“I’m actually amazed with you. When I come to New Zealand, I would like to meet you in person.
Because, you see, I have tried to take quotations from people for the services that you’ve done for me. According to my judgment, it’s very good what you have done for me. I really appreciate it. With all my heart, I know that the honour lies with me to make it happen. It’s not that you are going to do everything for me, but as long as you are guiding me along the way, I really appreciate it. Because I’ve even checked some combos for other services that are offered by those people who call themselves agencies, they charge a lot of money just to do what you have done for me.
You are already on top. It’s only maybe the issue that people might not know about what you can do, your capabilities, but if people can know about your capabilities, especially the ones who are in the category of artisans and who are willing to make things happen for themselves, you are the best person to use.
I want to appreciate everything that we have done so far. I am actually happy.”
Lesley Nyoni Mechanical Fitter
Lesley is a Mechanical Fitter with over 20 years of experience with diverse experiences in 4 countries. In his career so far he has trained over 30 apprentices. I was honoured to work with Lesley in developing a smart profile that he deserves for securing work. I am happy with the outcome. We achieved this result together.
Scams are becoming more sophisticated, and vulnerable groups like migrant job seekers are often targeted. This is because migrating for work is an expensive, unfamiliar process, and scammers exploit that uncertainty.
The good news is that you can protect yourself by following this comprehensive checklist. With these steps, you’ll gain confidence in evaluating job offers, verifying company legitimacy, and ensuring your hard-earned resources are safe.
Typical Profile of a Scammer
When seeking work abroad, it’s essential to recognize the telltale signs of a scammer. Scammers targeting migrants often exhibit these characteristics:
Unregistered or Fake Companies
Operate under newly registered or unverifiable company names.
Use vague or incomplete business details, such as generic email addresses or missing physical office locations.
Promises That Sound Too Good to Be True
Offer unusually high salaries or guaranteed visas with minimal effort.
Claim to have special connections with immigration authorities or employers abroad.
Requests for Upfront Payments
Demand fees for visas, application processing, or job placement before providing proof of their legitimacy.
Insist on using untraceable payment methods like cryptocurrency or wire transfers.
High-Pressure Tactics
Push you to act quickly by creating false urgency, such as saying “this is a one-time offer.”
Threaten to revoke the opportunity if you don’t comply immediately.
Poor Communication
Use unprofessional or poorly written messages, often with spelling and grammar mistakes.
Provide vague answers or avoid direct questions about their legitimacy.
Frequent Changes in Company Details
Alter their company name, email address, website, or phone number frequently.
Lack a long history of operating in their field, often closing operations quickly to evade detection.
Target Vulnerable Individuals
Focus on people in desperate situations, such as migrants looking for work abroad.
Exploit unfamiliarity with the job market, immigration systems, or local regulations.
By identifying these red flags, you can steer clear of fraudulent schemes and protect yourself from financial and emotional harm.
Here is a Simple Checklist
1. Start with Basic Research
Google search: Enter the company name and owner’s name along with keywords like “scam,” “fraud,” “reviews,” or “complaints.”
Social media presence: Check LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram for activity. A lack of genuine interaction can indicate fake profiles.
Review platforms: Use Trustpilot, Google Reviews, or Yelp to read feedback. Be cautious of repetitive, overly positive comments.
2. Verify Company Registration
Use country-specific registries to check legitimacy:
Registered address: Avoid PO Boxes or residential addresses.
Name consistency: Frequent name changes may signal instability.
3. Investigate Owners and Directors
Search the names of owners or directors using:
Google Advanced Search: “Name + fraud/lawsuit/bankruptcy.”
Public records: Look for connections to dissolved or flagged companies.
LinkedIn: Verify their experience and professional background.
4. Check Criminal and Legal History
Use available public records:
Australia: National Police Checks.
New Zealand: Court records or judgments.
Google News: Search for lawsuits or criminal investigations.
5. Evaluate Online Presence
Website domain age: Check using Whois Lookup. Scam sites often have newly registered domains.
Website quality: Look for spelling errors, vague descriptions, or stolen content. Check for plagiarism using Google.
Security: Ensure the website uses HTTPS and has an SSL certificate.
6. Assess Job Offers and Advertisements
Be cautious if:
Salaries seem too high for the role.
There are no qualification or experience requirements.
They request upfront payments or sensitive information.
7. Confirm Physical Presence
Use Google Maps or Street View to verify the office location.
Avoid addresses that appear to be residential or shared workspaces.
