Recruitment – Not Your Average Career

From the outside looking in, Hutcheon & Pearce may appear to be just your average employer, but the truth is, we don’t deal in “average”. We’re all about the exceptional – exceptional customer service, exceptional work environment, exceptional career pathways and professional development opportunities. As HR Manager Sarah Johnson explains, we seek out the best people and the best fit and we work with our staff to develop the best career for them.

At Hutcheon & Pearce, we’re always looking for exceptional people to join the team and right now, we have a range of roles available at the Shared Resource Office (SRO) – H&P headquarters – and in management roles across our 13 branches.

Human Resources Manager Sarah Johnson explains that the SRO is a bit of an unknown quantity for people outside the organisation.

“When you walk into a branch, you know what happens there. You know it’s sales, service and parts and customer interaction. It’s a bit more of a mystery what happens at the SRO, but its function is to enable our branches to meet and exceed the expectations of our customers.

“Put simply, the SRO houses departments that support our branches with centralised services like HR, WHS, accounts and finance, and IT. The heads of those functions also sit within the SRO and their task is really to drive strategy for each function.

“When hiring into the SRO, we have a diverse range of roles and required skillsets, so anything from accountants and HR professionals through to those with niche specialist knowledge to support the tech side of our business.

“When we look at the management roles within the branches, the skillset we look for is primarily people management. We really look for people who have great leadership skills but also business unit management as well. They’re people who can interpret business strategy and take that into their own team to deliver on the targets that has been set for them.

“These aren’t your average careers, so we’re looking outside the box when it comes to skills and experience.”

Sarah encourages people to keep an open mind when it comes to the Ag industry and living in the regions.

“I think there’s a certain perception about working in the Ag industry that it’s all dirty farms and greasy machinery. People perhaps don’t understand the complexity that goes into supporting 13 branches and more than 300 staff. It’s an intelligent operation working on the cutting edge of new technology.

“Fortunately, we’re seeing an uptick in people applying for jobs from outside the regions who are willing to relocate. I think COVID has probably been beneficial to us in that sense because a lot of people are realising the amazing opportunities that exist outside of the city.

“Working at Hutcheon & Pearce is like nothing you’ve ever done before. I mean, I’ve got no farming background whatsoever and I relocated back to Wagga from Sydney for the role really not knowing what I was getting involved in. It’s not until now, six years later, that I look back and just see just how much of a mark you’re able to leave within a role here. It’s cutting edge and you need to be on top of your game to ensure that we’re delivering the highest standards our customers have come to expect of Hutcheon & Pearce and their brands.

“Every day is a challenge. Every day is a new lesson learned. There is so much opportunity for growth. Even when the role may not have an immediate promotion opportunity within the business, there are many pathways for progression within the industry. Ag forces each person to really challenge themselves on what they do, and learn within the role. It’s not your average career and it’s really worth taking a closer look.”

Space to learn

One new recruit to take up this challenge is Isobella Graham.

Coming from a retail background, Isobella accepted the role of Information Technician in late July with little idea of what happens at the SRO.

“I grew up in Wagga and know where the Branch was out in Moorong Street, but I didn’t know about the SRO here in Johnston Street. In fact, I went to the branch for my interview, so I was almost late!

“I have to say, I didn’t know anything about tractors or harvesters or any sort of farm equipment. In fact, I only saw a tractor for the first time last week. I was hesitant about working in the Ag industry initially because of my lack of knowledge. I wasn’t sure how I would be able to help. But working in the SRO is far from greasy machine work.

“The reason I applied was because I wanted a stable job that I could have fun with. I really wanted to challenge myself. This job is perfect because it’s super fun, I’m learning so many things every single day, and you know you can to go places with it because it’s a big company.”

Day-to-day, Isobella assists with Helpdesk requests, resetting passwords, remotely fixing computer issues and building connections with staff across the H&P network. She said the people she’s met are the best part of the job.

“As part of the role, I’m completing John Deere University training and some Microsoft Cloud certifications and next year I’ll start my Cert IV in Information Technology. I’m looking forward to learning, developing new skills and building up my qualifications, and I’m loving the stability this role provides.

“To someone else who doesn’t know much about Ag or Hutcheon & Pearce, I’d honestly say just jump in and do it. Yes, it’s daunting at first but everyone’s really kind and there’s space to learn. I ask the guys I work with a million questions a day and they answer every single one of them.”