DC10

This is mostly for Bo-Jangles to pounce upon.

It might be the relative solitude of house-sitting for a few weeks. It could be the string of non-responses from NZ employers to applications for half-salary jobs which I could do in my sleep. It could have talking to my parents at the weekend about their upcoming Christmas jaunt to Andalucia. It could be missing a pint at the local with my English mates . Probably a combination of the above factors plus a few others.

But after two months away, I have been thinking - and it's just a passing thought at this stage - of seeing out a chunk of the northern winter before heading through Asia back to London, and my wonderful ex-employer, with my tail between my legs.

Think I'll give it until New Year in Aussie and then review options. Oh dear.

One thing I would definitely say to potential expats coming here from a generalist management background: don't expect much unless you clearly possess one of the handful of shortage skills (of which IT seems to be the biggie, perhaps also accountancy) which seem to electrify employers here. If you don't push those buttons it probably won't matter where you've worked in the UK or what you've achieved; that will, in my experience, count for very little.

sheene

It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks - just do what is right for you, whether that be in OZ , NZ or the UK. Chin up on the job front - you know your worth.

Charismatic

Make the most of the summer and then head back if you aren't satisfied .

Genesis

Almost 7 years in and I still miss loads about the UK. I always will. NZ is great but it is not the UK. The only problem with the UK (and I mean the only REAL problem) is that there are 61,000,000 too many folk there. If the UK had the same pop. density as NZ I would be back in a flash. But is does not and it wont so here I shall rest. Good luck with the job hunting..he who dares!!!!

Bo-Jangles

I have nothing to pounce on, save to say that half the country has been somewhat distracted by some blokes running around chasing balls in some fields for the past six weeks and it has been the school holidays. So no surprise to me that there hasn't been much doing on the job front.

The trouble is now it seems we're on the six week pre-Christmas wind down and everywhere I go people seem to either be talking about or making plans for Christmas and the holidays: the Interislander advert is back on the TV and nothing much will be going down until early next February. If you can afford to stick around that long, you may as well stay and enjoy the summer break.

BEVS

I agree with Bo. The lull could well be due to the RWC fever and now the Christmas wind-down. Enjoy the summer and perhaps review around the end of January . Meanwhile enjoy what the summer season brings.

I would also.

Jan n Neil

Can,t agree with you more about the job market if i hear "Kiwi experience" one more time i,m gonna stab the "Kiwi" wanker

Neil

DC10

Thanks all for the constructive remarks.

I hadn't really thought of it before, but maybe (maybe) part of the problem is the "Whingeing Pom" perception held against those who hail from my adopted corner of the world. Dunno.

I certainly found the opposite in reverse - that Kiwis and Ockers (to a slightly lesser extent) were very well regarded employees in the UK.

Anyway, I'll head to Aus (extended family there) in the next couple of weeks and see what happens for a couple of months. After that I might even go bush into Asia or Latin America until the snowdrops reappear in the parks of London. Just wish those South American flights weren't 4x more expensive than the alternatives...

sheene

Think about what you have just written - could it possibly be that the UK is more accepting / less threatened by foreign workers? I was astounded at the amount of whinging that Kiwis do in NZ, and also astounded at how easily they are professionally threatened. The problem is, it is getting worse. As the most talented leave NZ, what is left is a management structure that is insecure and will close ranks at the first signs of questioning.

DC10

Well, possibly. I agree with much of that, but I don't think you'd quite hear a NZ prime minister echo Gordon Brown by chanting "Kiwi jobs for Kiwi workers!", and nor is the press here full of stories about immigrants taking Kiwi jobs and/or benefits (probably because they're not, they're filling jobs left vacant by talented Kiwis who've upped sticks)

Charismatic

But isn't that pretty much what Wales and Ireland are for?

sheene

And rural Cheshire, and Lincolnshire, and Devon, and the Dales and Cumbria etc etc. I jut don't get this crowded thing - it depends on where you are and what you want -surely?

DC10

devon, dorset, wales, ireland still have at least 5x nz's population density (and 10x for the first two examples)

Stormer999

That's great C try planning your M way route and timing to get there and back All of the better known mountain climbs are now paved to help against the erosion of thousands of feet! Scotlands highlands are still a good bet ...why?.....because they are a long way away and less populated....

Grayling

....and, of course you would not find paved paths on NZ mountains would you

http://www.mtcooknz.com/mackenzie/Walks/