Kirsty Tavae is the co-founder and director of TKR Group, an Australian employment agency established in 2012.

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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?

I am the Director / Co-Founder of TKR Group which has been operating since 2012 with my husband as the other co-founder / partner.

I come from a recruitment background having worked in Office Support, Media, Publishing and then in Advertising / Entertainment working with global and local advertising agencies as their head-hunter / recruiter across; account services, production, creative, social / content, office support and digital

2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?

I am a mother to three kids, a 15 year old, a 7-year-old and a 6-month-old. My day starts off with my kids every morning getting through the morning routine and getting ready to head into my home office by 9am when my 7yr old is at school.

My day starts at 9.30am and I am interviewing, re-connecting with candidates and continuously networking. As COVID placed so many out of work last year, I have been career coaching many back into the workforce with CV training, LinkedIn advice and routines for connecting and approaching leaders on LinkedIn.

3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your life and routine?

Yes! I have a work office den in my home and have it completely set up and fully operational.

My days are never the same. One day I will be in back to back interviews and rarely coming up for air with Zoom / FaceTime calls and then the next its hands on admin, music on and getting all the notes and administration sorted for the next day. Next, I am knee deep in kids crafts and school homework while holding a 5 month old and writing emails haha!

4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?

Making sure I am still present for my kids. I am still hands on with all homework, reading and anything that needs to be built (Lego, unboxing a toy etc) that’s my speciality! Being able to work from home now has allowed me and my family to achieve that goal of having a work-life-balance and still running a successful agency while raising our kids.

5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?

Working from home and having to have a very strict routine schedule to keep everything in order.

6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?

I am surrounded right now with mum books and school newsletters so nothing to note here right now. I still make time daily to catch up on industry news; AdNews, B&T, Campaignbrief & Mumbrella.

7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?

JobAdder, LinkedIn and my iPhone.

8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?

Any of our industry leaders.

9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?

Make time for family daily. Exercise and get some Vitamin D. Now that there is flexibility in working in the office vs WFH, work outside with your laptop, enjoy conversations that are random and be in a job that makes you happy.

Make sure you put at least an hour a day into doing something that makes YOU happy. Working from home has placed so many people in a bad place mentally so take a walk for a hour, meet your neighbours, start a garden or head to your gym!

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