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Work and Income has,
in government-speak,
‘a focus on getting
people into
employment and
gaining
independence’. It
recommends that job
applicants should
spend at least 11
hours per week
looking for work and
should contact
Work and Income
at least once every
two weeks.
When people enrol
with Work and
Income, they’re
sometimes asked to
make a Job Seeker
Agreement, which
sets out their
responsibilities and
an agreed plan to
help them prepare
for work. People
caring for a child
under 14 aren’t
asked to look for
full-time work, but
might be asked to
seek part-time
employment or
prepare for future
work.
Work
and Income
runs a Job Bank.,
an online tool which job seekers can access from computers at Work and Income
service centres. It’s updated every half an hour with new jobs by employers
throughout New Zealand. Work and Income also offers help with job applications,
writing CVs and training, and provides many helpful brochures such as Getting
Work Skills and
Experience and
Need Help to Find
Work?, which can
be downloaded from the website.
The head office of Work and Income is at Level 8, Bowen State Building, Bowen
Street, PO Box 12-136, Wellington (free phone
0800-559 009 or
09-916 3300,
www.workandincome.govt.nz).
Recruitment Agencies
There are many
organisations in New
Zealand that can
help find you a job.
They can be broadly
divided into
recruitment
consultants and
employment agencies.
Recruitment
consultants tend to
specialise in
skilled,
professional and
executive jobs,
while employment
agencies handle all
kinds of jobs,
including unskilled
and temporary jobs.
You can find local
recruitment
consultants and
employment agencies
by looking in the
yellow pages,
available at major
libraries and in the
reading rooms of
some New Zealand
Consulates and High
Commissions
overseas, or on the
yellow pages website
(www.yellowpages.co.nz).
Employment agencies
are also listed on
the New Zealand
Immigration Service
website (www.immigration.govt.nz).
Some immigration
consultants can
arrange an
introduction to
recruitment
agencies.
Both recruitment
consultants and
employment agencies
are engaged by
employers to fill
vacancies and
therefore don’t
charge you for
finding you a job
(they’re finding an
employee for the
employer, not vice
versa). Other
services such as
compiling CVs and
counselling may be
offered, for which
you may be charged,
so check in advance.
Some recruitment
consultancies have
offices abroad, and
if you plan to use
them it pays to make
a few simple checks
before doing so. For
example, the law of
your home country
may permit them to
make a charge for
finding you a job or
even for simply
registering your
details. Also check
exactly what they
will do for you. A
recruitment
consultant who
merely sends your CV
to prospective
employers is
unlikely to find you
a job, whereas a
consultant with
employers on his
books in the
industry in which
you want to work
(ask for proof)
could prove to be a
useful contact.
Among the largest
recruitment agencies
are:
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The
New Zealand
government
employment service
is run by an agency
called Work and
Income, which is
part of the Ministry
of Social
Development (MSD).
