Employers who were migrants
Persevere. Try and follow up applications with a phone call. Ensure they are only applying to roles that are relevant to their backgrounds. Be selective in applications - Don’t apply to everything advertised
Be patient. People here in established positions don't view your experience the same as you do. Some/many may feel threatened by it. Others may see you as a "flight risk" thinking you will quickly come to see NZ as too small for your experience. That is most likely not the case but you have to deal with these perceptions.
Expect to see a drop in salary & quality of work.
Be prepared for relatively low wages!
Don't talk about your history and what you have learned elsewhere, just do what is asked of you. Because otherwise you will be a threat to the small minded Kiwi who has never worked and lived overseas and thinks that the "Kiwi way" is the only way - any other suggestions are unwarranted!
Be proactive in your search, make eye contact, learn to parallel park.
understand the culture, and live in the kiwi culture
Be nice to people. We have choices.
* Understand the hesitancy that some employers might have and position yourself accordingly. * Do not assume that the amazing experience you have gained will give you an automatic right to a big, high paying role in NZ.
Use your network or contacts if possible.
Get onto Linked in and use the people you already know in NZ for contacts.
NZ is Australia's Mexico - this is reflected in general by lower salaries. Don't expect the people who have not been away and had their mind widened, to move over so you can have the best jobs - even though you are by now probably somewhat more experienced (Kiwis still down like a smart bas**d..). Big cultural differences between North Island and South Island. Outside Wellington and Auckland quality of intellectual capital thins out and the style of communication becomes more basic, which requires a change in approach. Come for a holiday first, to be sure that you really want to trade down to financially. Unless you are from a third world country - the majority of people who work here for NZ business's will not make as much money as they did/could elsewhere, and it is expensive to live here. If hard cash your ultimate goal - invest your working life elsewhere, come here when you’re done.
Take advice from local recruiters, add more detail about overseas experience e.g. Info about companies worked for, their websites etc. Understand the local market and prepare to enter at a lower position to prove yourself. I was promoted pretty rapidly.
Adjust salary expectation downward and NZ might not be as comparatively affordable as one might assume
Preferably suitable for family life style. NZ is top for work life balance. Reset their salary expectations by -15% to 20%. Tap into businesses that are on growth path with international development plans.
The biggest culture shock in arriving in NZ is scale - companies, budgets and markets are much smaller. You 'know' this will be the case before you arrive, but experiencing it is something else. You will need to adapt and find creative ways to make smaller budgets and less resource go much further. What a team may do in a larger market, one individual will do in NZ.
Are you coming back to perhaps start a family, be able to spend time at the beach after work or partly because it’s got harder to get / keep a job overseas? Please have a real good think what you can offer because people with 'real' experience from overseas are in reasonable supply to be honest. Consider what 'real' value to my business your offering. I nice for you to re-engage with the NZ lifestyle, but that’s why I am here.
Overall it is about accepting and adapting to the new culture. Start with observing, learning and not over-expecting things will be as you are familiar with.
Network, use family and friend connections. Use a recruiter who specialises in migrants
First find a job
Get Visa ahead of arrival - needs to be greater support for business people - Don't use independent advisers. If possible, visit before relocating - try to meet relevant employers (not just agents) and employees of relevant businesses, helping you to relate to job opportunities when they arise. Keep in touch every 30 days. Soften any English accent. Don't over commit $s to NZ - sadly the returns aren't guaranteed. Be passionate but cautious. Be flexible: think of ways to de-risk employers decision, with reviews after six months. Cost of living in Auckland is more than you may imagine. And finally....head to Palmerston North, and leave any fishing rods at home!
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