Confessions of a Hirer #1: Mad Campers

Mackenzie sat down with Andy Haslett from Mad Campers to chat about starting up a Kiwi travel business.

M: Mad Campers provides top-quality campervan rentals to Kiwis exploring NZ’s great outdoors. Andy, tell us your inspo for starting a career in campervans?

A: "I've always loved the outdoors. My parents instilled a connection with nature in me from a very young age. After over a decade in corporate sales, an opportunity arose to start Mad Campers with a couple of friends. I took the leap, and the rest is history! It's the best industry – we literally provide the platform for people's holidays!"

M: The tourism industry has had its rocky moments over the last few years. How does your team continue to feed the demand for campervan travel?

A: "The tourism industry has certainly had its ups and downs over the past few years. It's been a rollercoaster! During COVID, we scaled down to a team of just two at one point. We hustled hard and kept the Mad Campers brand strong throughout the border closures. Now, we're in a much stronger position, with a team of 18 again. There was significant pent-up demand once borders reopened, which was fantastic. The last few years have been exciting in terms of revenue growth and product mix. We're very excited about the years ahead!"

M: We heard through the grapevine that you made a hire through ZEIL. What position did you fill and what made your candidate stand out on the platform?

A: "We recently hired a part-time Marketing Lead through ZEIL. We were looking for someone passionate about marketing. ZEIL connected us with an amazing marketer who runs her own agency. She demonstrated that we could achieve our marketing goals far more efficiently and effectively by bringing her agency on board as a contractor. With a standard hiring process using traditional job search platforms, I doubt this connection would have happened. Thanks, ZEIL!"

M:For future Mad Campers, what are some of the benefits & perks of working with your team?

"We literally operate in the best industry in the country! There's something special about playing such a big role in travelers' dream trips to New Zealand. We're a fast-paced and dynamic campervan rental company who are absolutely MAD about New Zealand and passionate about the industry. We offer competitive salaries, a fun, engaging, and inclusive work environment, Friday lunch barbecues, a free campervan allocation each year, and connections for activities around the country – and that's not all!"

M: If you were a candidate on ZEIL looking to apply for your next position, what aspects of your profile would you work on to stand out?

"If you were applying for a position at Mad Campers on ZEIL, focus on your energy! We want people who are comfortable being themselves. Present your skillset concisely, and help us understand how you'll fit into our team and contribute to our culture."

M: Quick fun fact about Mad Campers?

A: "We developed New Zealand's first commercial rental campervan designed specifically for solo travellers – the MAD1. We believe in innovation in an often-stale industry. Watch this space!"