The best job interview ever?

New Zealand's tech industry is offering to fly candidates in from around the world for an all-expenses-paid trip to Wellington for a series of job interviews.

For most job interviews, the aim is to impress the potential employer, but New Zealand's tech industry is reversing the process.

The government initiative Looksee Wellington is offering to fly 100 candidates from around the world to New Zealand for an interview. The only catch is they have to make the cut.

The programme is a collaboration between the government, Workhere NZ and Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) and is aimed at filling New Zealand's skills shortage in the IT sector.

Candidates are chosen based on their skills with 100 shortlisted from those who applied.

Keen IT gurus will have to get in quick, applications close on March 20.

The successful group will have their flights and accommodation to Wellington paid for, with a series of pre-arranged job interviews with some of the top tech and IT firms in the country.

"Wellington is the South Pacific's tech and innovation capital, bubbling with innovative tech companies developing leading edge solutions and exporting them to the world," the initiative claims.

"Our tech industry is flying along and we need more people. We're looking for the best tech talent in the world to come on the career trip of a life-time."

According to WREDA, the budget for Looksee is around $300,000.

General manager of business growth and innovation, David Jones said if the initiative hits its target of 80 people being employed, it will bring around $4.5 million to the local economy.

If it manages to lure six people to Wellington, it will mean the programme has broken even.

The initiative is one of many that New Zealand companies and organisations have set up to try and attract skilled employees to the sector.

The most popular profiles would be selected by tech firm bosses in Wellington and tnterviews would take place in May.