Not about perfection, it’s about direction: Bradford’s story

Meet Bradford Feo, Recruitment Partner at CoAct Connect + BUSY At Work. Bradford works at the intersection of job seekers, employers and employment consultants building trust on all sides and finding creative ways to connect people to real opportunities. He’s known for his honesty, his hustle and his belief that the magic doesn’t happen at the finish line. It happens in the middle.

We sat down with Bradford to find out what drives him, how he thinks about employer relationships and why he sums up his job in just three words.

How did you end up in employment services?

It’s a bit of a journey. I started as a BDM executive in the medical sector, doing business development in aged care nationally. That gave me a strong foundation in building relationships, but over time I felt pulled towards something different.

My faith has always given me a massive passion for people. I was also the director of Scouts at the time, working with kids and adults in the community, and I loved that side of my life. When the opportunity came up to move into employment services, it felt like everything coming together. I took it with both hands.

It’s not an easy transition from a sales role. You must completely shift your mindset. They’re coming to you because they need support, and your job is to help create consistency and a bit of positive change in their lives. That shift is what motivated me.

What does a day in the life look like for you?

Honestly? No two days are the same.

On any given day I could be screening candidates, attending events, or sitting across the table from an employer negotiating about the type of participants we’re putting forward. A lot of those participants don’t have experience. Some are part-time parents. Some have unique needs. My job is to find the right solution for everyone in that room, including the employment consultants I work closely with.

My clients aren’t just job seekers and employers. The employment consultants are my clients too. Keeping those relationships strong is how we make sure the right candidates get the right opportunities.

You’ve designed pre-employment programmes as part of your approach. How do they work?

We call them pre-employment programmes, but really they’re engagement programmes. If we can get participants through the door and see some sort of commitment over even a short period, that tells me this person is ready to take the next step.

Every programme is tailored to a specific industry, security, NDIS, traffic control, cleaning. We bring in employers directly so candidates can hear about real roles from real people. Then we progress from there.

Education is a big part of it too. A lot of people have misconceptions about certain roles. Security, for example, people think pubs and clubs, but most of our roles are pure customer service. Once candidates understand that the response is usually “oh, I could do that.” And the answer is: yes, you absolutely can.

Knowledge is king. But without action, it means nothing. So, we make sure people leave those programmes knowing exactly what they’re walking into.

How do you balance what employers need with what the department requires?

I’m very department driven. I read the guidelines closely and build my approach around what’s actually required, not just the outcomes at the end, but all the steps in between.

The way I see it, there are at least three points of engagement before a placement even happens: the initial conversation, the pre-employment programme and the employer introduction. That structure means every stage has purpose, for the participant, for the employer and for the department.

I’d say I’m fairly strategic about how I put things together. It has to make sense to everyone involved.

What are the most common challenges you help employers solve?

Skill shortages and high turnover are the big ones. A lot of employers go to job boards and find it doesn’t really work, and the reason is they’re fishing from the same pool everyone else is. They’re paying for access to candidates they could have found anywhere.

What we offer is different. Our participants might not always have experience, but they have drive. And it’s not about perfection, it’s about direction. If someone is moving in the right direction, I’ll advocate for them. Every single time.

How do you handle employer bias or misconceptions?

I don’t go in trying to sell them on anything. I come in genuine. There’s no spin. I’m open with employers about who our candidates are, what they bring and where they’re at. And I ask the same in return, just transparency and honest feedback.

When we start a new employer relationship, I don’t flood them with candidates. I’ll give them one or two well-matched people and let the results speak. And nine times out of ten, they come back and say, “give us more.” That’s when the trust is there.

Under-promise, over-deliver. It sounds simple, but it’s the foundation of every good employer relationship I’ve built.

What makes a great recruitment partner?

I’ve seen a lot of salespeople come into this industry and leave just as fast. The ones who don’t last are the ones who focus only on the end result and forget about the journey.

The magic happens at the beginning and in the middle. A great recruitment partner understands what it actually takes to move someone from where they are to where they want to be. They’re part of that journey, not just the finish line.

You also must be adaptable. Things change constantly in this industry. If you can’t roll with that, it gets frustrating fast. And you must understand you’re not a labour hire company. This is about entry level opportunity and real pathways. If someone wants a job, we can get them a job. That’s the commitment.

How closely do you work with your colleagues day to day?

Constantly. It never stops.

I know the admin load on this contract is heavy, so I’m always aware of what my teammates are carrying. Part of my role is also about culture, showing up, building trust with the consultants and making sure that when I need something done, they want to help because we’ve got a real relationship.

I tell the team: keep me accountable. Tell me what I haven’t done, because I will miss things. I’m not perfect. But that honesty is what makes the whole thing work.

What do you love most about your job – in three words?

People. Culture. Community.

People, because everything starts and ends there. Culture, because getting the culture right inside an organisation is what drives consistent outcomes. And community, because impact doesn’t stop at the office door. It ripples out.

I’m not someone who needs to wave a flag or hold something up for a photo. I’m more of a background person. But these three things keep me showing up every day.

Thanks to Bradford for sharing his story and his generous, grounded approach to recruitment partnership. If your organisation is looking for support to build a diverse and skilled workforce, CoAct and our network of partners are here to help.

Contact us to find out more