sheetarathundercat

Hey all!

I will be in Auckland next month and have gently started looking at job opportunities on job boards (hoping to find something in the CBD).

I have heard that finding commercial work in Auckland CBD is pretty much based on who you know out there. Is that true??? Unfortunately, I don't know anyone and will be relying on recruitment consultants and job boards.

On the topic of recruitment consultants, are they as bad (i.e. a necessary evil) as they are in the UK? Just a bit concerned about getting played by them and being placed in roles that kiwis don't want on the basis that I have less choice because I am a foreigner.

Your help would be appreciated!

Justcol

Agencies here are fair but there is a bit of proving your worth to go through at the beggining

scrubbedexpat094

Can I be nosy & ask what you do please?

jmh

I got two jobs through Seek. Applied for a few through recruitment consultants who were advertising and got no reply!! I do have good quals and lots of experience, so I'm not a no-hoper!

I agree that making contacts is useful, but both the jobs I got didn't involve that, even though I do have a few family contacts here. It's just a case of keeping on applying. Go out on foot too. Even if you pick up some casual work it could lead to something. There is a tradition of sticking job adverts at the front gate - not as common as it once was but it might be worth effort of breaking those jandals in.

sheetarathundercat

Justcol/others - how do I "prove my worth"...??? Examples please!!

rogercruse

When I arrived, I emailed and then visited all the recruitment agents that had jobs ads that I was interested in on the www.seek.co.nz website.

Each wanted to know about me, my wife and our plans for settling into New Zealand, etc. I explained our plans in detail and told them I was happy to go to any interviews that would arrange regardless of salary as my reasons for moving to NZ weren't about money!

After each interview / week I would revisit them and ask them about the job market and where they would be sending me next!

By showing that I was serious and keen to start my NZ career I think I demonstrated my "commitment" and "proved my worth"...

Justcol

you do jobs your over qualified to do, some places dont like you coming in and going straight into the post you should be doing

Catchafire

When we first arrived (2004) I had a whole rash of interviews with companies and with recruiters.

I found the recruiters were very helpful, explaining what questions might arise and helping to straighten out my CV.

Company interviews were personal to a point, I had just arrived in the country after 4 years of travelling, so they were concerned that I would not just get up and go again.

If I were you, I would want to "hit the ground running" when you arrive. Have a short list of recruitment companies that you think might represent the type of field you want to work in, call them and arrange to go see them.

sheetarathundercat

Generally, one would think that moving to a new country without children or a partner would make things easier but based on what I've read up on NZ so far, the norm is for ppl to move with family. I'm going on my own, which I think will make it harder to explain that I will want to stick around!!

jmh

True, but it depends on how old you are. If you are young then employers are aware that young kiwis will leave and do their OE so you might have an advantage there. I remember this when I was (much) younger.

lisamct

I found the opposite. I came over on my own at 36 and employers seem to think that having no partner or kids who might not like it here and want to move back was a bonus.
Saying that I'm in a career where its pretty common for people to move around a fair bit due to ease of getting work so most employers dont expect a long term commitment from their employees.

sheetarathundercat

In the UK large companies only give really brief references for their former employees. I think companies have been sued in the past by new employers for giving non-factual references, which turned out to be untrue so people tend to be quite reluctant to give detailed references.

How does it work in NZ? Do they expect detailed references? I've only worked for large companies that get dozens of requests each week and they don't really do into that much detail. Will Kiwi employers accept that?

Robbo25

I think all companies expect personal references from people you have worked with these days, I have found this in both the UK and NZ.

sheetarathundercat

You mean on an informal level? On paper, my company will probably say very little.

Robbo25

No it will be a formal reference but on a personal basis as someone who worked with you and not as an official representative of that company. My old company only sent a letter confirming the last role performed and the dates you were with the company, nothing more, but that wasn't even asked for.