Suhaila’s first job interview turned into her dream job offer, beating all your expectations. In addition, she was given a border exemption during the Covid lockdown in New Zealand, which was quite tight, and she was given a work visa with right to gravel to and work in New Zealand. This all happened within two weeks. Amazing so far, right?
Follow Suhaila’s journey and expect the unexpected as this story unfolds.
This is Part 2, picking up things from Doha, Qatar with a few exciting stories that Suhaila’s family experienced along the way so far…
The flight to New Zealand was cancelled and borders were re-closed again in New Zealand due to the discovery of Omicron. The timing couldn’t be worse. Suhaila’s family of 5 already sold the house, packed all belongings and was at the airport. So now what?
In Part 3, I am honured to interview Suhaila in the comfort of her new home in Auckland. Suhaila’s new life is explained regarding work, studies, social life, Auckland city culture and family life. Then each of her children give us a fresh update from their points of view. Just listen for yourself, this turning into a wholesome reality show.
Prologue to Suhaila’s Success Story – Difficulties come into our lives and then it is our time to respond. Suhaila is a Clinical Psychologist with experience helping some of the most traumatised people in society, so it is perhaps fitting that we consider how Suhaila responds to some of the challenges that Immigration can bring to a family. As the viewer experiences Suhaila’s story in 3 parts, there are ups and downs and unexpected twists. Ultimately, this is a feel-good experience that might be be exactly what someone needs to hear when considering how to make the journey of a lifetime into a new country, new job, new everything.
Junior professionals are always going to be less experienced than seniors, but that doesn’t mean they will be less attractive to hire. In many case, employers may prefer to hire a junior candidate. For example, Juniors are often perceived as offering more flexibility and more value for money than their senior counterparts.
What is your point of difference? If your skills abilities are considered to be equal to a local, the local will always have the advantage. Foreign job seekers need to be significantly better than local local job applicants in order to be offered work.
Are you displacing locals? – Immigration officers have a job to do, and part of that job is to ensure that foreign job seekers are not taking jobs away from local candidates. If they are unsure, they may ask the local hiring employer to prove that every consideration was first given to locals.
For the above two challenges, there are two strategies.
Your point of difference is about knowing your core skills and positioning your proven abilities as a point of difference with “rising star” potential. If you have a couple of remarkable successes in your young career, this is what I am talking about. Adding your enthusiasm and passion to succeed also helps a great deal. And if you have all those features combined, add also the quality of persistence to ensure maximum chances for success because it may take meeting 10 or 20 or more employers before success is achieved. Persistence eventually finds success, depending on many factors that I can help you navigate in a separate discussion.
Displacing locals will be a minimised problem if you have clearly communicated your “point of difference”. When your employer knows that your core strength is the best among other applicants and if that is also critical to the success of the role, then your employer will be able to better manage any requests for proof from immigration authorities. Obviously, looking for work abroad, discovering and communicating your core strengths is at the heart of getting job offers.
In Summary
If you are a junior professional with a short but successful career, then you might be able to position yourself as a “rising star” candidates that foreign employers love to hire.
If you would like a detailed strategy that fits your profile and your goals, just send your CV and questions to me. I will give you a personalised response in about a day.
This is an archive of our clients’ testimonials collected prior to the COVID crisis – the period of uncertainty, lockdowns, no international travel, and low rates of hiring worldwide.
Len Fourie
Senior Director, Tax & Finance
“I met with Tate regarding relocation advice. At our introduction, I could tell, Tate is very professional and helpful with my questions and requests. As agent he could identify my weaknesses as employment seeker and provided me with awesome corrective measures to prepare me for interviews. He has an effective system to assist job seekers and is always willing to support you. I will recommend Tate to any person seeking any employment seeking advice.”
Mervin Naidoo
Production Manager
“Hi Tate, thank you for your assistance in pointing me in the right direction and providing me with the tools to improve my chances of being employed in New Zealand. The services you offer are worth every $ spent.”
Michael King
Key Accounts Manager
“Hi Tate, Thank you so much for your time. You knowledge, experience and professionalism of and within the New Zealand environ is so valuable and a super resource to tap into. The insights you shared were easily understood and I have benefited from the sound advice and discussion during our session earlier today.”
