Job vacancy sources

Here are four actions you can take in preparation for finding a job:

Attend a workshop
Come along to one of University Careers Services job hunting workshops.

Keep an eye on job vacancy sites
Monitor Auckland CareerHub and other job sites listed below for vacancies in your field. Start at least 18 months before you are due to graduate. You'll get an idea of the sorts of jobs available and the range of skills employers are looking for. Register or login to Auckland CareerHub.

Get work experience
Get some paid or unpaid work experience while you're still a student. Ideally it will be related to your field, especially if you are a postgraduate student. You'll develop skills a have experience to put on your CV. Work experience may help you find out about paid jobs. If you are an entrepreneurial type, you could also consider starting your own business. To find out more, see Types of employment.

Watch the video "Journey to work"
You'll need your UPI and password. Find it under Online careers videos.

Online vacancies
These include internet job sites, recruitment agencies sites, company websites and websites of some professional associations. The following is a selection:

• Auckland CareerHub
  A specialised graduate employment site organised by a consortium of universities including The University of Auckland. Some employers recruit graduates a year in advance, so register early and keep monitoring new job postings.
• Careers at The University of Auckland
  Find out about vacancies at The University of Auckland on this site.
• Careers New Zealand
  A comprehensive list of job vacancy websites. New Zealand links are organised by sector. Australian and other international links are also included.
• Seek and TradeMe Jobs
  Popular sources of job vacancies.
• Student Job Search
  Specialises in part time, temporary and summer work.
• Government job vacancies
• Local government jobs
• Māori Recruitment Agency (mahi.co.nz)
  Māori-focused employment opportunities.
• Finding jobs overseas
  Information and links on working overseas.

Newspapers and industry magazines
The most traditional way of advertising is in newspapers.

See the major daily newspapers:

• NZ Herald (also lists vacancies online)
• The Press
• Dominion Post

You can also check smaller local papers, for example:

• Central Leader
• North Shore Times

Many overseas newspapers advertise the job vacancies section online.

Industry magazines such as Computerworld, Law News and Education Gazette contain information about vacancies. Find out which magazines relate to your area of career interest and keep up to date with these.

• Visit the NZ Herald website
  

Company or organisational websites
Many companies have a "careers" section of their website where they list current vacancies and general information about their recruitment processes. In some cases you can register online regardless of whether any current vacancies exist.

• Finding and approaching employers
• Careers fairs

Recruitment agencies
These are companies that advertise jobs on behalf of employers and there is usually no charge for job seekers. They advertise on their own websites and also in newspapers and on job websites. For listings see the Careers New Zealand website or search the Yellow Pages under the heading "Employment Agencies" and "Personnel Consultants".

Recruitment agencies are likely to be most useful when your work experience matches the industry they recruit in and when you know what sort of job you want. You will need to keep in close contact with them to ensure they know you are keen and are aware of your availability.

• Visit the Careers New Zealand website
• Search the Yellow Pages website

Proactive job search refers to the process of looking for the jobs that are not advertised. These jobs are often referred to as the 'hidden job market'. In NZ as in many other countries around the world, many jobs are not advertised but are instead filled by people who use their networks and contacts and/or approach employers directly asking for work.

Steps

1. Define what you have to offer employers:
   personal qualities, skills, knowledge and experience (Career Development and Employment Services can help you with this)
2. Decide where you most want to work (eg, sector, industry, career field).
3. Then...

Network widely
Tell all your personal contacts that you are looking for work and ask if they know anyone you can talk to who might have information on careers and/or jobs in your field of interest. (Family, friends, relatives, high school friends, fellow students, current work colleagues, former colleagues, employers, fellow members of clubs, teams, church or other religious groups, neighbours, lecturers/tutors, members of professional associations, other people that you are referred to, people you meet by chance at events, parties, in other areas of your life).

Try to develop new contacts in your career field of interest by joining professional associations and using the Alumni Careers Network.

Directly approach employers asking for work
When you know what work you want and are looking for advertised vacancies, it is time to start widening your job search and start approaching employers.

Make a list of the organisations you'd like to work for and find out their contact details and who is in charge of hiring staff.

Approach organisations that interest you most with a CV and letter, enquiring about possible work now or in the future, regardless of whether they have a vacancy. Follow-up by telephoning the person you sent your letter to in order to ask further questions about possible work.

• "Considering my CV, do you think there is a chance any positions may come up for someone like me over the next six months?"
• "When there is a vacancy, where does your organisation advertise? (through an agency, through the newspaper? which websites?)"
• "How often do openings come up that someone like me could apply for?"
• "Can you suggest anyone else I could contact regarding employment opportunities?"
• "Thank you very much. You've been very helpful."

If you get the chance you could also ask:

• "How many applicants usually apply for vacancies in this field?"
• "From reading my CV, can you suggest anything I could be doing now to improve my chances of being employed by your organisation?"
• "Are there other jobs that you think I could apply for in the firm with the kind of skills or qualifications that I have?"
• "Do you have any other advice?"

Other job search tips

• Remain in action and apply for more jobs while waiting to hear back from the current ones you've applied for. Every job you apply for is another opportunity.
• Allocate plenty of time for job search - looking for a job is a job in itself! You need to allocate enough time to do a thorough job search. A minimum of 10 hours per week is advised. This will allow time to looking at newspapers, and internet sites, tailor your CV and write letters, make telephone calls to potential employers and attend interviews.
• Keep accurate records of what jobs you've applied for, who you have contacted for informational interviews, and when you will call someone back. Save each CV and letter for each application and date it, so you can refer to them before an interview.