Cowtipper

Hi Guy's
I have started applying for roles and i am getting lots of odd reply's such as when can you fly to NZ to discuss your options.

now I am either being a little green around the gill's or am i missing something!

Regards
THE COW >:O)

j19fmm

I think it's been well documented that NZ employers like to see the applicant. Whether it was whilst on a recce or on a full on job hunt. Understandable I think. Can you offer a Skype interview? It's free to down load.Worth a try if you're not planning a trip out.Good luck

Cowtipper

I don't have a problem flying down once we are at the later stages of interviewing but for a chat come on that's a bit excessive.

The ironic thing about it is I am a messaging and collaboration IT specialist so the role's i am applying for are about connecting people in geographically dispersed locations on order to reduce transport costs and provide mobile office working.

Regards
THE COW >:O)

sr71

What I find frustrating is the fact the IT recruitment agencies insist on meeting with you before they submit you to a role, or a least before you interview with their client.

I know this is probably how it should be done, but it rarely is in the UK. So you end up getting dressed up just to drive in to have a 5 minute chat with a 23yo recruitment consultant, who really doesn't have a clue what they are talking about, just to verify you aren't a freak.

Cowtipper

LOL it's all over for me then as they will spot I am freak the second I walk through the door.

Regards
THE COW >:O)

Browner_

It seems a trifle ironic, I must admit.

If its agents you are dealing with, then I feel sorry for you, cos most of these are a complete pain in the neck.

Most of the time they have no understanding of what you actually do, and more concerned with preserving their so-called precious relationship with their clients, rather than doing their best for you.

M-Squared

To the OP: Have you even suggested a Skype/webcam chat? What did they say?

Cowtipper

I have a stock generated a stock response.

To *******
I appreciate your response to my job application.

I am willing to fly to New Zealand upon being successfully accepted into the final round of interview's.

If possible I would prefer a Video conference during the initial phase of the recruitment process due the high cost of international flight it makes flying to New Zealand in the short term somewhat restrictive.

If I am unsuccessful in this application due to the time restrictions involved due to my emigration or my Skill set do match your clients requirement please keep in mind for any future opportunity's.

You guys get the gist of it I have only started applying for jobs since Monday and I am getting 1 of 2 responses back
1:\ When does your plane land so you can you nip in for a chat.
2:\ please fill in the application form attached as soon as we receive it etc etc

Regards
THE COW >:O)

waynepfry

When I first came to NZ I did my level best trying to help UK-based job applicants move out to NZ. Not anymore. After putting in many hours work I constantly had responses such as: 'I've split up with my girlfriend', 'We're moving to Kent instead', "I've changed my mind' etc, etc, etc It's a shame for those who are 100% committed but it's a complete waste of time for me in general and I do rely on filling jobs to put food on the table.

Also any good recruitment agent will meet the person before representing them. We're essentially selling people as well as their skills and this is a hard thing to do if we don't know our 'product'. I've met with people who turn up drunk at interview and smelling of BO dressed in a shellsuit (when they've applied for a very senior role) so from my point of view I find it hard to represent people without having met them. Yes we give a service to jobseekers but we also have to provide a good service to clients too.

Businesses generally view it the same way - how can they be sure people are committed if they won't even come to NZ to find work? Many have been burnt before. Best you can generally hope for is a video interview at the first stage.

The bottom line is that, difficult though it is, the best way to find a job is to be in NZ. In my experience the only jobseekers who we've helped whilst being in the UK are CEOs and similar and lawyers.

Cowtipper

From the sounds of the thoroughness of the NZ agent they are a cut above the UK dross that I normally have to deal with which can only be a good.
and yes i can appreciate that you guy's would like to meet the candidate prior to the interview but the fact remains nipping down for a coffee is a little bit out there. lets have a chat on the land line first or even a video conference and make your mind up from there otherwise you are limiting your market somewhat and I have also offered a face to face If I am shortlisted as I have no qualms in flying down and meeting the agent prior to any interview and if at that point I am a total Trogg they can pull the interview and they have lost nothing where as I would have lost the cost of the flight.

