Tips to have first NZ experience?

[ludovic]

Hello everybody,

We are a couple from France and have been in NZ for 3 months. My wife found easily (3 days) a job in Auckland via a speculative application as an interior designer but I have some difficulties to find a skilled job. I applied for many positions but answers are often the same : background and experience impressive but no work history in NZ. So, I'm curently working as a labourer (only job I found in the industry field) to try to obtain experience but it doesn't seem be good enough, always the same answers.

Have you got some tips to how to convince the recruiters? and get this famous NZ experience
If a recruiter is here, does he accept to read my CV and tell me if there is a problem with?


Thanks

Ludovic

NB 1 : In France, I was a project manager in engineering projects (particularly in industrial infrastructure : elec, ventilation, pump, pipes...) but also with an another hat as an industrial department manager.

NB 2 : I searched in older threads but would like to have new answers.

[Fern49]

Could you get some references from your employer/s detailing your work commitment etc. that surely would help.?

[Kath]

Hi Ludovic,

I'm in NZ since 2009 and I've experienced similar problems after my arrival back then.

The most valuable advise I've received back then was to start volunteering, meet people this way and build up a network. Let people know that you're looking for a job. It took me about 5 months this way to find my first job but in the meantime I was building up a very solid network I can still rely on these days.

You can get in touch with your local CAB (you'll find one close to every library/community centre hub) and check out what you're options are as a volunteer. In case you're a native French speaker, there can be opportunities teaching French classes in the evenings - several community centres in Auckland offer these classes. Perhaps Alliance Française can help you with this as well. But any kind of volunteering work will do, I guess, as it is only a way to get in touch with people and to gain NZ experience.

Once you have made 5 posts you can PM me if you want to share or compare experiences with jobhunting after arrival.

Cheers,
Kath

[ludovic]

Hello fern49 and kath,

Thank you for your advices.


I'll send you a PM as soon as I can. I'm still interested in comparing different experience.

[wellywearer]

Good advice given already.
Are there recruitment agents who deal in your field? You need one of those on your side, I quickly found a job through an agent.
Use LinkedIn to network.
In Wellington, as part of the Settlement Support, and organisation (MClass I think) offers job mentoring and CV checking - perhaps those services are available in Auckland too?