Getting Job Offers after 8 Weeks

Since I arrived about 8 weeks ago, I spent at least 8 hours a day working on my applications. This includes customizing my CV and cover letters to fit the job, calling recruiters and HR, searching and registering at LinkedIn, Seek, the careers section of the company website, TradeMe, emailing new acquaintances and googling. I've attended migrants seminars and I did went out a bit to introduce myself to people. I stayed in touch with fellow new migrants via email. I could've slacked a bit especially during my first few weeks of arrival here. I got a very tempting offer for a free 3-day vacation trip just outside Auckland. I get regular invites to chill out time with my friends here which I welcomed whenever I finish my business at the city just so I maximize my long trip to the city. But of course I had to keep focused so oftentimes I had to decline those which seemed to me like distractions and unnecessary expense.

Determination and Focus is key

When you attend seminars for migrants, they'd often encourage you to volunteer so you can get that local experience that some employers are looking for. Recruiters on the other hand can present you with contractual roles which are definitely worth thinking about especially if you're running out of funds. I'm fortunate to have been presented with these opportunities even if I didn't pursue them. The volunteer work meant shelling out money for me because the location is too far and that the honorarium of $7 a day is not enough to cover my transport cost. The contractual role could've been great if it was presented to me a month ago wherein there weren't any progress with my applications. It was just a week's contract and the expected return is perhaps enough to sustain me for the next two months. The recruiters are a big help in terms of presenting you with opportunities that aren't advertised yet. They'd help you work with your CV and will give you all the support needed to help you prepare for that interview. I did see how they get to push employers to act fast to speed up the recruitment process. Internal HRs does work slow and it does help if you push your way forward so that they'd notice you or at least give you feedback on the status of your application. It did help that I copied the hiring manager when I asked for a follow up. I got the feedback that I needed almost instantly.


For the past week, I've been working on 4 job applications that progressed to interviews almost at the same time. I managed to squeeze three interviews in a day. These series of interviews actually helped me gain more confidence and also helped me practice in giving effective answers during the interview. I then progressed from the first to the second interview up to the verbal job offers in less than a week.

At this point, I have already withdrawn my applications from the other two and I will be giving my acceptance and decline to the remaining two employers this Monday. It's been quite a ride and I definitely look forward to starting out again in the employment scene.

Ups & Downs sa Ikatlong Linggo

Ang buhay ay sadyang ganyan!

Lumipas na naman ang aking maghapon. Ano ba talaga ang na-accomplish ko today? Submitting online applications doesn't count. Although, i was able to talk to another recruiter kasi yung kausap ko yesterday parang madali siyang nag give up. Sana mas ok ang network nitong isang to. Babalikan raw niya ako tomorrow. I'll be calling another one tomorrow then magpe-presenta rin ako sa bank. Kundi ako magtatawag, baka walang pumansin sa kin.

Di pa rin ako nakalabas ng bahay today dahil hapon na when i decided to take a break. Nakakapagod rin. Para akong may hinahabol na deadline sa office, and knowing na ang dami ko pa dapat tapusin. In a way it's good kasi i can still tap more resources and alam ko marami pa ako opportunities. Kelangan lang talaga is timing and swak ako sa role. I'm really looking forward dun sa Library Shelver role. Bibisitahin ko yun para mag prisinta ako. I applied online na naman. Kelangan lang talaga na mapansin ako. Buti rin at actively networking, rather continuously tapping her peers para ipagkalat ang CV ko. I even applied for a junior na role para lang sa higher chance na magka-project ako.

That's the difference here, kahit na anong dami ng experience mo, kung wala ka naman kakilala, hindi rin papansinin ang CV mo. 80% network and 20% lang ang direct application.

Everyone from my flatmate, to Myn, even to my relatives, they all had the same message, di raw ako mahihirapan makahanap ng work kasi firstly, I have work visa. That's a big moral booster and I do hang on to their words. Siempre medyo naiinip na ko kasi i'm not used to not knowing what tomorrow's gonna be like for me. It's tougher this time around coz I have family already. It's completely different when I was still single. Siempre mas malakas ang loob ko nun and less ang worries.

Everyday pala I have this sturggle. I should be able to withdstand the cold water kasi mahirap timplahin ang tubig sa shower, either too hot or too cold. Mahirap tiempuhan yung maligamgam. In the morning kapag naghihilamos ako, or kapag time na maag toothbrush, ang dami ko nasasayang na water kasi inaantay ko na maging maligamgam yung tubig. Sorry mother earth but di talga kaya ng powers ko ang lamig. Di pa ako sanay. Whenever I wash the dishes, I wear rubber gloves, yung pwedeng pang garden para di mamanhid ang aking hands.

