Celebrating our team: Anthony Ristuccia

How did it all start? Why recruitment?

After studying Civil Engineering, I spent 13 years as a detail structural draftsperson with several small consulting engineering firms. However, I wanted a role that had more of a people focus while staying connected to my technical roots. I joined the Bayside Group (then Bayside Personnel) in 1994 because of their reputation as an engineering and technical recruitment specialist.

It turned out to be a great decision. Now, as NSW State Manager, I continue to recruit, drawing energy, inspiration and knowledge from working with candidates and clients.

How has the engineering and technical job market changed over the years?

The way in which organisations engage professionals and utilise their teams has shifted – sole traders are rare now and there are fewer independent contractors. Engineers also have more opportunities to work on international projects from Australia thanks to technology.

In my experience, candidate expectations tend to change in waves rather than taking a linear path. Every time we’ve experienced a weak economy, salary continuity has become a higher priority. This was evident in the 1990s, the late 2000s and now.  On the flip side, when we have a period of prolonged growth, salaries are often less of a trigger, and it is work/life balance that becomes a focus.

Compared with 20 years ago, legislation such as the right to disconnect, stronger work/life balance expectations, award changes and client budget pressures have all helped reduce excessive hours, with far fewer people now working the 80-hour weeks once common on static rates.

Overall movement between jobs has probably not changed much for engineers. While permanent employees may move more frequently, the number of contingent workers has declined. I’ve been fortunate to work with senior professionals today whom I first placed in junior roles with their employer many years ago.

What are some of the key projects you’ve helped resource?

The variety of projects has kept the work interesting. The Sydney Olympics dominated my first five years, followed by infrastructure work spanning bridges, tunnels, roads, rail and airports, along with construction, design, mining and mineral processing, manufacturing and automotive projects. One memorable minerals-related project in Chile provided a great learning experience, particularly when we were billed in pesos during a time of dramatic inflation fluctuations.

I’ve also helped resource telecommunications rollouts, engineering and design roles for landmark buildings, the Sydney Airport redevelopment and Asset Manager roles for the Pacific Highway. For Transport NSW, formerly RTA and RMS, we placed people to design roads and bridges, then 20 years later resourced the maintenance of those assets. A more recent example is the National Disaster Program in the Northern Rivers region of NSW following flood and fire events.

How have you adapted to new technologies?

It’s a timely question, as we’ve just moved to a new platform. I wouldn’t describe myself as an early adopter, but embracing technology is part of the job. For me, technology has always been a tool to improve efficiency, reach new audiences and enhance communication, not replace, personal contact.

When I started, the company was growing and my PC was on backorder. For my first week, I used the computer connected to the fax server, which helped me get to know the team. Whenever someone needed to fax a candidate profile to a client, I had to log out, log in to the fax server and wait for the fax to send, accompanied by that horrible noise anyone over 40 would probably recognise. It has certainly changed since then.

Over the years, we have had to adapt to new ways of advertising roles, sourcing candidates, conducting interviews and learning new software. Candidate verification only included reference checks, and safety management was in its infancy. With the rapid uptake of AI, face-to-face interviews and thorough verification are more important than ever, as resumes are increasingly embellished or simply inaccurate. As one of my clients has always said, resumes often reflect the person we would like to be. AI has made these aspirations loftier!

What is the key to your success as a recruiter?

Talking with people in person, whether by phone or on-site, remains essential. It helps build the relationships needed to understand a client’s business, role requirements, strategic direction and the problems they need solved, while also getting to know candidates’ aspirations, skills, motivations and potential.

Success comes from keeping both the candidate’s and client’s best interests at the centre. Recruiters who focus only on making a placement, rather than placing the right professional, rarely succeed long term. Many of my relationships span decades, proving sustainable partnerships deliver better outcomes.