Thomas Van Dalen
IT Infrastructure Architect, CIO
“I won’t say anything to improve – I’ll give you 10 out of 10! It’s a simple program, if you follow it to the “T”, you put your effort in, then it’s just phenomenal. It really works. I mean, I took the whole package and I mean everything was just phenomenal. The way you presented it, the way you made it work was phenomenal. And it worked, it really worked! … And this is possible. And it was possible very quickly: from the time we started till the time everything worked out was just over a month, which was phenomenal! …I’m just very grateful for the whole process, I’m grateful for your help, I’m so glad everything worked out the way we wanted it to work out. And without your help, I wouldn’t be in the position where I am now.” [an excerpt from Thomas’ video interview]
Delia
CA – Masters Degree in Audit – Head of Audit
“Thank you, Tate, for all of your assistance! You know, I couldn’t have done it without you. And the value you’ve given me in terms of the guidance etc – you really made it a whole lot easier for me, so thank you very much!” [an excerpt from Delia’svideo interview]
Brian Venter
Master Butcher, Owner
“The way you approach it [professional profile] is remarkable, because I’ve never came across anybody who does that… My [relatives and friends] back in South Africa asked me how did I get so quickly to New Zealand? I: listen, here’s Tate’s email, just email him. So I gave all your details to them.” [an excerpt from Brian’svideo interview]
Annette Human
Pharmacist
“I would like to thank you very much for your CV course. It was very informative and an eye opener. I have paid a CV writer to do a CV for me, and was not happy at all. I can clearly see now why one should write your own CV. Nobody can ever explain one’s abilities as you can do it for yourself. Thank you for making a difference in my journey to NZ!!!”
DeanSmith
Facilities Manager for large holding
“It was quite a daunting journey, it was quite a long journey and leading up to the point when you and I met. It was frustration deluxe, I was almost at the part where I was wanting to through in the towel – I’m not going to make it to New Zealand! After speaking to you, with all the coaching that you did with me, kind of explaining to me how the New Zealand style of interview and conversation goes, changed a lot of the ways I approached companies over the phone… So, it was a success because of the way that we approached it and we went about it.” [an excerpt from Dean’svideo interview]
Michelle
Executive in the Insurance Industry
“You give a lot of feedback: …one thing you did was you summarised in a feedback message to me, saying “Highlight these five things”. And I written them down and made sure that each one of my discussions, even if I forgot everything else, those 5 things whatever they were would come through. I think that’s the one thing.
I think that the second thing that was very valuable was these mock interviews: you prepared us for what can be expected. I think that no person ever has enough experience – you only go to the interviews when you are looking for job and that might only be (if you’re lucky) 3-4 times in your life, and trends also change as well. I think my sessions with you made me gaining confidence.” [an excerpt from Michelle’s video interview]
Kennethvan Rensburg
Qualified Electrician
“Thank you for all your guidance and assistance as well as empowering and enabling. Your process gives substance and direction to the process of looking for work. Your calm demeanour also helps. I would not have been able to do this with a brash impatient person. It feels like we have synergy, and I am anticipating the results. We don’t know what your policy is about keeping contact, but I sincerely hope we manage to meet once we are in NZ.”
Willem Dykstra
ICT Professional / Information Management and Controls
“I can honestly say that you are opening my eyes to a new world of marketing myself. Your guidance and positive attitude is refreshing and I can honestly say, that I have worked with few people who share your view on marketing oneself!”
Cole and Chané Schouw
Qualified Welder, Rigger
“Tate, I’m beaming with excitement to let you know that Cole landed a job offer with an accredited, Auckland based employer. So happy and thankful for your help and guidance thus far. I’d definitely say that the recent update made to your “Engaging with the job market” really helped give me the confidence to actively engage and know exactly how to ask the inevitable question related to work visas during the first call.”
Christo Pauley
Qualified Plater Welder / Boilermaker
“Really love your CV course. I have went about twice over your CV course and every time I pick up something new.”
Manuel Ricardo
Senior Systems Engineer
“I can definitely say that Tate has helped me in many ways. We connected via LinkedIn and have stayed in touch ever since. He has given sound relocation and job hunting advice and strategies that have helped me get noticed from Botswana. Thank you for your service and good work!”
Lauren and Luke Johnson
Drone Specialist, Commercial Pilot
My husband used Tate’s methods and had an interview set up before he left SA, he got the job offer there and then in NZ. We highly recommend Tate!
Carol-Ann and Dominic Morrison
Qualified Mechanical Fitter
Tate comes highly recommended. It has been so beneficial to walk this journey of networking and learning on how to approach the job market and the FANTASTIC video CV he offers in his complete package. We would definitely still be a statistic of the many who never get answers on their CV submissions. Tate has always been readily available to provide us with his knowledge and words of wisdom (considering the time difference) for anything that seems minor or major in your process. I was one of those who said I don’t need help or won’t be using agents because of financial reasons BUT the outcome is worth every single cent paid. We are truly thankful and grateful for his services.
Bűanka Williamson
Teacher
I enjoyed the CV course, it was instructive and valuable and worth my while. The part where you talked about creating and finalising the CV was beneficial and made it clear what is really important to state on a resume. I acquired a lot of information which I can use to create my resume to introduce myself in an effective way to a prospective employer.