Everyday tanawin

Di naman sana naging obvious ang pagkamangha ko sa dusk kahapon while riding the bus home. Ang ganda talga ng view ng West Auckland from the motorway. Siempre mahaba yung motorway, medyo traffice pero grandioso ang dating ng dagat, mangroves, mountain range at ng mga sumusulpot-sulpot na kabahayan. Pinigilan ko lang ang sarili ko na tumayo sa tabi ng bus driver where the view is just awesome kasi bawal pumwesto dun. Masunurin sa mga rules ang mga bus drivers and most of the commuters. Pagbaba ko naman sa bus stop, dun sa malapit sa 'min, yung sinag ng araw na bumutas sa kaulapan at parang spotlight ang dating na nakaturo sa direksyon ng bahay namin ay isa na namang oh wow moment! Kesehoda na napakalamig ng mahinang hangin, kung saa'y nanginginig na naman ako na lubusan, manhid na naman ang aking mga kamay, nagawa ko pa ring ilabas ang camera at mag shoot! 2 clicks lang kasi naghahanap ako ng magandang frame/ composition. Maulap na kasi dahil padilim na. Sloping ang kalye sa amin so dun dapat ako sa upper slope ng road. Ganda kasi ng view ko pauwi, kita mo na pababa yung kalye, tanaw ko yung roundabout that leads to our house, and sa dako palayo ay ang mountain range ng waitakere siguro iyon. Basta, puro bahay naman ang makikita mo na naka pwesto sa slopes ng kabundukan.

First attempt to capture the sun ray along View Rd

Gave up and just tried to compose it along View Rd

So folks, kahit pa 1 hour ang biyahe from CBD to our house and vice versa, ok lang rin kasi magandang tanawin naman ang araw na araw na sumasalubong sa akin.

Land of Migrants

Kiwi Career Success Seminar
at Auckland Chamber of Commerce

Helen, the lady wearing a red top, kept me busy for the past three days. She facilitated the KCS seminar which covered things like the Kiwi work environment, tailoring your CV and cover letter and basically just equipping us migrants with all the right tools and linking us to their members. Did you know that 80% of jobs in NZ are not advertised? That most of the businesses here are SMEs. And that networking is essential? And it's often important to have NZ work experience. With this goes volunteer work. Volunteering seems to be well advertised to migrants as the best way to have their first NZ work experience.

It's great that there are so many programs here that aims to help migrants get settled. Maybe it's coz NZ is the 2nd highest migrant-welcoming country in the world. They even got all these refugees.

During the seminar, we found out that there were a handful of us who came in via Silver Fern Visa. We all got some strict personal deadlines on job seeking. There were the wives of principal applicants who are now looking into joining the workforce.

It's also a good experience just to be around people with different cultural backgrounds. Each one shared their challenges during job hunting and the cultural differences in the recruiting/ job application scene. After our mock interview session on day 3, everyone wished me well for my two interviews today. And that alone is already a big pat on the back for me for they've certainly given me that moral boost.

Railway, Transport and then Consulting?

Cold morning, heavy fog, zero visibility and you can almost see some frost. Then the sun came up and cleared everything around. It was still cold though.

I wasn't quite sure on what my job strategy will be for the day but somehow I found myself diving deeply on making online applications to companies like KiwiRail and Auckland Transport. What caught my attention was a posting from a recruiter saying that the location is just here at Waitakere city. It's library is just walking distance from here.. well, 25minutes of walking at least. I hope I can get into Auckland Transport!

Peeking through the glass door

I've been cooped up in this house, mostly in my room for three days straight working on my applications. It was perfect timing when I noticed the sun at its golden peak! It's sunset and I couldn't resist taking a photo of it, despite the rain.

Job Hunting - Kiwi Style

I sent a few applications last week upon arriving then stopped when I decided to attend a migrant seminar first.

During the seminar last Friday, I picked up the following pointers which I believe helped me figure things out for my kiwi job hunt.

1. Polish your CV, it should be a Kiwi-style CV that fits the advertised requirements.

2. Sell yourself in the cover letter.

3. Build a Kiwi network. Employers prefer an applicant that was referred by one of their employees.

4. Have a strategy in applying. You'll need to keep track of the role that you applied for and through what means did you apply: direct, online, via recruiter or internal employee. 

So I polished my CV and sent it to three people: my flatmate, my friend from grad school and my 2nd degree aunt.

Today, I gave one IT recruitment company a shot just to see how I fared. I applied to four postings early today and just a few minutes after 9am, I got a call from one of them. She'll be forwarding my application to their client and will see how it goes. Each posting has a different handler(consultant), the other two already responded with a nice no via email.

With this, I know now that I have a shot and will be a bit more patient to let my small network tap theirs.

I'm meeting people this weekend and hopefully, I'll chance upon those who can increase my network.

So anybody out there know anyone who lives here in Auckland? PM me ok?