KEY POINTS:
Living and working overseas for a few years is an integral part of being a Kiwi. But fitting in back home can take some adjusting to.
From being a small fish in a big pond, now you need to become the big fish in a small pond.
It
might not be easy to find your ideal role, especially if you have been overseas for a long time, but by using these 10 tips, you will settle back into New Zealand employment sooner rather than later.
* Examine your expectations.
The most important advice is to be realistic. Don't think about what you are worth in London, Tokyo or Sydney, but ask yourself: "What are my competitors - the other candidates applying for the job I want - asking for?"
You will not convert your overseas salary into New Zealand dollars.
But it's not just your financial expectations that need examining. Think hard about how prospective employers will perceive your overseas experience.
To some employers you will be highly sought-after - your OE is out of the way and you have probably come back with experience in larger organisations and an international perspective.
However not all employers are as positive. Many professionals work in narrowly defined roles in large companies while overseas. But most New Zealand roles aren't like that - they also require leadership, planning skills and commercial interaction with others. There are ways around this but you will have to apply yourself.
* Brush up your soft skills.
You may have gained in-depth technical skills while you were away but it's likely to be your softer skills that will land you a job back in New Zealand. These include:
- Information delivery: You must be able to present critical information in a way that is effective, precise and understandable. You must also be able to communicate on paper and in person. Don't try to dazzle people with industry jargon as they won't understand what you are capable of and will not hire you.
- Interpersonal skills: Whatever role you are going for, you will probably have to work closely with managers, suppliers, customers and consultants. The ability to interact easily and work with a team is crucial.
- Managerial skills: These are important if your new role involves strategic planning initiatives, decision-making responsibilities and managing projects.
* Focus on your transferable skills.
When explaining what you did overseas, think relevance. Focus on specific roles and projects, what they involved and what the outcome was. Describe the structure of the projects you were involved in and the relationships within them.
You need to show you have been learning and growing professionally while overseas. You also need to show you are not too narrow and specialised.
* Consider temping until you find your feet.
When you left, it may have been unusual for professionals to take a temporary job. That has changed. In many industries professionals find permanent, or close to permanent, challenging employment in short-term positions.
Many people find it easier to pick up such work while they readjust to New Zealand and then look for their ideal permanent role. Such roles also help them to overcome the perceived obstacle of "irrelevant" overseas experience.
* Be prepared to take a step back to move forward.
I interviewed a South African who had worked in South Africa and Britain but had no New Zealand experience. He was looking for permanent work but said he would be happy to temp because "I will get a foot in the door and prove myself".
Don't be afraid to take a step back, or sideways, to develop a skill that will help you meet your end goal.
Because of my candidate's attitude we placed him permanently into a large corporate where he knows he has the opportunity to prove himself. It isn't his ideal job, but it's a big company and this is his stepping stone.
* Come back armed with solid references.
References are critical to securing a job in New Zealand - we tend to place more emphasis on them than other countries. But often recruiters struggle to get relevant references from candidates returning from overseas because company policy is to verify work dates but not comment on anything else.
It is your responsibility to provide referee details, so ensure you provide details of people who are more than willing to talk about your positive aspects. If it's company policy not to release references, ask an ex-colleague to provide a "personal reference".
* Cast your net wide.
The vast majority of jobs are secured without using a recruitment consultant. Many are found through people's own networks, which means taking responsibility for your own job search and talking to everyone you know. If you aren't well connected in New Zealand, join a professional organisation and start there.
Come up with a list of companies you find interesting. Then talk to your recruitment firm and your own network of contacts about how to find work with those companies.
Don't think that the only people to focus on are those who can directly offer you a job or that you have to know "the right people". Anyone can be "the right person". And people love to help other people, so don't feel bad about asking for help.
* Prepare your CV for New Zealand.
The only reason to put a CV together is to secure an interview. CVs are read for an average of 15 seconds - the easier they are to read, the better chance you have.
Be concise and articulate.
Make a CV as easy to read as possible, with bullet points and lots of white space.
Summary pages are unnecessary.
Less is more. Put your duties, responsibilities and achievements under each specific job.
Do not include anything that can be used to discriminate against you, such as age, religion, or marital status.
Spend twice or three times as much effort and space on your achievements as your responsibilities and make them specific and measurable.
Spell check.
* Prepare for interviews.
Companies learn as much or more about the candidates they are interviewing from the questions the candidates ask as from the way the candidates answer their questions. So it is extremely important to prepare for the interview.
Devour the company's website and talk to people working there if you can. Have a list of at least three well-thought out questions and challenge yourself to ask something that no one else will think to ask.
* Don't rush.
Don't feel you have to take the first permanent role you are offered. Take your time to find the role and company that suits you and use temping in the interim.
If you do start contracting, make yourself indispensable - you may be hired for a permanent role. But even if you aren't, your attitude will be reflected in the reference you get, which will most likely land you your ideal permanent job.
* Megan Alexander is division director for Robert Half Finance & Accounting.
