Woman struggling to find work overwhelmed by support

Liz and Ross Grant have applied for more than 150 jobs in the past year with no success. Photo / Andrew Warner

A Tauranga woman who has struggled to find work says she wants to reach out and offer her support to those in similar situations, after being overwhelmed with emails from well-wishers.

Yesterday, Tauranga residents Liz and Ross Grant told the Bay of Plenty Times that since making the move from Auckland to Tauranga, they had struggled to get work.

The couple said that they had unsuccessfully applied for about 150 jobs between them over the past year, and were determined to find work before their savings ran out.

Mr and Mrs Grant, aged 62 and 60, said they feared their ages could be the main reason they were being overlooked.

Since sharing their year-long plight with media, the couple have been inundated with emails from prospective employers, and others wishing their support and giving advice.

Speaking to NZME News Service this evening, Mrs Grant said she had been overwhelmed by the number of emails she had received from people across the country in similar situations.

"A lot of people are empathising because they're in the same boat, it's kind of hard trying to support them as well, which is something I feel I really need to do.

"It's almost like all the popularity that has come from this is from people who sat there and thought they were alone in this.

"One lady suggested setting up a support group, and I said well maybe we will start off a Facebook page for it. It's looking at other ways to reach out to all these other people who are sitting out there feeling like it's just them."

Mrs Grant said she was concerned at how many people were in the same position.

"I know how hard it's been for us, and I thought it was just us."

Mrs Grant said she would try her best to personally reply to every email she had been sent, as people had taken the time to share their stories with her.

In the meantime, she said she had been offered franchise work, as well as work as a party planner.

However, an opportunity from Healthcare New Zealand, working as a home support carer, had taken her fancy, and she said she would apply.

In the meantime, Mrs Grant said the job offers were still "rolling in".

- Additional reporting: Bay of Plenty Times