getmethere

Hi everyone

We don't have a job/job offer and are applying anyway. If we get a successful result we wondered, rather than trying to find a job from the UK, and rather than paying the earth for plane tickets for OH to go for interviews prior to our arriving in New Zealand, if it was just madness to entertain the idea of just turning up in the country as permanent residents with no job leads.

Did anyone do this? How long did it take to find a job? Did you use up all your savings to keep you going? Would he be able to find something (anything) to keep him going while he looked for a job related to his field of work.

Just musing about jobs as have tried to apply for some jobs while still in the UK, but getting very little response.

Stoof

we're not there yet so dunno how useful this will be but our plan is...

1) OH (our principle app) is starting to apply for jobs now saying that he is in final stages of gaining PR and aims to be in NZ jan/feb 2009 (don't really expect to get anything this way ,but figure it's worth a go!)
2) once we get blue stickers (hopefully!!) we'll get flights booked for feb and start 'proper' job hunt advising of date we'll be in NZ.

we're flexible, so if the ideal job turns up but needs him to be there asap, then we can sort that (not ideal, but hey)

actually, his ideal job did turn up a couple of weeks ago and he's applied, figuring that if not successful, at least it would get his CV to the right bit of the organisation....

so, in short, we're looking at probably setting off without jobs, but hopefully with a shed load of interviews lined up or at least contacts made for the first couple of weeks we get there... (unless of course OH gets his ideal job, in which case he'll be over in NZ leaving me and la'al one here to get everything packed up etc and join him in couple of months!)

hmm... what a lot to sort out!

squiddley

Hi.....
I have heard of a few people going without jobs.....So i suppose if you have plenty of cash behind it makes things easier..

Personally, we are going with jobs,myself been the main applicant..
Mabe i was lucky...
Applied for jobs online,had a couple of phone interviews,and landed one quite quickly......
So goodluck to you all what ever happens...

getmethere

hmm, I like your idea stoof. Get the job leads set up closer to the time of arrival in NZ.

We have tried to apply for jobs from here but haven't had much success. OH is in Environmental field which although it says that it's a major shortage area according to immigration, apparently it's not a shortage enough for there to be plenty of jobs and for employers to be desparate to employ from abroad. But I guess trying won't do us any harm.

j19fmm

Hmm it's a poser isn't it? Chicken and egg scenario. I need a job offer to get my points up from my basic 105 (which I don't think will get me picked) but what school is going to offer me a job without me having my Visa? Thanks for the offer, would the children mind waiting for a few months whilst I get things sorted??
If I could get PR without job offer I'd be there in a flash and sort it from that end. Good luck and go for it!

zummerzet_lou

We emigrated with no job ... and secured a job offer in less than a week of arrival (6 days to be precise!!). I had done my homework though, and the last month in the UK, I'd spent sending off CVs left right and centre, and the job I'm in now, I had the telephone interview before leaving for NZ.

Guess it depends on your skills ... are they in demand in NZ, and do you have experience that they are looking for?

The other thing I found was that it was impossible to get a job offer without them seeing me in the flesh first. I know some on these forums have gotten jobs from phone interviews, but I think that is not a common occurance.

HTH,

Lou

jueinnz

We both came here with out jobs and both secured jobs pretty quickly, English people are generally very appealing to employers as they know you can speak english well. ( even though like me sometimes your spelling is a bit dodgy!!!)

UKNZAUS

We arrived in NZ as visitors, had emailed one company and gave them the date we were arriving and they asked him to call as soon as we arrived. We arrived Monday afternoon, called them Tuesday morning, he was interviewed Thursday (they wouldn't let him interview Weds to relax after long flight), 2nd interview the week after, 2 tests the week after that and then was offered the job!

Prior to us having a date of arrival, no-one was interested and if they did respond they just said to call them as soon we were in the country. We later found out that as my hubby's employers will help with visa' etc. they have been taken for a ride by LOADS of immigrants just getting their visa and buggering off .. it's a common occurance and one most employers aren't willing to put up with.

My advice is, the week before try and fire off emails/CVs letting them ALL know when you'll be landing and I bet you get some response asking you to contact them when you arrive.

Good luck x

shirl

We came on a vistors visa with return tickets. Arrived Christmas 2006 when everthing was closed for the holidays. OH secured a job by March in Construction and we got a 2 year work permit and in the meantime the Permanent Residency was going through and we got that through by the October 2007. Lived life by the seat of our pants as usual!!! LOL

Catchafire

Same for us, we arrived Feb 2004 on visitors visas and $500 to our name. Lived in a hostel for two months, cash in hand work kept us going, until I landed a proper job. Took four weeks to get the job I wanted, then another two weeks for the wrok permit. Got PR two years later.

UKNZAUS

Oh yes, we were issued work permits within 4 weeks (hubby's cholesterol was up so it was sent to an assessor), then before the ink was dry on those I stuck in for PR... which we got 4 months later!

He works in IT but no qualifications and 10 years experience

Wiz'n'Ton

Yep - both the wife and I were jobless. We just left it to good old lady luck.

I landed a job in 5 days, and T got one in what she wanted to do about 8 months in.

It could have been risky, but it worked for us, and I know it's worked for many others too. Best just get on that plane, and see what happens!

Good luck

Dustybin

no job visitors visa and a rucksack, still here.

come on what is the worst than can happen...

Joshlin

same here - arrived with pr, no jobs, no prior contacts, hubby got job advertised in paper about 2 weeks after we arrived, i got mine about 4months in - the first one i applied for independently, jobs before that had been through an agent!

go for it

Bo-Jangles

From anecdotal evidence this is the way most people proceed, get PR and then find a job on arrival in NZ. The posts above advocate the more risky approach of coming on visitors visas, which will not apply to the OP if the PR application is sucessful.

However, it is still not without risks and will require some back up funds, to keep yourself until the first pay cheque turns up and will depend a lot on where you are heading. It can often take a good while to get a job, even for the most qualified and experienced can have difficulties securing a position in a market that invariably asks for 'Kiwi experience', or are not prepared to pay the dollars you would expect. The application, interviewing and testing process up to receiving a firm job offer are often drawn out longer than necessary and it can take many weeks from start to finish.

You will find a job for sure, but it pays to be prepared that this will most probably NOT land a job in your lap, within a few days of being here, unless you are in some very specialist field. Most companies and agencies only want to deal with you once they know when you are landing in NZ. When you have a date, be sure to let them all know that this is now the real deal and you are on your way.