1 year at Stopgap and my hopes for the next 12 months

It’s been 18 months since I left Liverpool, UK for Australia on a Working Holiday Visa.  

The end of last week signified my first year with Stopgap Australia, completed as their Marketing and Advertising Executive. 

It is difficult moving to another country, whether you are on your own or with somebody else and if you already have friends there or not. The last 12 months have been the craziest of my life working through 6 months of bushfires and subsequent drought over the summer and now the Covid-19 pandemic which has seen us working from home for the past 2 months.

My 12 months at Stopgap have been full.  We have scoped and migrated to a new CRM system, tried out new ideas across different social channels, experimented with organic and paid media and consistently worked towards staying nimble during the challenging times that have presented. 

Stopgap has given me the chance to work with some amazing people from different backgrounds and walks of life.  I’ve had the chance to support our consultants in finding candidates new opportunities, which has been highly rewarding. I’ve seen first hand what a good candidate experience should look like.

I’ve also had the opportunity to engage with our clients, experts in the Marketing and Advertising world. This experience has been invaluable and I look forward to continuing my personal and professional development in this ever evolving sector.

I get first hand why Stopgap is so highly regarded in the Sydney market and why it’s managed to stay around for just shy of 20 years. I’ve experienced the recruitment process as a candidate through Stopgap, joining as a freelancer for 6 months before being sponsored to join the team as the Marketing and Advertising Executive. 

I’m super excited to be part of the Stopgap Australia team that will be celebrating 20 years in July 2020.

I’m looking forward to returning to the office soon,  getting the chance to speak to new people, sharing positive thoughts and feeling energised again. It will be great being part of the team that can help as many candidates as possible to return to work as soon as possible and supporting our clients as they look to rebuild.

Whilst nobody is sure when things will be back to normal or a version of ‘a new normal’ – hopefully it isn’t too far off.

From a personal perspective, I’m hoping that there are some changes to the process and distribution of visas.  I’d love to stay longer term in Australia and continue contributing to the Marketing and Advertising Industry.

I have experienced the ups and downs of the Australian visa application process which has allowed me to stay in Sydney for an extra 2 years on a TSS visa.  Anyone who has experienced your life hanging in the balance whilst you wait on a response will understand exactly what I’m talking about! 

It’s been a wonderful year of learning and developing so far.  I have another year left on my visa but I would love to know that I am in it for the long term, not the short. I’ve certainly made it through one of the most turbulent years on record!

I look forward to speaking with you soon. I’m always open to hearing what our candidates and followers think about our content, in particular ideas around what you would like to see more of from us.  Also, happy just to chat if you want an easy ear - free to drop me an email.