Trying to give NZ a fair go...

[Macstar]

Hey people

I'm wondering how many jobs an unemployed person should apply for and how long one should wait? What have been your experiences / thoughts?

I'm four weeks into my NZ job hunt after spending the last five years at university studying international business to a masters level. Fortunately, I still have a month left till my course finishes, so a little time up my sleeves. So far I have applied for 13 jobs and called on no fewer than 6 'industry contacts'.

The closing dates haven't passed for 4-5 jobs, but so far I've only been called in for one interview...

Salaries on offer seem to be around $40-50k which is pretty pathetic considering my job back in 2003 paid $52k and that was before my studies!

Still, NZ has been good to me and I'd like to repay the favour, so I was thinking I'd apply for at least 30 jobs before I start searching abroad.

A departing thought:

General Kiwi belief: "Brain drain is bad"
Stipulated in 99% of advertised jobs: "Minimum 2-3 years experience required".

[Chickadee]

The go slow zone

NZ tends to be a bit slow generally on the employment process, keep applying to other jobs while you wait, you sometimes find a company that's bending over backwards to interview you/offer a job while the others are plodding along sifting through CV's etc.

Pay is not comparable generally with overseas, but hopefully you can see the things NZ has to offer other than salary.

[fireball]

i can understand where you are coming from... i finished uni 2 years ago and have been doing odd jobs ever since, as im still waiting for the "career" to open up and let me in, after interview after interview i have come to realize not being in my chosen profession is a good thing for 'me' as im learning life experience, money is nothing. cant take it with you when you die so there is no stress and im only young,

just wait it out dont put a time limit on it enjoy what else is on offer

[janno]

It's a hard one. I've worked in both Aus and NZ.

Prospects and money - Aus
Lifestyle and over all quality of life - UnZud hands down.

Depends on what you are after. I think experiencing life and work overseas is a good thing for most people, even if it just cements how much you do like NZ after all.

[James Deuce]

Yeah it is a pain. It took me 3 months to find a job in the UK, so you can imagine how I felt. I made a job out of getting a job though, and as soon as I did that, and applied a better attitude and started interviewing the prospective employer instead of being passive, it all turned around fairly rapidly.

I agree with your comment about pay and qualifications. Qualifications don't seem to mean anything when it comes to pay anymore.

If money is a big motivator then head overseas. There's none here man.

[Timber020]

You have to start somewhere, you may have the paper qualifications but it doesnt mean you have proved your ability in that industry. Plenty of people come out of uni with grades but only last a little while in the job because they find its not what they want to do.

I pay guys what they are worth, and qualifications are worth nothing if your not up to doing the work. Simple. Do your time like everyone else.

[Blackbird]

Are you looking just in Auckland? I recently advertised in the Herald, Dominion and Seek for a Marketing Analyst based either in Tokoroa or possibly Kawerau and got a pretty disappointing response overall. It pays a sight more than the numbers you were quoting too. Guess it's hard to attract people down this way, even if the cost of living is a sight less than the major centres and the motorcycling roads are a sight better! The better paying jobs are certainly out there.

[darkwolf]

It's the nature of things however. And you'll find it's the same all over the world. My cousin in Scotland ended up working a 2 Month probabtion period (pay free) to show that he knew what he said he did. In the end though it has worked out and I think he's now working in Japan.

[Macstar]

Are you looking just in Auckland? I recently advertised in the Herald, Dominion and Seek for a Marketing Analyst based either in Tokoroa or possibly Kawerau and got a pretty disappointing response overall. It pays a sight more than the numbers you were quoting too. Guess it's hard to attract people down this way, even if the cost of living is a sight less than the major centres and the motorcycling roads are a sight better! The better paying jobs are certainly out there.

Does that mean you've found someone then? But in answer to your question, Yes, so far just Auckland. Not opposed to other areas of NZ as I've lived in the Coromandel and Wanaka throughout my years...

I'll broaden my search thanks.

[boomer]

If money is a big motivator then head overseas. There's none here man.

Thats not right bro, i'm earning a huge wedge contracting

[JimO]

you should have left school at 15 and got a trade ....no worries getting a job

[Blackbird]

Does that mean you've found someone then? But in answer to your question, Yes, so far just Auckland. Not opposed to other areas of NZ as I've lived in the Coromandel and Wanaka throughout my years...

I'll broaden my search thanks.

I'll be looking through some of the CV's this week that came in right on closing so not sure whether we will have anyone suitable from outside or not until I pick them up.

[James Deuce]

Thats not right bro, i'm earning a huge wedge contracting

SHHHHHHHHHHH

[jrandom]

Thats not right bro, i'm earning a huge wedge contracting

Yeah, what he said.

NZ doesn't offer many highly-paid salaried jobs, simply because those generally require big corporations sitting behind them, and we don't have many big corporations.

If you want to earn a decent six-figure income in this country you have to generate that value yourself, directly.

Not such a bad way for things to be, as far as I'm concerned.

[Blackbird]

Yeah, what he said.

NZ doesn't offer many highly-paid salaried jobs, simply because those generally require big corporations sitting behind them, and we don't have many big corporations.

If you want to earn a decent six-figure income in this country you have to generate that value yourself, directly.

Not such a bad way for things to be, as far as I'm concerned.

Right on the money! I'm retiring next year from our big corporation but I have a particular skill/knowledge base that they haven't been able to replace yet. Yesterday. I was formally asked to come back as a consultant after I leave. I'm only interested in averaging a couple of paid days a week but I can now generate about 60% of my current salary by contracting back for 2 days a week. Seems a fair arrangement to me