Welcome

Leigh Johnson

I constantly find myself talking to people about career paths. Sometimes I advise people not to move job so as not to get ahead of themselves. There can be a greater value at looking within your current position or organisation for development opportunities - allowing you to make bigger strides further down the track.  

A quality CV reflects these steps that someone has taken to prepare themselves for their next position. Therefore you have to constantly add value to your CV to show potential employers what you have to offer. This is not only through direct on-the-job experience, but also by proving your ability to take on responsibility and achieve high quality results.

My advice is to take advantage of the all the opportunities you are offered. Everything you can add to your CV is a step in the right direction. 

Leigh

In the news....

Kiwi life is the good life

93 per cent of new skilled migrants to the country are enjoying New Zealand's lifestyle - most saying the country's natural beauty and friendly people were the best part of their new kiwi experience. 

A Department of Labour survey asked skilled migrants from around the world about their experiences in their first months as New Zealand residents.

"In a time of skill shortage and low unemployment it is important not only to attract skilled migrants to New Zealand, but to make sure their settlement experiences are positive," Deputy Secretary Workforce Mary Anne Thompson said.

"They were also pleased with their New Zealand jobs with 79 per cent saying they were 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied'. By helping migrants have positive experiences we increase the chances of them contributing and committing to New Zealand's society and economy in the long term," added Ms Thompson.

Holiday, it will be so fine...

The majority of the Holidays Act came into force on 1 April 2004. However, from 1 April 2007 all employees will become eligible for four weeks annual leave on the date they next become entitled to annual holidays.

This is a minimum entitlement and does not mean that all employees who currently have four or more weeks annual holidays will qualify for an extra week. Whether the employee will receive an additional week above the minimum requirement is a matter for negotiation between the employer and employee.

Knowing me, knowing you

Most people will use recruitment consultants over the course of their working life - yet it is a profession that many do not understand. Identifying the right job for you is much more than playing ‘snap’ with your CV and our client's job descriptions. Many other issues are considered to ensure the opportunities we find are taking you in a direction you want to go.

Your CV

Your consultant's role is to get your CV infront of the opportunities that interest you. To help with this, we will advise you on how best to highlight your skills on your CV.

Marketing

Marketing is not just something for the items you see on TV adverts. In discussion with you, our primary consideration will be to let our clients know about you and the skills you can offer. Using our knowledge of the employment market, with your permission we will also place your CV in front of any our contacts who we feel may be interested in you.

Doing your homework

We will discuss with you the opportunities each job description offers, and as much as possible provide you with an insight into the culture of the recruiting organisation. This is because we have been working with the client since the moment the job became available, so we have an understanding of who they are and how they work.

We will also support your interview preparation, helping to identify possible questions and informing you about how the process will work. This will help you to avoid any surprises when you walk into the interview room.  

Follow up

An interview is as much a chance for you to look at your future employer as it is for them to look at you. Once your interview has finished we will call you for a debrief, giving you the chance to raise any issues or questions. We will then help ensure that you have all the information you need to decide if this is the role for you. 

Mediation

If you are offered a role, we can mediate your contract negotiations. No-one wants to start their new employment in discussions over pay and holiday entitlements, so we can manage this process for you.

The other stuff

In addition to interviewing, preparing CVs and marketing you, our consultants spend a lot of time meeting your potential employers. This means we can keep up-to-date with issues and potential employment opportunities - all to secure the right job for you.

Job Doctor

I am starting to look for a new job - which inevitably means updating my CV. I have heard that research has found that employers could make a decision about the suitability of a candidate within 15-25 seconds of viewing a CV. So how do I make sure that my CV gives the right first impression?   

Laura, Lower Hutt

The key to a good CV is simplicity. All an employer initially wants to know is if you have the skills, qualifications and experience to do the role - and if you do, how can they contact you.

Therefore this should be made clear from the outset on your CV, identifying you straight away as a suitable candidate for the role.  The front page of your CV is an executive summary presenting the facts about why you should be given the interview, and the subsequent pages are the supporting evidence.

So keep the layout simple, there is a time and a place for the more fancy functions on Word, and the front page of your CV is neither the time or the place.

Also, the issue of photographs! We see a range of photos on CVs, and the one thing that is obvious is that they are easier to get wrong than right. Plus having your face smiling down on your CV can distract from your experience and skills - it is always easier to judge a book by its cover.