A hiring boom happens every year following the holiday season and now is a perfect time to prepare.

Reason #1 – New Year Resolution – Increased hiring happens because holidays bring about change: new diets, new exercise programs, new inspirations in life and of course new jobs happen as inspired change. This means that roles need to be replace, often with urgency.

Reason #2 – Business Plans – As with people, businesses also generate new visions for growth at this time of year. They come into the new year with strategy plans, new budgets and new requirements for staff.

The challenge – Finding a new life isn’t easy. Even for locals, switching jobs can be stressful. Similar to moving house, another one of life’s many challenges. New Migrants are doing that that plus new friends and switching cultures and all family members are doing these same thing together, often risking everything in the process.

The best approach – Plan well, implement effectively and stay flexibile. As with any complex project the key to success is to break it down into bite-size tasks that can be mastered and implemented successfully, one after the other. Like building a bridge, it can be done. This bring us to the topic, how to take advantage of the current situation if you are a foreign migrant wanting to enter New Zealand. You know that there is a hiring boom after the holidays. You know that hiring slows down dramatically in December. What can be done now to maximise your opportunities to get hired into a great job as soon as possible? I believe the answer isn’t difficult.

Firstly to prepare, then to get into the job market as soon as possible so that real progress is being made and hopefully do it this year so that you can build relationships and experience. Even if you aren’t hired this year, the experience of being in the job market this year will prepare you for what is coming.

In the post-holiday hiring boom there will be some urgent jobs that aren’t possible to fill by locals. If you are super skilled and experienced and qualified, you may be a snapped up if you are in the right place at the right time, having already some experience so that you are able to deliver good content, being practiced up in the job hunting process already.

A customised approach is essential to finding the right job fit. Your unique professional strengths are your best assets, and should be the main feature in your profile.

If anyone reading this would like helpful insights into how specifically you can manage your job search, send your CV to me at tate@employmentforimmigration.nz for a response in about a day. Let me know your experience so far for context. I have been helping migrants apply their strengths to the job finding process for 15+ years.