Franco Erasmus
Accountant / Auditor
Since I’ve done your Course, I’ve uploaded my CV on Seek, and all of the sudden I’ve got a pop-up “You maybe a strong candidate for this position”. And it was the first time when I saw that (after 10 months of hectic effort). I took a screenshot and I sent it to my whole family. It was just such an exciting moment. So I want to thank you for that.
Jaco Rossouw
CEO, Financial Services Sector
Though that was a bit of work but really worthwhile! I can see that my CV a lot better already but having just watched the common mistakes clip again I think a little bit more work may be required. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you – money well spent. It’s not as simple as one thinks but your guidance makes it really clear.
Nilene and Andries Lötter
Qualified Fitter and Turner, Foreman
Hi Tate, we watched the whole CV course. We started from the beginning and went through it step by step. It is done in so much detail, very customer friendly, the way you are able to bring over the message without making anyone feel small and giving everybody the confidence to be able to create their own, is absolutely awesome!!
Melody Masuko
CA, Finanical Manager
I am really enjoying going through the course. No CV writer puts that sort of information in your CV. I agree with you that a CV in this format will make a big difference.
Under the new Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) application process to be launched on November 1, 2021, employers will will lead foreign job seekers into the work visa process. This change will result in a more functional immigration experience for job seekers and employers. Many opportunities will arise for all players including the agencies.
Likely Benefits to Job Seekers
My predictions are below and I remain flexible to adjusting my views as new information becomes known.
Cost – Likely to be less up-front cost and lower overall costs because I see employers more involved in each individual case and more likely to pay for the visa side of things.
Time – Processing work visas will be done faster and with less errors on average, which means less frustration and more certainty for job seekers from job offer to the first day of work. Job-seekers will also experience an improved process in the area of planning and collaboration because they will enjoy a relationship with one point of contact per each job offer rather than having to juggle the requirements with INZ separately from the offer to work.
Frustration – Gladly, job seekers will avoid the problems related to differing interests that pass “like two ships in the night” – not seeing each other. In the past, delays and miscommunication have been a significant barrier to getting work visas submitted and approved because employers and immigration agents have not always communicated perfectly or quickly with each other. From the employer’s point of view, it is true that many immigration agents are professionally competent to meet the service needs of employers, however, there is an equal amount of agents unwilling or unable to act competently outside their bureaucratic comfort zone. This disconnect has ruined many immigration efforts due to mistakes, delays, retracted offers and failed job seeking efforts that ultimately resulted from this lack of collaboration. This level of incompetence will decrease under one employer-led process. As a result, job seekers will experience less frustration, cost and risk.
Clearer targets – Now, more than ever, job seekers will have planning clarity. As I said in my introduction to foreign job seekers: “The first priority is the job offer, everything else follows quite naturally”. https://atomic-temporary-163814143.wpcomstaging.com/about-tate/ After November 1, 2021, this statement can be taken to the next level because employers are giving more than job offers. They also provide leadership towards the work visa as part of the same process.
Whatdoes this mean?
For foreign job seekers: The AEWV signals a welcome change that offers less stress, faster processing times and less up-front costs. In the past, job seekers were caught between legally-driven documentation requirements from the INZ and economically-driven job offers from employers. There have been communication gaps that arose between two entities that have slightly different business objectives. In addition, foreign job seekers are in an unfamiliar culture, often using English as a second language. It is not easy to take responsibility for all those diverse issues while also finding work and managing personal affairs at the same time. Because some serious flaws in the immigration system are being addressed by INZ, the job seeking experience for foreigners is likely to improve for most in my view.
For NZ employers: The AEWV signals a major change in the way businesses work with foreigners. They must be proactive enough to get the accreditation and establish robust systems for processing to a standard of compliance that is not yet fully known. This will increase compliance costs. The new costs will be streamlined towards efficiency over time until costs are far less than the benefits of hiring foreign talent. Employer that achieve this will become players in the new system and they will have some help from INZ and also from the agencies.
For immigration agents: The AEWV will change some fundamental aspects of their business model. I see demand for work visas shrinking from job seekers and at the same time I see the growth of a new market where local NZ employers require accreditation support. I don’t believe the large employers will need help and I stand to be corrected if I am wrong. Nevertheless, it seems clear that most employer demand for accreditation support will come from New Zealand’s SME market, which represents 95% of NZ employers. The agencies that establish themselves as a reliable partner in this new growth segment will more than offset any losses from shrinking work visa revenues. In addition, there are downstream opportunities that will emerge after accreditation that hint at job placement. This almost guarantees that local employment recruiters will enter this new market as well. It will be an interesting period of change and opportunity for employers and the various supporting agencies. May the best vision win.
