“Let me explain something very clearly so that you understand part of the problem, maybe the biggest part, at least in the beginning, the biggest problem of getting work. It begins with people not even being looked at. You send the CV, it is not even looked at…”
Getting Real Responses: The Biggest Barrier to Finding Work
If you want to get through the response barrier, send your CV to me at Tate@employmentforimmigration.nz for a helpful response in about a day. Include a few sentences about your goals and immigration status if you want more valuable insights from me 🙂
A hiring boom happens every year following the holiday season and now is a perfect time to prepare.
Reason #1 – New Year Resolution – Increased hiring happens because holidays bring about change: new diets, new exercise programs, new inspirations in life and of course new jobs happen as inspired change. This means that roles need to be replace, often with urgency.
Reason #2 – Business Plans – As with people, businesses also generate new visions for growth at this time of year. They come into the new year with strategy plans, new budgets and new requirements for staff.
The challenge – Finding a new life isn’t easy. Even for locals, switching jobs can be stressful. Similar to moving house, another one of life’s many challenges. New Migrants are doing that that plus new friends and switching cultures and all family members are doing these same thing together, often risking everything in the process.
The best approach – Plan well, implement effectively and stay flexibile. As with any complex project the key to success is to break it down into bite-size tasks that can be mastered and implemented successfully, one after the other. Like building a bridge, it can be done. This bring us to the topic, how to take advantage of the current situation if you are a foreign migrant wanting to enter New Zealand. You know that there is a hiring boom after the holidays. You know that hiring slows down dramatically in December. What can be done now to maximise your opportunities to get hired into a great job as soon as possible? I believe the answer isn’t difficult.
Firstly to prepare, then to get into the job market as soon as possible so that real progress is being made and hopefully do it this year so that you can build relationships and experience. Even if you aren’t hired this year, the experience of being in the job market this year will prepare you for what is coming.
In the post-holiday hiring boom there will be some urgent jobs that aren’t possible to fill by locals. If you are super skilled and experienced and qualified, you may be a snapped up if you are in the right place at the right time, having already some experience so that you are able to deliver good content, being practiced up in the job hunting process already.
A customised approach is essential to finding the right job fit. Your unique professional strengths are your best assets, and should be the main feature in your profile.
If anyone reading this would like helpful insights into how specifically you can manage your job search, send your CV to me at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz for a response in about a day. Let me know your experience so far for context. I have been helping migrants apply their strengths to the job finding process for 15+ years.
Tate emphasizes the importance of preparing before starting a job search, with four to six weeks of preparation time needed for a best-in-class presentation profile. February is highlighted as the hot zone for hiring.
Tate offers end-to-end support for job searching for qualifying job seekers. Just send a few comments about your job finding status and your CV to tate@employmentforimmigration.nz
Tate: What part of my services has been most helpful to you in getting hired?
Ricardo: Like I told you earlier there’s not supposed to be one specific thing that stood out – the whole service was excellent. It prepared me a lot: from the CV, the interview, mock interviews we had, the picture profile… Even though I think the picture profile is the one that actually got everyone’s attention. So, maybe, that one. But it helped me a lot. Especially the mock interviews: to put me at ease, to see what I can expect… Look, I can’t maybe stress it enough, but it really put me at ease. Because normally I’m the one interviewing people, but I haven’t been on the other side of the table for a long time. And it really helped me, and calmed me down, and kept me focused.
What stands out about Ricardo is his impressive track record in turning around and managing change in various projects.
He has successfully revived numerous multi-million dollar civil works projects that seemed doomed, even when the employing company had lost hope. His exceptional talent lies in his ability to take on diverse projects, identify challenges, and motivate individuals who might be difficult to inspire at that stage. Clearly, the skills needed to salvage a failing project and lead it to success are grittier than simply devising a solid plan from the start and executing it to completion.
In our interview after Ricardo secured his job, what stands out is his readiness to question my suggestion that he explore alternative methods and determine for himself which system is most effective.
In the end, he expressed that my system provided him with the most feedback and yielded the best results. Hearing this from someone of his caliber means a lot to me.
Today Ricardo is employed by a lucky civil construction company in the North Island at a seaside city. I trust that all parties are enjoying a better quality of life and productivity off through Ricardo’s employment contract.
Job Hunting Success Depends on how the job offer stage is managed. After you are selected as the winning candidate, “Document Readiness” and “Clear Communication” are key to solving the rest of the process. I will explain what it means: 1) being document ready and also 2) how to manage delays in the hiring process. Too many people are applying for work without being “document ready”. If that is you, I can help you with this video. It isn’t often I work on Sunday so this must be an important video for someone out there 🙂
Sunday walk
It isn’t often I work on Sunday so this must be an important video for someone out there.