8. Watch for Behavioral Red Flags
Look out for:
Vague or sudden changes in policies.
High-pressure sales tactics or unprofessional communication.
Non-functional contact details.
9. Explore Migration-Specific Resources
Support services: Look for government or NGO services for migrants in your destination country.
Community forums: Join social media groups or forums where other migrants share their experiences and tips.
Closing Encouragement
Taking these steps may seem like extra effort, but they’re worth it to protect yourself and ensure your job search is successful. Remember, scammers thrive on urgency and fear—by staying calm and following this checklist, you can make informed decisions and focus on genuine opportunities.
If you have doubts or need support, don’t hesitate to reach out to trusted advisors or migration support services. Together, we can make your job search safer and more successful.
Well, there’s lots of value in it [in your services], and different ones.
One of them is that you offer a service which is of really really high quality. It’s a rare service. It’s not something you can get everywhere.
And, you not only offer that service, but I think it’s delivered brilliantly and it helps me to offer myself, if you like, to the market in a much more favourable way.
Also I even learned about myself! And it’s also important when it comes to actually doing an interview. Because now, looking at you, I’m looking at myself on the screen, and it helps me as well, moving in a better way. It’s learning. And then, so, not only you help me to find a job, but you also help me to behave better in front of a camera, you know, so, I’m understanding my career better.
And also you’ve got qualities. You’re sensible enough to see where there is a difference to be made and where your candidate can actually sell his skill set better. And that you see. You’ve got that vision of people and of the market, which allows you to show the candidate in the best possible way.
So yeah, great! I’m really happy with your services, Tate. Thank you so much!
Flavien Charpentier FMCG Financial Director [Transcript of the Video]
This is a testimonial from 2021 – the year of uncertainty, lockdowns and no international travel and a low rate of hiring world-wide. In spite of all this, Flavien was able to advance and get a better job in his country of residence (Switzerland), and I’m proud to have helped him in this process during this challenging time.
How is this relevant now? The answer is simple – don’t wait for the crisis to motivate you to move in a better direction. If your life goal is to migrate permanently, the best time to take control of your destination is always now. And if you are ready to migrate permanently to New Zealand, Australia or any other English speaking country – your small steps today can lead you to success sooner than you might think.
As a first step, I always begin with your resume and a short description of your immigration goals. Send to me personally at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz for a helpful response, usually on the same day. I will offer meeting options to qualifying candidates in my response.
In today’s teaching job market, challenges have grown significantly, even as demand for qualified educators remains high. Based on my direct involvement with clients actively seeking roles, I’ve identified key shifts and strategies to improve your job search success.
Why the Teaching Job Market is Tougher Now Although teacher shortages persist globally, smaller schools are struggling to keep up with the cost and administrative requirements of hiring. Many prefer to avoid the added expenses involved in processing foreign visas, making it harder for international candidates to enter these roles. Larger schools with stronger funding and the ability to plan ahead are generally more willing to engage with foreign teachers, especially those who bring a prepared, professional profile that stands out from the competition.
Your Path to Success: Targeting and Direct Engagement
Focus on Successful Employers Aim for schools that have the resources and systems in place to handle overseas applications. Institutions that are better equipped to process work visas and handle the associated costs will consider qualified international applicants today.
Prepare a Strong Profile A professional, well-prepared CV and supporting presentation materials. Being practiced for the job interview stage is ideal. By highlighting your unique strengths and achievements your first impression is personalised and powerful because employers want to understand you quickly. Your hard work to prepare will make their understanding easy. This is important. Currently, I’ve been able to achieve over an 80% response rate with this approach.
Engage Decision-Makers Directly Spending time on proper introductions will save time in the long run. Setting yourself apart from the other 100 or 200 CVs in the email box is highly useful for employers and it is the only way to achiieve the high rates of personal feedbacks we are getting. It sometimes happens that your specialised skill can encourage a foreign hiring decision even when there was no plan to hire abroad. Opening the door takes planning and initiative but it pays you back with better results and more learning happens in the process.
Collect Direct Market Feedback Every interaction is valuable, whether it’s a “yes” or a “no.” Even a rejection can provide insight, helping you refine your approach for the next opportunity. Market feedback isn’t about winning with every effort. It is about improving with every effort. These conversations offer a real-time look into what your market seeks today and how your profile is being considered. Although I am writing about teachers right now, it is the same for every job market.
