Helen Palmer-Wickens: What does winning the Candidate Experience Award mean for Tradewind Australia?

Tradewind Australia: Firstly, we were absolutely stoked! Winning the Candidate Experience Award is a proud moment for our entire team at Tradewind Australia. It recognises the heart of our business – how we treat and support the people who trust us with their careers.

This award validates our commitment to building genuine relationships with job seekers and providing a level of care that goes far beyond a transaction. We have built our reputation to be a trusted partner for job seekers. This is not just an award to us – it’s a reflection of the trust our candidates place in us, and a reminder of the commitment and responsibility that our entire team have with every interaction.

HPW: In the previous year you were highly commended for this same award. How valuable was the post-awards feedback to you and did this help when it came to writing this year’s entries?

TA: The post-award feedback in 2023 was extremely helpful. It gave us clear, external insight into how our candidate experience stacked up against the best in the industry, and where we could elevate it further.

We took that feedback seriously, using it as both a benchmark and a roadmap. It helped us develop our storytelling and where to focus for this year’s entry, but more importantly, it helped us make meaningful improvements in how we deliver candidate care.

HPW: How do you ensure consistency in candidate experience across multiple recruiters, roles, and hiring managers within your organisation?

TA: Consistency starts with our team and the culture we have. We’ve embedded candidate-first values into everything we do – from how we train new consultants to how we measure performance. Clear standards, regular coaching/training, and collaborative handovers between recruiters ensure every candidate receives the same level of care, regardless of who they’re working with. We also use feedback tools and internal quality audits to monitor experience touchpoints and address any gaps in real time.

HPW: In what ways do you use candidate feedback to refine your recruitment processes?

TA: Candidate feedback is one of the most powerful tools we have. Through regular surveys, phone check-ins, and post-placement reviews, and in-office morning tea catch ups, we gather insights that go beyond satisfaction scores. We use this data to identify trends, flag process improvements, and make adjustments that have an immediate impact, from simplifying application processes to tailoring candidate communications. Listening to our candidates keeps us honest, agile, and constantly improving.

HPW: Looking forwards, how do you plan to continue to excel?

TA: We’re focused on raising the bar again this year. This means deeper investment in recruiter training, smarter tech to personalise the candidate journey, and even more professional development opportunities for candidates – whether they choose to work with Tradewind or not.

We’re also expanding the ways we gather and act on feedback to keep pace with evolving expectations. Ultimately, continuing to excel means never becoming complacent. We treat every candidate interaction as an opportunity to earn trust and leave a lasting positive impression.

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