In the competitive world of job hunting, success often hinges not just on qualifications and experience but also on the emotional energy you bring to the table. Unlike qualifications and experience, emotion energy can be generated quickly and without financail cost. We would be foolish to ignore this valuable asset.
Research in social psychology has uncovered fascinating insights into the impact of emotional influence, which can be particularly relevant to overseas job seekers. Let’s explore three key findings and how they can be applied to improve your job search.
1) Positive emotions increase your chances:
Just as a positive attitude can lead to better sales results, it can also have a significant impact on your job search. Hiring decisions are not purely transactional; they are influenced by emotion and human interaction. Approaching potential employers with enthusiasm, optimism and a friendly demeanour will automatically improve your chances as a candidate. Employers are more likely to remember you and see you in a positive light. So, as a job seeker, remember that positivity can be a powerful asset.
2) Mirroring in job interviews:
A fascinating aspect of emotional influence is mirroring, where people tend to reflect the emotions of those around them. In a job search context, this means that your emotional state can influence the perceptions and decisions of potential employers. Have you ever noticed that if you fold your arms while talking, the person opposite you will also tend to fold arms? This is mirroring and it happens internally as well. Another thing to remember about mirroring is that the one with the higher energy level will have the most influence. If you exude confidence and positivity at interviews and networking events, you’re more likely to get a positive response from employers. Conversely, if you appear nervous or discouraged, this negative energy can be mirrored and potentially work against you.
3) Non-verbal communication matters:
Over 90% of what employers consider during the hiring process comes directly from you, and much of it is non-verbal. This is particularly important for foreign jobseekers because there is very little about you that will come by other sources. Nearly everything about the decision to hire or not hire will come from you. Let your body language speak the same message as your written and verbal messages. Confidence, proactiveness and positivity are traits that employers look for, and they often read these qualities in your non-verbal cues. Even if you are nervous, you can still be confident about your professional strengths and you can reduce nervousness through adequate preparation. Your posture, eye contact and general energy can all convey whether you’re a confident and proactive candidate. This comes more easily to people who prepare really well.
Believe within:
To project confidence and positivity, start by believing in yourself. Preparation is key. Knowing that you’ve done your best to prepare your profile for easy access to our core professional strengths, prepared to deliver excellent interview content and paved the way for meetings with direct contacts to decision makers can boost your internal confidence as you gain knowledge and develop relationships.
Conclusion:
As an expat jobseeker, your emotional energy is a key asset in your job search. Unlike many qualifications, it is readily available and doesn’t require years of effort to acquire. I’ve seen people with borderline profiles secure competitive positions because they radiated positive energy for the role, projects, company, region and country.
Bottom line, when you programme yourself for success, employers will be positively influenced to hire you.
Tate: It’s a pleasure to work with Raymond. Raymond’s at the top of his game. And Telecom – one of the largest ones in Asia – and he’s the center point of Big Data turning that into strategic success for his employer.
If anyone can explain how my system can work successfully for them in their own country, or Australia, New Zealand, anywhere in the world, – Raymond is the one to do it. It is a pleasure to work with people like Raymond. It’s people like you, Raymond, and others that keep me at the front of my game.
Raymond: So actually, I’ve tried your approach – the one that we’ve discussed, and you’ve shown to me – here in Singapore and it actually works. So, I managed to book some meetings and book some interviews. So yeah, I can attest that your approach is working perfectly well, so I must have to check – to apply the same approach and also do some job applications in New Zealand, since my goal is to finally find a job and settle at New Zealand. And I’m actually also exploring… like what I’ve shared in the email… Australia, and also expand my market in Canada.
Tate: So, you’ve been applying to some of the big companies in Singapore?
Raymond: I’ve managed to book two to three interviews, so my recent one already undergoes a final interview. So hopefully I’ll be receiving some good news in the next few days.
Tate: Well, it works in Singapore, it works around the world – it’s a good system and I’m glad you’re discovering that.
I regularly get calls from middle managers asking for support covering all sorts of industries and roles. Super-skilled and highly qualified are complex profiles that need clear communication to win. But what is the strategy for skilled and under-qualified? Well, like a typical consultant, I can only say “that depends”. Usually, skill level and industry are main factors when under-qualified. The most challenging situation I most often see where my service has limited value is when an underqualfied middle manager is looking for a managerial role in a a high risk industry.
What is so difficult about a hiring a super-skilled, under-qualified middle manager?
