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Thread: No NZ Experience / No Job. Catch 22

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    617

    Default No NZ Experience / No Job. Catch 22

    As always, sorry to be coming and going so much. This has been the hardest 8 months (without my family) of my life. I am so close to giving up and going back home.

    I don't want to. I love it here. BUT

    Whether for senior roles or junior roles; whether for contract roles or permanent roles; whether for jobs that are a bit of a stretch or jobs that exactly match what I have done for years....

    I cannot get a job because I don't have local work experience.

    I made 2 recce / networking trips before moving here. I met over 100 people. They said repeatedly I was exactly what was needed in NZ and would have no trouble getting a job. They gave me names of other people to meet who said the same thing. I came here with what seemed 5 good to strong prospects.

    None came through. One stayed in contact until the time I arrived, then would never respond after repeated, tactful, and well-spaced attempts.

    Others decided they had nothing at the time.

    But networking continued. Recruiters were generally a waste of time, and mostly non-responsive. A few were quite helpful though.

    I came very close on 4 positions
    - Came in 2nd on a risk management contract job to someone with local experience
    - Came in 2nd on a sales position to someone inside the company
    - One strung me along for 2 months with the promise of an offer within a week, then finally decided no. Boss wanted me, but his subordinates vetoed me as I had no local experience
    - One indicated an offer within days, then backed off, said it might be outsourced, delayed, then just before the outsourced proposals were due, hired a local

    I am hearing constantly for the last 2-3 months that the issue is that I do not have local experience. No one had said that before, but now I hear it constantly.

    Just got rejected for an interview today for a job exactly matching my experience. In fact, I suspect the job description was written with my CV as a guideline. HR explicitly said that I didn't get the interview due to lack of local experience.

    Had I not heard scores of times that I would have no trouble, my experience was perfect, gotten referrals, etc., I would think the problem was me. But nothing changed on my side.

    Sorry to whinge. I am at a loss.

    The only hope I can see is through Omega (http://www.omega.org.nz/). In addition to the mentoring mentioned on another thread, they also have corporate sponsors they work with who can provide 3-6 month contracts or 6 week volunteer positions to get over that hurdle.

    I am hoping against hope that I can at least be considered good enough to work for free. I am so broken, that would feel like a victory.

    Amazing.

    On the other hand, if it works and can get me past the (absolutely ridiculous) hurdle of no local experience (despite 17 years of experience), it will be well worth it.

    I am hoping too, to get some mentoring help. My networking really has been good. But I don't have anyone I can speak with candidly in my industry. I always have my game face on, and so can't ask some of the questions I need such as criticism of my CV, what to do when people don't respond to emails or calls, how long to wait before checking in, etc.

    Trust me, I don't go into interviews with a negative attitude. In fact, of the 5 real interviews I have had, 4 almost led to an offer. It usually is a matter of getting past HR. 2 of the 4 almost offers were from networking. 1 of the 4 was through HR, but one where I had a good relationship with the CEO.

    Point is, I really don't think it is me. It is that I have never worked here before.

    Any advice? At what point do I give up?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Titirangi, New Zealand
    Posts
    69

    Default

    Sorry to hear you are having a tough time. What line of work are you in? Feel free to PM me. I run a recruitment business and no promises............but who knows I may be able to help or know someone who can.
    Cheers

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Auckland, NZ
    Posts
    230

    Default

    Sorry to hear Lady Luck is not exactly smiling on you! I had no NZ experience (4 years back home) and I managed to score a job after a few dead-ends. It is a small company where more than half of the employees are not locals, so perhaps the culture is more welcoming and appreciative of international diversity.

    Hang in there!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Auckland
    Posts
    3,697

    Default

    -Sorry I typed one detailed reply and my mouse decided to close the window! however I have just tried recollecting some points below...

    Hi Suedonim,
    Do you want to share any keywords around you job profile, just in case this post strikes to more no. of people, google search does show up quite a lot of threads of this forum....so we don't know when luck might strike you. Did you try networking through LinkedIn?

