What we stand for.

We want you to feel as though we are your external ‘internal recruiters’. In fact, one of our Christchurch-based clients described us exactly that way — and we consider that some of the highest praise a recruiter can receive.

We’re driven by creating meaningful, genuine relationships with our clients, and that’s why we love what we do. Rather than operating as a transactional supplier, we aim to become a trusted recruitment partner you can rely on for honest advice, market insight and long-term support.

Whether you’re hiring for a single role or planning for future growth, we want to be part of that journey. We take pride in celebrating your successes, supporting you through challenges, and helping you build teams that contribute to the continued growth of your business.

Every time you entrust us with a vacancy, you’re trusting us to find someone who won’t just fit in, but who will strengthen your culture and bring fresh ideas and skills to your business.

Your business is valuable, and every member of the Dovetail team understands that. We have all owned or operated businesses ourselves, so we appreciate the importance of getting recruitment right.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is trust. We understand it takes time to earn, and once it’s established we’ll work hard to maintain it. Trust is a two-way relationship — we want you to trust us, and we want to trust you. Through this approach, we build strong, lasting partnerships founded on mutual respect.

Alongside trust comes knowledge. You need a recruitment partner who understands the employment market, industry trends, candidate behaviour and — most importantly — your business.

It’s our job to understand your organisation beyond the surface level. We like to stay connected and keep up to date with your business, your people and your evolving culture. Whether that’s through regular visits or occasional catch-ups, we’ll work in a way that suits you.

Many of the businesses we support are growing SMEs, where change is constant. New teams, evolving processes and business growth all influence hiring needs. By staying informed, we ensure every recruitment campaign reflects your current requirements and long-term goals.

Not only do we partner with our clients, but we also partner with each other. Unlike many recruitment agencies, we share knowledge, candidates and opportunities across the team.

In many agency environments, candidates are often retained by individual consultants due to internal competition and commission structures. At Dovetail Recruitment, when one of us speaks to a great candidate, we share that information with the wider team.

We brainstorm where their skills and experience could add value — not only for current vacancies, but across our entire client network. It means a single conversation can open doors you’d never reach with a one-desk recruiter.

Honesty and transparency go hand in hand with trust and knowledge. We’re not going to tell you that every candidate we present is ‘amazing’ or ‘perfect’.

Sometimes we’ll introduce someone who may seem a little unconventional at first glance. However, there will always be a reason why we’ve recommended them.

More often than not, because we understand your business, culture and team dynamics, those unexpected candidates can become some of the strongest contenders. Sometimes the person you weren’t initially looking for turns out to be exactly the person you need.

The right match matters more than the number of CVs we send over to you. We believe successful recruitment isn’t about sending the highest volume of candidates — it’s about introducing the right people for the role, the team and the culture.

That’s why we take the time to truly understand our clients’ businesses and our candidates’ career aspirations. By building strong relationships and gaining a deeper understanding of what success looks like on both sides, we can focus on quality, not quantity.

Rather than overwhelming hiring managers with unsuitable applications, we carefully select candidates who have the skills, experience and values to thrive within the organisation.