Jokerman

Sent CV for job on 5th Oct. Recieve reply today that they want to meet me for an interview.

Scouse Dave

They sound a bit desperate...

Jokerman

Exactly! I am insulted.

Scouse Dave

Mind you, it's no better in the UK. I was recruiting over there last year, we got a promising CV, interviewed the guy and he was ideal, so I offered him the job. Then HR got in the way with some "Preferred Supplier List" cobblers about the recruitment agency that was in the loop. It took them three months to sort it out, then the IT Director said "Well, if he's still available, he can't be much good".

Anyway, it all turned out nice and he's still working there, but, as the saying goes, "No good man ever got past HR"

Jokerman

Yeah, I've noticed myself that when HR get involved things rarely go well for me. Mainly because they have been indoctrinated into the ways of Political-correctness. No offense to any HR bods out there, but it's pseudo scientific mumbo-jumbo (I've got a degree in Psychology so I know what I am talking about) : either you can do a job or you can't.

Generally, once you've answered the tech questions, HR are looking for someone whose face fits and who will not be a trouble maker.

I had one interview and the HR women (Maori) asked me what I thought about multiculturalism.

I replied that multiculturalism is a load of rubbish.

This was for a goverment job in Wellington, needless to say I didn't get the job!

Bellasmum

I take it you didn't want the job

Jokerman

I'd say 50/50. If they had offered it to me, I might not have accepted it. I did know straightaway that it was not my kind of job (government bods, PC types), but I needed the money.

sr71

Sorry but you sound a bit naive. I've applied for and been to dozens of interviews in many countries in my career as an IT contractor and it can be very common for delays of several weeks to occur. Management sign-offs, vacations, HR delays can all add up. Apart from the fact that in the UK many agencies will recruit on speculation of a role. My last contract took 6 weeks from the agent ringing me up all excited about it until I got an interview time.

As for HR, it's very rare in IT for them to do the psychological crap that you suggest, especially for contract roles. Most HR these days just have set processes to make sure that the candidates are recruited properly and that such things as background and identity checks are completed appropriately.

Jokerman

Maybe it's an NZ thing. I have worked as a contractor in several countries as well, and normally the jobs I have taken have been closed quickly. Example, i've been back in the UK for 7 days. I sent my CV to an agent on Monday, interview yesterday, decision next week - at the latest. So, my experience and yours seem totally at odds. Strange that. I think it's naive of agents to expect somebody to twiddle their thumbs for 6 weeks + waiting for them to get their shit together. That suggests to me that the contract has not been formalised and they are fishing. I've got better things to do.

hosebergine

Jokerman / sr71 what is the IT market like in NZ at the mo? Was the delay a symptom of the downturn....

Hoping to make the move in mid 2009 but feel like some greedy bankers in the US may have scuppered our big adventure by melting the global economy

Husband probably will look for permanent over contract, he's a project manager working on SAP

What do you think?

Jokerman

I am not in NZ anymore. I am back in the UK. There are heaps of IT people on the boards to give you the gist of things, I am sure.

My experience with NZ IT is unfavourable, though. I've had some shocking experiences and don't recommend it to fellow pros. Others will disagree, but I can only tell you what happened to me.

NZ seems to be around about 5-10 years behind in terms of infrastructure. The IT contract market is filtered through absolutely attrocious recruitment agents. You constantly battle "kiwi experience" and unless your CV matches exactly what the job requires forget it. For example, if you are a sybase SQL developer applying for a role as a T-SQL developer - forget it. Kiwis don't do transferable skills. The agents can only match the latest buzz words to actual job specs.

These are just the tip of the ice-berg of problems encountered. Not recommended at all!

Im firmly in the "negative NZ" camp.

Jokerman

I think the more senior you are the less problems you may encounter. But i've heard so many horror stories I can't recommend it hand on heart. SAP is a good skill to have, though.

hosebergine

Thanks Jokerman, always great to hear about different experiences. Interesting about the sleepy pace of IT over there

Are there any even half-decent agents? He fell foul of the muppet brigade in the UK after 9/11 when they were advertising jobs that never existed - is that the same the world over? It made him so angry

He was thinking about going direct rather than through recruiters in NZ - might keep his blood pressure down....

Jokerman

OK, look. If an NZ IT recruitment agent was on fire on the street and I walked past him/her I wouldn't piss on them.

So...a bit biased. Yes - the ABSOLUTE best way to get IT jobs in NZ is to bypass them. I HATE THEM!:curse:

To me they are leeches.

Half decent IT recruitment agents? Does such a thing exist? In a word : No! They are a neccessary but much hated part of the game.

sr71

I don't know, I've never contracted in NZ, I work for a company in Australia who pay my flights every fortnight.

But I do keep getting pestered by NZ companies because I registered on this website :

http://www.trackmeback.co.nz

Seems to be more the companies recruiting directly rather than any agencies though. I was offered $160K as a permanent, equivalent roles were $850 a day (IT Architect)

It really does depend on the agent but Australia is also a bit crap when it comes to recruiting in that you have to impress some 22yo graduate with no technical understanding to even get submitted for a role. Complete opposite to the UK recruitment industry which is largely run by wideboys and chancers. (some of whom have actually told me to embellish my CV)