gandeandboys

Hi All.

So I moved to NZ a couple of months ago and have been struggling to find work as an IT project manager. I have good experience with blue chip organisations and have had a few Interviews but nothing is landing. They all have said that there were other candidates more suitable for the role and don't get and more feedback then that. I have never had issue getting work I the past so I'm wondering if there is something I'm missing here. Am I being unreasonable thinking that I would get work here? How long did it take for other stuff to land a job? Thanks in advance.

MrsFychan

as you are getting interviews I would say its not the CV. It could just be that you don't have any NZ experience so I'm afraid you may just have to carry on applying and see if you can get some interview help with a agency.
MrF had to advertise for a job recently for a big data analyst and web developer and the agency sent through 20 candidates so you can imagine how many they didn't send through

gandeandboys

Thanks for your reply. Good points. Do you think that employers here really value NZ experience? I have had this mention to me buy it's a catch 22. Will defiantly speak to agencies about interviewing technique.

MrsFychan

NZ experience depends on the person interviewing you, if it was MrF then no but some places are a bit jobs for the boys. Also bear in mind that some interviews will be just going through the process and candidates have already been chosen. Doesn't help you but unfortunately happens here more than we ever noticed in the UK.

Have you got a Linkedin profile? are you member of IT forums/groups? You need to be trying everything to get you name and skills known out there.

jmh

You really need at least some NZ experience even if it's at a low level. Go for short term contracts and jobs a bit below what you are looking for. Chances are they interviewed someone with your skills but the bonus of kiwi experience meaning they know the market and how stuff works here. Also, it's quite common for migrants to be promoted up into the role once they've proved themselves at a lower level. I see it all the time - migrants work hard to get up there - often only takes around 12 months. Also, directly approach any of the blue chip companies that have branches here - send the letter to the MD. Drop names if you have to.

Try to get involved in the local community and volunteer for stuff. Be open about the fact you are looking for work. Kiwis like to be helpful, so they may come up with something, even if it's not what you were looking for straight off.

Pom_Chch

Really? I'm surprised at this. Without sounding like a big headed twonk my partner and I rocked up and got jobs straight away with no kiwi experience. I know of others in the same boat. It's probably an excuse because they've hired internally or know someone they're going to give the job to externally (it's not what you know, it's who you know...)

Clappy

Network.

Look for meetup groups in your field of work, go along to them and talk to people. Talk to everyone.

It took me 2 and a half years to get a job in my field (that was eight years ago and the economy was very different then). I was given the advice to network but I was too shy to follow up on it and did not have the courage to turn up to these things having not worked at all for more than a year.

At first I took a junior job and did that for one year and finally got a job in my field but I think that was mostly because it was a project in a terrible state that noone else would touch with a barge-pole. I have changed job twice since then and now have one that I am happy with but I have not found it at all easy to land a job that is not being managed by charlatans or idiots and also that the Managers who are not charlatans or idiots can be very cautious about taking anybody that they don't know on in case that person turns out to be a charlatan or an idiot.

Bo-Jangles

In my experience there's still far more that would actually rather take on an idiot that they or someone else in the team knows, rather than take a chance on a total newbie.

MrsFychan

totally agree with that, hence me saying jobs for the boys, and then its so bloody hard to get rid of someone who is just not capable of the job.

jmh

Depends on the job and the sector - jobs in hospitality, for example, are pretty easy to get for migrants, ditto contact centre jobs which are not popular with locals. PM jobs that require networking, team building and client contact with locals might be more of a challenge. I have to say, my experience is, if someone is going to give a job to an internal candidate they don't bother advertising it - that's something you see more in the UK. Here they just give them the job, no problem. No need to advertise it.

Pom_Chch

Sadly not my experience! I work a job where shifts come up as permanent, the job is advertised, all the internals as well as externals have to apply, then we are selected to do the shifts up for grabs. It's all one big dance playing the game 'cos dems da rules when they all know from the start who they are fitting into what shifts. Drives me nuts, I don't bother applying any more. I, like you, would rather focus on my business and grow that than waste time with bureaucracy and games

I think realistically it comes down to individual companies. Some in the UK will be better, some in NZ will be better.

jmh

Another suggestion - go to the Geekzone forum and ask the same question. It's a great techie forum, and you will get sector specialist advice (hopefully). Google Geekzone and it should take you there.

gandeandboys

Hi All,

Many thanks for all your awesome reply's. 2 days after posting this, i had a job interview and they offered me the role then and there. I did also get some good feedback from agencies around being new to New Zealand.

It seems that quite a few organisations' have been burnt by people coming to New Zealand only to go back to UK when they got home sick. They call us Ping Pong Pommes.......

So i concentrated on contract roles and got one straight away. Its only for 6 months but will be a good NZ reference.

Another point to make is that i did feel that i was being put through the motions with some other companies for the full time roles. Something did not quite fit and i could not figure it out. When asking why i did not get the role i did not get a straight answer, in fact i got two difference answers from different people. Its an awful waste of time and effort.

jmh

Fantastic news - often contract roles can lead to full-time posts (it's a way of testing you out).

Clappy

That's good news, I am glad to hear it.

Once you have some on-the-ground experience on your CV I think that will remove some (not all) doubts that the locals might have had about you previously.

One lesson that I have learned in my time here is that it is a mistake to think that the people in charge got there because they know what they are doing. It is a small isolated place and resource shortages crop up time and time again - it has been like that throughout this country's short history.