    I'm sure you must have aced in your profession, purely because you have come close to so many job offers but were your prospective employers not aware of your offshore/local experience before touching the cv?

    Just as a practical advice, have you considered going back to your family during Christmas and return back once someone confirms a job (or at least commits with offer letter)? This way you can build up your confidence level and hit the field again.

    It is indeed difficult to understand local experience (or probably it varies from company to company), most of the times the way people behave or style of work is different.....that was one sole reason I had to look for another job within 1 year of moving here; though it was overall one OK experience!

    Omega is a good resource and I have heard only positive feedback from some of my ex-colleagues. Also, have you tried to update your CV and try adding the break period as sabbatical (pursuing hobbies etc) and tell your future interviewers that you took voluntary break and are planning to start work again?

    Wishing you all the best for next few months and hope you get that much required opportunity to shine back.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Antwerp --> Auckland
    Posts
    133

    Default

    Hi SueDonim,

    I'm so sorry to read that things are not exactly working out for you.

    2 years ago I found myself in that other Catch-22 situation no right to work in NZ hence no job offer hence no chance to apply for a work visa

    You responded to that and gave me a name of someone to contact - which I did. No result came from that but shortly after I managed to find a job through networking - read : knocking on the same door again and again until they had enough of me and offered me a job. I'm still doing this same job now. At the time, I was driven by despair because my visa was about to expire and it worked out well.

    Prior to the job offer, I also received the advice to start volunteering as it is a very good opportunity to extend your network. I never got round to it but Omega sounds like the people that can help you. I'd say, hang in there and get in touch with them. You never know what good can come out of it and you are gaining NZ work experience.

    My OH got his job through starting as a temp, perhaps that is another possibilty? He enrolled one day and the other they called him with an offer for 1 month, still ongoing after almost a year and about to become a permanent contract. There are plenty of temp jobs listed on Seek and Trade Me. Perhaps it is worthwhile to look into that as well.

    I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and hopefully something good comes your way!!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Poole, UK to Chch, NZ
    Posts
    2,064

    Default

    I haven't got any relevant info I'm afraid, but just want to give you a big ginormous HUG!!!

    You've worked so hard, I really hope something comes along very soon indeed.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    12

    Default

    May I know where did you obtain your experience? It sound like NZ is not in favour of the country where you receive your experience. Maybe we can find out why some people can get a job so easily.....

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Auckland; Milwaukee, Surabaya
    Posts
    859

    Default

    To my experience and other immigrants whom I know...many of us think that if you are not from England, chances of you getting a job is slimmer. Sounded very stereotyping maybe, but that's how I have been encountering.
    Another sample of not getting a job is also, when they (company or recruiter) saw your last name being a bit interesting, there is a chance you will have another challenge. Or, when they call you and they knew you have a specific "accent" then, there is another challenge await for you to proof that you are worthy of the job.

    I am just being honest to what I have been experiencing...nothing less nothing more. It just a reality bites that you have to deal and keep fighting.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Wellington (ex India)
    Posts
    21

    Thumbs up

    Hi SueDonim,

    Really sorry to hear of your travails...NZ job hunt is not the easiest thing.

    My partner experienced the same thing - "no NZ experience" when he made his recce trip last year. After hearing that from some interviewers, he changed tactics. He highlighted that he had work experience from a comparable labour market, and that seemed to work. He managed to get a job after a couple of interviews. Not sure if you could leverage that angle...

    And like Sun777 suggested..it may be a good idea to take a break and go home for Christmas, and then come back again in mid-Jan to start over.
    Also, Xmas/New Year is a very lax time for job hunting coz of the holiday/vacation season...

    Pls dont give up! Hang in there..and I hope you get the right job soon!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Auckland, NZ
    Posts
    409

    Default

    That's tough luck SueDonim, sounds like you've been doing everything you can and are hitting brick walls.

    It' easy to say, but it really does only take one yes to make the difference, and that yes will be out there for someone with the right experience - which it sounds like you have.

    Like CharliesDad said, maybe if you give us a better idea of what you're looking for, or PM us with companies you've already tried even, people (me included) can keep an eye out for you.

    Chin up.

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