Conclusion: The Key to Success In this changing landscape, your success hinges on targeted applications, direct engagement, and constant learning from feedback. With thoughtful preparation and consistent outreach, you can navigate the teaching job market’s new challenges and open doors to exciting opportunities. Continuous improvement will always be your best friend in every long term goal that you have.
Ready to start? Get prepared, be persistent, and reach out directly. If you have any questions, then reach out to me – tate@employmentforimmigration.nz —success awaits!
Juan’s journey to securing employment and residency in New Zealand is a testament to the effectiveness of a structured job-hunting strategy, multimedia presentation, and proactive engagement with potential employers. In this case study, we explore how a tailored approach, confidence-building techniques, and networking helped Juan overcome unexpected challenges to land his second job within two days of direct outreach.
1. Core Strengths Development and Profile Preparation
From November 2023 to July 2024, Juan worked with Tate’s Employment for Immigration to identify and summarize his core strengths and achievements. This foundation, reflected in his CV, Video CV, and photo portfolio, helped Juan stay clear on his key selling points throughout the job search.
Result: Juan was always well-prepared for interviews, able to confidently recall his achievements, which provided potential employers with a clear understanding of his technical expertise.
A crucial turning point in Juan’s journey was overcoming his initial reluctance to cold-call employers. Through Session 4 of his program, Juan witnessed live demonstrations of cold calls made on his behalf by his consultant. This gave him the confidence to engage directly with hiring managers.
Result: His multimedia materials helped confirm Juan’s technical expertise and contributed to him being shortlisted for interviews, where he continued to impress.
Unexpected Challenges: A Lesson in Networking
Although Juan’s first job in New Zealand helped him gain experience that contributed to securing his second job, the process didn’t unfold as he expected. Juan’s direct boss, who had promised a referral, declined to provide one when contacted by his prospective employer. Instead, he only confirmed Juan’s employment details, leaving the new employer with limited insight into Juan’s performance.
However, Juan’s networking efforts paid off. The site engineer who worked closely with Juan stepped in to provide a strong reference, confirming Juan’s skill with repairs, maintenance, and equipment installations. This confirmation aligned with Juan’s interview responses and ultimately reassured the employer of his qualifications.
Result: Despite the setback, Juan’s professional relationships with other colleagues proved valuable. The site engineer’s referral helped secure his new role, even without the support of his direct boss.
Juan’s journey demonstrates the importance of a proactive job-hunting strategy and the value of networking. Despite unexpected setbacks, Juan’s persistence and the strength of his preparation led to a positive outcome.
Job Secured: Juan received a job offer within two days of his cold-calling efforts, securing his visa and allowing him to remain in New Zealand.
Professional Growth: Juan’s experience in his first New Zealand job, along with the skills and materials he developed, made him a standout candidate for his second role.
Overcoming Challenges: Despite his direct boss’s lack of support, Juan’s site engineer provided the referral needed to confirm his abilities, underscoring the power of professional relationships.
Conclusion: A Story of Overcoming Setbacks with a Structured System
Juan’s success is a testament to the power of perseverance and a well-organized job search strategy. Through effective coaching, multimedia tools, and a proactive mindset, Juan was able to navigate the complexities of redundancy, visa constraints, and competition. His story is a reminder that even when unexpected challenges arise—such as the lack of a promised referral—strong preparation, networking, and persistence can overcome these obstacles.
Key Takeaways:
Structured Approach: Identifying core strengths and preparing a multimedia portfolio provided Juan with the confidence and tools needed to succeed in interviews.
Cold-Calling Mastery: Live demonstrations of cold-calling helped Juan adopt this approach, leading to rapid results in his job search.
Networking Pays Off: Despite a lack of support from his direct boss, Juan’s relationships with other colleagues, such as the site engineer, proved crucial in securing his second job.
I’m excited to share a success story about Nick, a brilliant engineer with a unique market niche. Nick is a Mechanical, Electrical, and Theoretical Engineer. What is a Theoretical Engineer, you might ask? Well, they are very rare and specialized. They are found working in the nonphysical world, in nanoscale processes that create computer chips, for example.
For 10 years, Nick was the go-to Principal Equipment Service Engineer for 15 companies, managing 50 machines valued in the tens of millions of dollars. When others couldn’t solve the problem, Nick was the one they called. His expertise in semiconductor manufacturing, one of the most advanced industries in the world, is truly exceptional.
Although his market was too small in New Zealand, Nick secured a prestigious role in the Netherlands using the strategies we developed together.
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.
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.
Employment for Immigration to New Zealand, Australia and Beyond 