The benefits of research and recruitment

When Norma and her partner decided to migrate to New Zealand they spent a good year researching everything there was to know about the country, the job market and how life would be like. That solid foundation means they are now well settled and pleased with their move.

I wanted to know what the job market was like

"We really wanted to make sure we were well-prepared for the move before we got here. We talked to Immigration New Zealand about whether we would meet all the criteria, and we read anything and everything about the country itself.

“About a year before we left South Africa I also contacted Michael from Jobmedia. I wanted to know what the job market was like and what I may expect. We spent quite a bit of time sending emails back and forth, and he said he would be able to help me further once I'd arrived and he had met me face to face. Then he would have a better idea of what sort of position would best suit me.

"There was quite a bit to manoeuvre. I knew I had to have a job to qualify for a work permit, and I'd need the work permit ready to go if I got a job. It was quite a juggling act. However Michael was really helpful with keeping me informed and advising me.”

I was hired very quickly

“Soon after we arrived in Auckland I met up with him for an interview. He's an excellent listener and seems to be able to read and assess a person's work character naturally and this helps him to motivate the right job-position placement within the right environment, which suits both candidate and potential employer. Face to face, he was able to assess where I'd fit best and got me an interview at APN. Very quickly I was hired and began work.”

We came with the right expectations

"I think we came to New Zealand with the right expectations. We'd done a lot of preparation before we got here, and I made a few long trips to the library once we'd arrived, to study the New Zealand market, defining how it differed to the South African one.

"Recently I approached him again and he's placed me in a new job. It was great to work with him once more as we had already covered the groundwork of reference checking, and we both knew what sort of job I wanted. I think the whole migration process was made smoother through our association with Michael and Jobmedia."

-Story provided by Jobmedia