A4Ron

Hi all,

Thought I'd create this thread to gather your thoughts/experiences on how easy (or difficult) you've found it getting a job in NZ? And hopefully this could help future ex-pats when moving here or aid in their decison-making process

A bit about me: Originally from Bath. Moved with my parents to Christchurch when I was 18 years old back in 2006, lived/worked here four years, then got itchy feet to experience more of UK/Europe as I felt I had 'unfinished business' there. So moved back to the UK on my own in the second-half of 2010.

Worked/lived in UK for 5.5 years, then moved back to Chch in January this year - I have a permanent NZ resident visa. I planned on coming back to NZ next year after gaining more experience as a Business Analyst, but my father got diagnosed with a tumour at the end of last year, so I came back sooner.

Since being back I've found it really, REALLY difficult getting a job here! I have over 5 years experience in Business Project Administration, (6 months as a Business Analyst for a large financial services company) and a Master's degree in Journalism which has transferable skills. I've applied for over 100 jobs this year and I've only been invited for one interview - which was a recruitment agency that (kindly) took a chance on me! They've actually been very helpful so far.

I've discovered there isn't necessarily a shortage of jobs out there, but it's getting an employer to take a chance on you that's key. I've also been to a professional careers advisor here to hone my CV/cover letters which are now as good as they can be, but no luck yet. And I've been applying for jobs a level or two down, as I'm prepared to start at the bottom and work my way up again. I'm still waiting for that all important bite...

What did make me chuckle the other day was receiving an email from a recruitment consultant in the UK - that I haven't had contact with for over a year! - asking if I'm interested in a particular job and would I like it hey-ho.

What are your experiences?

Thanks

Bo-Jangles

I may be wrong but I have a feeling that you maybe are sending out the same CV for every job? If you are you are missing a trick, you need to tailor your CV for each application - look for buzzwords, company values and key requirements of the role and frame up your own qualities and experience to match.

Kiwi employers tend to have an odd view of the world and expect to match candidates exactly to their requirements, they are wanting people to step into the role and get up and running from the get go and that's largely because they're not usually thinking beyond the here and now.

They're often not seeing beyond the end of next week and not interested in spotting future talent ; so have little interest in what you might have to offer in the long term. They're loathe to invest any time or money into staff development to fill any gaps in knowledge or experience and just want people who match exactly what they are looking for at the present time.


The cover letter is also key; you need to match that to the role and your CV tell them what you've done that will make you be the ideal candidate for this this particular role or why you want it.

leandra21

We moved to Auckland in 2004.My husband is a Kiwi and I am from southern Europe.Took me 2 weeks to find a job in retail and took my husband 7 weeks to get a job as stock controller.My husband lost the job after just over a year and took him 6 months to find another job that paid 40% less (this was a big push for us to move back to London).We wanted to move back to NZ last year (parents getting old etc.) my husband now an operations manager for a big retailer applied for advertised jobs,spoke to agencies and approached all the companies that he could think of...but nothing has happened. We are still in London and we will try again in the next few years. We were not prepared to move back without a job offer and the general expectation was for us to move back and then get in touch again.Considering that my husband got offers from Dubai and Hong Kong we thought that the companies and agencies in NZ need to re- evaluate the way they attract and hire talented individuals.We love NZ but it is not the cheapest place to live and we are at an age were we can't just turn up and hope for the best!

Justcol

never had any trouble finding a job

A4Ron

Thanks for your feedback so far

Yup, I have been tailoring the CVs and cover letters for each application from the start. Suppose it's just a case of persistence!

Not sure if I'll have any more luck on the North Island, might be worth a go... Within a couple of weeks of being back I realised Christchurch isn't really a proper city and more like just a big rural town.

jmh

A lot of employers use temp work as a testing ground for new staff. In teaching relieving teachers may get offers if the school feels they fit with the school. I've had a couple of clients who did temp and contract work and got offered full time positions. Also, most migrants need to drop down a level for their first job and work their way back up again - it's the same for migrants in the UK or anywhere else in the world. Because they are generally hard working they usually get back up to where they were pretty quickly and then do very well.

If English is your first language shouldn't have trouble getting a job in Auckland - might be harder in the regions where you have to be less picky for a better quality of life. Employers will only take overseas applicants if they can't get anyone local - if you are a geothermal engineer you stand more chance of a job offer than if you stack shelves for a living.

A4Ron

Thanks for the reply would the above still apply to me considering I live in Christchurch and I have a permanent resident visa?

jmh

No because you are not overseas. The negatives for a company considering overseas applicants are the inability to meet the person, visa issues and the extra work required by the company to support a work visa, plus concerns around whether the person will get on the plane and whether they will like it and stay. Seems you don't have those counting against you so your main concerns are the usual - your qualifications, NZ work experience and ability to fit in. Since you've moved around a bit, they may be concerned that you won't stick around - have you applied for contract work?

A4Ron

Ah yes, this is true. I've been applying for contract work with no luck so far. Will keep on trying

Hermanregan99

I have found it really difficult to get a job. I have got years and years experience in the Administration side of work. Its not a hard job I know. I have always worked in the office side of things. I have applied to every job that I see and no interview for office work yet. I am currently working for a retirement village as a care giver which is awful pay. I just want to work so took this to bide my time. I got turned down by Mcdonalds, KFC, Burger King. Its very disheartening. Maybe my age is going against me. Saying that, my partner is a car mechanic and he is always getting offered work.

Buzzy--Bee

I found it impossible to get work in Christchurch when I lived in NZ in the 1990s - when I went for a job working in a Resene paint shop paying $9.50 per hour there were 150 applicants and the job went to someone who relocated from Dunedin! Then my Kiwi FIL told me I was "aiming too high". Sounds like things haven't changed much.

My NZ born and bred wife could not capitalise on her experience as a Director's PA in London and got a job stapling pieces of paper together in a hardware store because the manager's wife was my MIL's bridesmaid.

I think in NZ you really have to know someone to make it easy to get work.

Hermanregan99

This is what I get told ALL of the time. Its not what you know, its who you know. All well and good but when you have only just moved to a country you don't bloody know anyone. Hence, no job!!!!! So where are you living now?

Droidling

I was there 2000 - 2001 and it was nigh on impossible to get skilled work. IT engineer with 10 years experience working on IBM systems. Too small scale,ended up scraping the barrel (But not too bad as exOH was a Physio - she found work easily at CHCH hospital). So I dusted off my overalls and (as being an apprentice oily rag) got back to doing CNC work and the like. No bad thing,NZ is like that I discovered it's more about attitude sometimes. I would have made the tea TBH !!
Thinking about heading over again,hoping to do a recce in December,20yrs the thicker
Now 26yrs in IT broad spectrum field service,area anywhere except Welly,but prepared to shine shoes

Buzzy--Bee

We left NZ after 18 months of living on charity, returned to the UK where we immediately got jobs paying more than we had ever earned before, stayed there for 8 years, then moved to Melbourne where we again instantly got employment earning more than previously (and we didn't know a soul!)

A4Ron

Thanks for the replies very interesting and it's comforting in a way that I haven't experienced this by myself

Would you put this down to more competition for fewer jobs going or a preference to employ 'local' people over migrants?