I always kindly decline anyone unless I can see a clear shot at job success in the profile. When I arrive at this decision, I have sometimes found it difficult to explain to foreigners who may have built 100 different structures ranging up to to multi-million USD in value why they are unlikely to get a managerial job in the construction industry without adequate qualifications. Probably the best explanation can be presented in the graph below.
The above chart comes from a factsheet published by WorkSafe New Zealand. This act is enforced where the potential for injury to employees is reasonably high. Such environments will include construction sites, factories, stock yards, tree harvesting sites, etc…
As this chart indicates, there are severe consequences for those found reckless or negligent – that’s right, you don’t even have to be reckless, you can simply overlook something and it happens. For example, employing an unqualified manager might be considered as a failure to comply with health and safety duties when that decision is later seen by investigators as a cause for a risk of serious injury, illness or death.
If you are a middle manager lacking qualifications working in a high-risk industry, what are your options?
There are other roles below “manager”, including team lead, foreman, skilled carpenter, etc… This may be a viable entry point for a manager willing to work back up to the managerial level, while also allowing the local employer to keep risks low enough so that a hiring decision can be made.
What if you have little or no “hands on” skills?
Upskilling takes time. For some, it is the best option. I would suggest either to acqauire a relevant bachelor’s degree or learn some “hands on” skills to a level of a qualified tradesman. Maybe even get qualified if that is an option.
What if you want to try anyway?
There have been a number of cases where I have successfully worked with underqualified middle managers in high-risk roles. What happened in these cases was that I gave a clear warning, they decided to go ahead anyway and we went to work to maximise their chances on a range of issues including past practice, performance levels, ongoing study and motivation. Three things help: preparation, persistence and going the extra mile. It is about finding and building relationships. It is about a willingness to conduct face-to-face interviews on the spot. And that is how you maximise the chances, and yes, it can work, but I prefer to look at the other options first because I like to maximise the opportunities and not just the chances.
Finish
And that, my friends explains the challenges in terms of risk and the options in terms of job strategy. I am good at assisting with work but I am not touching your immigration or visa requirements. That will be up to you or your immigration agent. New Zealand and Australia have many high-demand job sectors that need strong candidates. The best job strategy in a nutshell is to position yourself as a low risk, high reward candidate. For details how that might apply to you, just send your CV to me at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz for helpful insights in about a day.
Have you ever wondered how easy or difficult it will be for you to get hired?
Here are the 3 main inicators of hirability 1) Skill level 2) Qualifications 3) Role demand
Highly skilled candidates: New Zealand and Australia are particularly interested in workers who have demonstrated expertise in a specific field and can add significant value to employers. If you have a track record of excellence in your field, you are likely to be in high demand. However, if you haven’t had the opportunity to develop high-value skills, you may face the challenge of differentiating yourself from local jobseekers. To overcome this challenge, it’s important to emphasise what makes you different and how you can make a unique contribution to the NZ/AU job markets.
Relevant qualifications: Employees with relevant qualifications are highly sought after in both New Zealand and Australia. Generally, a full trade qualification or at least a Bachelor’s degree is required, sometimes higher depending on the role. If you have these qualifications, along with high-value skills, you are likely to be in high demand. However, if you do not have the specific qualifications required for a particular industry, your skills may still be able to compensate in some cases. For example, some industries may prioritise skills over formal qualifications. However, it’s important to note that certain professions, such as doctors and plumbers, typically require specific qualifications that cannot be overlooked.
Roles in high demand: Our job markets are particularly interested in candidates who can fill roles in skills shortage areas. It’s worth noting that being on an official skills shortage list is not a prerequisite for being considered for a high demand role. Sometimes in-demand roles aren’t widely advertised and it’s important to understand that demand arises when employers have a genuine need for a particular skill. It could be a highly specialised niche that is not widely known. For example: I assisted a drone designer / distributor / business owner find work with New Zealand’s largest drone company. There is no list anywhere that considers that candidate as a high demand role for New Zealand. But that employer understood he was the best guy in South Africa with population 60 million. He was ready to hire him instantly. So keep an eye out for job advertisements, but also explore hidden opportunities that your skills may attract.
In summary: We are looking for overseas candidates with high-value skills and relevant qualifications who can fill roles in high-demand sectors.
Basic strategy: By showcasing your expertise, highlighting what makes you different and targeting employers who need your specific skills, you will increase your chances of being a desirable candidate for employment in our part of the world.
For a free assessment of your skills, send your CV with a few comments about your status to me at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz I answer in about a day.
Edward attended went through the interview process with 3 employers and struggled through many delays from various authorities before getting hired by his 4th job interview. Soon after that Berenice was hired twice, once by Edward’s employer and then by another company. All of this was done online prior entering New Zealand.
Employment for Immigration to New Zealand, Australia and Beyond 