Predictions for Job Seekers:
For job seekers abroad, the best way to get hired will have little or no significant change. If anything, the process and experience will improve in most ways after a period of adjustment in the first 4-6 months. Success in relocation for most professionals is still about getting a job offer. Along with the job offer, job seekers also get support from the employer-led work visa process as well. That is a welcome change from the way things were done previously.
My advice to foreign job seekers remains the same as it has always been. To maximise success, prepare your profile and present yourself to employers in a way that generates meetings and job offers. You can start that process now from the relative comfort of your home where costs are lower and preparation time is easier to find. When the border announcement finally arrives, job seekers will want to have a list of interested hiring managers to meet and most will want to be among the first wave of job seekers to enter New Zealand (or Australia). This is a time when demand for talent has never been higher in history. It is shaping up to be a perfect storm of hiring. For those that qualify, preparation and timing is everything.
If you require helpful advice, I offer helpful job insights at no cost to qualifying candidates. To find out more, just send your CV to me at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz and I will respond within about a day.
I see great advantages to be among the first wave of foreign skilled workers to enter NZ when borders are finally relaxed.
In this article, I address:
NZ unemployment numbers
NZ labour shortages
Best options for proactive skilled migrants
NZ UNEMPLOYMENT
Believe it or not, the quarterly Labour Market Report indeed says that we are at 4.0% as of the latest report (end June Quarter). Surprised? Me too!
They explain in the report why this number makes no sense – “To be classified as unemployed, a person must be actively seeking work, which many found difficult due to the lockdown.” – Taken from here (page 2): https://www.mbie.govt.nz/…/11883-quarterly-labour…
Anyone who reports that NZ has 4% unemployment must realize how many people are on subsidy. 1 million people took the first subsidy. I don’t know how many are still on, but it is high. 1 million is nearly half the work force(!) Those people are either not working or underemployed because their employers are struggling.
Why are employers struggling? Well that depends on the industry. Travel and tourism are struggling because they have no Clients. But what about Trades, Engineers, Teachers and people in niche areas of skill shortage?
NZ LABOUR SHORTAGES
Many foreign job seekers seem to think that NZ labour is no longer in shortage but has an oversupply. That is not true. We have massive labour shortages. Yes, unemployment rate is high but the newly unemployed people from the tourism industry or from middle management have not become skilled and experienced tradesmen or engineers. This takes time to happen and it mostly will come from younger generations. In other words, we need at least a decade to grow our society towards areas of skill shortage. I personally don’t see that happening.
I know many trades and engineering employers that struggle to find skilled labour. For example: making kitchens, fixing vehicles, maintaining factories, building boats, constructing buildings, plumbing houses, installing electrical, upgrading IT systems, etc… so many things absolutely must be done if we are going to function as a modern society and export to the hungry northern hemisphere.
NZ has 21% GDP tied in some way to tourism and that is a struggling sector. The rest is tied to exports of food and forest. NZ is built on Food, forestry and tourism. The other sectors are largely dependent on foreign revenue that comes from these 3 sectors. We lost one of those three already (tourism) so the question is what happens to the other two (food and forestry)? See here – Top 10 NZ Exports: http://www.worldstopexports.com/new-zealands-top-10-exports/
So NZ has 1) higher real unemployment (not revealed by our statistics) and also we have 2) high labour shortages that are in most of the same sectors as we had prior to the CV-19 lockdown (with some exceptions).
TO WAIT OR PREPARE?
If you are a foreign skilled migrant waiting your your opportunity to start a new life in NZ and if you are a specialist in an area of high demand here, what advantage is it for you to wait? Logically speaking, we know that waiting is low risk but preparing is also low risk. Preparing happens before investment. Investment is where the risk comes in. Waiting is what most will do. Preparing is what exceptional people nearly always do when they have a good plan. Logically speaking, are you not better off to prepare for something early rather than wait and risk a rushed preparation?
The first wave of skilled migrants will be at a distinct advantage over other waves that follow because they will be coming in fresh into a job market that has not seen skilled foreign labour for many months. First wave migrants will be hired by some of the most proactive employers in NZ that have the most opportunity to expand. This is an advantage that second and third wave migrants will not enjoy.
I know that preparing works because my Clients are scheduling job meetings with hiring managers in NZ companies that are interested in their skills. Some of my Clients are even getting job offers while abroad during Covid, which indicates we are doing things in the right way. Do I suggest that you should get job offers now? No, not at all. I only suggest to prepare for a successful trip now because it will empower you with options that you will not have if you simply wait.
If you have specialised skills and if you are interested to explore opportunities to be part of the first wave of immigrants coming into NZ, you may send your CV to me at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz
In response to every profile that has a “clear shot at success” on the job demand side, I will give you helpful feedback.
Employment for Immigration to New Zealand, Australia and Beyond 