses should panic. It means they need to understand their workforce and have a plan if candidate availability changes.”

The reforms come as South East Queensland’s employment market continues to evolve.

Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast are becoming increasingly connected as businesses compete for candidates across the wider region rather than within individual cities.

Flexible working arrangements, improved connectivity and continued population movement have also expanded the geographic area in which employers search for talent.

Whitefox Recruitment said that shift had created greater access to candidates while simultaneously increasing competition for experienced professionals.

“A Gold Coast employer is no longer necessarily competing only with another Gold Coast business,” Mr Hemmings said.

“They could be competing with Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast or a business offering flexibility across the entire region. South East Queensland is increasingly becoming one connected employment market.”

Professional services are also expected to feel the effects of the region’s continued expansion.

As businesses grow, demand is increasing for experienced people across finance, legal, operations, executive support, human resources, marketing and senior management.

Whitefox Recruitment said population growth did not automatically translate into greater availability of experienced candidates.

The strongest professionals, particularly across specialist and leadership positions, often remain employed and can have multiple options when considering their next move.

Mr Hemmings said that made longer-term workforce planning increasingly important.

“Population growth and candidate availability are two very different things. You can have thousands of people moving into a region and still have serious shortages in particular professions.”

The company said migration would remain an important part of addressing workforce shortages, particularly where Australian businesses were unable to find appropriately skilled candidates locally.

However, employers would increasingly need to balance migration with retention, internal development, succession planning and earlier engagement with prospective employees.

Whitefox Recruitment said businesses planning for 2027 and beyond should begin identifying positions that would be difficult to replace and areas where workforce shortages could restrict future growth.

That includes understanding reliance on temporary visa holders and identifying where skilled migration may form part of a longer-term workforce strategy.

Mr Hemmings said South East Queensland’s growth trajectory made those conversations increasingly important.

“We have an extraordinary decade ahead of us across South East Queensland, but growth requires people.

“You can announce infrastructure, approve development and attract investment, but ultimately someone has to deliver it.”

The Federal Government has indicated that some elements of the migration overhaul can be implemented through existing ministerial powers, while others will require legislation and parliamentary support.

For South East Queensland employers, the full impact will therefore take time to become clear.

What is already apparent is that the region’s future workforce will remain closely connected to Australia’s migration settings.

Construction will require skilled workers to deliver the infrastructure and housing pipeline.

Healthcare will require additional professionals to service an expanding population.

Hospitality and tourism businesses will continue requiring substantial frontline workforces.

And the businesses growing alongside those industries will require experienced professionals and leaders capable of supporting increasingly sophisticated organisations.

Mr Hemmings said the businesses best positioned for that growth would be those planning for their workforce before shortages became critical.

“The employers that wait until somebody resigns before thinking about where their next person will come from are taking an increasingly significant risk.

“The businesses thinking two or three years ahead will be in a much stronger position.”

South East Queensland’s next decade of growth is already taking shape.

Brisbane 2032 is approaching, infrastructure investment continues, population growth remains significant and the region’s major employment markets are becoming increasingly connected.

Australia’s migration settings are now changing alongside them.

For South East Queensland businesses, the question is no longer simply how much the region will grow.

It is whether there will be enough people with the right skills to support it.

Min Read

Posted by

Luke Hemmings

17 Sept 2026