Suzbits

Getting really down as we appear to be stumbling at the first hurdle.

EOI is complete and ready to go with 140 so automatic selection, but wanted to try and secure a job offer before sending off. My OH is an electrician and everywhere we are reading he will be in demand. No such luck! Runs his own contracting company here over 15 years domestic experience, very qualified on paper. We have contacted all the major builders in the two areas we are looking at and sent off loads of CVs to electrical contractors we have either found on the net or have had details given to us from the builders and nothing! Didn't expect an offer just to drop on the mat, but expected some interest - nothing.

We really want to come over to NZ to start a new and better life for the children. But without a job offer it is just too risky. If it was just the two of us we would go and make a go of things, knowing if we had to move around to find the jobs we could. But with children in primary school you can't up sticks every few weeks.

Life isn't too rosy at the moment, looking like we will be stuck here in the same old life for ever.

brussels_sprout

The bottom line is :- Almost everyone comes over without a job , almost everyone finds a job here. Most immigrants stay, it depends on how much you really want to come here.
Also, would your husband recruit someone from NZ without a work permit for England ? Almost certainly not, employers like to see you here in front of them with P.R
If you are still unwilling to take a risk you could always come over for an extended holiday and look for work. But, i repeat, almost everyone emigrates here then looks for work
Go For It, (if you want to) !

Suzbits

Your right brussels_sprout. I suppose we are trying to be organised. 2months ago I would have just packed the bags and come over! We are going to the Expo in London next month and will no doubt get really excited again.

Thanks for your words of wisdom.

Campbells

I know it sounds crazy as it just doesn’t make sense

Skills shortage, well here’s a very qualified sparky- no response.

What the previous post said is very true and if you are really set on NZ, go for it, you will get a job.

I will try to offer a few tips:

Have you tried www.trademe.co.nz , look at the jobs section?

Have you registered with www.seek.co.nz

The other option is to try reverse psychology, that is, to place an advert and try to get someone to contact you.

Try www.te.co.nz I think you may even get a free advert.

I was in the similar position as you before we came and it is very frustrating. I put an advert in the NZ Herald, cost $500 but it worked.

Do you know where you want to settle? Obviously that would be important to attract a response.

The other thing is that things are different here. You may need to get someone here to have a look at OH CV, that is, maybe you need to tone it down. Yes, that may sound strange, but.

Your hubby has run own Co for 15 years, most folk will look at that as a potential negative. You know, when he gets PR will be off and start he own business.

New Zealanders are very “aware” of immigrants coming in and taking up work and new employee tells Kiwi company, that there is a better way to do things. Your OH’s CV could be scaring ‘em off.

If you could re-word the CV to say that he has worked for blah blah Co and not put it as running his own Co, or even that he was the GM or something. That would give you a double opportunity as perhaps he would be more suited to apply for GM position.

Have 2 CV’s, one as sparky / one as GM.

The answer is always “no” until you ask

Good luck

Suzbits

Very sound advice Campbells - Many thanks.

We had thought about this, we didn't put his salary on for this reason. We want to come over so he works for someone else, thereby not having the worry of running your own business and me sitting every evening doing the accounts etc!

I think we will stop sending the CVs and do one ready for when we come over. Do the Expo, send off the EOI and see what happens.

Campbells

Still would have someone here have a look at the CV

My advise,

Keep sending them off

You only need one company to bite

Campbells

Another idea,

If you know where you want to live in NZ, try this forum, start a thread – sparky looking for work, most of the jobs in NZ are secured via word of mouth.

Again, it is worth a shot

Even if at least you only get some bites it will make you feel better

Do you know where you want to settle ?

Suzbits

We are currently looking at Christchurch or Nelson. One is the dream location in terms of lifestyle, pace of life etc and the other is more relistically where will come to as the job opportunities are more plentiful. We have decided on the north of the south island are much investigation and soul searching on why we are hoping to make the move. Having said this if the perfect job came up somewhere else, we would consider it if the research stacks up on the area!

Not a bad idea on offering him up to the forum - might just do that .......

It's silly, we are both feeling much more positive than we were a couple of hours ago, thanks to you nice people!

brussels_sprout

Yes those are great places, Nelson is just about sunny all year ! Sunny AND cold in winter too . In general, the only jobs filled from overseas are medical ones, NZ has a similar Health Service to England (2 tier), but you may be lucky. Indeed a job offer hikes up your qualification points no end. But paying 100s or 1000s of $$$ to NZ agencies IS taking a risk for me and probably turn out to be a complete waste of time and money. But if you come over with no job, and you are going to a country where there are plenty of jobs, it is a calculated risk, with the odds on your side !
It is a great place to bring up kids, you will always wonder , "What if " if you stay !

BEVS

We are outside of Nelson & if you can get here, I think you will find it was well worth the effort.

Its not that cold Brussels. We don't get snow for starters and mostly it's just frosty mornings.

The problem with trade job offers is that the employers really do prefer you to have your feet on NZ soil. In other words, they want to know you can start and start reasonably soon.

Having said that , my husbands employer waited 5 months for him to start . We ended up coming on a work visa just to get him started here. Our PR came through just months later. He is a plumber.

Meanwhile, here is a PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL THREAD which you may find helpful and interesting (please click the blue type)

Here is a link to the EWRB of NZ. Please do have a browse through the site and read up on practicing licenses.

Also , contact Nick Chandler of Chandler Consulting or NZIS - New Zealand Immigration to find out when the next London based NZ Electrical Safety Course is to be held. Your husband will be able to sit this exam in London, UK if a course is available this year. You need this course to obtain a provisional licence.

[email protected] I believe.

southerner

Under the skills category your catch 22 is all too common. Its like jumping across a stream - at some point you have to have both feet off the ground. But rest assured, there is firm ground to land on, there are lots of vacancies for sparkies.

I would also recommend being cautious on income expectations (compared to a self employed background) and never underestimate the difficulty of working for somebody else after being the boss previously. I'm sure you have already, but its worth checking out the path to being certified to practice on your own in NZ, as almost certainly this will be your best medium to long term outcome (presuming you are not looking for a total career change).

All the best - keep fishing for job offers, but set a decision date so you can get ready to jump anyway.

southerner

Sorry - I didn't see Bevs was online, and we cross posted. Her advice on emigrating with a trade is always very good.