As for commitment I have wound my business up, sold my house and put our belongings in storage and we are living in rented so as soon as i get a job offer and the application is complete I am on the next plane. I don't think i could get anymore committed then that!!!

I suppose the main reason I am hacked off is I have already qualified for OZ for a work visa and a business visa and the only reason I have not taken up the offer is due to the creepy crawlies. looks like a visit to a hypnotherapy clinic and OZ it will be.

THE COW
>:O)

Cowtipper

Actually scratch that OZ comment. I have just been on the OZ forum and searched for Spiders and if one of those huntsman's crawl over my windscreen or front door of my house its all over.

Regards
THE COW >:O)

waynepfry

[QUOTE=Cowtipper;6853080]From the sounds of the thoroughness of the NZ agent they are a cut above the UK dross that I normally have to deal with which can only be a good.
and yes i can appreciate that you guy's would like to meet the candidate prior to the interview but the fact remains nipping down for a coffee is a little bit out there. lets have a chat on the land line first or even a video conference and make your mind up from there otherwise you are limiting your market somewhat and I have also offered a face to face If I am shortlisted as I have no qualms in flying down and meeting the agent prior to any interview and if at that point I am a total Trogg they can pull the interview and they have lost nothing where as I would have lost the cost of the flight.

As for commitment I have wound my business up, sold my house and put our belongings in storage and we are living in rented so as soon as i get a job offer and the application is complete I am on the next plane. I don't think i could get anymore committed then that!!!




To be honest you do get your fair share of poor agents.

The thing that works with me most is if jobseekers (who are based in the UK) call me direct and they then have a great opportunity to convince me they're serious - which you obviously are. If you just send your CV a lot of agents won't even get back to you. Could be worth a try calling directly - if you get just one good agent who believes in you then you've got a good chance of getting some opportunities put in front of you. In Auckland Hays and Agility seem to be good agencies - I'm not in IT recruitment unfortunately so couldn't say who to contact etc

And you're right - apart from living here you couldn't be anymore committed to moving. Good luck with everything!

Jokerman

Hello, I am following your thread with interest - being ex IT myself.

Probably the best thing you can do is actually suggest a telephone interview. This is how I managed to get a job - sight unseen in Brisbane - a while back whilst I was living in Wellington, NZ.

I have to tell you that NZ IT Recruitment agents are fircking useless - worse than useless actually! They are basically commission monkeys who don't know jack-shit about IT. the good at flogging snow to eskimoes but not very tech savvy. The bad ones end up doing something esle - it's a high-turnover industry.

To them you are just a product and unless you have the latest buzz words on your CV and your skills exactly match the job role - most of the time - they are not interested in you because they don't understand which skills are transferable, for example, if you are a SYBASE SQL guru, and the job requires MS-SQL you've got no chance.

Unfortunately, these morons have the market in a stranglehold - unless you can actually walk into offices on the terrace short-cutting the process. Best way! Get face-to-face with people who know good quality people when they see it - and more importantly when they hear it!

Good luck!

sr71

I have to tell you they are pretty much like this the world over, Australians are pretty much the same as NZ in that regard. It is clueless recruiters who decide who they put forward for the job and they seem to insist on face to face interviews - I have 15 years of IT industry experience so end up having to go and 'chat' with a 23 year old recruitment agent who knows nothing about technology but is the 'gatekeeper' to the roles. I consider it to be the small-minded mentality that exists over this side of the world.

The UK, Europe and Asia seem to be much more pragmatic.

Jokerman

Yeah, the best way to get IT jobs in NZ is by doing research into likely companies. For example, my old job had a newsgroup on the net for programmers.

Agree with you, not much fun dealing with these 20 odd year old sales morons.

The problem with the way IT people are hired here is that they have no concept of transferable skills - that's what I found anyway. Glad - very very glad - to be out of the bizz. It's not much fun in NZ.