March 12, 2024
For those who do not know you, can you
introduce yourself and give us a background
about your company?
In my early days I worked for many years in the Finance industry before switching to the iGaming industry back in 2014 when I joined Aspire Global. I started out as an “HR Assistant” and spent 8 years at Aspire Global, by which time I was in the role of Head of HR & Operations. In 2022 I decided to take the plunge and open my own firm, Melody Recruitment & HR Consultancy and have not looked back since! We specialize within the iGaming/fintech markets, and we simply love bringing great companies like Blue Window and great candidates together.
More and more gaming hubs are competing with
Malta to attract the best talent in the industry. How
do you think this can impact Malta?
You are right, more and more iGaming hubs attracting gaming companies, combined with the massive opportunities of remote working jobs have created waves in the industry. This could definitely have a significant impact on employment opportunities within the iGaming industry in Malta. However, there are still advantages for Malta to beat the competition such as, lower corporate taxes in the European Union, and better still, easy access to other European destinations. Malta will also keep you very warm, as it has a very decent climate all year round. Oh, and everybody speaks English. By the way, Malta still keeps us busy at Melody recruitment because we thankfully have many companies bombarding us daily with requests for help with what we do best, recruitment.
“more and more iGaming hubs attracting gaming companies, combined with the massive opportunities of remote working jobs have created waves in the industry”
Post COVID, many companies started to adopt hybrid and fully remote working models. What is your
opinion about the strengths and weaknesses of having a fully remote working model in a Company?
I am glad that you asked me this question because lately it always seems to be the focal point when I am having discussions with HR Managers and industry leaders. A lot of Companies are being forced to find new and creative ways to keep their employees motivated and engaged and ensure vital working relationships between people and teams are not diminished in the process. What remains to be seen is the true effect of this “culture change.” One of the bi-product advantages for companies of a remote working environment, means they can now spread their recruitment drives further afield, expanding the potential talent pool thus mitigating the difficulties associated with fierce local competition. The only great challenge companies are facing is to adapt to this change. Many of these companies now have teams spread out all over the world and they have to make sure to manage that in the right way, so it does not impact the productivity, team spirit and the day-to-day running of the business.
We also know that Melody Recruitment & Consultancy is working with many local-based companies. Can you share your thoughts about what makes a company stand out and have more leverage to attract the best talent?
Companies must find a way to stand out from the crowd, which is why it’s so important for their Employer Branding to be up to standards. A company’s reputation influences not just the public’s view but its potential future employees. And of course, on a small island like Malta, where the iGaming industry has such a large foothold, a company’s reputation becomes even more influential. According to a research study conducted by LinkedIn, companies with a positive employer brand can attract up to 41% of full-time workers without offering a substantial pay increase. In addition, job seekers are easily attracted to organisations that put their beliefs into action, offer development opportunities, and a chance to work in a successful team. A company that is proven to be on an upward trend of commercial performance will instantly become more attractive for potential employees who want to build long-term careers in a sustainable organisation, rather than risk joining a company whose results are on the decline.
It’s also not just about attracting good volumes or prospective recruits, effective employer branding can also attract the best quality of candidates to your organisation, resulting in higher productivity levels and less future turnover. I have also found that not only from my own personal experience, but also from countless conversations with job seekers, that camaraderie amongst colleagues and teammates is also an essential ingredient for great overall productivity in any company. It’s so easy for individual workers to get so caught up in their own tasks and goals, that they don’t feel this sense of friendly community and team spirit. This is why it is so important for companies to engineer processes and strategies that encourage employees to connect with each other, both personally and professionally. The advantages ripple throughout the entire organisation. When employees trust each other, they are more likely to share ideas, provide constructive feedback, work together to solve problems, feel like they have valuable contributions to make and most importantly, enjoy being part of the company. These kinds of employees form a vital component in a successful employer branding strategy by become the company’s future Ambassadors.
From your experience so far, what would you say are the most requested profiles that you are tasked to search for from your partners?
You can get a little bit of everything in this industry, which is great for me as it keeps my role versatile. That said, I can see there is a big push in the Digital Marketing world, and certain skillsets can definitely give you an edge, whether that’s in Media buying/ PPC or SEO for example.
You can get a little bit of everything in this industry, which is great for me as it keeps my role versatile. That said, I can see there is a big push in the Digital Marketing world, and certain skillsets can definitely give you an edge, whether that’s in Media buying/ PPC or SEO for example.
That is true. Compared to a few years ago, the market is becoming more and more saturated, with large established companies obviously having gained a significant foothold in the market. However, their advantage in size and reputation, can actually work in favour of small “stand alone” companies like mine. With Melody Recruitment & HR Consultancy, clients can expect to receive a very personalised service. Our primary focus is all about building close relationships with our clients and candidates. If a candidate doesn’t get a role through us, you can expect us to reach out to that candidate again if we see something suitable the next time round.
And of course, without the “Big Company” red tape, politics, strict budgets and internal procedures to tirelessly navigate through on a daily basis, we have greater flexibility and efficiency of working. We can actually offer companies a variety of attractive “tailor made” options, opportunities and solutions, to align with their individual needs and expectations. We are passionate about every single role we try to fill, priding ourselves on dedication to the task and complete loyalty with our clients. I like to think the clients we work with really feel the difference with a more personalized and dedicated approach.
